dacquoise - (French) Almond and hazelnut layered gateau consisting of 2 or 3 discs of meringue filled with butter cream or whipped cream. Various flavourings and sometimes fresh fruit are added to the filling.

daikon - (Japanese) (Raphanus sativus) Also known as Chinese white radish and mooli in India. Large white root vegetable with a crisp juicy flesh and a mild, refreshing taste, extensively used in Japan, also in China, India and Korea. It is believed to aid digestion, especially rich, oily foods and in Japan is grated, shredded or pickled and eaten as a condiment or used as a garnish. In China it is sliced thinly and eaten raw, pickled or salted. Also cut in various ways and stir-fired, braised, boiled or steamed. The leaves can also be stir-fried as a vegetable.

daiquiri - Rum cocktail from Cuba made with white rum, fresh lime juice and sugar syrup shaken together over ice and strained. A frozen daiquiri is made with crushed ice and often fruit (such as peaches and strawberries) whisked in a blender and served unstrained.

dal - See dhal.

damier - (French) Rum-flavoured sponge gâteau decorated with a checkerboard pattern on top.

damper - (Australian) Type of unleavened bush bread traditionally made with plain flour, water and a little salt, baked in the hot coals of a camp fire. Modern versions are made with self-raising flour and milk, and sometimes butter.

damson plum - (Prunus damascena) Small oval purplish-blue plum with a bitter greenish-yellow flesh, highly valued for preserves, pies and home-made wine.

Danablu cheese - See Danish Blue.

Danbo - (Danish) Semi-soft pressed cow's milk cheese. It has a smooth, whitish-cream interior with a number of small holes and thin natural rind, usually waxed. Often flavoured with caraway seeds. Mild-tasting table cheese, usually served with fruit.

dandelion leaves - (Taraxacum officinale) Known as 'pissenlit' in France. Long, dark green, strongly indented leaves with a bitter peppery taste. Rich in iron and vitamin A. Young leaves are served raw in the mixed green winter salad of Provence called 'mesclun'. They also appear in a salad with hot diced bacon; also cooked like spinach. Dandelion leaves are picked before the plant has flowered. Older leaves are too bitter. In cultivation, about a week before cutting, the plant is covered to exclude light. This blanches the leaves, making them paler, less bitter tasting and more palatable. The roots are dried and used in a coffee-like beverage.

dang myun - (Korean) Pale grey, long noodles made from sweet potato starch. They have a chewy texture and readily soak up other flavours. Traditionally added to the classic chap chae, a stir-fried dish of sliced beef and vegetables, flavoured with garlic, chilli, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil.

Danish Blue - (Danish) Sharp-tasting, semi-soft, blue-veined cow's milk cheese with a creamy white interior and a dense network of blue veins. Widely available and reliable. Served as a snack, in salads, with fruit and after meals.

Danish pastry - (Danish) Flaky pastry made with yeast dough layered with butter and containing a variety of fillings.

Danish salami - (Danish) Smoked, mildly spicy salami made from pork or a mixture of meats, seasoned with garlic and pepper and coloured red.

dariole - (French) Small high-sided cylindrical mould used to make small pastries, puddings and individual babas. Also the name given to the preparation cooked in a dariole mould.

Darjeeling tea - High quality Indian black tea from the province of Darjeeling, in the foothills of the Himalayas.

darne - (French) Thick slice of a large fish cut across the bone.

dartois - (French) Puff pastry rectangles layered with pastry cream filling as a dessert; or filled with meat or fish and served as a hot hors d'oeuvre.

dasheen - See taro.

dashi - (Japanese) All-purpose stock made from dried kelp (konbu) and flakes of dried bonito; used as a soup and to flavour many dishes.

date - (Phoenix dactylifera) Fresh dates are becoming more available in fruit shops around summer and although sweet, they have a winey taste and are excellent sliced and added to chicken and other cold meat salads; also stuffed with cream cheese or blue vein cheese and other savoury fillings. They are also eaten fresh and used in various sweet dishes. Dried dates are sweeter and richer than the fresh; also eaten as a snack or used in cakes, puddings, rice dishes, curries or stuffed with a sweet filling for confectionery. Dried dates will store airtight up to six months in a cool dry place. They can be plumped up and made more succulent by seaming for 15 minutes or soaking in wine. See also red date.

daube - (French) Marinated meat and vegetables cooked slowly for a long time in red wine, herbs and spices in a heavy, covered casserole, or daubiere.

daun salam - (Indonesian) (Eugenia polyantha) Aromatic leaf similar to but larger than curry leaves, used as a flavouring in Indonesian and Malaysian curries.

Dauphin - (French) Soft, crescent-shaped cow's milk cheese flavoured with parsley, tarragon, pepper and cloves, and dusted with paprika. Strong, spicy flavour; used as a snack or cocktail cheese.

dauphine potatoes - See pommes dauphine.

Davidson's plum - (Australian) (Davidsonia pruriens) Blue-black fruit resembling a plum from a small rainforest tree. The juicy purple flesh has a sharp acid flavour and is mostly made into jams, jellies and savoury sauces. Available frozen whole.

dawn pandan - The Indonesian and Malaysian name for pandanus leaf

decaffeinated coffee - Coffee that has had approximately 97% of the caffeine removed by soaking the green beans in hot water or through direct contact with a solvent prior to roasting.

decant - To gently pour liquid from one container to another, allowing the sediment to remain.

deep-fry - To cook in hot oil or fat that is deep enough for the food to be completely submerged.

deglaze - To add a small amount of liquid such as wine or stock to the pan juices, in which meat or poultry have been cooked, in order to make a base for a sauce or gravy.

dégorge/disgorge - 1. To spinkle certain vegetables such as eggplant and cucumber with salt to eliminate the bitter and excess juices. 2. To soak meat, poultry or fish in cold water to draw out strong flavours or coagulated blood.

dégraisser - To remove excess fat from a stock, sauce or dish.

dégustation - (French) A tasting or sampling. Some restaurants offer a set price menu with a number of entree sized dishes and a sampling or desserts.

Delicious apple - See Golden Delicious apple and Red Delicious apple.

demerara sugar - A coarse-textured dry brown sugar mixed with a little molasses; traditionally used to sweeten coffee.

demi-glace - Concentrated veal stock sauce lightened with consommé or white stock and flavoured with Madeira or sherry; used as a base for other sauces.

demi-sec - (French) Translates to 'half dry' and usually refers to champagne and other sparkling wines that are quite sweet.

demi-tasse - (French) Translates to 'half cup' and refers to an after-dinner coffee served in a small cup.

Derby - (English) Firm, pressed cow's milk cheese with moist, slightly flaky, interior and pale yellow rind. Flavour resembles that of a mild cheddar. Sage Derby is flecked with chopped sage leaves mixed with the curd. Served as a snack and on sandwiches

desert lime - (Australian) (Eremocitrus glauca) Small rounded yellow fruit obtained from a large spiny shrub, related to the citrus group. It has a sharp tangy flavour and is popular in bush food restaurants, used in a variety of sauces, chutneys and marmalade. Also used in desserts, ice cream and whole as a garnish with seafood and poultry. Available frozen whole.

desiccated coconut - The dried and finely shredded flesh of the coconut.

Desiree potato - See potato.

dessert - Sweet dishes served at the end of the meal, or just before cheese and fruit.

detendre - (French) To dilute or soften to a thinner consistency.

devein - To remove the dark intestinal vein along the back of certain crustaceans, such as prawns. A shallow cut is made with the tip of a sharp knife and the vein easily lifted out.

devil's tongue - (Amorphophallus konjac) Root of a yam-like plant used to make a translucent loaf (konnyaku) and various types of noodles used in Japanese cooking. See konnyaku and shirataki

devilled - Dish or sauce that is highly seasoned with a hot spicy ingredient such as mustard, cayenne, Tabasco or Worcestershire sauce. Popular in English cooking.

devils on horseback - (English) Hot hors d'oeuvre made by wrapping stoned prunes in thin slices of bacon, then grilling.

devon - Fairly salty bland-tasting, soft textured cooked sausage made from beef and pork.

Devonshire cream - See clotted cream.

dhal/dal - (Indian) Generic name for dried split pulses, including lentils, beans, split peas and chickpeas. It is also the name of a spicy dish made with lentils or other pulses that often accompanies curries.

dhansak - (Indian) One-pot dish of mutton or chicken and vegetables cooking in a spicy puree of dhal. A classic Parsi dish.

diable - (French) Round pottery cooking dish with a single long handle on the base and lid. A la diable refers to a dish served with a piquant devilled sauce.

dice - To cut into small even cubes.

dieppoise - (a la) (French) Fish cooked in the Dieppe style; usually with white wine sauce, mussels, shrimp and mushrooms.

dietary fibre - The cellulose of plants which is not completely digested in the human digestive system. It increases the bulk in the diet and assists in bowel movement, helping to prevent constipation. Prime sources are cereals, wholemeal flour, pulses, nuts, fruit and vegetables.

digestive - General term for spirits or liqueurs served after dinner. Called digestif in French and digestivo in Italian.

Dijon mustard - (French) Mild mustard paste, made from black and brown mustard seeds, verjuice and white wine. Main centre for production is Dijon, France. Used as a condiment for meat and charcuterie and as a coating for poultry, pork and some oily fish before cooking.

dijonnaise - (a la) (French) Dijon style; usually with mustard.

dill - (Anethum graveolens) Small annual herb with fine thread-like leaves similar to fennel, but smaller. Both leaves and seeds used. Often associated with Russian and Scandinavian cooking where the leaves are used for curing raw fish, particularly salmon in the style of gravlax. Chopped dill is used in tartar sauce and other sauces for fish; also salads, egg dishes, vegetables and cole slaw. The seeds are used for pickling cucumbers and gherkins. Dill has a reputation for relieving indigestion.

dilute - To add liquid to a mixture to make thinner or reduce its strength.

dim sim - (Chinese) Small dumplings made of thin sheets of noodle dough, filled with a variety of mixtures, and steamed or deep fried.

dim sum - (Chinese) Translates to 'touch the heart'. A variety of small steamed or fried appetisers and dishes, served with tea as a snack at any time of the day. Dim sum served at brunch on Sundays is called yum cha which means 'to drink tea'.

dinner - Principal meal of the day, usually eaten in the evening in Australia.

diot - (French) Small vegetable and pork sausage gently cooked in white wine, speciality of the Savoy.

dip - Light savoury cream or sauce used for dipping a selection of raw vegetables, bread or cracker. Popular at drink parties as they can be eaten while standing and do not require a plate.

diplomat pudding - Moulded dessert made with layers of sponge fingers soaked in Kirsch, candied and dried fruit and Bavarian cream. It is chilled and unmoulded and served with fruit or custard sauce.

diplomat sauce - (French) Rich white sauce made with fish stock, roux, cream and brandy, which might include truffles and lobster meat or butter; served with delicate white fish.

dirty rice - (American) Traditional Cajun dish of rice cooked with chicken livers and gizzards, minced pork, various spices and chopped vegetables. It takes its name from the colour the rice receives from the chopped giblets.

disjoint - To cut and separate at the joint, as with poultry.

distillation - Process of separating a liquid by heating so that it vaporises. When cooled the vapour condenses into a more concentrated form and in the case of liquor has a higher alcoholic content.

distilled water - Water purified by boiling and distillation

ditalini - (Italian) Short small tubes of pasta, used in minestrone. Also known as tubetti.

Dobos torte - (Hungarian) Many-tiered layer cake spread with chocolate cream and coated with a crisp caramel glaze.

dodine - (French) Braised stuffed boned poultry, usually duck; served with a sauce made from the poultry carcass, vegetables, wine, cooking juices, the chopped liver of the bird and cream.

Dolcelatte - (Italian) Translates to 'sweet milk' and refers to a creamy, delicately flavoured Gorgonzola.

dolmas - (Greek) Also known as 'dolmades'. Vine leaves stuffed with cooked rice and minced lamb with various flavourings, rolled into small cylinders and braised in a light lemon or tomato sauce.

donburi - (Japanese) Translates to 'bowl'. Rice dish served in a large bowl with various different types of topping. Also refers to the bowl, often with a lid in which the food is cooked or served.

donguri udon - (Japanese) White noodles made from wheat flour and 10 percent acorn flour.

dorer - (French) To brush with beaten eggs and bake until golden

dorine - (French) Small tartlet filled with chestnut puree and pastry cream, sprinkled with toasted almonds and glazed with apricot jam.

dosa/dhosa - (Indian) Large wafer-like pancake made from rice and besan flour. A masala dosa is a large pancake rolled with a spiced potato and vegetable filling, usually served at breakfast or as a snack, accompanied by fresh coconut chutney and a sambar.

double-boiler - Two pots of different sizes which are designed to fit together with a single lid on top. The lower pan holds hot, simmering water and gives a gentle all-round heat to the food in the top pan. Used to cook or keep sauces, custards and chocolate at a gentle heat without spoiling.

dough - basic mixture of flour, water and a little salt that is kneaded to become elastic and pliable enough to be rolled out with a rolling pin. At this stage pasta and noodles can be made. The addition of various other ingredients forms a more specialised product, for example when butter is added it becomes a pastry dough; the addition of yeast makes a basic bread dough

doughnut - Small,ring-shaped cake made from leavened bread dough that is cooked in hot fat then coated with sugar, often flavoured with cinnamon. A round doughnut filled with jam is sometimes called a jelly doughnut.

douillon - (French) Whole pear or apple wrapped and cooked in pastry; speciality of Normandy.

dragée - (French) Sweet, usually a sugar-coated almond. Traditionally eaten at christenings and weddings.

Dragon Well tea - See lung chin.

dragon's eyes - See longan.

dragon's teeth - See bird's nest.

Drambuie - (Scottish) Liqueur made from Scotch whisky flavoured with heather honey and herbs.

dredge - To coat food with a generous sprinkling of flour before cooking.

Dresden stollen - See stollen.

dried fruit - Once only a few standard dried fruits were available in packets, now more and more interesting varieties are appearing loose in fruit markets, or in mysterious shapes and sizes in see-through drawers in Asian grocers. Dried fruit have full flavour, a high concentration of sugar and are a good source of vitamins and minerals. Stored airtight they will keep well for six months to a year depending on the fruit. Most can be eaten as a snack and are often chopped and included in breakfast cereal and muesli bar. They are used in many baked goods, desserts, confectionery, conserves, stuffings and savoury sauces. Dried fruit can be can be reconstituted or plumped up by soaking in boiling water for 30 minutes or in cold water, tea or alcohol overnight.

drippings - Melted fat and residue left in the pan after meat and poultry have been cooked; used during cooking for basting and as the base for sauces.

drumstick - The lower portion of the leg of poultry, such as chicken and turkey.

Du Barry - (French) Dish that contains cauliflower.

Dublin Bay prawns - See scampi.

Dubonnet - (French) Vermouth-style aperitif flavoured with quinine and herbs.

duchesse - (French) 1. Petit fours made with meringue containing ground almonds that are sandwiched together in pairs with butter cream. 2. A variety of pear.

duchesse - (a la) (French) A dish served or garnished with mashed potatoes mixed with egg yolk and butter, that is often piped into rosettes and baked until golden

duck - Domestic water bird with a high proportion of fat to flesh. Duck is commonly roasted and is pricked all over to release the fat during cooking. It is often served with a tart fruit sauce to offset the fatty taste; duck served with orange segments and sauce (duck a l'orange) is a classic example. Ducks have been domesticated in China for 2,000 years and are used extensively in cooking, particularly in braised dishes and the famous Peking duck, served with its specially prepared reddish-brown crispy skin. Duck eggs also widely used in China are often salted or preserved and called century eggs or ancient eggs. See also magret.

dukkah - (Egyptian) Egyptian speciality comprising a coarse, dry mixture of sesame seeds, coriander seeds, hazelnuts, cumin, salt and black pepper. All the ingredients are roasted separately and lightly crushed together. Variations might include pre-cooked dried chick peas, cinnamon, thyme, mint or oregano. The mixture is usually eaten with bread dipped in olive oil.

dulse - (Rhodymenia palmata) Purplish-red edible seaweed, traditionally used in the UK as a cooked vegetable eaten with dried fish. Also dry roasted and crushed and used as a flavouring for soups. Washed, dried and rolled it was used like a chewing tobacco in Ireland. It is available in health food shops. Washing and soaking for a few minutes reduces its saltiness. Finely sliced it can be used uncooked in a salad or added to soups and stews.

dumpling - 1. Small ball of dough dropped into simmering soup or stew. It can also enclose other food and is baked, boiled or deep-fried. 2. Small sweet pastry filled with fruit, poached in a sweet sauce and served as a dessert.

Dundee cake - (Scottish) Rich fruit cake topped with blanched almonds.

Dunlop - (Scottish) Firm, uncooked pressed cow's milk cheese with creamy-coloured moist interior and thin, cloth-wrapped or waxed rind. Served as a snack and good for melting.

durian - (Durio zibethinus) This huge oval fruit with spiny thick skin is becoming more widely available in fruit shops and Asian grocers. The creamy sweet flesh has a bad reputation for its offensive odour, especially when overripe, but in taste the durian has a strong fruity flavour. It is ready to eat when the skin yellows. It is slit open and segmented with a very sharp knife. Durian is usually eaten fresh; also cooked with rice, made into cakes and fruit jelly or used to flavour ice cream. The large shiny seeds may be roasted and eaten like chestnuts.

durum wheat - (Triticum durum) Hard, amber coloured wheat with high gluten content. It is the endosperm that is ground to make the perfect flour for commercially made pasta products and semolina

dust - To coat food with a light sprinkling of powdery ingredients such as flour or icing sugar.

duxelles - Mixture of finely chopped mushrooms, onions and shallots sautéed in butter; used as a stuffing, garnish and as a base for a sauce.