glossary

Gado gado: A popular Indonesian dish of vegetables, hard boiled eggs, fried shallots and a peanut sauce.

Galangal: A member of the ginger family, with a distinctive smell and flavour, and browny-pink skin colour.

Galette: Items that are small and round, like flat cakes of polenta, potato, pastry or biscuit.

Galliano: A golden coloured, yellow liqueur and flavoured with herbs.

Game: The flesh of any wild animal or bird, like pheasant, kangaroo, hare, buffalo or quail.

Gammon: Thick pork leg steaks.

Ganache: A rich chocolate icing or filling for cakes.

Garam masala: A mix of ground spices used in Indian cuisine.

Garbanzo bean: Refer Chickpea.

Garlic: A member if the lily family, garlic has a pungent smell and strong flavour, and is considered an essential ingredient in most dishes and cuisines.

Garlic salt: Salt flavoured with dried and ground garlic powder.

Garnish or Garnir: A term meaning 'To decorate a finished dish with contrasting colours or ingredients', such as chopped herbs.

Gateau: A large, rich flavoured layered cake.

Gazpacho: A chilled, pureed vegetable soup made from tomatoes, cucumber, red capsicums, garlic and olive oil.

Gefilte fish: A popular Jewish dish, comprising cakes of minced fish that have been poached in stock.

Gelatine: A protein made from animal tissue and used to set foods such as aspic and bavarois.

Gelato: A classic Italian ice cream.

Genoese or Genoise: An egg sponge used for sponge fingers or cake-making.

Ghee: A form of clarified butter, Ghee is the milky residue that is left behind after butter has been heated, and the butterfat has been separated. Can be heated to high temperatures, and is common in Indian cuisine.

Gherkin: A pickled cucumber.

Giant king crab: A variety of Crab.

Giant Tasmanian crab: A variety of Crab.

Giblets: An internal organ from poultry.

Gigot: The leg from lamb, pork or veal.

Gill: Liquid measure equal to a ¼ pint or 5 fluid ounces in imperial measurements.

Ginger: A spice from the rhizome of a plant, with shiny brown skin, yellow brown flesh and distinctive smell.

Ginger ale: A non-alcoholic, carbonated ginger flavoured drink.

Ginger beer: A low alcohol drink made from ginger, sugar syrup and yeast.

Glace: A term that describes a fruit dipped in syrup, which hardens when cold.

Glaze: (a) a protective ice layer, usually of water and/or chemical additives, that prevents the dehydration of frozen food. (b) A liquid mixture that is brushed over the surface of food for colour, flavour or to provide a shine or gloss.

Globe or French Artichoke: A shoot vegetable that resembles an unopened fir cone. Artichokes have a long, thick gray-green stem, firm leaves and a soft centre.

Gluten: The protein in flour that becomes elastic in texture with the addition of water and kneading.

Gnocchi: A popular dumpling, gnocchi can be made using potatoes, durum wheat, choux pastry, flour or semolina.

Goat's cheese or Chevre or Zieger: Any cheese made from goat's milk.

Goat's milk: Goats milk is considered sweeter than cow's milk.

Golden delicious: A variety of Apple.

Golden nugget pumpkin: A small variety of Pumpkin.

Gooseberry: A small, green fruit with a tough skin and moist flesh.

Gorgonzola: A strong smelling, blue-veined soft cheese.

Gouda: A light-yellow, semi hard Dutch curd cheese with a firm texture and distinctive yellow wax rind.

Gougere: Choux puffs flavoured with cheese.

Goujon: Refer Finger.

Goulash: A stew of meat, onions and potatoes and paprika seasoning.

Gourmet: An expert in fine food and wine.

Grain-fed: Animals, usually cattle that have been raised on a diet of high-energy food for a 70-day period. This process produces a fine marbling within the flesh.

Grand Marnier: A French orange flavoured liqueur.

Granita: A crushed ice drink with flavouring.

Granny Smith: A variety of Apple.

Grape: A small round or oval shaped fruit grown and sold in bunches, and a colour range from light green or white to purple-black.

Grapefruit: A large, golden-yellow segmented citrus fruit with thick skin and pith.

Grappa: A spirit made from the remnants of pressed grapes, or a popular form of homemade spirit with a high alcohol content.ch liqueur made from cognac and oranges.

Grass-fed: Animals fed on a grass pasture, on silage or hay within their paddocks.

Grate: A term meaning 'To reduce food into small, shredded strips by rubbing it against the surface of the sharp, small serrated holes of a grater'.

Gratin: Refer Au gratin.

Gravy: A thickened sauce made from the juices of meat.

Green coral lettuce: A variety of lettuce with deep curled leaves and a mild flavour. May also be called Loll biondo.

Green ginger wine: A spicy wine made from fruit and flavoured with fresh ginger.

Greenlip mussel: A variety of mussel from New Zealand.

Green prawn: A prawn that has not been cooked.

Griddle: A metal plate or frying pan with ridges used to cook chicken or meats to give striped barbecued look to foods.

Grill: A term of reference meaning 'To cook using a radiant dry-heat source from one direction'. In commercial kitchens the grill is called a salamander, while commercially and domestically you may grill using a grid, grill plate or char-grill.

Gremolata: A mixture of finely chopped parsley, garlic, and lemon that is sprinkled over meat and poultry dishes.

Grind: A term of reference meaning 'To reduce food into small particles by hand in a mortar and pestle, or an electric food processor'.

Grissini: Pencil thin bread sticks that are baked until crisp.

Guacamole: A popular Mexican dish comprising avocado, lemon juice and chilli powder.

Guava: A small, tropical fruit with skin that turns yellow when ripe, and pale yellow/white flesh that turns to pink.

Gugelhopf: Sweetened yeast cake with dried fruits, baked in a fluted ring mould.

Gyoza: A small Japanese dumpling made from minced pork, cabbage, ginger and garlic, all wrapped in fine pastry and either steamed or deep-fried.