Let’s learn: there can be so much action in the kitchen when people cook - simmering, tenderising, squeezing, kneading, and so much more! These are some of the cooking verbs. Let’s learn some more. Watch, listen, and repeat:
Now, study these cooking verbs from the video:
bake — [beɪk] — to cook inside an oven, without using added liquid or fat; cept cepeškrāsnī
Let’s bake a giant chocolate chip cookie and turn it into the ultimate dessert masterpiece!
grill — [ɡrɪl] — to cook food over the fire or hot coals, usually on a metal frame; grilēt
Grab some marinated chicken, and let’s grill it outside for a smoky, mouthwatering dinner with friends!
grate — [ɡreɪt] — to rub food against a grater to cut it into a lot of small pieces; rīvēt
Grate some fresh cheese to sprinkle on top of your homemade nachos for an extra cheesy, delicious crunch!
slice — [slaɪs] — to cut something into thin, flat pieces; sagriezt šķēlēs
If you want to make a sandwich, you need to slice bread first.
melt — [melt] — to turn from something solid into something soft or liquid, or to cause something to do this; kausēt
The moment you see the marshmallows melt, you know s'mores time is here!
squeeze — [skwiːz] — to press something firmly, especially from all sides to change its shape, reduce its size, or remove liquid from it; izspiest
Squeeze a fresh lemon over the salad to add a zesty kick.
whisk — [wɪsk] — to beat eggs, cream, etc. with a special tool to add air and make the food light; saputot
Whisk the eggs until they’re light and fluffy for the perfect omelette.
mash — [mæʃ] — to crush food, usually after cooking it, so that it forms a soft mass; stampāt
Mash the berries into a juicy spread for your morning toast.
dice — [daɪs] — to cut food into small squares; sagriezt kubveida gabaliņos
Dice the potatoes into bite-sized pieces for crispy roasted fries.
chop — [tʃɒp] — to cut something into pieces with an axe, knife, or other sharp instrument; sasmalcināt / smalki sagriezt
Chop the nuts into crunchy bits for a delicious topping on your dessert.
peel — [piːl] — to remove the skin of fruit and vegetables; mizot, lobīt
Do you usually peel potatoes before boiling?
drain — [dreɪn] — If you drain something, you remove the liquid from it, usually by pouring it away or allowing it to flow away, and if something drains, liquid flows away or out of it; nokāst (lieko šķidrumu)
After boiling the pasta, make sure to drain it well to prevent it from becoming mushy.
spread — [spred] — to put a soft substance on a surface and make it cover it, or to be able to be put on a surface in this way; smērēt (piemēram, sviestu uz maizes)
To make the cake look professional, spread the frosting smoothly over the top and sides.
mix — [mɪks] — to combine different substances, esp. so that the result cannot easily be separated into its parts, or to cause different substances to combine in this way; sajaukt kopā
For the perfect omelette mix the eggs with a splash of milk before pouring them into the pan.
fry — [fraɪ] — to cook food in hot oil or fat; cept (parasti uz pannas) taukos vai eļļā
Fry the chicken pieces until they're coated in a crunchy, flavorful crust that crackles with each bite.
scramble — [ˈskræm.bəl] — to mix food as it is being fried, especially eggs or tofu; sakult
To make a hearty brunch, scramble the eggs with cheese, spinach, and a touch of salt.
cut — [kʌt] — to break the surface of something, or to divide or make something smaller, using a sharp tool, especially a knife; griezt
Carefully cut the cake into even slices to make sure everyone gets a fair share.
add — [æd] — to put something with something else to increase the number or amount or to improve the whole; pievienot
For extra crunch, add a handful of toasted almonds to your salad just before serving.
boil — [bɔɪl] — to cook food by putting it in water that is boiling; vārīt
For the perfect eggs, boil them for about ten minutes to achieve a firm but creamy yolk.
roll out — [rəʊl aʊt] — to make something smooth and flat, by pushing a cylindrical object or tool over it; izrullēt
To prepare the cookies, roll out the dough and use cookie cutters to shape them before baking.
knead — [niːd] — to press something, especially a mixture for making bread, firmly and repeatedly with the hands and finger; mīcīt
After mixing the ingredients, knead the dough until it becomes soft and pliable for the perfect pizza crust.
roast — [rəʊst] — to cook food in an oven or over a fire; cept (parasti uz atklātas uguns)
Roast the chicken in the oven, basting it occasionally to keep the skin crispy and the meat juicy.
weigh — [weɪ] — to measure the weight of something; svērt
Carefully weigh each ingredient to ensure your recipe turns out perfectly balanced and delicious.
break — [breɪk] — to (cause something to) divide into two or more parts or groups; sasist
Break the chocolate into chunks to melt it evenly for your dessert recipe.
measure — [meʒ.ər] — to discover the exact size or amount of something; izmērīt
Measure the sugar accurately to ensure your cake is perfectly sweet.
blend — [blend] — to mix or combine things, or to mix or combine with something else, to make one substance; blendēt
Blend the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy for a delicious cheesecake filling.
microwave — [ˈmaɪ.krə.weɪv] — to cook something in a microwave; gatavot mikroviļņu krāsnī
Microwave the popcorn according to the package instructions for a quick and easy snack.
sprinkle — [ˈsprɪŋ.kəl] — to drop a few pieces or drops of something over a surface; pārkaisīt
For added texture, sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds over your salad.
carve — [kɑːv] — to cut thin pieces from a large piece of cooked meat; sagriezt pagatavotu gaļu plānās šķēlītēs
Carve the roast with precision to reveal tender, juicy slices that melt in your mouth.
stir — [stɜːr] — to mix a liquid or other substance by moving an object such as a spoon in a circular pattern; maisīt (ar karoti, piemēram)
Stir the sauce continuously to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning.
sift — [sɪft] — to put flour, sugar, etc. through a sieve (= wire net shaped like a bowl) to break up large pieces; sijāt
Before combining with other ingredients, sift the cocoa powder to avoid any clumps in your brownie batter.
sauté — [ˈsəʊ.teɪ] — to cook food in oil or fat over heat, usually until it is brown; tvaicēt, sautēt, sutināt
To enhance the flavour of your dish, sauté the garlic briefly before adding the other ingredients.
decorate — [dek.ə.reɪt] — to add something to an object or place, esp. to make it more attractive; dekorēt
To make the cookies more festive, decorate them with colourful sprinkles.
tenderise — [ten.dər.aɪz] — to make meat easy to cut or chew (= crush with the teeth) by beating it or preparing it in a particular way; izklapēt
To make the steak more flavorful and easier to chew, tenderise it by gently pounding it with a meat mallet.
layer — [ˈleɪ.ər] — to arrange something in layers; likt kārtās
To create a visually appealing dessert, layer the fruit, yoghurt, and granola in a clear glass.
rinse — [rɪns] — to use water to clean the soap or dirt from something; skalot
Rinse the fresh berries under cold water to remove any dirt before eating.
marinate — [mær.ɪ.neɪt] — to pour a marinade over meat or fish; to be left in a marinade; marinēt
Marinate the chicken in a mixture of garlic, lemon juice, and herbs for at least two hours to enhance its flavour.
simmer — [ˈsɪm.ər] — to cook something liquid, or something with liquid in it, at a temperature slightly below boiling; vārīt uz lēnas uguns
Simmer the stew slowly to ensure the meat becomes tender and the vegetables are perfectly cooked.
preheat — [ˌpriːˈhiːt] — to heat an oven to a particular temperature before putting food in it; uzsildīt
Before baking the cake, preheat the oven to 350°F.
serve — [sɜːv] — to provide food or drinks; pasniegt (ēdienu)
Once the pasta is ready, serve it hot with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
season — [ˈsiː.zən] — to improve the flavour of savoury food by adding salt, herbs, or spices when cooking or preparing it; pievienot garšvielas
Make sure to season the soup with salt and pepper before serving.