Ingredients
The potato is a starchy vegetable and tuber that forms under the soil. There are a number of varieties of potato, including Russet potatoes, the yellow colored Yukon Gold, and many others that are purple, red, small and large. All potatoes have a very thin skin, though baking potatoes have a slightly sturdier skin. The potato is hard and inedible until cooked. It can be boiled, baked, fried or cooked any number of ways and is an extremely versatile starch vegetable. The texture of a cooked potato is soft, while holding its shape and has an earthy and sweet flavor that is extremely bland, until salted.
Water is a substance and chemical compound made up of hydrogen and oxygen. It is clear, fluid, flavorless and odorless. Water is a necessity in nearly every aspect of life, including cooking, baking and hydrating the human body. Water can be served as a cold beverage, or at any temperature comfortable to the mouth and skin.
Cauliflower is a round cruciferous vegetable, meaning it is in the same family as broccoli and cabbage. It grows in soil on a short, sturdy white stalk. The part of cauliflower used in food preparation is the head of the plant and is white and has a bumpy texture composed of tiny white plant particles, called curds, as it looks a bit similar to cheese curds. Cauliflower is crumbly, dense and best when cooked. It has a sweet and vegetal flavor that is mild. Cauliflower is used in many dishes across the world.
The green chili pepper is a spicy vegetable by culinary standards, but botanically it's a fruit. Green chili peppers have thin, green bodies with a tapered bottom. They are 2-3 inches in length with a one inch diameter. Their skin is a medium shade of green and is shiny and very thin. The flesh of the pepper is thin too and contains hot seeds in its center. It is an extra hot chili with a wonderful flavor and used in many dishes to add heat.
The round coconut grows on a tree and has a hard grey/brown shell with hairs when it is mature. The meat on a mature coconut is dense and woody, though chewable. Young Thai coconuts are have a large green shell that is sometimes removed before buying. The meat is tender and the fruit is full of sweet coconut water. Coconuts have a white flesh inside that tastes sweet and tropical. Coconut is used in many Asian and Island dishes.
Carrots are a root vegetable with feathery green tops and long tapered orange colored roots. Some carrot varieties are purple or yellow, but orange is the most common. The carrot can be up to a foot in length. It has a dense, woody texture that is nonetheless very chewable and non-fibrous. Its flavor is sweet and a bit earthy. Carrots are eaten raw, cooked and used in cuisines across the world.
Botanically speaking the tomato is a fruit, but in the culinary world it is used almost strictly as a vegetable. Tomatoes are a nightshade plant that grow on tall, thick sturdy stalks. There are many varieties of tomato, but the most common type is round and red. It has a thin skin that covers its extremely juicy and soft flesh. The center contains seeds wrapped in a gelatinous film. The tomato is sour with a hint of sweetness. It can be sliced into rounds and wedges or diced into small chunks and is eaten raw or cooked.
The onion is a bulb vegetable, meaning its bulb and not its leaves are eaten. Onions come in many varieties, including white, yellow and red. Shallots are small and mild onions. Vidalias are sweet, while red onions are strong and sharp. The onion is usually round and has a thin dry skin around its juicy layers. This skin depends in the color of the onion, as does the flesh. The flesh, or body of the onion is made of multiple round layers, that get smaller towards the center. The flavor of onions are sharp and sweet when raw, with an astringent taste. When cooked, these flavors mellow and the sweetness emerges. Onion are a very common flavoring and ingredient for many savory dishes.
Cilantro is a leafy herb with a thin green stalk and small, partially fringed green leaves that look similar to a three leaf clover. It has a distinct smell that is similar to a lime and a flavor to match that. In addition, it smells and tastes the same and has a strong flavor with a hint of greens. Due to a genetic trait, some people find that cilantro tastes like soap. This herb is used in many cuisines, particularly from Asia and Central and South America.
French beans are a type of green bean, but long and thin, unlike the American variety. They are green with stemmed ends that must be pinched off before cooking and eating. The green bean is crunchy and soft at the same time, unless overcooked. They have a fibrous string down their side that can be tough when too mature. The flavor is mild and vegetal. The quickest way to cook French beans is to steam or boil them.
Cashews are harvested from the cashew fruit. These nuts are actually in the seeds category. Cashews are a cream color with a curved, oblong body that is about half an inch in length. They are dense and hard, yet have a softness to their texture that is almost creamy. The flavor is mild, buttery and unique from any other nut. Cashews are popular in nut mixes, Indian dishes and as a dairy substitute, because of the creamy quality when blended with liquids.
Vegetable oil is obtained by extracting oil from seeds. Types of vegetable oil include canola, sunflower, corn, and safflower. Light and with a neutral taste, vegetable oils are used to fry foods, or can be used to lightly coat meats and vegetables before roasting. Vegetable oils are also used as ingredients in salad dressings and sauces.
Green peas are a starchy green vegetable. They grow in a tough green pod and these round peas are harvested and used in many dishes. They are about 8 mm and tender with a shiny body and bright green color. They are very sweet and a bit vegetal, with a soft moist texture. Peas are used in American cuisine, as well as in spiced Indian dishes and can be found across cuisines.
Garlic is used in cuisines around the world and is extremely popular for its depth of flavor. The garlic bulb forms underneath the soil and is harvested once it reaches maturity. The bulb typically has thin, dry, white and flaky skin, surrounding the individual cloves. Often there are 10-12 cloves to a bulb/head of garlic. The cloves are cream colored with a strong smell and flavor that is spicy and sharp. Garlic takes on a nutty flavor in addition, when cooked. It is used in countless dishes, sauces, breads and more.
Chana dal is a legume and related to the chickpea. It can be green, black or speckled and is split in half to create what is called chana dal, in Indian cooking. The bean is hard until boiled, where it then becomes soft. If overcooked it falls apart, but when cooked properly it has a soft texture that holds, and a mild bean flavor similar to chickpeas. It pairs well with many strong spices and is used in dishes throughout India, including soups and curries.
Curry leaves are a small dark green leaf with tapered ends and a thin body. They are about in inch long and are often sold dried. Curry leaves are very aromatic and used in South and East Asian cuisine for its bright flavor. The flavor is almost citrusy, with a pungent note to them. They pair well in Thai and Indian dishes and add a pop of unexpected flavor, as they are often used whole.
Poppy seeds come from the poppy flower and are used as a condiment in dishes both sweet and savory. They are harvested from the dried seed pod of the poppy. The tiny seeds are dark blue and kidney shaped, some types are grey or black. They have a mild nutty taste and a crunch when eaten. They are often used as a garnish on breads.
Ginger is a spice whose root is used in food around the world. The root is grown underground and has a hard body and thin beige skin. The root has many rounded and long shoots and is often fat. The flesh of the ginger is golden colored with a flavor that is earthy, spicy and bright. Ginger is made into tea, used in sauces, desserts and savory dishes.
The peppercorn plant grows in tropical climates and produces tiny black fruit. The fruit is dried and becomes hard. It has a flavor that is spicy, pungent and sharp. Pepper is an extremely popular spice, and lends a gentle heat to dishes. There are different varieties of black pepper and the flavor changes subtly because due to this.
Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant. These seeds are a warm beige color with a round and slightly oblong body and a pointy, yet harmless top. The seeds taste citrusy, warm, nutty and spicy. Coriander is popular in various cuisines, including Indian and Latin cooking.
Fennel seeds are tiny thin seeds with tapered ends and a ridged body. Their color is a muted beige with a hint of occasional green. Fennel seeds can be ground into powder, though are more commonly used whole. The flavor is fresh, spicy and a bit similar to anise. This seed is used to flavor sausages, rice dishes and savory breads.
Botanically the chili pepper is a fruit, in culinary terms it is a vegetable. There are a number of varieties of red chili peppers. Some common ones used for spice powders include the piri piri, cayenne, pasilla, New Mexico chile and chile de árbol, among others. Each pepper is red and has a thin skin, with a thin flesh and seeds inside the middle of the pepper. The peppers are dried and ground into a powder that can be used in cooking. The heat level of each kind of red chili will vary as will the flavor, but it is always hot and some may be smoky, will others are earthy or bright.
Salt is a mineral composed mostly of sodium chloride. It is the main flavoring used in food and is naturally occurring in certain foods, such as cheese, beets, meat and celery, plus many others. Salt is white and has finer granules than sugar. Many commercial salts include iodide, while others exclude it. Most salts are white, while some are naturally pale pink with minerals. Salt brings out the flavor of something and can create a tangy mouthfeel, if used in excess.
Cumin is a spice used in many cuisines around the world. The seed which cumin is ground from, has a thin and long body with tapered ends. Cumin is just a few millimeters in length and has a light brown or tan tone, which can look a bit grey. The flavor is spicy, earthy and nutty.
True cardamom, also called green cardamom is a spice used in many Indian dishes and other cuisines. The seeds, which the spice is ground from, grow in a small green pod, roughly the size of an oblong blueberry with pointed ends. The pod has a hard shell, with small pinhead-sized seeds inside, that are dark or light brown. The flavor is almost minty, herbal, spicy and sweet. A little goes a long way in any dish. For some dishes the whole pod is used as a flavoring.
Turmeric is the root of a flowering plant and is used as a spice. The root is woody, but easy to cut and looks similar to ginger. Rather than growing in clusters, each root is a several or so inches long, cylindrical and 1 or more inches in diameter. The thin skin is a brownish-orange and protects the inner root which is bright orange, like a carrot. Turmeric dyes everything it touches and leaves a golden color. The flavor is earthy, pungent and slightly bitter. It has numerous uses, including flavoring and coloring food.
