Cooking Terms

Salsa (as a noun) refers to a spicy seasoned sauce of Latin American origin, typically used as a dip or condiment. It also denotes a genre of lively Latin American music and dance. In everyday use, “salsa” can describe the sauce on chips or a performance style in dance contexts, and it’s commonly encountered in restaurants, cooking shows, and dance classes.

Salt is a tangible mineral commonly used to Season and preserve foods; in broader terms it can describe a flavorful profile or a chemical compound (sodium chloride). It conveys a sense of essentiality, old-world preservation, and potency in taste. The word also appears in idioms and expressions emphasizing value, sharpness, or savor. 2-4 sentences exploring practical meaning and usage beyond the substance itself.

Sambar is a savory South Indian lentil-based curry seasoned with tamarind, spices, and vegetables. It’s typically served with rice or idli, offering a warm, tangy-sweet depth. The word denotes both the dish and its distinctive preparation style, often associated with Tamil or Kannada cuisine and widely enjoyed across the Indian subcontinent and diaspora communities.

Scampi is a plural noun designating a type of large prawn or shrimp, typically prepared in garlic-butter sauce. In culinary usage, “scampi” also refers to dishes cooked in this manner, or to dishes featuring the shrimp itself. The term is often encountered in menus and cookbooks, sometimes used in the plural to denote the dish rather than the individual crustaceans.

Scorched describes something burned or damaged by heat, often leaving a darkened surface. It conveys intensity and rapid heating, typically used for foods, landscapes, or objects exposed to flame or extreme sun. In softer contexts, it can imply emotional or figurative ruin, but the primary sense remains physical burning. (2-4 sentences, ~60 words)

Sear means to burn the surface of something with intense heat, often quickly, causing charring or browning. It can also describe the sensation of heat that scorches tissue or a memory that leaves a sharp, lasting impression. The term is commonly used in cooking and in descriptive language to convey a rapid, high-temperature exposure.

Semolina is a coarse, pale-yellow flour made from durum wheat, traditionally used for pasta and desserts. It has a slightly nutty flavor and a granular texture. In cooking, semolina also refers to the milled product used to dust surfaces or shape doughs, distinct from finer flours and cornmeal.

Shallot is a small onion cultivar with a mild, sweeter flavor often used in cooking. It typically grows in clusters, with Papery brown skin and multiple cloves similar to garlic. In culinary contexts it is valued for its gentle aroma and nuanced, subtle taste that blends well with many dishes.

Shrimp is a small, bent or curved shellfish with a slender body and long antennae, typically marine or freshwater. The term also denotes a dish prepared from this crustacean. In everyday use, it often appears in culinary contexts or casual conversation about seafood, cooking, and dining experiences. The word is short, monosyllabic, and features a distinctive final consonant cluster that can influence pronunciation in rapid speech.

Sift means to carefully separate and remove unwanted material from a substance, or to scrutinize something in detail to find something of value. It often implies passing a dry or fine-grained material through a sieve or filter, or examining information or clues with close attention. The term can also mean to sift through data or evidence to extract relevant parts.

Simmer is a verb meaning to cook gently just below the boiling point, or to become slowly heated in this manner. It can also describe a state of quiet, sustained activity or emotion beneath the surface. In cooking, it implies steady, small bubbles and gentle heat, typically around 85–96°C (185–205°F). The term can also metaphorically describe factors that are simmering or developing gradually.

Simmering refers to the process of cooking food gently at below boiling point, typically producing small steady bubbles. It can also describe an atmosphere or situation that is gradually intensifying. The term emphasizes controlled, steady heat and gradual development of flavor or tension, rather than a full boil or sudden change.

Soba is a type of thin Japanese buckwheat noodle, commonly served hot in broth or cold with dipping sauce. While the word itself is native to Japanese cuisine, it has become familiar worldwide through dining menus and cooking shows. In pronunciation, it is typically spoken with two syllables: SO-ba, with the emphasis on the first syllable in English usage.

Spaghetti is a long, thin type of pasta made from durum wheat, typically served with sauce. The term refers to the individual strands as a collective dish. It is widely used in Italian cuisine and often features in casual and formal menus alike.

Steam is the gaseous phase of water produced when liquid water is heated to its boiling point; it can also refer to a visible vapor of water droplets. In everyday use, it commonly denotes the vapor emitted from boiling water or a hot appliance. The word can also describe a mood or atmosphere (e.g., “steam-powered” or “the Steam room”).

Stew (noun) refers to a dish of meat, vegetables, or other ingredients simmered slowly in liquid. It can also denote a state of agitation or persistent worry. In both senses, the term conveys a sense of warmth and simmering activity, whether describing food preparation or a figurative emotional or cognitive bubbling.

Stilton is a historically strong, blue-veined cheese from England, aged to develop its distinctive flavor and aroma. Used chiefly as a culinary cheese in UK and international markets, Stilton embodies a rich, creamy texture with characteristic pungency. As a proper noun for a brand/region, it also signals traditional British cheese-making craftsmanship.

Stock refers to a supply or reserve of goods or resources, a company’s capital in finance, or the belief in a particular measure of performance. It can denote the merchandise kept on hand for sale, the shares of a company, or a typical or traditional supply. In everyday use, it implies something kept ready for use or distribution, often with an economic or managerial context.

Sumac is a noun referring to a reddish-purple shrub or its dried berries, used as a spice or dye. In culinary use it adds a tangy, lemony note to dishes, while the plant also has ornamental and historical significance. The word typically denotes the spice made from the berry and is pronounced with two syllables and a short, bright stress pattern.