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There are 47 entries in the glossary.
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TermDefinition
AcharKnown to most in the UK as Indian oil based pickles the term is widely used throughout East Asia to cover pickles of all sorts.
 
ALAAlpha Linoleic Acid is a "precursor" of the Omega 3 fatty acids needed by us, it is converted by the body into DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) and EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid), the following foods are rich in ALA:

Linseed (Flax seed)
Walnuts
Pulses
Pumpkin seeds
Rape seed (Canola)
Hemp seed
Soya
Tofu
Dark and green leafy vegetables


Vegetarians should bear in mind that the conversion of the oils contained in these items will be hampered by large intakes of "normal" vegetable fats (these contain a lot of Linoleic Acid one of the Omega 6 fats). The vegetarian society recommends a ratio of 4:1 of LA to ALA fats for optimum conversion rates. Sunflower and Corn oils are high in LA, Olive, Soya and Rapeseed oils are not.

To gain maximum benefit seeds should be raw and ground or crushed before eating, and oils should be used in dressings etc.
 
Ascorbic AcidAscorbic Acid ( C6H8O6)
More commonly known as Vitamin C, one of the vitamins that we can't make in our bodies and must be taken in our diet, the best sources being fresh fruit and vegetables. It is an essential for human life and has many functions in our bodies. May be listed as E300 in ingredients lists.
 
ButterThe fat extracted from milk, usually cows milk but many other milks have a fat content high enough to make churning worthwhile.
 
CarbohydratesRefers to a large and varied group of carbon/hydrogen/oxygen compounds that act as the main means of storing and transmitting energy in both plants and animals. They fall into two categories, either sugars, or starches.
 
CheeseA dairy product made by curdling milk, it comes in a bewildering number of varieties of varying textures, colours and flavours and is produced from the milk of many different animals including cows, sheep, and goats. The production of cheese relies on the separation of milk solids from the liquid by either an acid like lemon juice or vinegar or the enzyme rennet which is found in the stomach of calves (although it is also produced in the laboratory nowadays). Whey is the liquid byproduct of cheese making.
 
Chile SaltpetreThe common name for Sodium Nitrate (NaNO3) it is a curing agent used in cured meat products you may see it listed on packaging as E251.
 
ConfitA method of preserving cooked meats under a layer of fat.
 
CordialA sweet, syrupy fruit based drink usually drunk diluted, some can also make good mixers and bases for syrups.
 
DehydratorMany foods can be effectively preserved by drying, if you have lots to preserve it may be worth your while investing in a dehydrator, most are electric but there are designs available on the internet for DIY solar dehydrators.
 
DemijohnA large glass bottle with narrow neck, very useful for home wine making.
 
DHADocosahexaenoic Acid is one of the Omega 3 fatty acids, found in oily fish and offal
 
DhalThe generic Indian term for most dried pulses and the curries made from them, traditionally made up a huge proportion of the average Indian's diet, some of the more common ones are listed below:

Channa - Chickpea
Massar or Masoor - Lentils
Moongi - Mung Beans
Mahan - Urid Beans
 
EFAThe abbreviation for essential fatty acids see separate entry on fatty acids
 
EPAEicosapentaenoic Acid is one of the Omega 3 fatty acids, found in oily fish and offal
 
Essential Fatty AcidsSee separate entry fatty acids
 
Fatty AcidsYou may have heard many terms relating to the same compounds, including those below:

ALA (Alpha Linoleic Acid)
DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid)
EFA (Essential Fatty Acids)
EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid)
LA (Linoleic Acid)
Omega 3
Omega 6

All of these terms refer to oils that are necessary for normal development in humans, and have many health benefits. They are especially vital in normal development of the brain

Unlike some other nutrients fatty acids are not manufactured in the body so need to be eaten as part of our diet, the most common source is oily fish such as Salmon, mackerel, trout and herring, which all contain DHA and EPA, Offal is rich in these acids too.

There are vegetable sources too but none contain the full range of fatty acids we require, although the following all contain ALA which can be converted by the body to the forms that we need:

Linseed (Flax seed)
Walnuts
Pulses
Pumpkin seeds
Rape seed (Canola)
Hemp seed
Soya
Tofu
Dark and green leafy vegetables

Vegetarians should bear in mind that the conversion of the oils contained in these items will be hampered by large intakes of "normal" vegetable fats (LA). The vegetarian society recommends a ratio of 4:1 of LA to ALA fats for optimum conversion rates. Sunflower and Corn oils are high in LA, Olive, Soya and Rapeseed oils are not.

To gain maximum benefit seeds should be raw and ground or crushed before eating, and oils should be used in dressings etc. Brassicas are good sources of ALA.
 
FermentBasically to go from one state to another, in food and drink terms this means the transformation or breaking down of foodstuffs by either bacteria or fungi to other edible products. Examples include:

Milk to yoghurt (bacteria)
Honey to mead (fungi)
 
FructoseFructose (C6H12O6)
Is what is known as a monosaccharide or simple sugar unlike sucrose which is a disaccharide or complex sugar, it's chemical formula is exactly the same as that of glucose but it has a different structure which gives it a relatively low GI level this means that it is often recommended as a sugar replacement for people with Diabetes. It is found in many fruits and in honey as well as some root vegetables.
 
GalactoseGalactose (C6H12O6)
One of the milk sugars, it is a monosaccharide or simple sugar that will bind with glucose to form lactose, it is found in dairy products as well as sugar beet and some other plant sources.
 
Garam MasalaA generic term, literally "warm spice", covers any "warm" flavoured spice mix. From Pakistan to Nepal every household has their own version, some use roasted spices others fresh, the only (in my view) essential spices are:

Black Pepper
Coriander
Cumin
Cinammon/Cassia
Cloves

Options are many and varied but could include any of the following, and more:

Fennel
Caraway
Cardomom
Fenugreek

Remember ground spices are very easy to adulterate so try and buy whole spices and experiment with grinding your own mixes at home, you'll be surprised how much more aromatic they can be.
 
GheeWidely used in Indian cookery ghee is clarified butter. Making ghee at home is very easy, melt some butter over a low heat in a pan skimming off the scum that rises to the top, once the scum has stopped rising allow to cool and the solids to settle at the bottom of the pan, pour the clear liquid into an airtight jar. Keeps for ages.
 
GIAn abbreviation for the Glycaemic Index, a system of ranking carbohydrates based on how quickly they are digested and released into the blood stream as glucose, the higher the number the more rapidly it is converted. A good knowledge of GI rankings is useful for people with diabetes, glucose is top of the Glycaemic Index with a rating of 100.
 
GlucoseGlucose (C6H12O6)
Is what is known as a monosaccharide or simple sugar unlike sucrose which is a disaccharide or complex sugar. It is produced commercially by processing starches; maize, rice, wheat, potato, cassava, arrowroot, and sago are all used in glucose production. Glucose is an essential energy source in humans and has other functions too. Glucose is sometimes referred to as dextrose in ingredients listings.
 
LALinoleic Acid, is one of the Omega 6 essential fatty acids, in modern times our dietary intake of LA has increased to a level that interferes with the function of Omega 3 fats in the body. If you're worried about your LA intake the following vegetable oils are low in LA:

Hemp
Olive
Rapeseed
Soya
 


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