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Showing: naan; nan - Nebuchadnezzar

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naan; nan

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

An East Indian, white-flour flat bread that is lightly leavened by a natural YEAST STARTER developed from airborne yeasts. Naan is traditionally baked in a TANDOOR OVEN. A flattened round of dough is placed on a cloth puff that is used to slap the bread directly onto the side of the special high-heat oven. In less than 60 seconds, the bread puffs slightly, browns on the side touching the oven wall and takes on a light smoky flavor. The bread is speared with a skewer and removed from the ov...

nabemono

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

This Japanese term translates to "things-in-a-pot" and refers to a category of communal one-pot meals that are popular in Japan, particularly during cold weather. Ingredients are prepared in bite-size portions in advance, then cooked at the table in broth or oil. With some dishes, ingredients are added one at a time and when the dish is ready it's served family style. With other dishes, participants actually cook their own food in the hot liquid or oil, much like a FONDUE Bourguignonne. Va...

nacho

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

A crisp TORTILLA chip topped with melted cheese (usually CHEDDAR) and chopped CHILES, usually served as an appetizer or snack. Nachos sometimes appear on menus as "Mexican pizza," in which case they generally have additional toppings such as cooked, ground CHORIZO, onions and sometimes olives.

nam pla

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

Popular in Thailand, nam pla is a salty, fermented FISH SAUCE with an extremely pungent odor. It's used as a condiment, sauce and seasoning ingredient. Nam pla is popular throughout Southeast Asia and is known as nuoc nam in Vietnam and as shottsuru in Japan. Ancient Romans used a nam pla counterpart called GARUM.

nam prik

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

Thailand's counterpart to SAMBAL, nam prik is a general term for various condiments and sauces used to accompany a variety of foods including fish, rice and vegetables. The ingredients used vary from region to region and can include CHILES, garlic, dried fish, trasi, TAMARIND concentrate, fruit (such as green MANGO) and nuts.

nameko

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

A small Japanese mushroom that ranges in color from orange to amber to gold. The nameko has a soft, almost gelatinous texture and a rich, earthy aroma and flavor. It's highly regarded and used primarily in Japanese soups and one-pot dishes. Though nameko mushrooms are seldom found fresh in the United States, they're available canned in Asian markets. The nameko is sometimes also called cinnamon cap. See also MUSHROOM.

nan

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

see NAAN

Nantua sauce

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

A béchamel-based sauce made with cream and CRAYFISH butter and garnished with crayfish tails. Nantua sauce is served with seafood or egg dishes. See also BÉCHAMEL SAUCE.

nap

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

To coat food lightly with a sauce so that it completely covers the food with a thin, even layer.

napa cabbage

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

see CHINESE CABBAGE

Napoleon

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

A delectable dessert made with crisp layers of PUFF PASTRY spread with CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE and either glazed with a thin icing or dusted with confectioners' sugar. Napoleons are usually made in small rectangular shapes just large enough for an individual serving.

Napoleon cherry

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

Another name for the ROYAL ANN CHERRY.

nasi goreng

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

The Indonesian term for "fried rice," of which there are hundreds of versions throughout Indonesia, Malaysia and the surrounding areas. The rice is cooked with various ingredients including shrimp or other shellfish, meat, chicken, eggs, onions, chiles, garlic, cucumber, peanuts and a wide array of seasonings. If noodles are substituted for rice, the dish is called bahmi goreng.

nasturtium

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

All parts of this beautiful plant are eaten except the roots. Young leaves and stems add a peppery accent to salads and sandwiches, or be can used in dishes as a WATERCRESS substitute. The flower blossoms may be minced and used to flavor butter, cream cheese or vinegar, and the whole flowers are colorful and delicious in salads or as a garnish. Nasturtium seeds and immature flower buds can be pickled and used like capers. See also FLOWERS, EDIBLE.

natto

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

These steamed, fermented and mashed soybeans have a glutinous texture and strong cheeselike flavor. Natto is particularly popular in Japan, where it's used as a flavoring and table CONDIMENT and is greatly favored served over rice for breakfast. It's often mixed with other ingredients such as mustard, soy sauce and chives.

navel orange

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

Grown in California, Arizona and Florida, the navel is an excellent eating orange. Its name originates from the fact that the blossom end resembles the human navel. This large fruit has a bright-orange skin that's thick and easy to peel. The pulp is sweet, flavorful and seedless. Available from late fall through late spring, the navel orange is sometimes called Washington, Riverside or Bahia navel. See also ORANGE.

navy bean

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

This small white LEGUME, also known as Yankee bean, gets its name from the fact that the U.S. Navy has served it as a staple since the mid-1800s. The navy bean is widely used for commercially canned pork and beans. It also makes wonderful soups and is often used in the preparation of BOSTON BAKED BEANS (though New Englanders prefer using the smaller PEA BEAN for this purpose). Navy beans require lengthy, slow cooking. See also BEANS.

Neapolitan ice cream

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

Brick-shaped ice cream made up of three differently flavored ice creams (usually vanilla, chocolate and strawberry). It's normally served in slices, each of which displays the tricolored ice cream. Other desserts (or gelatin salads) made in three distinct layers are also labeled "neapolitan."

neat

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

1. A term referring to liquor that is drunk undiluted by ice, water or MIXERS. 2. An old term used mainly in England for a member of the bovine family such as the ox or cow. Neat's foot jelly was what today is called CALF'S FOOT JELLY.

Nebuchadnezzar

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

see WINE BOTTLES

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