A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
naan: leavened Indian bread; traditionally baked by pressing it onto the inside wall of a heated tandoor (brick oven).
nachos topping sauce: consists of pinto beans, tomato paste, onion, capsicum, jalapenos and garlic.
nage: an aromatic broth in which crustaceans are cooked. The shellfish is then served with this broth. The most notable of these dishes is lobster la nage.
nantua: a name given to dishes containing crayfish. This includes crayfish tails and sauces made with a crayfish fumet.
nashi: also called Japanese or Asian pear; a member of the pear family but similar in appearance to an apple.
navarin: French stew made with mutton or lamb and onions, turnips, potatoes, and herbs.
niche: a job or position which is very suitable for someone, esp. one that they like. A niche market is a small area of trade within the economy, often involving specialized products.
nicoise: foods cooked in the style of Nice. These dishes may include garlic, Nicoise olives, anchovies, tomatoes, and green beans. Salad Nicoise is the most famous of all these dishes, consisting of potatoes, olives, green beans, anchovies and vinaigrette dressing.
nigiri: a form of ‘Sushi’ – balls of rice topped with a slice of fish or other foods, such as egg, secured with a strap of seaweed.
noisette: a small round steak, made of lamb or beef tenderloin.
noisette butter: whole butter which has been cooked until it reaches a rich, nutty brown colour and aroma.
non-reactive pan: a cooking pan whose surface does not chemically react with food. Materials used include stainless steel, enamel, glass and some alloys.
noodles: bean thread also called cellophane; made from green mung bean flour. Cellophane harusame dried saifun noodles, available from Asian grocery stores. Fine translucent bean thread noodles made from various starches, most commonly Chinese mung beans, potato and corn starch. Closest fresh substitute is shirataki. Crispy fried sold packaged, usually a 100g packet, already deep-fried and ready to eat. Also known as crunchy noodles; available in two widths — thin and spaghetti-like or wide and flat like fettuccine. Fresh egg made from wheat flour and eggs; strands varying in thickness. Fresh rice thick, wide, almost white in colour; made from rice and vegetable oil. Must be covered with boiling water to remove starch and excess oil before use. Fresh wheat commonly labelled hokkien mee or stir-fry noodles; round, thick, yellow-beige noodles. Gelatinous shirataki translucent jelly-like noodles made from starch of konnyaku, a yam-like root vegetable sometimes known as devil’s tongue. Available in refrigerated packets. Closest dry substitute is harusame or rice vermicelli. Hokkien also known as stir-fry noodles; fresh wheat flour noodles resembling thick, yellow-brown spaghetti needing no pre-cooking before use. Instant also known as 2-minute noodles; quick cooking noodles with a flavour sachet. Rice stick a dried noodle, available flat and wide or very thin; made from rice, flour and water. Rice vermicelli also known as rice-flour noodles; made from ground rice. Sold dried and are best either deep-fried, soaked then stir-fried or used in soups. Singapore a thinner version of the hokkien noodle. Also made from wheat flour and are yellow-brown in colour. Soba noodles made from various proportions of buckwheat flour, usually available dried but can be purchased fresh from local noodle makers. Somen very fine, delicate, dried white noodles made from wheat. Udon thick, wide what noodles, available both dried and fresh from most supermarkets and also at Asian food stores.
nori: a type of dried seaweed often used in Japanese cooking. Sold in thin sheets.
nori rolls: a form of ‘Sushi’ – sheets of seaweed, with a variety of fillings, including cucumber, wasabi and various types of raw fish, rolled up inside them and cut into short pieces.
normande: a cooking style for fish, with a garnish of prawn, mussels and mushrooms in a white wine cream sauce; for poultry and meat, a sauce with cream, calvdos and apple.
nougat: made from sugar, glucose, almonds, egg white and gelatine.
nougatine: a darker candy, made of caramel syrup and nuts. This is rolled into thin sheets and formed into cups or bowls to serve as a vessel for other candy or fruit.
nuoc-mam: this is a Vietnamese fish sauce made with fermented fish or shrimp. Another name for this is nam pla.
nutella: an Italian chocolate hazelnut spread.
nutmeg: the dried nut of an evergreen tree native to Indonesia; available in ground form or grate your own with a fine grater.