FOOD SELECTION AND PREPARATION (FSM 112)

LECTURE #1
PART 1: TABLE TERMS AND DEFINITION

HERBS AND SPICES

Since time immemorial, herbs and spices have been used in food. The main purpose
of herbs and spices is to heighten or improve the flavor of meat, fish, vegetables, rice and
fruits.
Herbs are sold fresh or dried. Dried herbs have a stronger flavor than fresh, and
should be used sparingly. Fresh herbs should be picked just before using it. Most herbs
can be grown successfully outdoors in your own garden.
Spices are dried parts of aromatic plants and may be fruit, bark, seed, root or flower
bud. Most spices come from hot countries and are sold dried, either whole or ground. For
the strongest flavor, grind the spices immediately before using.
The following list of herbs and spices are the common ones generally used in food
preparation and preservation.
Selected Herbs (English and Common Names)
1. Bay Leaf (Laurel)- taken from the berries of the Bay Tree, has a strong spicy flavor and
can be used fresh or dried. Always remove from the dish before serving.
2. Chives (Sibuyas na Mura)- members of the Onion family with an edible narrow green
leaves. Best used raw to flavor salads and used as a garnish for soup and savory dishes;
usually snipped into short lengths before use.
3. Coriander (Cilantro)- mainly grown for its seed; good for soups and salads.
4. Curry Plant – green, spikey leaves of a shrub; used fresh or dried.
5. Lemon Grass (Tanglad)- a thick grass-like leaves which smell and taste strongly lemon.
6. Mint (Yerba Buena or Dahong Maria)- has different flavors and scents such as
peppermint, spearmint, applemint; used as a flavoring and garnish in wime and fruit
cups.
7. Parsley- flat, curly leaves which makes an attractive garnish; flavor is in stalk.
8. Rosemary- strong, pungent herb with spikey leaves. Excellent for use with barbecued
meats.
9. Sage- a large-leaved herb with a strong, slightly bitter taste. Use in stuffing, casseroles,
salads and others.
10. Thyme- has a strong aromatic flavor. Use by rubbing before roasting meat, stuffing
and in dishes cooked with wine.
Common Spices (English and Common Names)
1. Chili pepper (Siling Labuyo)- a very hot spice; a fruit pod of a Capucum plant.
2. Cinnamon (Kanela)- grown in stalk or bark; has a sweet, pungent flavor used for baking
or flavoring.
3. Cloves (Clavo de Comer)- look like a small nail when whole; are also sold ground. Have a
distinctive pungent flavor; used mainly to flavor ham.

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FOOD SELECTION AND PREPARATION (FSM 112)
LECTURE #1
PART 1: TABLE TERMS AND DEFINITION

4. Coriander (Colonatro or Cilantro)- also known as Chinese parsley. Seeds with a mild and
sweet orangy flavor. Sold whole or ground, used as ingredient in Curry Powder.
5. Ginger (Luya)- root with hot sweetish taste. Available fresh or dried. Root ginger needs to
be cooked to release true flavor.
6. Mustard- made from black, brown and white seeds of a mustard plant. Mustard is used
as condiment like salt and pepper.
7. Paprika- a sweet mild spice which ground to red powder. Good for adding color to dishes.
8. Pepper (Paminta)- the berry of a climbing vine can be found in several forms: black,
green or white. Sometimes lightly crushes or used as whole. Has a strong pungent, and
hot flavor. Best when freshly ground to season dishes.
9. Saffron (Casubha)- most expensive of the spices. Dried stigmas of the saffron crocus
flower; has a slightly bitter taste and aromatic.
10. Sesame seeds (Linga)- small seeds with a rich, sweet slightly burnt flavor which
enhanced by toasting of frying.
11. Tamarind (sampalok)- a large pod that grows on a tree. Seeded peeled and pressed
into a dark brown pulp. Sour flavor.
12. Turmeric (Luyang Dilaw)- dried root of a plant from the ginger family. Looks like
fresh ginger, but bright orange inside the peel. Most commonly sold ground.
DRYING AND STORING HERBS
1. Dry homegrown herbs in a slow oven or microwave oven, dry in the sun by hanging
them in a cool airy place, covered with muslin to keep the dust off.
2. When dry, strip the leaves carefully from the stems and leave them whole. This will
preserve more flavor than crumbling them.
3. Dried herbs keep best in straight jars away from the light. Choose wood, earthenware
or dark-colored glass.
4. In a cool place, dried herbs keep their flavor for 6-8 months.
FOOD PREPARATION TERMS
Beat — Make the mixture smooth and light by lifting it over and over.
Blend — Mix two or more ingredients until one ingredient cannot be distinguished from
the other.
Break — Divide into pieces.
Chop — Cut into small, uneven pieces.
Cream — Rub, mash or work shortening against the side of a bowl with the back of a
spoon until it is smooth and creamy.
Cut-in — Combine shortening and dry ingredients when making biscuits or pastry.
Cube — Cut into pieces of uniform size and shapes, first, lengthwise then crosswise to
make cubes.
Dice — Cut into small pieces of uniform size and shapes, first, lengthwise then
crosswise to make cubes.
Dredge — Combine shortening and dry ingredients when making biscuits or pastry.
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FOOD SELECTION AND PREPARATION (FSM 112)
LECTURE #1
PART 1: TABLE TERMS AND DEFINITION

Flake — Separate fish into small pieces.

Fold — Add beaten egg whites or whipped cream to a mixture without losing what has
been beaten into them.
Grate — Cut into fine pieces by rubbing against a grater in circular or back and forth
motion.
Julienne — Cut into thin, match-like strips.
Marinate — Let food stand in French dressing or an oil acid mixture to add flavor.
Mash — Press food from small pieces into a pulp with an up and down or beating action
of a fork.
Mince — Let food stand in French dressing or an oil acid mixture to add flavor.
Pare — Cut off the outer skin or rind with a knife.
Peel — Pull off the outer skin or rind.
Puree — Rub food through a sieve to make a smooth semi-liquid mixture for use in
soups or sauces, or food for babies.
Scrape — Remove the skin by rubbing it with the sharp edge of the knife.
Slice — Cut across into flat pieces.
Soften — Cream butter, margarine, or shortening until it is smooth and creamy or to let
it stand at room temperature until it is soft.
Stir — Mix the ingredients in a bowl by circular movement of a spoon.
Sprinkle — Scatter sugar, flour, and salt over food.
Toss — Mix lightly by lifting the ingredients for salad with a spoon and fork with two
forks to avoid braising the ingredients.
Wedge — Cut into shape of a wedge, each piece thick at one and thin at the other end.
Whip — Beat rapidly with a whisk beater to incorporate air and increase volume of egg
white.

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FOOD SELECTION AND PREPARATION (FSM 112)
LECTURE #1
PART 1: TABLE TERMS AND DEFINITION

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FOOD SELECTION AND PREPARATION (FSM 112)
LECTURE #1
PART 1: TABLE TERMS AND DEFINITION

SUGGESTED BASIC KITCHEN UTENSILS AND TOOLS

A. Cooking Utensils
tea kettle saucepan (2 quarts, 3 quarts, 4 quarts)
1 native carajay or frying pan (10 inches in diameter)
1 small skillet (6 to 7 inches in diameter)
1 double boiler
1 large casserole

B. Oven Utensils
1 muffin pan (6 to 12 cups)
1 pie pan (9 inches)
2 layer-cake pans (8 x 1 1/2 inches)
1 square cake pan (8 x 8 x 2 inches)
1 tube pan (10 x 4 inches)
1 loaf pan (8 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches)
1 baking sheet

C. Tools
1 paring knife (3 1/2 inches wide with a blade)
1 large knife (5 to 7 inches wide with a blade)
2 or 3 mixing spoons
2 long-handled cooking spoons
1 long-handled cooking fork
1 spatula
1 can opener
1 kneading board
2 chopping boards
1 rotary egg beater or white beater
measuring spoons and cups mixing bowls (1 qt, 2 qts, 3 qts, 4 qts)
strainer or sieve colander
D. Suggested Additions
a pressure cooker
a meat grinder
a juice extractor
a pancake griddle
kitchen shears
a Dutch oven with cover
tongs for hot foods and ice cubes
1 dozen dishtowels
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FOOD SELECTION AND PREPARATION (FSM 112)
LECTURE #1
PART 1: TABLE TERMS AND DEFINITION

4 pot holders
an omelet pan
an ice pick
SMALL EQUIPMENT FOR FOOD PREPARATION
Small items of equipment are referred to as kitchen utensils. These are used in cleaning,
cutting, chopping, and cooking.
Equipment for cooking on the range
sauce pan
heavy skillet or carajay
sauce pot
skillet or frying pan
kettle
pressure cooker
double boiler
tea kettle
Dutch oven
coffeemaker
Cutting and chopping equipment
butcher knife
scissors
french or chopping knife
meat grinders
bread knife
pastry blender
cutting board
biscuit cutter
paring knife
grater
peeler
can opener
Mallet
Mashes
Mixing and preparation equipment
mixing bowls
blending fork
sifter
rubber scrapper
wire whip
strainer
wooden spoon
tongs
mixing spoon
chopping board

6|P age