Common Cooking Terms

When it comes to cooking food, most of us know what "boil", "fry" and "bake" means. If you are unfamiliar with the following terms - commonly used in the cookbooks and restaurant menus - here's what they mean:

Food Preparation Methods:
Caramelise - to heat sugar slowly in a skillet until it's melted and browned.
Puree - to rub food through a coarse sieve to turn it into finer texture.
Julienne - to cut food into long, slender strips.

Cooking Methods:
Baste - to moisten while cooking by pouring liquid or dripping melted fat or flavoured sauce over it.
Blanch - to dip in boiling water for a short time.
Braise - to brown a little hot fat and then cook slowly in a closely covered utensil, usually adding a small amount of liquid to prevent burning.
Broil - to cook under direct heat or over heat on metal bars.
Panboil - to cook uncovered in a skillet without added fat.
Parboil - to boil in water until partially cooked.
Poach - to cook in liquid just below boiling point.
Saute - to cook in a small amount of oil.
Sear - to brown the surface of meat by the quick application of intense heat, usually in a hot pan or hot oven.
Steep - to extract colour and flavour by allowing food to stand in water just below boiling point.