D
Deglaze
To add liquid to the pan in which meat or other food was cooked. The liquid--usually broth or wine--is heated to loosen the browned bits left in the pan and is often used as a base for sauce or gravy.
Degrease
To remove melted fat from the surface of liquid, usually by skimming with a spoon, refrigerating to solidify the fat
Dehydrate
To remove moisture from food by drying it slowly in the oven or in an electric or manual dehydrator.
Devein
To remove the vein from the back of shrimp or to remove the interior ribs from peppers.
Dollop
A spoonful of soft food, such as mashed potatoes or whipped cream or ice-cream
Demiglace
A rich brown stock reduced to only half of its original amount by simmering
Demitasse
A small cup of black coffee
Demi
French term for half.
Deep fry
To cook food by immersing in a large deep pan of very hot fats or oil. When done carefully at the right temperature, deep-frying should give the surface of food a crisp dry golden coating without making it too greasy.
Dice
To cut into very small even cubes or squares.
Disjoint
To cut meat or chicken at the bone joints.
Dot
To place bits of butter or oil or cream on the food surface.
Dredge
To cover all over the food item with a dry ingredients like sugar, bread crumbs etc.
Dust
To sprinkle lightly with flour, sugar etc
Dissolve
To make a solution with a liquid and a dry substance e.g. sugar and water.
Duchess Potatoes
A savoury preparation where boiled potatoes whipped with egg yolks and then pressed thrrough a pastry tube
Dredge
To coat food with some ingredients such as seasoned flour or sugar, either by sprinkling, rolling, or shaking the food in a bag with the flour or other ingredients.
Dressings
Savory dressings for salads. They are basically of two kinds: either the thin French or vinaigrette type or the creamy mayonnaise type. Dressings can be drizzled over salads. Different dressings can be used for salads. Simple vinaigrette dressing consists of salad oil, vinegar, mustard powder, sugar, salt and pepper. Dressing also refers to a mixture of seasoned ingredients used to stuff meats and vegetables
Dress
To clean and trim chicken or fruit /vegetable. Dressing a salad means decorating with fruits, nuts and creams.
Dum
Also called steaming. A type of slow cooking process. There can be two types of steaming: direct and indirect. In the direct method, partially cooked food is put into a vessel which is covered with a lid and tightly sealed with dough and then placed on a slow fire or in an oven. The food cooks in its own steam and retians all the flavours and aroma. Aluminium foil can be used to seal the utensil instead of dough. In the undirect method, food is placed on a perforated plate above boiling water. The vessel is covered and food is allowed to cook on steam. In this method, care should be taken that the water doesn't touch the perforated plate. Recipes like idli, dhokla, etc. are cooked by indirect steam. You can also use a pressure cooker for indirect steaming.
Drippings
Fat that exudes from meat while it is being roasted or fried
Dough
A flour mixture stiff enough to knead or roll out
Deviled
An item flavored with hot condiments such as pepper, mustard, or tabasco
