Manicotti:
Tube-shaped pasta about 4 inches long and 1 inch in
diameter. Manicotti are boiled, stuffed, covered
with a sauce and baked.
Marsala: Rich, smoky Sicilian fortified wine
that ranges in flavor from sweet to dry. Sweet
Marsala is often used in desserts; dry Marsala is
sipped like sherry.
Masa harina (MAH-sah ah-REE-nah): Mexican
corn flour used to make tamales and corn tortillas.
Flour is made from sun- or fire-dried corn kernels
soaked in limewater overnight then ground.
Medjool date: Large, soft date considered to
be the most flavorful.
Mexican chocolate: Grainy chocolate disks
flavored with sugar, cinnamon, almonds and vanilla.
Used to prepare Mexican hot chocolate beverage and
in mole sauces. Usually available in Mexican
sections of supermarkets. One ounce of semisweet
chocolate, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 drop
of almond extract can substitute for 1 ounce of
Mexican chocolate.
Millet: A tiny, round golden grain that
becomes light and fluffy when cooked. Popular in
India and China.
Mirin: A sweet Japanese cooking wine made
from rice.
Miso: A salty paste made from cooked, aged
soybeans and sometimes grains. Thick and spreadable,
it's also used for flavoring soup bases. Available
in several varieties; darker varieties tender to be
stronger flavored and saltier than lighter
varieties.
Mole (MOH-lay): Rich, dark, smooth,
reddish-brown Mexican sauce made with onion, garlic,
several types of chilies, ground sesame or pumpkin
seeds and Mexican chocolate. Available jarred in
Mexican sections of supermarkets.
Mung beans: Small bean with yellow flesh and
green, yellow or black skin. These beans most
commonly are used for sprouting. Dried mung beans
can be used in many dishes without presoaking. Mung
beans also are ground into flour which is used to
make noodles.
Mung bean sprouts: Small bean with yellow
flesh and green, yellow or black skin, often used
for sprouting. |
