Water to which acid substance such as lemon juice or wine vinegar is added. Once peeled, vegetables such as artichokes are placed in it to stop them discolouring.

A vegetarian alternative to gelatine, also called Japanese gelatin it's dry seaweed and used as a stabiliser in many food products in Asia.

A small crescent shaped stuffed pasta.

The white of an egg.

Small brown berry; flavour resembles blend of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. The dried berries are dark brown and can be purchased whole or ground.

Nuts that can be bought as skin-on, blanched, whole, halved, flaked, chopped or ground. The kernel of the fruit of the almond tree. The flavour of sweet almonds is delicate and slightly sweet.

Once thought to be just a weed, Amaranth greens have a delicious, slightly sweet flavour.

A smooth dip made of anchovies, garlic and olive oil.

These tiny fish are generally filleted, salt-cured and canned in oil.

A natural juice concentrate from the anchovy.

This aromatic herb is member of the parsley family, pale green with celery like sticks.

This is a small seed with a liquorice flavour. Fennel seed is often used as a substitute for anise or liquorice flavour in food. To release the full flavour of the seeds, they may be crushed.

Also known as 'achiote seeds', commonly used in South American cooking. It's has a slightly musky-flavour.

Short, thick grains of rice with a high starch content. Also known as risotto rice.

A flavourless starch extract of the maranta root.

There are three variants- Chinese, Japanese, Global artichoke. The globe artichoke is related to the thistle family and is a bud. The Jerusalem artichoke belongs to the sunflower family and it is the plant's underground tubers that are eaten. They are irregular in shape, with a pale brown or purply-red skin.

An extremely pungent spice from a plant of the giant fennel family, commonly used in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking.

Aspic is the transparent jelly in which cold fish, poultry and meat are sometimes served. Tomato aspic, made with tomato juice and gelatin, is opaque. It is sold in powered form and can be made at home.

The common aubergine is fairly large, an elongated oval shape and purple in colour. You find white, mauve and green, some even striped. The flesh inside is white and spongy but it browns when cut. Salting them is meant to remove their bitterness, but varieties sold these days are less bitter than they used to be (although salting does make them absorb less of the oil in which they`re cooked).