Bartending. Margaret Brooker

Because it can expand to accommodate gases produced by yeast, yet contain them, wheat breads can be leavened (caused to rise).

      Pseudo-cereals, while not grasses, have a similar nutrient composition to cereals and are treated as such.

      Rice

      Jasmine rice A slender, long-grained, aromatic white rice, which clings together slightly when cooked. Grown predominantly in Thailand, where it is the preferred variety, it is also known as Thai or Fragrant rice.

      Black Thai rice A long-grained rice with its black bran intact which, cooked, colours the entire grain purple. Also called Black Sticky and Black Glutinous rice, it is typically used for desserts in SE Asia.

      White long-grained rice Long-grained types of rice from which the bran coat has been completely removed. When cooked, the grains generally remain separate and become fluffy-looking. (See also white short-grain rice on p15.)

      Brown long-grained rice Long-grained types of rice which retain their bran layers. Also called whole and unprocessed, brown rice is often heat-treated to slow rancidity of the bran. It requires longer cooking than white rice.

      Basmati rice An aromatic, narrow, very long-grained variety grown in northern India; valued for its fragrant flavour and firm texture. When cooked, the grains remain separate and dry. The rice for biriani and pilaf.

      Wild rice Now cultivated, a black/brown, elongated, hard seed of a marsh grass native to the Great Lakes region of N. America, distantly related to common rice. Expensive, it is appreciated for its chewy, nutty quality.

      Mixed brown and wild rice A mixture of long-grained brown rice and wild rice, both chewy textured and nutty-flavoured, usually combined to extend the more expensive wild rice. Used in pilafs, stuffings and salads.

      White short-grained rice Round, short-grained types of rice, with the bran coat completely removed. The grains cook to a soft consistency and cling together. Also called pudding rice.

      Brown short-grained rice Round, short-grained rices which retain their bran layer. As well as sharing the general characteristics of unpolished rice, the grains become soft and sticky on cooking.

      Arborio A plump, large-grained, starchy Italian rice, graded superfino. Able to absorb a lot of liquid without bursting, it is particularly used for risotto.

      Vialone nano A plump, medium-grained, starchy Italian rice, graded fino, particularly used for risotto due to its capacity to absorb twice its weight in liquid without bursting.

      Carnaroli Dubbed ‘the king of Italian rice’, this large-grained starchy rice, graded super-fino, remains firm while absorbing much liquid, so is prized for risotto.

      Sushi Stubby, short-grained white rice with a high starch content which becomes sticky when cooked. Flavoured with sweetened vinegar, it forms the basis of Japanese sushi.

      Red rice A hard, unmilled rice, actually russet-hued, due to the colour of the bran layer. The French Camargue variety is short-grained, chewy, nutty and slightly sticky when cooked.

      White sticky rice Mostly short-grained rice that becomes sticky when cooked. Also known as glutinous or sweet rice, it is used mainly for desserts.

      Rice flour Powdery, finely ground rice, non-glutinous or glutinous. Entirely starch, with no gluten-forming proteins, it is used as a thickening agent, to make crunchy coatings and in baked goods for crispness.

      Poha Very light flakes with jagged edges and a rough texture, made by flattening parboiled rice grains with rollers, then drying them. An Indian ingredient, also called pawa or pounded rice, the flakes are fried or cooked in milk.

      Rice flakes Parboiled rice which has been flattened under heavy rollers, then dried. The resultant fine flakes are used by the food processing industry.

      Ground rice Coarsely ground, non-glutinous rice. Used for its crisp granular texture in, for example, classic Scottish shortbread and, for its thickening properties, in the Indian blancmange firni. Roasted, it is sprinkled over Thai and Vietnamese dishes.

      RICE BRAN

      The outer seed-coat of the rice grain, rubbed off after removal of the hull during milling and processing. Rich in oils and vitamins, rice bran quickly becomes rancid unless defatted. Stabilized, it is used in food manufacture for its foaming qualities.

      In Japan, rice bran is roasted to extract the flavour, then mixed with water and salt, before being used to pickle vegetables such as daikon, cucumber and carrot.

      Corn

      Corn flakes A breakfast cereal, made by rolling then toasting cooked grits, the coarsely ground endosperm of corn or maize. Light and crisp when dry, they are principally consumed doused with milk.

      Popcorn