Preparing Food: English Vocabulary List

to cook food, usually in an oven, without any extra fat or liquid

"Let's bake cookies."

"We will bake a simple loaf of bread using only flour, water, and yeast, letting the oven do the work."

to cook in hot oil or fat

"Fry the eggs in butter."

"It is healthier to bake or grill fish rather than fry it in oil because frying adds extra calories and fat."

to combine different substances together

"Blend the fruits into a smoothie."

"You can blend the vegetables into a smooth soup by using a high speed immersion blender directly in the cooking pot."

to cut something into pieces using a knife, etc.

"Chop the onions for the soup."

"The chef taught me how to chop onions quickly without crying by using a very sharp knife."

to remove the skin or outer layer of something, such as fruit, etc.

"Peel the orange before eating it."

"It is easier to peel a ripe banana than a green one because the skin comes off more smoothly."

to cut food into small pieces or shreds using a tool with sharp holes

"Grate some cheese for the pasta."

"She used a cheese grater to grate a thick layer of parmesan cheese over the hot pasta dish before serving it."

to cut something into very small pieces

"Shred the lettuce for the salad."

"You can shred cooked chicken with two forks to make pulled chicken sandwiches for the party."

to crush food into a soft mass

"Mash the potatoes with butter."

"The baby loves to eat mashed bananas because they are soft sweet and easy to swallow without any teeth."

to soak food in a seasoned liquid, typically containing oil, vinegar, herbs, and spices, to enhance its flavor and softness before cooking

"Marinate the chicken overnight for flavor."

"You should marinate the chicken in a mixture of yogurt and spices for at least two hours before grilling it."

to add spices or salt to food to make it taste better

"Season the soup with salt and pepper."

"Remember to season the soup with salt and pepper gradually because you can always add more but cannot take it away."

to improve or change the taste of a dish by adding spices, vegetables, etc. to it

"Add herbs to flavor the sauce."

"You can flavor the simple syrup with fresh herbs like mint or basil to add an interesting twist to your cocktails."

to cook food in very hot water

"Boil water for the pasta."

"You need to boil the water before adding the pasta because cold water will make the noodles stick together."

to cook food directly over or under high heat, typically on a metal tray

"Grill the chicken for dinner."

"We plan to grill hamburgers and hot dogs in the backyard for the family barbecue this weekend."

to cook something, especially meat, over a fire or in an oven for an extended period

"Roast the vegetables in the oven."

"The chef will roast the chicken slowly in the oven until the skin becomes golden brown and crispy."

to cut food or other things into thin, flat pieces

"Slice the bread carefully."

"Please slice the bread into thin even pieces so they will fit into the toaster slots properly."

to cut food into small cubes

"Dice the potatoes into small cubes."

"The recipe requires you to dice the potatoes into small cubes so they cook evenly with the other vegetables."

to combine two or more distinct substances or elements to form a unified whole

"Mix the ingredients in a bowl."

"Mix the flour sugar and eggs together in a large bowl until the batter becomes smooth and free of lumps."

to become hard or turn to ice because of reaching or going below 0° Celsius

"Freeze the leftovers for later use."

"You can freeze leftover soup in small containers so you have an easy meal ready whenever you are busy."

to make food such as bread or cheese brown by heating it

"Toast the bread until golden brown."

"She likes to toast her bagel until it is golden brown and then spread a thick layer of cream cheese on top."

to divide a thing into smaller pieces using a sharp object

"Cut the paper with scissors."

"Be careful when you cut the cake because it is very fragile and may crumble into small pieces."