Nam pla - fish sauce which is one of the basic ingredients of Thai cuisine made of fermented anchovies.

Nasturtium - a flowering plant whose leaves which are yellow orange in colour are used to garnish salads giving a peppery bite to the dish. The seeds and buds are pickled in vinegar and substituted with capers.

Navarin - a lamb stew of French origin made with potatoes and spring vegetables.

Noisette - small round steak usually lamb, beef or veal taken from the rib or loin area. Very tender meat.

Noodles - a type of pasta made with flour or eggs used in Oriental cuisine in soups and stir-fries.

Nori - an edible seaweed which is dark green in colour and used in Japanese cuisine in the preparation of sushi.

Normande - a la normande is a term describing dishes using butter, cream, seafood, apples, cider and Calvados, typical ingredients to be found in this French region.

Nougat - a sweet made of sugar, nuts and honey. There are two types, hard or chewy.

O

Offal - the internal organs and insides of animals or fish.

Orange flower water - an aromatic made from the distillation of Seville oranges and used to flavour cakes and biscuits.

Ouzo - Greek liqueur flavoured with aniseed which turns cloudy when water is added.

Oyster - saltwater shellfish which can be steamed, grilled, poached or eaten raw.

P

Paella - traditional Spanish dish of rice saffron, chicken vegetables and shellfish.

Pancake - or crepe. Thin flat cakes made of a batter of flour, eggs and milk which can be served with sweet or savoury fillings.

Pancetta - Italian cured pork belly having a sweet aniseedy taste.

Panettone - Italian yeasted cake traditionally eaten at Christmas.

Pannacotta - Italian dessert meaning cooked cream. It is made of cream, gelatine and flavoured with vanilla or cinnamon. It is served cold with a sweet or coffee sauce.

Papillote - en papillote describes any dish that has been cooked in a parcel, wrapped in greaseproof paper to protect it from high heat and retain the flavours and juices if any.

Paprika - a spice which is milder than cayenne pepper made of ground mild peppers.

Parboil - vegetables are half boiled which is usually done prior to roasting to ensure even cooking and crispy topping.

Pashka - traditional Russian dessert usually served at Easter. Made from cheese, cream, nuts, chocolate and dried fruit.

Passata - a smooth tomato sauce.

Pate - French term for describing any rich pastes made from liquidized offals, especially liver.

Pectin - an important ingredient in the making of jams and jellies. It is a natural setting agent that helps in thickening jams before jarring.

Perry - liqueur made from the distillation of pears.

Pesto - green Italian sauce made from blending together basil leaves, pine nuts, cheese and extra virgin olive oil. Add to freshly boiled pasta, dressings or mayonnaise.

Pestle and mortar - utensil used in the crushing of herbs, spices or nuts.

Petit four - small fancy cake from France served at the end of a meal.

Pilchards - oily fish related to the sardine family. Are mainly processed and canned.

Piri piri - African word for chilli. Made into a sauce which is very common in Portuguese and African cuisine.

Pita bread - flat bread a staple ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine is usually stuffed with meat and sauces. Also torn and used to dip into dips.

Plaice - flat fish with orange spots which can be grilled, fried or poached.

Polenta - Italian porridge made with cornmeal.

Pommes noisettes - potato balls the size of a hazelnut which are lightly fried in butter or extra virgin olive oil.

Poussin - small chicken which has not reached maturity usually called a spring chicken which is only 4-6 weeks old. It does not have a strong flavour so it is stuffed with a rich stuffing to give it more flavour.

Praline - a sweet made of almonds and sugar.

Preserved lemons - a popular garnish in Moroccan cuisine are lemons preserved in brine.

Prickly pears - fruit of the cactus plant having a sweet and mild flavour which are very common in the Mediterranean region.

Profiterole - small buns made from choux pastry and filled with cream and coated with melted chocolate sauce.

Prosciutto - Italian term for ham.

Prunes - whole dried plums.

Puff pastry - very light pastry made in layers used in the preparation of sweet and savoury pies and tarts.

Pulping - reducing a substance to pulp, by mashing, blending or crushing.

Puree - a smooth sauce or paste made from blending.