Our website is new! We would appreciate your feedback
Buckwheat is a gluten-free pseudocereal seed with a complete amino acid profile, eaten as toasted kasha or milled into flour for soba noodles.
Fonio is a tiny drought-hardy West African millet that cooks fluffy in five minutes, naturally gluten free and unusually rich in the amino acids most grains lack.
Job's tears is a chewy, gluten-free Asian cereal grain, barley-like in texture and used in soups, congee, grain salads and roasted teas.
Rolled oats are steamed, flattened groats with a mild, sweet flavour; their creamy beta-glucan fibre helps lower cholesterol.
Amaranth is an ancient Mesoamerican pseudocereal seed valued for its complete protein and unusually high calcium content among grains.
Barley is an ancient hulled grain with a chewy, nutty bite, rich in cholesterol-lowering beta-glucan fibre and the base of malt for beer and whisky.
Kamut is trademarked khorasan wheat, an ancient large-kernelled grain with a buttery chew, more protein than common wheat and a notable selenium content.
Millet is a naturally gluten-free cereal, a staple across India and Africa, valued for its mild, nutty flavour and bone-supporting magnesium.
Hominy is dried corn nixtamalized in an alkaline solution, a process that frees bound niacin and underlies masa, tortillas and pozole; naturally gluten-free.
Popcorn is the dried kernel of Zea mays everta, whose hard hull traps steam under pressure until it bursts into a light, popped snack; naturally gluten-free and, air-popped, a genuine whole grain.
Black quinoa is the earthiest, crunchiest quinoa colour, prized for holding both its shape and its dark hue on the plate.
Rye is a cold-hardy, gluten-containing cereal with a dense, earthy bite, prized for fibre-rich dark breads like pumpernickel and for rye whiskey.
Sorghum is a naturally gluten-free ancient grain that can be cooked whole like rice or popped, valued for its antioxidant-rich tannins and versatility.
Teff is the tiny, naturally gluten-free grain behind Ethiopian injera, prized for its unusually high calcium and iron content among cereals.
Dried corn kernels are shelf-stable field-dried maize, the starchy base of masa, polenta, hominy and popcorn once soaked, nixtamalized or ground.
Whole dried corn is the hard, mature kernel of maize, transformed by nixtamalization into hominy, masa and the base of countless Mesoamerican dishes.
Basmati is a slender, aromatic long-grain rice from the Himalayan foothills, prized for elongating rather than swelling as it cooks so the grains stay light, separate, and fragrant.
Quinoa is an Andean pseudocereal seed prized as a rare complete plant protein, with a mild, nutty flavour and a tender, slightly popping bite.
Arborio is a short-grain Italian rice whose high amylopectin content releases into the cooking liquid to give risotto its signature creaminess while the grain's core stays al dente.
Red quinoa is a firmer, nuttier coloured quinoa that stays separate after cooking, making it the best choice for salads and bowls.
Black rice, or forbidden rice, is an anthocyanin-rich whole grain that turns deep purple when cooked and once graced only the Chinese emperor's table.
Brown rice is whole-grain Oryza sativa with its fibre-rich bran intact, giving it a chewy texture, nutty flavour, and more nutrients than white rice.
Glutinous rice is an amylopectin-rich Asian rice that steams into chewy, clinging grains — the base of mochi, zongzi and mango sticky rice, and gluten-free despite its name.
Jasmine rice is a fragrant Thai long-grain rice that cooks soft and slightly clinging, the everyday accompaniment to Southeast Asian curries and stir-fries.
Bulgur is parboiled, cracked wheat that cooks in minutes, the fibre-rich base of tabbouleh and countless Middle Eastern pilafs.
White rice is Oryza sativa milled down to its starchy endosperm, giving a fast-cooking, mild-tasting grain that's lower in fibre and micronutrients than brown rice but often enriched to compensate.
Red rice is a whole grain whose anthocyanin-rich bran gives it colour, a firm nutty bite and far more fibre and antioxidants than white rice.
Wild rice is the nutty, chewy grain of an aquatic North American grass — not true rice — and a gluten-free staple higher in protein than most grains.
Couscous is tiny steamed pasta rolled from durum wheat semolina, not a cracked grain, prized across the Maghreb for cooking in minutes and carrying the flavour of whatever it's served with.
Sushi rice is a sticky Japanese short-grain rice seasoned with vinegar, sugar and salt, whose clinging grains make it the foundation of nigiri and maki.
Freekeh is young wheat harvested green and roasted, prized for its smoky flavour and for carrying more protein and fibre than mature wheat grains.
Wheat berries are whole intact wheat kernels that cook to a firm chew, delivering the full bran and germ with high fibre and slow-release energy.
Adzuki beans are small, deep-red East Asian beans prized for their subtly sweet flavour, most famously cooked down into red bean paste.
Borlotti beans are a large, creamy Italian bean with red-speckled skins and a chestnut sweetness, central to pasta e fagioli and minestrone.
Cannellini beans are large, creamy white kidney beans central to Tuscan cooking, valued for their mild flavour and notably high calcium and iron.
Great northern beans are a mild, medium white bean that keeps its shape in soups and baked beans, and is high in protein and fibre.
Kidney beans are large, dark red dried beans with a firm, creamy bite, rich in fibre, folate and iron — central to chili and Indian rajma.
Farro is Italy's ancient hulled wheat, prized for its firm, nutty grains that hold their bite in soups and salads like Tuscany's farro e fagioli.
Spelt is an ancient hulled wheat with a nutty, slightly sweet flavour, prized as a fibre-rich alternative to common wheat in breads and grain bowls.
Black beans are glossy, small dried legumes with a creamy texture, rich in fibre, iron and protein — a staple of Latin American cooking.
Butter beans are large, ivory-coloured lima beans with a floury, creamy texture, high in protein and fibre, and central to Greek gigantes and Mediterranean bean purées.
Cranberry beans, known as borlotti in Italy, are a mottled dried bean that cooks to a creamy chestnut-sweet flesh and anchors pasta e fagioli and hearty bean soups.
Fava beans are large, flat dried legumes with a dense, earthy flavour, exceptionally rich in protein and folate — a staple from the Mediterranean to the Middle East.
Durum wheat is the hard, amber, high-protein wheat milled into semolina — the backbone of dried pasta, couscous and bulgur.
Einkorn is the oldest domesticated wheat, a hulled ancient grain with nutty flavour, golden carotenoid-rich flour and weak gluten better suited to flatbreads and porridge than tall loaves.
Flageolets are pale green French beans picked young, prized for their delicate flavour and creamy texture, and rich in protein, fibre and folate.
Black chickpeas are the small, dark, nuttier desi chickpea of Indian cooking, holding their shape through long simmering.
Mung beans are small, olive-green legumes central to South and Southeast Asian cooking, valued for their mild flavour, plant protein and easy digestibility.
Navy beans are small, creamy white dried beans with a mild flavour, rich in fibre, calcium and protein — the classic bean of baked-bean dishes.
Edamame are young, tender soybeans eaten whole from the pod, valued as a complete plant protein rich in folate, fibre and iron.
Romano beans are broad, flat snap beans with a sweeter, meatier flavour than green beans, at their best slowly braised until tender.
Chickpeas are nutty, round legumes that anchor hummus and falafel, offering roughly 20 grams of plant protein per 100 grams.
Kabuli chickpeas are the large, pale, thin-skinned garbanzo used for hummus and falafel — nutty, high in protein and fibre, and the source of aquafaba.
Brown lentils are quick-cooking whole dried pulses that need no soaking, hold their shape in salads and stews, and deliver protein, iron and fibre cheaply.
Lima beans are large, flat dried legumes with a buttery texture, rich in fibre, protein and manganese — a staple from the Andes to the American South.
Wax beans are pale yellow snap beans with a milder, more delicate flavour than green beans, prized for keeping their colour in salads and pickles.
Lentils are quick-cooking, lens-shaped legumes that need no soaking, packing about 25 grams of plant protein per 100 grams.
Puy lentils are small, AOP-protected French green lentils grown in volcanic soil, prized for their peppery, mineral flavour and firm bite in salads and bistro classics.
Red lentils are hulled, split lentils that cook quickly into a soft golden purée, the backbone of dal and lentil soups worldwide.
Yellow lentils are hulled split lentils that cook fast without soaking and melt into a golden purée, the foundation of everyday dal.
Peanuts are protein- and fat-rich legume seeds treated culinarily as a nut, prized for their versatility from peanut butter to satay sauce.
Black-eyed peas are cream-coloured cowpeas with a signature black spot, a Southern and West African staple rich in folate, iron and plant protein.
Pinto beans are mottled beige dried beans that cook to a creamy pale pink, a Tex-Mex and Mexican staple rich in fibre, folate and potassium.
Broad beans are a sweet, protein-rich spring legume shelled from padded pods, prized around the Mediterranean and unsafe for anyone with G6PD deficiency.
Green beans are tender, immature bean pods eaten whole, valued fresh for their vitamin K, vitamin C and fibre with very few calories.
Chana dal is the split, skinned black chickpea — a golden, nutty everyday pulse of Indian cooking that holds its shape as it cooks.
Beluga lentils are small, glossy black lentils that hold their shape and resemble caviar once cooked, prized by plant-based chefs for salads and striking garnishes.
Whole dried green peas are unhulled field peas that need soaking, hold their shape when cooked, and offer plant protein, fibre and folate.
Green lentils are whole, unsplit lentils that hold their shape when cooked, prized — especially the French Puy variety — for salads and braises.
Urad dal is the black gram pulse behind dal makhani and fermented idli batter, prized for the creamy, clinging body it develops as it cooks.
Toor dal is the split pigeon pea, India's everyday dal, cooking to a soft nutty purée that anchors sambar and countless tempered lentil dishes.
Brazil nuts are a rich, creamy Amazonian seed so concentrated in selenium that a single nut can cover a full day's needs — best treated as an occasional handful rather than a daily snack.
Cashew pieces are broken cashew kernels sold as a cheaper grade, ideal for soaking and blending into plant-based creams, cheeses and sauces, and exceptionally rich in copper and magnesium.
Pistachios are the vivid green, protein-rich seed of an ancient Middle Eastern tree, valued for their sweet flavour and eye-protecting lutein content.
Black walnuts are a bold, earthy North American tree nut, far more assertive than English walnuts, and rich in protein, plant omega-3 and minerals.
Broccoli flower buds are the tight unopened florets of the broccoli head, quick-cooking and the most sulforaphane- and vitamin-C-dense part of the plant.
Capers are the brined or salt-cured flower buds of a Mediterranean shrub, prized for their sharp, briny bite in classic sauces — but very high in sodium, so use sparingly and rinse first.
Macadamia nuts are a rich, buttery Australian nut with the highest monounsaturated fat content of any common nut, prized for their smooth texture in both sweet and savoury cooking.
Pecans are a buttery, faintly sweet Southern nut with the highest antioxidant capacity of any common tree nut, equally at home in pralines and savoury dishes.
Acai is a deep purple Amazonian palm fruit, sold frozen or freeze-dried, prized for its anthocyanin content and unusually high, almost olive-oil-like fat content for a berry.
Gooseberries are tart, translucent European berries related to currants, valued for their vitamin C and fibre content and their long history in British and northern European cooking.
Marrowfat peas are large field-dried green peas with a floury, savoury texture, the traditional pea for British mushy peas and for crisp fried snack peas.
Pigeon peas are a nutty, protein-rich legume eaten whole in Caribbean rice-and-peas dishes and split as dal across South Asia.
Split peas are hulled, halved field peas that cook without soaking into a soft purée, valued for their plant protein, fibre and folate.
Soybeans are the small, protein-dense dried seeds of Glycine max — the raw material behind tofu, tempeh, soy milk, miso and soy sauce.
Hazelnuts are the rich, roastable nut of a European hazel tree, the flavour behind gianduja and chocolate spreads, and a top source of vitamin E.
Pecan halves are the buttery, intact kernels of North America's native hickory nut, prized for baking and toasting and exceptionally rich in monounsaturated fat.
Pine nuts are the buttery, slow-harvested seed behind pesto genovese, prized for their soft texture though occasionally linked to a lingering metallic "pine mouth" aftertaste.
Black soybeans are a sweeter, black-skinned soybean rich in protein and anthocyanins, best known from the slow-simmered Japanese New Year dish.
Almonds are the seeds of a Middle Eastern flowering tree, eaten raw, roasted, or milled into milk and flour, and among the richest plant sources of vitamin E.
Marcona almonds are a plump, sweet Spanish almond with a high oil content and buttery texture, eaten fried and salted as a tapa or ground into turrón and romesco.
Cashews are the mild, buttery kidney-shaped nut of a tropical Brazilian tree, prized for blending into creamy vegan sauces, cheeses and butters.
Chestnuts are the starchy, low-fat outlier among tree nuts — a dense, faintly sweet dried nut closer in composition to a grain, gluten-free and rich in potassium.
The globe artichoke is an immature flower bud of a Mediterranean thistle, prized for its meaty bracts and tender heart and traditionally valued for digestive and liver health.
Hibiscus flowers are tart crimson calyces used to make ruby-red infusions, syrups and jams, valued for their acidity and anthocyanin colour.
Nasturtium is a trailing garden plant whose peppery flowers and leaves are eaten fresh in salads, prized for their bright colour and mustard-like bite — but only when grown free of ornamental pesticides.
Cranberries are tart, firm-fleshed North American berries best known for cooked sauces and their traditional link to urinary tract health.
Walnut kernels have a rich, faintly tannic bite and are the richest common nut source of plant omega-3 fats, prized in both sweet and savoury cooking.
Elderflower is a fleeting early-summer blossom with a honeyed muscat perfume, infused into cordials, sparkling drinks and fritters.
Rose petals are an intensely perfumed edible flower, central to Persian, Turkish and Indian sweets, used fresh, dried or distilled as rose water.
Violet flowers are the sweetly perfumed spring blooms of Viola odorata, candied, steeped into syrup or scattered raw for their colour and delicate scent.
Blackberries are deeply flavoured aggregate fruits, exceptionally rich in antioxidants, fibre and Vitamin K.
The boysenberry is a large, soft, deep-purple Rubus hybrid with a sweet-tart winey flavour, prized for jam, pies and syrups and rich in anthocyanins and fibre.
Currants are small, tart European berries — blackcurrants and redcurrants — exceptionally rich in vitamin C and prized for cordials, jams and preserves.
Squash blossoms are the delicate, edible flowers of the zucchini and pumpkin plant, prized stuffed and fried in Mexican and Mediterranean kitchens, but highly perishable.
Blueberries are sweet-tart North American berries exceptionally rich in antioxidant anthocyanins, linked to heart and brain health benefits.
Goji berries are dried, sweet-tart berries native to China, valued for their exceptional zeaxanthin and vitamin A content and long history in traditional medicine.
Elderberries are tart, deeply coloured autumn berries that must be cooked before eating, and are traditionally turned into syrup, jelly and wine.
Goldenberries are tart-sweet Andean fruits ripening inside a papery husk, eaten fresh as a garnish or dried like a sharp raisin, and rich in antioxidants and vitamin C.
Mulberries are soft, honey-sweet tree berries, rarely sold fresh because they spoil so fast, and widely eaten dried across Turkey and Central Asia.
Bergamot is a fragrant Calabrian sour citrus grown for its perfumed peel, the defining aroma of Earl Grey tea, with juice too sharp to drink neat.
The blood orange is a winter citrus with crimson anthocyanin-rich flesh and a berry-like note, prized in Sicilian salads, granita and juice.
Citron is an ancestral citrus grown for its thick perfumed rind rather than its juice, candied for festive baking and prized as aromatic zest.
Grapefruit is a large, bittersweet citrus fruit rich in Vitamin C, though it carries a notable interaction risk with many common medications.
The lemon is a small evergreen citrus tree whose tart, vitamin C-rich juice and zest brighten both sweet and savoury dishes worldwide.
The lime is a small, intensely tart citrus fruit whose juice and zest are essential across Latin American, Southeast Asian and Caribbean cooking.
The tangerine is a small, loose-skinned mandarin with deep orange-red flesh, sweeter and more perfumed than an orange, and an easy source of vitamin C through winter.
The medlar is an old-fashioned autumn pome, astringent until bletted, then spoonably soft with a spiced apple-and-date sweetness prized for jellies.
Grapes are juicy vine berries eaten fresh, dried into raisins or pressed for wine, rich in skin polyphenols such as resveratrol.
The kumquat is a tiny citrus eaten whole, with a sweet edible peel wrapped around sharply sour flesh, used candied, preserved or sliced raw.
The loquat is a small orange spring pome tasting of apricot and citrus, eaten fresh or made into jam, and rich in beta-carotene.
Quince is a hard, astringent pome fruit that is transformed by long cooking into a fragrant, rose-pink base for poaches, jams and membrillo paste.
Lychee is a fragrant tropical fruit with translucent, juicy flesh beneath a rough red rind, an exceptional source of vitamin C and a fleeting early-summer treat.
Plum is a juicy stone fruit with jewel-toned skin and sweet-tart flesh, a useful source of vitamin K and a versatile favourite eaten fresh or cooked.
Raspberries are delicate, aggregate berries prized for their perfumed sweet-tart flavour and exceptionally high fibre content.
Strawberries are technically accessory fruits, not true berries, prized for their sweet-tart flavour and exceptionally high vitamin C content.
Calamansi is a small green-skinned Philippine citrus with orange pulp, tasting between lime and mandarin, used as an all-purpose souring juice and rich in vitamin C.
Orange is a juicy citrus fruit valued fresh, juiced or in marmalade for its bright flavour and exceptionally high vitamin C content.
Pomelo is the largest citrus fruit, valued for its mild, sweet-tart flesh beneath a very thick rind and its very high vitamin C content.
Yuzu is an intensely aromatic Japanese citrus used almost entirely for its fragrant zest and tart juice, prized as a seasoning rather than eaten as fruit.
Apricot is a fragrant, velvety-skinned stone fruit with soft, sweet-tart flesh, prized fresh for its brief summer season and rich beta-carotene content.
Medjool dates are soft, caramel-sweet fruits of the date palm, prized as a natural sweetener and a dense source of fibre and potassium.
Mangosteen is a Southeast Asian tropical fruit whose thick purple rind hides sweet, floral white segments rich in xanthone antioxidants.
The nectarine is a smooth-skinned peach, sweet and aromatic when ripe, good raw and excellent grilled or baked.
Mandarin is a small, loose-skinned citrus fruit prized for its sweet, low-acid flavour and segments that separate cleanly for easy, mess-free eating.
Apple is a crisp, versatile fruit sold in countless cultivars from tart to sweet, its skin a rich source of gut-friendly pectin fibre and quercetin.
The Asian pear is a crisp, apple-shaped East Asian pear, exceptionally juicy and mildly sweet, eaten raw or grated into Korean marinades.
Pears are sweet, fibre-rich pome fruits that ripen from the inside out, equally suited to fresh eating, poaching and baking.
Sweet cherries are a glossy stone fruit with deep-red, juicy flesh, prized for their natural sweetness and anthocyanin-rich antioxidants.
Longan is a small tropical fruit related to lychee, with translucent honey-musk flesh around a single dark seed, eaten fresh or dried for sweet soups and teas.
Table olives are a cured Mediterranean drupe with a briny, savoury bite, rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat but notably high in sodium.
Peach is a fuzzy-skinned stone fruit with fragrant, juicy flesh, a good source of vitamin C and a refreshing low-calorie summer favourite.
Avocado is a creamy, calorie-dense fruit whose monounsaturated fat supports heart health, prized as a dairy-fat substitute in guacamole and toast.
Banana is a soft, sweet tropical fruit eaten fresh or blended into smoothies, valued for its quick energy and high potassium content.
Raw coconut meat is a dense, richly flavoured tropical fruit, high in saturated fat and minerals, and labelled as a tree nut in some regions despite being a drupe.
Guava is a fragrant tropical fruit with sweet, seed-flecked flesh and an exceptionally high vitamin C content.
Pineapple is a sweet-tart tropical fruit famous for its bromelain enzyme, exceptionally rich in vitamin C and manganese.
Durian is a large spiny Southeast Asian fruit with rich custard-like flesh, an infamously pungent aroma, and exceptional potassium and vitamin C.
Jackfruit is a giant tropical fruit whose ripe bulbs are sweet and custardy, while its young green form is prized as a fibrous, savoury meat substitute.
Mango is a fragrant tropical stone fruit with sweet, juicy flesh, exceptionally rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene for eye and immune health.
Melon is a sweet, highly hydrating summer fruit of the gourd family, rich in vitamin C and, in orange-fleshed types, beta-carotene.
Papaya is a soft, musky-sweet tropical fruit with orange flesh, exceptionally rich in vitamin C and digestive enzymes.
Pomegranate is a jewel-seeded fruit whose juicy arils are exceptionally rich in antioxidant polyphenols that support heart health.
Rambutan is a hairy-shelled Southeast Asian tropical fruit, a lychee relative with sweet, floral, translucent flesh and a generous dose of vitamin C.
Sapote is a soft-fleshed tropical fruit from Mexico and Central America, eaten raw by the spoonful or blended into shakes, and rich in fibre, potassium and carotenoids.
Sour cherries are a sharply acidic stone fruit grown for cooking rather than eating raw, prized in pies and preserves and unusual among foods for containing melatonin.
Breadfruit is a large tropical staple fruit cooked like a potato — roasted, boiled or fried — starchy, potassium-rich and naturally gluten-free.
Dragon fruit is a mild, lightly sweet cactus fruit with speckled flesh, striking on a plate and low in calories.
Fresh fig is a delicate, honeyed fruit with edible seeds throughout, valued for its fibre, calcium and antioxidant polyphenols.
Kiwi is a tangy-sweet fruit with vivid green flesh, exceptionally rich in vitamin C, though its actinidin enzyme can cross-react with latex allergies.
Plantain is a starchy cooking banana, eaten only cooked, that shifts from savoury and firm when green to sweet and soft when fully ripe.
Soursop is a spiny tropical fruit with creamy, tangy white flesh tasting of pineapple and strawberry, used above all for juices and sorbets.
Passion fruit is a fragrant, tart-sweet tropical fruit whose seed-flecked pulp is exceptionally rich in fibre and vitamin C.
Tamarind is a sticky sweet-sour pod pulp that supplies the acidity in South and Southeast Asian cooking and in bottled brown sauces.
Cremini are the firmer, more flavourful brown form of the common cultivated mushroom, an all-purpose kitchen staple between the mild white button and the mature portobello.
Lion's mane is a shaggy white toothed mushroom whose fibrous flesh shreds like crab meat, prized for seared plant-based seafood dishes and for its nerve-supporting compounds.
Maitake is a frond-shaped, richly flavoured mushroom foraged from hardwood forests and now also farmed, prized in Japanese cooking and researched for its immune-supporting beta-glucans.
Button mushrooms are the youngest, mildest-flavoured stage of the common cultivated mushroom — the same species that matures further into cremini and portobello.
Chanterelles are trumpet-shaped, apricot-scented wild mushrooms foraged from forest floors, valued for a firm bite and a genuine trace of vitamin C and vitamin D rare among fungi.
Starfruit is a crisp, tart-sweet tropical fruit that slices into decorative stars, but must be avoided by anyone with kidney disease.
Watermelon is a large, intensely hydrating summer fruit with sweet lycopene-rich flesh, eaten fresh, juiced or grilled, and edible right down to the rind.
Beech mushrooms are clustered Japanese shimeji with small marbled caps and crisp stems, bitter raw but nutty and deeply savoury once briefly cooked.
Black trumpets are foraged, hollow grey-black mushrooms with a smoky, almost truffle-like flavour that deepens on drying, prized in cream sauces, risotto and pasta.
Enoki is a slender, crunchy Japanese mushroom grown crowded in the dark for its long pale stems, valued for its texture in hot pots and soups and always eaten cooked.
King oyster mushroom is the largest, meatiest of the oyster mushrooms, its dense stem prized as a scallop and pulled-meat substitute in vegan cooking.
Portobello is the mature, wide-capped form of the cultivated mushroom, prized for a dense, meaty bite that makes it the classic vegetarian burger and steak substitute.
Basil is a fragrant Mediterranean herb, best known for pairing with tomatoes and anchoring pesto, and rich in bone-supporting vitamin K.
Bay leaf is a tough, aromatic whole leaf simmered into stews and stocks for depth, then discarded before serving — never eaten, since a swallowed leaf is a choking hazard.
Oyster mushrooms are a delicate, fan-shaped fungus with a mild, faintly seafood-like flavour, popular stir-fried, in soups, or pan-fried as a crisp meat substitute.
Wood ear is a mild jelly fungus prized for its crunchy, springy texture in Chinese soups, stir-fries and cold salads, and rich in fibre and iron.
Shiitake is a meaty East Asian mushroom cultivated on hardwood, valued for its deep umami and as one of the few sources of vitamin D outside animal foods.
Morels are prized spring wild mushrooms with honeycombed caps and a deep smoky flavour, always eaten cooked, never raw.
Fresh porcini is a wild, mycorrhizal forest mushroom with a firm, meaty cap, foraged briefly each autumn and prized for a depth of flavour that has no cultivated equivalent.
Curry leaves are an aromatic South Indian herb, unrelated to curry powder, essential to tempering dals and curries with a warm, citrusy fragrance.
Chervil is a delicate anise-scented French herb, one of the classic fines herbes, added raw at the last moment to eggs, soups and spring vegetables.
Cilantro is the fresh, citrusy leaf of the coriander plant, key to Mexican, Indian and Thai cooking — though a gene makes it taste soapy to some.
Dill is a feathery, anise-scented herb central to pickling and Nordic cooking, and one of the richest culinary sources of vitamin K.
Epazote is a pungent, resinous Mexican herb used a sprig at a time in black beans and quesadillas, prized as much for easing the gas beans cause as for its flavour.
Kaffir lime leaves are intensely citrus-perfumed double-lobed leaves, the defining aroma of Thai and Southeast Asian curries and soups.
Lemongrass is a citrusy tropical grass whose tender inner core is eaten while its tough outer layers are bruised for infusing and then discarded.
Lovage is a tall perennial herb with an intense celery-like, bouillon-savoury flavour, used sparingly in soups, stews and broths.
Chives are a mild, grassy allium herb best known as a garnish for potatoes and soups, and a classic component of the French fines herbes blend.
Marjoram is a sweet, delicate cousin of oregano — milder and more floral — best added at the end of cooking, and a good source of iron and vitamin K.
Oregano is a peppery, robust Mediterranean herb best known from pizza and red sauce, and one of the most antioxidant-rich culinary herbs.
Tarragon is a delicate, anise-scented French herb best known for béarnaise sauce and fines herbes, and a surprisingly rich source of vitamin K.
Ginger is a warm, peppery rhizome used fresh or dried in cooking worldwide, well known for easing nausea and settling the stomach.
Horseradish is a pungent root vegetable whose fiery bite, released by grating, is stirred into vinegar or cream for a sharp, tangy condiment.
Rosemary is a woody, evergreen Mediterranean herb with pine-scented needles, essential with roasted potatoes and oils, and rich in antioxidants.
Sage is a musky, slightly peppery Mediterranean herb best known in brown-butter pasta and stuffing, though its thujone content means large medicinal doses should be treated with caution.
Shiso is a broad-leafed Japanese herb from the mint family with a citrus-and-cumin aroma, served raw with sashimi and used to colour red pickles.
Thai basil is an anise-scented basil with purple stems that holds its aroma through heat, making it the finishing herb of Southeast Asian curries and stir-fries.
Fingerroot is a slender Southeast Asian rhizome, earthier and more peppery than ginger, essential to Thai jungle curry and Indonesian herbal tonics.
Galangal is a sharp, citrusy Southeast Asian rhizome from the ginger family, essential to Thai and Indonesian curries, with a peppery bite distinct from true ginger.
Parsley is a bright, grassy herb sold curly or flat-leaf, prized as a garnish and one of the richest plant sources of vitamin K.
Savoury is a peppery Mediterranean herb of the mint family, traditionally cooked with beans and lentils to season them and to ease their digestion.
Thyme is a tiny-leaved Mediterranean herb with an earthy, savoury bite, a staple of slow-cooked dishes and herb blends, and a strong source of vitamin K.
Mint (spearmint) is a fast-spreading perennial herb with a cool, sweet aroma, milder than peppermint, and a traditional aid for digestion.
Licorice root is an intensely sweet, anise-scented legume root used in confectionery, braises and teas, powerful enough that a pinch does the work of a spoonful.
Garlic is an aromatic Allium bulb whose flavour shifts from fiery raw to sweet when roasted, valued for sulfur compounds that support heart and immunity.
Onion is a pungent allium bulb that turns sweet and mellow when cooked, prized as one of the richest everyday sources of the antioxidant quercetin.
Turmeric is a bright golden-orange spice powered by curcumin, valued for its earthy flavour and traditional anti-inflammatory, joint-supporting properties.
Elephant garlic is a leek relative with oversized cloves and a mild, sweet garlic-and-onion flavour, mellow enough to roast whole and eat as a vegetable.
Leek is a mild, sweet allium related to onion and garlic, the base of vichyssoise and a good source of vitamin K and gut-friendly inulin fibre.
Wasabi is the pungent green rhizome of a Japanese mountain-stream plant, prized for a fleeting heat that fades within minutes of grating — and rarely the ingredient behind the dyed horseradish paste sold under its name.
Black garlic is garlic aged for weeks under gentle heat until the cloves turn soft, black and sweet, tasting of balsamic and molasses with none of raw garlic's bite.
Chive bulbs are the small white bulblets at the base of a chive clump, tasting between mild scallion and young garlic, and good pickled, roasted or stir-fried.
Ramps are a pungent wild leek foraged from eastern North American woodlands in a brief spring window, prized for their garlicky flavour but increasingly managed against overharvesting.
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable descended from wild cabbage, valued as a nutritional standout for its vitamin C and antioxidant sulforaphane.
Cauliflower is a mild, versatile cruciferous vegetable whose dense white curd roasts, rices or mashes into a low-carb stand-in for grains and potatoes.
Pearl onions are tiny whole bulbs prized for braising and pickling, staying intact and turning sweet where a chopped onion would melt away.
Arugula is a peppery Mediterranean salad green eaten almost always raw, prized for a mustard-like bite and a concentrated dose of vitamin K.
Bok choy is a mild Chinese cabbage with crisp stalks and tender leaves, a quick-cooking staple of stir-fries prized for vitamin A, C, and K.
Brussels sprouts are miniature cabbage-family heads named for the Belgian capital, usually roasted until their outer leaves caramelize or shredded raw into salads.
Cabbage is a sturdy, storage-friendly cruciferous vegetable eaten raw, fermented, or cooked, and a reliable everyday source of vitamin C and K.
Choy sum is a sweet, tender flowering brassica of Cantonese cooking, blanched or stir-fried whole and rich in vitamins C and K.
Horseradish greens are the peppery leaves of the horseradish plant, eaten young in salads or cooked like collards, and exceptionally rich in vitamin K.
Red onion is a mild, sweet purple onion prized raw in salads and quick pickles, carrying antioxidant quercetin and anthocyanins that fade with long cooking.
Scallion is a young, mild allium whose white base and green tops season East Asian cooking from stir-fries to garnishes.
Shallot is a small, sweet allium prized in French cooking for a flavour milder than onion and more delicate than garlic.
Broccoli rabe is a pleasantly bitter Italian brassica of stems, leaves and buds, classically braised with garlic and chili, and exceptionally rich in vitamins K, C and A.
Broccolini is a sweet, tender-stemmed broccoli hybrid that cooks in minutes and delivers exceptional vitamin C and K from stalk to floret.
Gai lan is a thick-stemmed Chinese brassica with a clean, faintly bitter flavour, usually blanched or stir-fried with garlic, and outstanding in vitamin K.
Kohlrabi is a crisp, mild stem vegetable of the cabbage family, eaten raw or cooked, and a good source of vitamin C and fibre.
Mustard greens are a peppery, deep green leafy vegetable central to Southern, Chinese, and Indian cooking, and an exceptional source of vitamin K and A.
Napa cabbage is a mild, tender East Asian cabbage prized raw, fermented into kimchi, or cooked, and a light source of folate and vitamin K.
Savoy cabbage is a frost-sweetened cabbage with crinkled, tender leaves, mild enough for slaws and pliable enough to wrap, and exceptionally rich in vitamin K.
Rutabaga is a dense, sweet-earthy root vegetable born of cabbage and turnip, valued for long storage and a reliable source of vitamin C and potassium.
Radish is a crisp, peppery root vegetable eaten mostly raw, prized for its refreshing crunch and modest vitamin C content.
Red cabbage is a crisp, long-keeping purple cabbage coloured by antioxidant anthocyanins, at home both raw in slaws and slow-braised with apple and vinegar.
Romanesco is a fractal-patterned cruciferous vegetable with a nutty, delicate flavour, prized for its striking appearance and its vitamin C and K content.
Turnip is a peppery-sweet root vegetable that has anchored European cooking for centuries, valued for its versatility from raw slaws to roasted stews.
Bitter melon is a warty Asian gourd prized for a sharp bitterness that cooks temper with salt and rich partners, and it is very high in vitamin C.
Chili pepper is a fiery nightshade fruit valued for its capsaicin heat and vitamin C, used fresh, dried or fermented to bring spice to cuisines worldwide.
Butternut squash is a sweet, dense winter squash bred for its smooth texture and nutty flavour, roasted or pureed into soups, curries and side dishes.
Cherry tomatoes are small, intensely sweet-tart tomatoes that roast quickly and stay flavourful year-round, and are rich in lycopene.
Acorn squash is a ribbed, acorn-shaped winter squash whose halves roast neatly for stuffing, mild and slightly sweet, contributing fibre and potassium.
Bell pepper is a crisp, sweet fruit that turns red as it fully ripens, prized for its exceptionally high vitamin C content in salads or stir-fries.
Chayote is a crisp, very mild Central American gourd with an edible seed, valued as a low-calorie base that takes on the flavours around it.
Delicata is a small striped winter squash with sweet, pale orange flesh and skin so thin it needs no peeling, making it the quickest squash to roast.
The habanero is a very hot lantern-shaped chili with a distinctive floral, apricot-like aroma, central to Yucatecan and Caribbean hot sauces.
The jalapeño is a moderately hot Mexican chili, grassy and bright when green, used fresh in salsas, pickled, stuffed, or smoked into chipotle.
Kabocha squash is a dense, dry-fleshed Japanese winter squash with chestnut sweetness and edible skin, and is exceptionally high in vitamin A.
Okra is a ridged, tender green pod whose mucilage thickens gumbo and stews, valued for fibre, vitamin K and its natural role as a thickener.
The poblano is a broad, mild Mexican chili with thick walls made for stuffing and roasting, and is rich in vitamin C.
Cucumber is a crisp, cooling, water-rich fruit eaten as a vegetable, low in calories and refreshing raw in salads, sandwiches, and chilled soups.
Pumpkin is a dense, sweet winter squash rich in beta-carotene, roasted, pureed or simmered into pies, soups and stews around the world.
Shishito is a slender, wrinkled Japanese sweet pepper, blistered whole and salted as a snack, mild apart from the occasional fiery pod.
Eggplant is a glossy nightshade fruit with spongy flesh that soaks up flavour, valued for its fibre and antioxidant-rich skin in roasted, grilled and stewed dishes.
Luffa is a mild, spongy young gourd used across Asian stir-fries and curries, prized for absorbing sauce and for being almost entirely water.
Padrón peppers are small green Galician chilies, fried whole in olive oil and salted, famous because a few pods in every handful turn out fiercely hot.
The scotch bonnet is the fiercely hot, fruity chili at the heart of Caribbean cooking, essential to jerk seasoning and pepper sauce, and exceptionally rich in vitamin C.
The serrano is a slim, thin-walled Mexican chili, hotter and crisper than a jalapeño, minced raw into salsas and guacamole.
Spaghetti squash is an oblong winter squash whose cooked flesh separates into noodle-like strands, prized as a low-carbohydrate stand-in for pasta.
Tomatillo is a husked, tart green fruit central to Mexican cooking, roasted or boiled into the bright acidity of salsa verde.
Tomato is a versatile nightshade fruit, from tiny cherry types to sauce varieties, prized for lycopene, an antioxidant linked to heart and skin health.
Amaranth greens are a fast-growing tropical leaf vegetable, earthier than spinach and far more heat-tolerant, exceptionally rich in calcium, iron and vitamin K.
Dandelion greens are assertively bitter leaves, best young and wilted with garlic, and among the richest leafy sources of vitamins A and K.
Kale is a nutrient-dense cabbage-family green, sturdy enough for stews or oven-baked chips, and unusually rich in vitamin K, C and absorbable calcium.
Pea shoots are the tender leaves, stems and tendrils of the young pea plant, sweet and grassy raw, and famously stir-fried as dou miu in Cantonese kitchens.
Purslane is a lemony, succulent leaf vegetable with the highest omega-3 content of any green, eaten raw in salads or simmered into stews it naturally thickens.
Beet greens are the earthy, chard-like leaves of the beet, too often thrown away, and one of the richest vegetable sources of vitamin K.
Mizuna is a feathery Japanese mustard green with a mild peppery bite, eaten raw in salad mixes or quickly wilted into stir-fries and soups.
Winter melon is a large wax-coated Asian gourd with mild, almost flavourless flesh that soaks up broth, and it keeps for months uncut.
Collard greens are a hearty, slow-cooking cabbage-family green traditional to Southern and West African cuisine, and one of the richest food sources of vitamin K.
Belgian endive is a pale, torpedo-shaped chicory grown in darkness for a clean bitterness, eaten raw as a crisp scoop or braised into a silky, caramelized side.
Escarole is a mildly bitter broad-leaved chicory, eaten raw at its pale heart and wilted into soups at its outer leaves, and an excellent source of folate.
Romaine lettuce is a crisp, upright salad green best known as the backbone of Caesar salad, offering hydration, folate, and vitamin A with very few calories.
Radicchio is a boldly bitter, wine-red chicory that stays crisp raw in salads and turns sweet and caramelized when grilled or roasted.
Zucchini is a mild, water-rich summer squash prized for its tender texture and versatility, low in calories yet high in potassium and vitamin C.
Frisée is a curly, pleasantly bitter chicory with a pale blanched heart, prized for salads that stand up to warm dressings and rich in vitamin K.
Water spinach is a hollow-stemmed Asian aquatic green, prized for its crunch under a fierce garlic stir-fry and very high in beta-carotene and vitamin K.
Sorrel is a lemony-tart leafy green prized for brightening salads and soups, whose defining oxalic acid content calls for moderation from anyone prone to kidney stones.
Watercress is a peppery, fast-growing aquatic green and one of the most nutrient-dense leafy vegetables, especially rich in vitamin K and C.
The beet is an earthy-sweet crimson root high in dietary nitrates, eaten roasted, pickled or juiced to support healthy blood flow.
Spinach is a versatile cooking and salad green that wilts down fast, and one of the best plant sources of iron, folate and vitamin K.
Arracacha is a sweet, chestnut-scented Andean root between parsnip and celeriac, prized for the silky, quick-cooking puree it makes.
Swiss chard is a colourful leafy green related to beets and spinach, its tender leaves and crunchy ribs exceptionally rich in vitamin K.
Turnip greens are peppery brassica tops, at their best slowly braised or quickly wilted with garlic, and outstandingly high in vitamins K and C.
Carrot is a crisp root vegetable equally at home raw, roasted, or juiced, and among the richest plant sources of eye-friendly beta-carotene.
Cassava is a starchy tropical root, a staple carbohydrate across Africa, Asia and South America, that must be peeled and thoroughly cooked to remove its naturally occurring cyanogenic compounds.
Daikon is a crisp, mild white radish central to East Asian cooking, eaten raw as a crunchy garnish or simmered until silky in broths and stews.
Celeriac is a knobby, celery-flavoured root prized for rémoulade, purées, and roasts, offering fibre and vitamin K with very few calories.
Burdock root is a long, crisp Japanese taproot with an earthy sweetness, prized for its prebiotic inulin fibre and its chewy bite in braises and stir-fries.
Jicama is a crisp, sweet Mexican root vegetable eaten raw as a refreshing snack or in salads; only its peeled flesh is edible, since the skin, leaves and seeds contain toxic rotenone.
Lotus root is a crisp, lace-patterned rhizome central to East and South Asian cooking, valued for its crunchy texture in stir-fries, soups and pickles.
Malanga is a nutty, earthy tropical root with unusually fine starch, prized across the Caribbean for thickening stews and frying into crisp fritters, and it must always be cooked.
Salsify is a slender winter taproot nicknamed the oyster plant, with a mild artichoke-like sweetness and a high content of the prebiotic fibre inulin.
The sunchoke is a nutty, faintly sweet sunflower tuber that roasts and purées beautifully, rich in prebiotic inulin and in iron.
Sweet potato is a starchy, naturally sweet tuber rich in beta-carotene, delicious roasted, mashed or fried in place of ordinary potatoes.
Water chestnut is the crisp white corm of an Asian aquatic sedge, prized because it stays crunchy through cooking, and a light source of potassium and fibre.
Potato is a versatile starchy tuber and a global staple, valued for its potassium, resistant starch, and endless ways of cooking, provided any green or sprouted parts are trimmed away.
Taro is a starchy tropical corm central to Pacific Island, Asian and West African cooking, always cooked thoroughly since the raw flesh contains irritating calcium oxalate crystals.
Parsnip is a sweet, nutty root vegetable that caramelizes beautifully when roasted, offering fibre, vitamin C, and folate in a classic winter staple.
True yam is a starchy, dry-fleshed tuber from the Dioscorea vine — botanically distinct from sweet potato — and a dietary staple across West Africa, the Caribbean and parts of Asia, pounded, boiled or fried.
Fennel is a crisp, anise-scented bulb vegetable from the Mediterranean, eaten raw in salads or braised, and a good source of Vitamin K and potassium.
Rhubarb is a tart, crimson stalk vegetable treated as a fruit in the kitchen, prized for pies and crumbles — its leaves are toxic and must be discarded before cooking.
Celery is a crisp, mild-flavoured stalk vegetable and mirepoix staple, prized for its high water content and role as a low-calorie snack.
Asparagus is a perennial vegetable whose tender spring shoots are prized for their delicate flavour and rich folate and vitamin K content.
Palm heart is the crisp inner stalk of a palm's growing bud, mildly tangy and artichoke-like, prized for a flaky texture that stands in for seafood in salads and pies.
Bamboo shoots are the mild, crisp young shoots of the bamboo plant, a staple of East and Southeast Asian cooking that must be boiled thoroughly when fresh to neutralize natural cyanogenic compounds — most Western shoppers instead buy them canned and already pre-boiled.
Cardoon is the edible-stalk relative of the artichoke, blanched to tame its bitterness and simmered before use, central to Piedmontese bagna cauda and Spanish Christmas stews.
Kelp flakes are dried, milled kombu seaweed used as an umami-rich seasoning and an exceptionally concentrated source of iodine.
Nori is a dried sheet of cultivated red algae used to wrap sushi, notable for its iodine content and its savoury, faintly smoky umami.
Arame is a mild, sweet dried seaweed shredded into fine threads that soften within minutes, valued for calcium and iron but, like other kelps, high in iodine.
Kombu is a thick, dried kelp that forms the umami backbone of Japanese dashi stock, exceptionally rich in minerals but extremely high in iodine, so best used sparingly.
Hijiki is a black, wiry dried seaweed simmered into Japanese side dishes for its calcium and iron, but its tendency to accumulate arsenic means several food safety agencies advise against eating it at all.
Dulse is a dried red seaweed from the North Atlantic with a smoky, savoury flavour, popular as a plant-based bacon substitute and rich in potassium.
Nori flakes are toasted, shredded red seaweed used as a savoury finishing condiment, rich in iodine, protein and umami-bearing glutamate.
Flaxseed is a tiny brown or golden seed, ground into a vegan egg substitute for baking and prized as the richest plant source of omega-3 ALA.
Chia seeds swell into a gel when soaked, making them a natural thickener and egg replacer, prized for their omega-3s and fibre.
White chia seeds are the pale form of the Mexican Salvia hispanica seed, prized for gelling in liquid, for binding in place of egg, and for an exceptional omega-3 and fibre content.
Hemp hearts are a soft, mildly nutty hulled seed that delivers a rare complete plant protein alongside a naturally balanced ratio of omega fats.
Wakame is a delicate dried seaweed that expands dramatically when soaked, best known in miso soup, but very high in sodium and iodine, so use in modest amounts.
Golden flax seeds are the mild pale-coated form of linseed, the top plant source of omega-3 ALA and lignans, and the base of the classic flax egg.
Poppy seeds are a tiny, crunchy seed prized for baking and thickening curries, exceptionally rich in calcium though capable of triggering a false positive on opiate drug tests.
Pumpkin seeds, or pepitas, are flat green kernels roasted for snacking or pressed into nutty oil, and one of the best plant sources of prostate-supporting zinc.
Black sesame seeds are unhulled sesame with a firm bite and deep nutty flavour, prized in East Asian cooking and unusually rich in calcium and antioxidant lignans.
Pita bread is a high-heat wheat flatbread that puffs into a hollow pocket, used across the Middle East for filling, scooping and tearing into salads.
Rye bread is a dense, tangy sourdough loaf from northern and eastern Europe, higher in fibre than wheat bread and slower to go stale.
Sesame is a tiny oval seed pressed into tahini or ground into halva, valued for its nutty flavour and exceptionally high calcium and iron content.
Water is the silent base ingredient of the kitchen, measured here in milliliters like any other component.
Sourdough bread rises on a wild lactic and yeast culture and is classically flour, water and salt alone.
Sunflower seeds are hulled kernels prized for their mild, nutty crunch in salads and baking, and one of the richest plant sources of vitamin E.
The clear, faintly sweet liquid from a young green coconut, measured in milliliters.
Focaccia is a dimpled, olive-oil-rich Italian flatbread with an open, airy crumb and a crisp, salty surface, eaten on its own or split for sandwiches.
Pizza dough is a dairy-free yeasted dough of flour, water, salt and yeast, vegan by default and dependent on high heat.
The arepa is a gluten-free maize flatbread from Venezuela and Colombia, griddled from precooked corn flour and eaten split and stuffed or flat alongside a meal.
Corn tortillas are nixtamalized maize flatbreads of corn, water and lime, gluten free and the staple of Mesoamerica.
Coconut flour is dried, defatted coconut meat ground fine — gluten free, extremely high in fibre and so absorbent that recipes need extra liquid.
Hazelnut flour is finely ground hazelnuts, gluten free and rich in oil and vitamin E, giving cakes a moist crumb and a deep toasted flavour.
Almond flour is a fine, gluten-free flour ground from blanched almonds, prized for its moist crumb, mild sweetness and rich vitamin E and healthy fat content, though its oil content demands cold storage.
All-purpose flour is a refined white wheat flour with the bran and germ removed, prized for its fine texture and versatility across baked goods.
Whole wheat bread is a dense, nutty loaf baked from the whole wheat kernel, carrying far more fibre and minerals than white bread.
Bread flour is a high-protein refined wheat flour that builds strong gluten, giving yeasted loaves their chewy crumb and tall rise.
Barley flour is a dense, high-fibre whole-grain flour with a mild, nutty flavour, valued for its beta-glucan content and long history as one of the earliest cultivated cereals.
Buckwheat flour is a naturally gluten-free, earthy-flavoured flour milled from a rhubarb relative, prized for soba noodles, blini and Breton galettes.
Oat flour is a mildly sweet, fine-milled whole-grain flour prized for its beta-glucan fibre, though it needs a structural partner in risen baking since it forms no gluten.
Rice flour is a fine, naturally gluten-free flour milled from white rice, valued across Asian cuisine for noodles, rice paper and delicate baked goods.
Cake flour is a finely milled, low-protein soft wheat flour that limits gluten development and gives cakes a light, tender, close crumb.
Semolina flour is coarse golden durum wheat, high in protein and strong in gluten, and the backbone of dried pasta, couscous and grainy semolina puddings.
Cornmeal is coarsely milled dried maize, gluten free and the basis of polenta, cornbread and crisp fried coatings.
Teff flour is a naturally wholegrain, gluten-free flour with a malty sweetness, best known as the base of Ethiopian injera.
Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, a potent alkaline leavener that needs an acidic ingredient to activate and is used in only fraction-of-a-gram amounts per serving.
Spelt flour is a whole-grain, ancient-wheat flour with a nutty flavour and a more extensible gluten that suits rustic breads and pastries.
Whole-grain wheat flour is milled from the whole kernel, giving bread a denser, nuttier character and more fibre and minerals than white flour.
Rye flour is a dense, high-fibre whole-grain flour with a tangy character, the traditional base of Northern and Eastern European sourdough breads.
Sorghum flour is a mild, naturally gluten-free wholegrain flour, the workhorse base of many gluten-free blends and of Indian jowar flatbreads.
Baking powder is a self-contained, double-acting chemical leavener that raises quick breads, cakes and biscuits without yeast or a separate acid.
Quinoa flour is a protein-rich, gluten-free wholegrain flour from the Andes, earthy and slightly bitter, best used for part of a blend rather than on its own.
Cream of tartar is a dry acid left over from winemaking, used to activate baking soda, stabilize whipped foams and keep sugar syrups smooth.
Potato starch is a neutral, gluten-free thickening starch extracted from potato tubers, valued for its low gelatinization temperature and the soft, glossy set it gives sauces and gravies.
Tapioca starch is a neutral, gluten-free thickening starch milled from cassava root, prized for the clear, glossy, chewy texture it gives sauces, fillings and pearls.
Miso broth is a light, savoury Japanese soup base made by whisking fermented soybean paste into warm stock, salty and rich in umami.
Arrowroot starch is a neutral, gluten-free thickening starch extracted from Maranta rhizomes, prized for the clear, glossy set it holds in acidic and previously frozen sauces and fillings.
Cornstarch is a neutral, gluten-free thickening starch milled from corn kernels, the reliable workhorse behind smooth sauces, gravies and custards.
Sweet potato starch is a refined, gluten-free thickener prized for the glossy, heat-stable gel it forms and for the chewy noodles and craggy fried coatings it makes.
Vegetable broth is a lightly seasoned, sippable soup of simmered vegetables and aromatics — milder and quicker to make than stock, and pleasant enough to drink on its own.
Miso is a salty, umami-rich Japanese paste of fermented soybeans and koji, central to miso soup and prized for its deep savoury flavour.
Vegan Thai red curry paste is an aromatic pounded blend of dried red chilies, lemongrass, galangal and garlic, using plant-based umami in place of traditional shrimp paste, forming the base of red curries, stir-fries and soups.
Tahini is a smooth ground sesame seed paste, the savoury backbone of hummus and the sweet base of halva, and rich in phosphorus, calcium and healthy fats.
Red miso is a long-aged, dark and pungent fermented soybean paste, the boldest and saltiest of the misos, made for hearty soups and braises.
White miso is the mildest, sweetest fermented soybean paste, short-aged with plenty of rice and suited to delicate soups, dressings and glazes.
Mushroom stock is a deeply savoury liquid simmered from fresh or dried mushrooms, valued for its natural umami and used as a near calorie-free base for soups, risottos and sauces.
Vegetable stock is a clear, savoury liquid simmered from vegetables, herbs and aromatics, forming the near calorie-free foundation of soups, risottos and sauces.
Almond butter is a smooth paste of ground almonds, prized for its mild flavour and rich supply of bone-building magnesium and antioxidant Vitamin E.
Cashew butter is an especially smooth, creamy paste of ground cashews, valued for its mild sweetness and rich supply of magnesium and copper.
Sunflower seed butter is a nut-free, earthy paste of ground sunflower kernels, exceptionally rich in Vitamin E, B vitamins, and minerals.
Harissa is a fiery Tunisian chili paste of rehydrated red chilies, garlic and olive oil, brightened with toasted spices and used across North African and Mediterranean cooking.
Tomato paste is a deeply concentrated purée of cooked-down tomatoes, prized for the rich umami sweetness and colour it adds to sauces, stews and braises.
Peanut butter is a protein- and healthy-fat-rich spread ground from roasted peanuts — technically a legume, not a tree nut.
Hazelnut butter is a smooth paste of ground hazelnuts, prized for its rich toasted flavour and generous supply of antioxidant Vitamin E and manganese.
Green curry paste is a fiery Thai aromatic base of green chilies, lemongrass and galangal, fried in coconut milk to build a curry.
Garlic paste is smoothly puréed garlic that dissolves straight into a dish, delivering the full pungency of fresh cloves without any peeling or chopping.
Pumpkin seed butter is a smooth, nut-free paste of ground roasted pumpkin seeds, rich in magnesium, zinc, iron and plant protein, with a mild, earthy flavour.
Coconut vinegar is a cloudy, mildly sweet vinegar fermented from coconut sap or water, and the defining acid of Filipino adobo and kinilaw.
White wine vinegar is a clean, mild fermented wine vinegar, the default acid for vinaigrettes and quick pickles where colour and sweetness are unwelcome.
Doubanjiang is a fermented Sichuan broad-bean and chili paste, prized as the salty, funky foundation of mapo tofu, hot pot, and countless stir-fries.
Tamari is a rich, traditionally wheat-free Japanese soy sauce, brewed mostly or entirely from soybeans for a deep umami flavour without the gluten of standard soy sauce.
Balsamic vinegar is a dark Italian grape-must vinegar, ranging from cask-aged Tradizionale to everyday blends, prized for its sweet-tart depth.
Apple cider vinegar is twice-fermented apple juice, tangy enough for dressings and pickling, though its acidity can wear away tooth enamel over time.
Gochujang is a fermented Korean chili paste of rice, soybean, and red pepper, balancing heat, umami, and natural sweetness in marinades, soups, and rice dishes.
Soy sauce is a fermented soybean-and-wheat seasoning prized for its deep umami, adding savoury depth to marinades, stir-fries, and dipping sauces.
Malt vinegar is brewed from malted barley, giving it a yeasty, nutty tang that defines British fish and chips and pickles, though the barley means it is not gluten-free.
Sherry vinegar is a nutty, complex Spanish vinegar aged through a solera system, used sparingly to finish soups, sauces and salads.
Black vinegar is an aged Chinese rice vinegar, malty and mellow rather than sharp, used for dumpling dips, hot and sour soup and braises.
Red wine vinegar is a tangy, wine-based vinegar common across French and Mediterranean kitchens, prized for brightening vinaigrettes, marinades and pan sauces.
Rice vinegar is a mild, subtly sweet fermented vinegar central to sushi rice and East Asian dressings, though the seasoned form is fairly high in sodium.
Black bean sauce is a salty, pungent Cantonese paste of fermented soybeans, garlic and ginger, used to give stir-fries and braises deep umami.
Coconut aminos is a fermented coconut-sap seasoning sauce, valued as a soy-free, gluten-free stand-in for soy sauce with a milder, slightly sweet flavour.
Barbecue sauce is a thick, smoky-sweet tomato condiment for grilling and glazing, though its added sugar and sodium call for mindful portions.
Hot sauce is a vinegar-and-chili condiment prized for its clean, fiery heat, though its sodium content adds up if used generously.
Sriracha is a garlicky, tangy-hot chili sauce for noodles, eggs, and dipping, with a sodium content worth watching if used liberally.
Cultured cashew cheese is a soft, tangy vegan cheese made by fermenting blended cashews with live cultures, prized for a dairy-like tang and creamy, spreadable texture.
Vegan parmesan is a coarse, salty blend of cashews, nutritional yeast and salt that mimics grated hard cheese, delivering dense B vitamins alongside its savoury, umami crunch.
Cashew cream is a smooth, dairy-free cream blended from soaked raw cashews and water — neutral-tasting, exceptionally silky, and the default base for vegan alfredo, cheesecake and creamy sauces.
Coconut milk is the rich, pressed liquid from grated coconut flesh — thicker and higher in saturated fat than thin coconut water or carton coconut drinks.
Hoisin sauce is a thick, sweet-salty soybean glaze for stir-fries and roasted vegetables, though its sodium, sugar, soy, and wheat content call for moderate, mindful use.
Tahini sauce is a pourable Levantine sesame cream of tahini, lemon, garlic and water, served over falafel and roast vegetables and rich in plant calcium.
Vegan mayonnaise is an egg-free, oil-based emulsion whipped with aquafaba or soy protein into a rich, spreadable cream for sandwiches, salads, and dips.
Cashew mozzarella is a stretchy, meltable vegan cheese made from cashews and tapioca starch, prized for its mild, milky flavour and its ability to pull and melt like dairy mozzarella.
Cashew ricotta is a quick unfermented nut cheese with a soft, milky crumb, used wherever dairy ricotta fills or tops a dish.
Oat cream is a pourable cooking cream made from enzyme-treated oats and added rapeseed or sunflower oil — nut- and soy-free, stable in hot acidic sauces, but not reliably gluten-free unless certified.
Unsweetened almond milk is a low-calorie, lactose-free dairy alternative pressed from almonds and water, though naturally very low in protein.
Almond yogurt is cultured almond milk thickened with starch or pectin into a spoonable yogurt — thinner and lower in protein than soy yogurt, and often fortified with calcium and vitamin D to match dairy yogurt.
Vegan fish sauce is a seaweed-based seasoning that supplies the salty, savoury punch of fish sauce for Southeast Asian cooking, with no animal ingredients.
Cashew milk is a naturally creamy plant milk blended from cashews and water, prized for its silky texture without any straining, though unsuitable for tree-nut allergy sufferers and naturally low in protein.
Pea milk is a modern, protein-isolate-based plant milk engineered to match dairy milk's protein content while staying free of nuts, soy and gluten, though its highly processed, isolate-based production sets it apart from traditionally pressed plant milks.
Coconut yogurt is coconut milk or cream fermented with live cultures into a tangy, spoonable, dairy-free yogurt, rich in the same saturated fat as its base but carrying probiotic cultures too.
Tianmianjiang is a sweet, malty fermented wheat-flour paste from northern China, essential to Peking duck, zhajiangmian and Beijing-style stir-fries.
Chimichurri is a raw Argentinian parsley, garlic and vinegar sauce, spooned over grilled food to cut richness with herbal acidity.
Tomato ketchup is a sweet-tart tomato condiment for fries, burgers, and sandwiches, though its added sugar and sodium call for mindful portions.
Prepared yellow mustard is a tangy, turmeric-coloured condiment of ground mustard seed and vinegar, prized for bold flavour at minimal calories.
Salsa is a Mexican table sauce of tomatoes, chiles, onion and lime, served fresh or cooked as a light, tangy accompaniment.
Teriyaki sauce is a sweet-savoury Japanese soy glaze that lacquers grilled tofu, tempeh and vegetables, and is very high in sodium and sugar.
Coconut cream is the thick, high-fat layer pressed or skimmed from coconut flesh — richer and less diluted than coconut milk, and best used to finish rather than simmer a dish.
Hemp milk is a naturally nut-free, soy-free plant milk pressed from hulled hemp seeds, valued for its complete-protein amino acid profile and favourable omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, and typically fortified with calcium, vitamin D and B12 in its unsweetened commercial form.
Oat milk is a naturally sweet, creamy plant milk pressed from oats, prized for its dairy-like body and common fortification with calcium, vitamin D and B12, though its gluten cross-contamination risk keeps it off gluten-free labels.
Rice milk is a thin, naturally sweet plant milk made from rice and water — a hypoallergenic dairy alternative with very little protein.
Soy milk is a plant-based drink pressed from soybeans — the plant milk closest to dairy in protein, though unfortified cartons lack added calcium and B12.
Aquafaba is the viscous chickpea cooking liquid that whips into stiff peaks like egg white, powering vegan meringues, mousses and mayonnaise.
Vanilla extract is an alcoholic maceration of vanilla pods, giving plant-based baking the aromatic depth butter and egg would otherwise supply.
Kosher salt is a coarse, additive-free salt whose light, pinchable flakes make it the default seasoning salt in professional kitchens.
Chili powder is a Tex-Mex spice blend of ground chile, cumin and oregano that gives chili con carne and taco seasoning their signature warmth.
Five spice powder is a potent Chinese blend led by star anise, with cloves, cassia, Sichuan pepper and fennel, used sparingly in braises, roasts and marinades.
Soy yogurt is soy milk fermented with live cultures into a tangy, spoonable yogurt — the plant-based yogurt highest in protein, though unfortified tubs lack added calcium and B12.
A flax egg is ground flaxseed rested in water until it thickens into a binding gel — a fibre- and omega-3-rich stand-in for whole eggs that binds rather than leavens.
Cocoa powder is defatted, milled cacao cake, delivering pure chocolate intensity without added sugar or fat.
Cocoa butter is the ivory fat pressed from cocoa beans, solid and brittle at room temperature but melting at body heat, and the fat that gives chocolate its snap and melt.
Himalayan pink salt is an unrefined rock salt from Pakistan, tinted pink by trace iron and used for everyday seasoning, finishing and salt-block cooking.
Ground cinnamon is a warm, sweet spice from dried Cinnamomum bark, rich in antioxidants — though cassia varieties carry more coumarin than Ceylon.
Commercial egg replacer powder is a shelf-stable starch-and-leavening blend that whisks with water to bind and lift baked goods in place of eggs.
Cacao nibs are crushed roasted cocoa beans — crunchy, unsweetened, intensely bitter chocolate packed with flavanols, magnesium and fibre.
Dark chocolate is cocoa mass, cocoa butter and sugar with no dairy, frequently vegan by default and rich in iron and magnesium.
Almond extract is an intense marzipan-scented flavouring used a few drops at a time in cakes, cookies and pastries.
Peppermint extract is a potent menthol-cooling flavouring used a few drops at a time in confectionery, chocolate and desserts.
Black salt is a sulfurous volcanic rock salt from South Asia, used to give plant-based dishes the flavour of egg.
Sea salt is evaporated seawater, the foundational seasoning of the kitchen, sharpening the flavours already present rather than contributing one of its own.
A chia egg is ground chia seed rested in water until it sets into a firm, neutral-tasting binding gel — a slower-setting, milder alternative to a flax egg that binds rather than leavens.
Chickpea flour (besan) is a protein-rich pulse flour that sets like whisked egg, forming the base of vegan omelettes, farinata and socca.
Lemon extract is a concentrated alcohol infusion of lemon peel oil, used a teaspoon at a time to give baked goods and icings clean citrus aroma without added liquid or acidity.
Curry powder is an Anglo-Indian spice blend built on turmeric, coriander and cumin that gives British and colonial-era curries their familiar warmth and colour.
Ground allspice is the dried berry of Pimenta dioica, prized for a warm flavour reminiscent of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove combined, and rich in the antioxidant eugenol.
Ground black pepper is the world's most traded spice, prized for the sharp bite of piperine and used sparingly to season nearly any savoury dish.
Cayenne pepper is a fiery ground chile prized for its capsaicin heat and exceptional vitamin A content, used sparingly to season dishes across many cuisines.
Ground nutmeg is the warm, aromatic kernel of Myristica fragrans, prized in sweet and savoury cooking alike, though its myristicin content means it should be used sparingly.
Smoked paprika is oak-smoked, ground Capsicum annuum from Spain's Extremadura region, valued for its deep smoky flavour and rich carotenoid content.
Ground sumac is a tart, deep-red spice from dried Rhus coriaria berries, valued for its lemony sourness and its density of antioxidant polyphenols.
Paprika is a ground pepper spice spanning sweet Hungarian grades to smoky Spanish pimentón de la Vera, valued for its colour and carotenoids.
Black cardamom is a large Himalayan pod dried over wood fires, giving a smoky, camphorous depth to biryani, braises and pho rather than the sweetness of green cardamom.
Cardamom is the aromatic green pod of a ginger-family plant, one of the world's most prized spices for chai, biryani and Scandinavian baking.
Cloves are the dried flower buds of a tropical evergreen, intensely aromatic from eugenol and central to mulled wine, baked ham and five-spice powder.
Garlic powder is dehydrated, finely milled garlic that delivers concentrated allium flavour to spice rubs, sauces and seasoning blends.
Ginger powder is the dried, ground rhizome of Zingiber officinale — hotter and drier than fresh ginger, essential to baking and dry spice blends, and long used to settle the stomach.
Mustard powder is milled mustard seed that is odourless until mixed with cold water, when it develops a fierce pungency — the base of English mustard and a reliable emulsifier for dressings and cheese sauces.
Turmeric powder is the dried, milled rhizome of Curcuma longa — earthy, faintly bitter and intensely yellow, the colour base of most Indian curries and the source of curcumin.
White pepper is the hulled ripe seed of the black pepper vine, sharper and earthier than black, favoured in pale sauces and across East and Southeast Asian cooking.
Garam masala is a warming North Indian blend of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and pepper, usually stirred in at the end of cooking to finish a dish.
Onion powder is dehydrated, finely milled onion that delivers sweet, concentrated allium flavour to spice rubs, gravies and seasoning blends.
Caraway is the ridged, crescent-shaped fruit of a carrot-family plant, a staple of European baking and pickling prized for its warm, anise-like bite.
Coriander seeds are the citrusy, warm-flavoured dried fruit of the cilantro plant, essential to curries, pickling spice and garam masala.
Nigella seeds are the small black, peppery seeds of a buttercup-family flower, a pantry staple across South Asia and the Middle East for flatbreads and pickles.
Fennel seeds are the sweet, anise-flavoured fruit of the fennel plant, essential to Italian sausage seasoning, Indian spice blends and after-meal digestion.
Fenugreek seeds are bitter, maple-scented legume seeds central to Indian and Middle Eastern spice blends, and unusually rich in fibre and iron.
Juniper berries are the piney, resinous cones that flavour gin, sauerkraut and northern European braises, used crushed and in small amounts.
Mustard seeds are small, pungent Brassica seeds tempered in oil to start South Asian dals and used whole in pickling and sausage-making.
Long pepper is a sweet, slow-burning relative of black pepper, dried as a small catkin-like spike, prized in Indian, Indonesian and ancient Roman cooking.
Cumin seed is an earthy, warm spice central to Indian, Mexican and Middle Eastern cooking, and one of the richest plant sources of iron.
Saffron is the hand-harvested stigma of a crocus flower, the world's most prized and expensive spice, valued for its golden colour and honeyed, hay-like aroma.
Soy curls are dehydrated strips of whole soybeans that rehydrate into a chewy, chicken-like texture, prized as a minimally processed, whole-food alternative to isolate-based meat substitutes.
Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast sold as savoury flakes, prized in plant-based cooking for its cheese-like flavour and dense B vitamins.
Seitan is a dense, chewy wheat-gluten protein prized as a beef substitute, offering very high protein but entirely unsuitable for coeliac or wheat-allergic diets.
Star anise is the star-shaped, licorice-flavoured pod central to Chinese five-spice powder, pho broth and braised dishes.
Vanilla beans are the cured, hand-pollinated pods of a climbing orchid, prized worldwide for their warm, complex aroma in baking and desserts.
Tempeh bacon is thin-sliced tempeh cured in a smoky, salty-sweet marinade of soy sauce, liquid smoke and maple, then crisped in a pan or oven — a whole-food, higher-sodium riff on plain tempeh built to stand in for bacon.
Vital wheat gluten is the dry, milled wheat-protein powder used to make seitan, prized for its very high protein content but unsuitable for coeliac or wheat-allergic diets.
Extra virgin olive oil is the top grade of cold-pressed olive oil, peppery and fruity, rich in monounsaturated fat and polyphenols.
Refined coconut oil is a neutral, solid tropical fat prized for baking and frying, though its very high saturated fat content calls for moderate use.
Pulled jackfruit is canned young green jackfruit shredded into pork-like strands, prized for texture and sauce absorption but, unlike soy or gluten analogues, very low in protein.
Flaxseed oil is a delicate, cold-pressed oil exceptionally rich in omega-3, meant to be used raw and never heated.
Truffle oil is an intensely aromatic finishing oil, added off the heat by the drop to fries, risotto and pasta.
Textured vegetable protein is dry, extruded granules, mince or chunks made from defatted soy flour, a by-product of soybean oil extraction, valued as an inexpensive, protein-dense, fat-free meat substitute that rehydrates quickly in hot liquid.
Avocado oil is a mild, buttery oil cold-pressed from avocado flesh, prized for an unusually high smoke point that suits both searing and dressings.
Extra virgin olive oil is cold-pressed olive juice prized for its grassy, peppery flavour and its heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and polyphenols.
Cold-pressed hazelnut oil is a rich, roasted-nutty finishing oil, prized for its heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and its intense flavour in small doses.
Macadamia oil is a mild, buttery cold-pressed nut oil, exceptionally high in monounsaturated fat and stable enough for both dressing and cooking.
Almond oil is a mild, pale cooking oil valued for its heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, high Vitamin E content, and versatile all-purpose use.
Pumpkin seed oil is a dark, toasted Styrian finishing oil with a vivid green sheen, used cold over soups and salads and never heated.
Peanut oil is a mild, high-smoke-point cooking oil pressed from peanuts, prized for frying, though allergy risk varies with how refined it is.
Walnut oil is a light, delicately nutty oil valued for its unusually high omega-3 content and gentle culinary uses.
Hemp seed oil is a deep green, grassy cold-pressed oil prized for its balanced omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, and strictly for cold uses.
