GLOSSARY - food definitions - Brief Article

Vegetarian Times, June, 2000

BULGUR: Cracked wheat that has been hulled and parboiled.

CHAMPAGNE VINEGAR: A pleasantly pungent vinegar made from champagne. Look for it in specialty food shops.

SAFFRON: A flavoring derived from the purple crocus. Lends a yellow color and distinctive taste. Although relatively expensive, a little goes a long way.

SAVOY CABBAGE: A mellow-flavored cabbage with a loose, full head of crinkled leaves that can vary in color from dark to pale green.

SESAME SEEDS: Tiny, flat seeds that come in shades of brown, red and black. The most common is pale ivory. Used in Middle Eastern foods such as halvah and tahini, and in Asian cuisine. Gomasio is a popular Japanese bottled condiment of sesame seeds and sea salt, sometimes with added flavors such as the sea vegetable nori or garlic.

TAHINI (tah-HEE-nee): A thick, smooth paste made of ground sesame seeds. A staple of Middle Eastern cuisine.

TOFU (TOH-foo): White, easily digestible curd made from cooked soybeans and sometimes grains. High in protein. Comes in Japanese-style silken tofu in 10 1/2-oz. shelf-stable aseptic packages or Chinese-style in 12-, 14- and 16-oz. water-packed tubs in the refrigerated section of markets. Tofu comes in soft, firm and extra-firm styles as well as fat-reduced, smoked and marinated, baked flavors.

QUINOA (KEEN-WAH): A roundish, sand-colored grain with a mild, nutty taste and light texture. Easy to digest and high in protein.