1. Verbs about cooking in English
To heat a liquid until it begins to bubble and steam.
We boil water to make tea.
To cook food in hot oil or fat.
Can you fry some eggs for breakfast?
To heat a liquid until it reaches a temperature where it starts to produce bubbles and steam.
Add some water in the pot and slowly bring it to the boil.
To cook food on a metal frame over fire.
We grilled some fish during the holiday.
To cook food using dry heat in an oven.
Mom baked cake for my birthday.
To prepare food by heating it.
It’s your turn to cook today.
cook (intransitive)When food is heated until it’s ready to eat.
Let the vegetables cook for 10 minutes.
To move a spoon around in a liquid or mixture.
Can you stir the soup, please?
To combine two or more substances.
Please mix the flour and eggs until you get a smooth dough.
Cooking is one of my favourite weekend activities. I love trying new recipes. What about you? Do you like cooking?
To remove the outer covering of fruits or vegetables.
Could you peel the potatoes?
To cut food into small pieces.
She finely chopped a carrot to make salad.
Fried foods are bad for you. You should eat them less often and enjoy more fruits and vegetables.
To mix different ingredients until smooth.
I usually blend vegetables to make smoothies for my kids.
To cook food in an oven or over a fire.
Have you roasted the chicken yet?
Steaming is the best way to preserve the nutrients in vegetables. Roasting with a small amount of oil can also boost the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
To cook food with steam.
I usually steam broccoli for breakfast.
To turn a solid into a liquid or something soft through heat.
It was too hot. The butter had melted before we reached home.
The best way to learn cooking verbs is by reading cookbooks and following the recipes step by step.
To transfer a liquid from one container to another.
She poured milk into the kettle and served it to the guest.
To try the flavour of something.
She tasted the soup to check the salt.
If you don’t have cookbooks, there are many online recipes you can read to expand your English vocabulary.
To soak food in a mixture to add flavour or to tenderise.
We marinated the beef overnight.
To beat ingredients together using a fork or a whisk.
He whisked the eggs in a bowl to make an omelette.
Hang your favourite recipes in the kitchen and turn your cooking time into a learning session. While you are cooking, name each action (chop, boil, mix) to make the verbs stick in your memory.
To work and press dough with your hands.
You have to knead the dough for five to ten minutes to make it elastic and stretchy.
To cut food into small cubes.
Can you dice some onions to make a sauce, please?
Try writing your own recipes in English. Start with simple dishes. It’s a great way to practise sentence structures.
To cook food gently in a liquid just below the boiling point.
Let the sauce simmer for ten minutes.
To cover a surface with a layer of something.
She likes to spread jam on toast for breakfast.
If you don’t like cooking, watch recipe videos in English and pay attention to the verbs they use.
To scatter small drops or particles of a substance over a surface.
Can you sprinkle some salt into the salad, please?
To brown or warm food, usually bread, by heating it with a source of dry heat.
Would you like me to toast your bread?
In this lesson, I have included a simple recipe and a printable PDF that you can download for free.
To add salt, pepper, or other spices to food to enhance its flavour.
Can you season the salad, please?
To scrape off the outer peel of citrus fruits like lemons or oranges for extra flavour in cooking.
There is a special tool called a "zester" to zest a lemon.
2. Using cooking verbs in everyday conversation
Read the conversation below and take note of the different cooking verbs used.
Anna: Tom, do you know how to cook pasta?
Tom: Sure!
Anna: So, how do I start?
Tom: First, boil some water in a big pot. After that, add the pasta. Stir it gently to make sure it does not stick together. Cook the pasta for about 8 to 10 minutes. You can taste a piece to see if it is soft enough. When the pasta is ready, turn off the heat. Use a colander to drain the water. Be careful with the hot steam. After draining, you can put the pasta back in the pot. Add a little olive oil and a pinch of salt. If you like, you can mix in some tomato sauce or cheese. Stir everything well. That’s it.
Anna: Thanks a lot.
3. Recipe instructions
See how some of these cooking verbs are used in the recipe instructions below.
Ingredients:
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup of milk
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a round cake pan. Separate egg whites and yolks into two different bowls. Beat the yolks lightly until they become pale and slightly thickened. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Gradually add sugar to the beaten yolks, continuing to whisk until the mixture is creamy and well combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold this into the yolk and sugar mixture. Add vanilla extract to the milk and then gently fold this into the batter.
Carefully fold in the whisked egg whites, ensuring you keep as much air in the mixture as possible. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, you can serve the sponge cake as is or use it as a base for various desserts, such as adding whipped cream, fresh fruit, or a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
3. Learning material
