On this list of foods that start with O, you will discover a brave new round world of culinary possibilities. From oatmeal to ocean perch and even an oyster sauce, you will find vintage and new dishes to help your day move ahead.
Indeed, this is a rather resourceful list of O foods from across the globe, selected, prepared and hand-picked with shrewd care.
Summary of the O foods:
Fruits: O’Henry Peach, Oillarde Noire Grape, Ogallala Strawberry, Ogeechee Lime, Oil Palm, Olives, Opal Apple, Orangelo, Oranges, Oregon Grapes, Osteen Mango, Oval Kumquat Fruit, Ozark Beauty Strawberry.
Vegetables and legumes: Oca, Ogo, Ogonori, Okinawan Sweet Potatoes, Okra, Orach, Orange Acorn Squash, Oxheart.
Spices, oils and Condiments: Onions, Olive Oil, Oregano, Ortega Chili Pepper.
Meat, Poultry and Fish: Ocean Perch, Octopus, Offal, Omena, Ono, Opakapaka, Orange Roughy, Oxtails.
Dairy and Eggs: Om, Oma, Orgu Peyniri.
Grains and seeds: Oats.
Ready Meals: O’Brien Potatoes, Oat Bran, Oatcakes, Oatmeal, Obbatu, Obleas, Obusuma, Ochazuke, Oeufs En Meurette, Ogbono Soup, Ohitashi, Okowa, Okroshka, Olan, Omelets, Onigiri, Onion Dip, Onion Rings, Oondees, Opera Cake, Oreos, Ornejones, Orzo, Oshiruko, Osmanthus Cake, Ossobuco, Osumashi, Ou Tenga Maas, Oyakodon, Oyster Sauce, Oysters Rockefeller.
Beverages: Oat Milk, Ogi.
Fruits that start with O
Let’s make things fruity by exploring this rich list of fruits that start with O, right from the delicious orange to the Osteen mango, among others, a list that is rich in vitamins, fiber and minerals.
1. O’Henry Peach
First bred from other variants in 1968 in California, the O’Henry peach is reputed for its almost completely red skin, the first peach variety to achieve this color feat. It is also a less fuzzy fruit when eating than other peaches.
Large-sized and firm, this fruit is ready for harvest a little late into the peach season. Each fruit brings competitive nutrient portions such as vitamin C and antioxidants, for good immunity and cell protection.
More resources: US peaches price insights.
2. Oillarde Noire Grape
A Provence rarity from Southern France, the Oeillade noire grape is a variety characterized by a red tinge and heavy fruition. Though now slowly sinking into ‘old fruit’ status due to increasing rarity, the fruit was once one of the richest-yielding grapes in France. In fact, its first name is a derivation of the French word ‘ouiller,’ which ascribes to paring something down due to its high yield.
The main use of the Oeillarde noire, besides raw eating, is in making grape wine.
3. Ogallala Strawberry
True to its exotic sound, the ogallala strawberry is a fruit that bears firm berries with comely fleshy heart shapes. Not only does it have a rich, wild aroma which makes it good to eat out of hand, but it has a firm texture that is useful in fruit processing.
The ogallala is a hybrid of wild types and cultivated variants from the American Rocky Mountains region. Its date of unveiling was 1956 by the University of Nebraska and USDA.
4. Ogeechee Lime
A fruit of a rare tupelo tree from North America which also produces honey, the ogechee lime is sour and is also called sour gum. As a plant, the fruit-bearing tree grows fast and can reach 100 feet high. It is found on the East Coast all the way to South Carolina in the US.
The ogeechee lime has a palatable acidic flavor. This dictates its main uses that include making preserves and lemonade drinks.
5. Oil Palm
A socially and economically important fruit, the oil palm is the cooking oil-producing berry of the African oil palm, sometimes called macaw-fat. It bears a cluster of grape-like berries that have three layers:
- The protective exocarp or skin.
- The mesocarp or the fibrous pulp that produces much of the oil.
- A nut at the core with a shell and a kernel containing a little oil.
Related: Ghana oil palm market insights.
6. Olives
Olives are the fruits of the ‘European olive’ tree that grows in the Mediterranean, which is a chief source of extra virgin cooking oil. This oil is a key ingredient in the Levant and southern European cuisine. The fruits are nutritious as they harbor such vitamins as E and a range of antioxidants that keep the heart healthy.
In taste, a bite at an olive brings a very bitter infusion to the tongue. Though, there are smaller oval-shaped olives that have a mildly sweet albeit salty taste. Hence, olives are cured at once in salty brine after the harvest, ready for oil extraction.
7. Opal Apple
Opal apples are hybrids of Golden Delicious and Topaz apples, under the trademarked name UEB 32642. This cross of two related varieties brings forth similar traits of its parent stocks, including a rich golden yellow skin.
In taste, opal apples have a sweet flavor accented with floral highlights. You might distantly associate the taste with that of coconuts or pears. The fruit spurts juice at a bite, has a crisp texture and crunches at a bite.
8. Orangelo
Originating from Puerto Rico, the orangelo is a hybrid of possibly an orange and a grapefruit, though there is no firm evidence on such a cross. It was first discovered in a coffee plantation in the rural areas of the South American country. In appearance, the fruit has a rich yellow skin of an orange and the flesh tinted the yellowish-magenta hue of a grapefruit. An orangelo tastes mildly sweet with no trace of acidity.
9. Oranges
Oranges or Citrus x sinensis is the sweet version of many citrus fruits of a similar name, but it mostly describes the sweet variety, the other being bitter orange. It is usually round, medium-sized and juicy in its orange-tinted pulp. This highly nutritious fruit , which produces orange juice has the following daily portions of the recommended values of nutrients.
10. Oregon Grapes
Oregon grapes are the edible berries of a barberry plant with glistening holly-like leaves and yellow flowers. This fruit of Mahonia aquifolium is, like the name suggests, grown in the western states of the US.
An Oregon grapes cluster has small oval-shaped blue-black berries with a cloudy finish. They are ripe at the start of fall. Though seedy and sour in taste, these berries are nevertheless eaten raw.
11. Osteen Mango
Originating from the island of Meritt in Florida, US, the Osteen mango is a large, oblong, point-ended mango. The fruit is ready for picking around July through September in its native southern State.
The Osteen mango attains a reddish green-to-pale yellow skin tinge when ripe, has a clear yellow pulp that is almost fiber-free and the flesh exudes a mildly sweet taste.
Related: Prices of Mangos in Australia
12. Oval Kumquat Fruit
A berry from mainly the south of China that resembles an orange with a bright yellow skin, the oval kumquat fruit is under the Fortunata margarita species of the kumquat tree. It has the shape of a grape and a tinge of an orange inside out, hence its close relation to citruses.
It is quite a healthy choice as it is rich in fiber, vitamins A and C as well as minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Overall, eating the oval kumquat fruit guarantees heart, skin and bone health.
13. Ozark Beauty Strawberry
A strawberry to the hilt right from the glossy, pimpled, bright red, firm fruit to the white flowers of its shrub, the Ozark Beauty Strawberry is an Arkansas overbearing variety. It yields a great measure of berries, whose taste is quite sweet. Hence, you can use these curved beauties for:
- Fresh eating
- Canning or freezing
- Squeezing out the sweet extract for making jam
Vegetables and Legumes that start with O
This alphabetical list of veggies and legumes that start with ) will take you to Nigeria, Asia, Japan and back!
14. Oca
A derivation of the Quechua word uqa, Oca is the Spanish word for Oxalis tuberosa, a stem tuber that grows underground during winter. Ranging in colors from tan to bright pink, this tuber is just called a yam in New Zealand where it is a popular cuisine, though it is not a real yam.
Oca is a world apart from a potato:
- It is edible, skin and all, raw or cooked.
- It tastes lemony when munched raw while giving out a crunchy carrot-like texture.
- Nutrition is excellent for a tuber, with 70 percent iron and 66 percent vitamin C of the daily value.
15. Ogo
Ogo is one of two Japanese terms for a species of red algae that not only serves as human food but is also repast for shellfish. The other term is ogo. This spiry-twigged plant is native to placid waters in shallow, sandy bottoms of the Atlantic.
Though it can be mildly toxic when consumed raw, ogo forms a basic part of cuisine in the Far-East and Pacific islands. It makes salads comprising shallots and other spicy seasonings.
Related: Japan seaweed price insights.
16. Ogonori
Used in the Philippines, Hawaii, Japan and Korea as food, ogo or ogonori describes the Japanese name for a species of red algae that also doubles as feed for shellfish. This spiry-twigged plant is native to placid waters in shallow, sandy bottoms of the Atlantic.
Though it can be mildly toxic when consumed raw, ogonori forms a basic part of cuisine in the Far-East and Pacific islands. It makes salads together with shallots and other spicy seasonings.
17. Okinawan Sweet Potatoes
Ranking as some of the most vibrant and decorative tubers you can have on your supper table, Okinawan sweet potatoes have royal purple flesh and taste like honey. They also have a denser, crumbly texture than that of their cousins, potatoes.
Despite their name, Okinawan sweet potatoes did not originate from Japan, but rather, South America. Their name comes from the fact that their first point of contact was Okinawa from their South American origin. They now form a staple food across the Pacific islands, like Hawaii.
18. Okra
Popular in gardening culture as ladies fingers, okra is a mallow that produces edible pointed corms or green seed pods. Though there is a difference of opinion as to its origin, there is however consensus that it may have come from West Africa, Ethiopia or South Asia.
In meals, chops of okra bring a unique, grassy taste that actually improves the longer the pod stays in the broth. In medicine, some herbalists recommend soaking okra pods in water and drinking the juice to reduce the effects of diabetes
More: Okra nutritional summary.
19. Orach
Orach is an edible weed that is sometimes called French spinach despite the fact that it preceded spinach as a wild vegetable. The mountain spinach, as it is alternatively called, is related to amaranth and makes a competitive replacement to spinach.
Because it grows lushly in warmer times of the year, orach still gets headway over the more temperate garden spinach, as a salad garnishing. Its taste is that of certain beets only that it is on the saltier side.
20. Orange Acorn Squash
Orange acorn squash is a winter squash with a ridged green rind that turns to orange when ripe. The flesh is usually yellow and tender. Color is one of the tell-tale signs of the palatable nature of this gourd: when it is orange-skinned, it is usually just to go bad and it is best to consume it before it rots.
On the dinner table, the orange acorn squash will usually taste mildly sweet with a nutty nuance. You can cook it as a baked good, a roast or even a sautee.
21. Oxheart
Oxheart is not what you think: it is not meat but a type of tomato that is curiously shaped like a rounded, ribbed heart. This cultivar is firm and red-skinned with a striking similarity to beefsteak tomatoes. The color can however differ greatly from one place to another: sometimes yellow, other times green and even purple.
Oxhearts have a very salivating aroma and a taste that is a mixture of the lively sweet and the playfully acidic.
Dairy and Eggs that start with O
The surprising element about this list of dairy and eggs that start with O is that, with the exception of one, they are simple words that even a child can pronounce!
22. Oma
Oma is a washed-rind pancake-like cheese that is obtained from whole milk of cows of the Jersey Breed or a related breed. This branded cheese comes from the Van Trapp farm where it is creamed and ripened.
The secret for its popularity is the careful blend of sweet and sour aromas through the embellishing ingredient of roasted nuts. In taste, you can therefore expect a bittersweet aroma with some highlights of rich cream.
23. Om
Om is a short form for cheese omelet or omelet cheese. It is made just like a normal egg-based omelet only that it contains a good measure of cheese and other ingredients. It can contain turmeric and bell peppers, which makes it more of a dish than a true cheese.
24. Orgu Peyniri
Orgu peyniri or Armenian string cheese is a braided cheese that is basically flakes that you can peel as you eat your way. It also sometimes contains wrappings of meat, olives, veggies or spreads. It has a mild aroma that is somewhat salty but quite savory due to the seasoning in it.
Grains and seeds that Start with O
In the grains category of foods starting with O, you will find that mighty seed that prepares porridge and a nutritious coarse meal: oats.
25. Oats
Oats or Avena sativa is an important grain whose eponymous seed is edible. It features in meals in form of oatmeal, rolled oats or oat bran. Oatmeal is ground oats, rolled oats consist of whole grains, whereas oat bran is the nutritious component of the husk, obtained during the dehusking process.
As food, oats are often paired with milk to boost the vitamin D content. They also double as great animal feed, in the form of meal or pellets.
Meat, Poultry and Fish that start with O
Meat, poultry and fish starting with the letter O comprise some of the strangest and exotic-sounding edible seafood, from the Hawaiian Opakapaka to the well-known crustacean, the octopus, among other novelties.
26. Ocean Perch
Red bream or more commonly, ocean perch, is a Northern Pacific fish that abides in rocky cold waters. It is relatively small with a dorsal fin with serrated spikes on top. You can find it from Japan to southern California waters.
As food, ocean perch is highly nutritious. This mildly flavored catch provides very low calories and low fat. It compensates with a healthy dose of 13 grams protein and Thiamin as well as vitamins B6 and B12.
27. Octopus
Octopus is one of the strangest-looking molluscs. It has eight limbs and is but one of the three hundred species that make up the Octopoda order that comprises squids and cuttlefish. Other than the multiple curled limbs, the defining characteristic of octopuses is their soft body.
In cuisine, octopuses make good grills: they are soft, meat, and somewhat chewy in texture and exude a slightly sweet taste with a welcoming marine waft on the nose.
28. Offal
Offal refers to the internal organs of an animal excluding its meat and skeletal muscles. These entrails may range from bowels to the intestines, and organs like the liver and the heart. In fish, offal may also include roe which features the mass of eggs in the ovary. In cuisine, offal such as pigs’ intestines, goat bone marrows and cow brains make for rich stuffing components.
Related: nutrition in beef tallow.
29. Omena
Doubling as a food staple in the Great Lakes region especially Kenya’s Lake Victoria, omena or dagaa is a sardine, botanically known as Silver cyprinid. It is the solo member of its genus of fish in the carp family.
In lakeside cuisine, tens of omena are dried and salted before garnishing an eponymous seafood meal. The tiny fish is first steeped in hot water for an extended period to get rid of its pungent smell before frying it. It goes well with vegetable salad and a chunk of ugali (cooked cornmeal).
30. Ono
When at sea and you hear the cry, ‘ahoy, wahoo,’ do not be surprised to see a gigantic fish rushing through the waters at high speed pursued by fishermen. Wahoo is the Hawaiian name for Ono, a scombrid type that lives in tropical waters, globally. It is both a sporty and commercial center of interest for fishermen. The fish has a delicious taste with a soft and velvety texture accented with a buttery flavor.
31. Opakapaka
Crimson jobfish, as it is known in pun, opakapaka is the Hawaiian name for Pristipomoides filamentosus, a red-tinged ray-finned fish. It abounds in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is a common staple in the Honolulu fish auction where it is widely sought after by direct and indirect fishmongers.
If you are yearning for a straightforward, delicate and sweet flavor from a fish, then opakapaka is the right grill for you. This snapper catches quite a sum in the Hawaii markets, so you might or might not lay your hands on it soon.
32. Orange Roughy
Orange roughy is a fish of the slimehead family that is sometimes just called ‘slimehead.’ This Hoplostethus atlanticus species is bright-colored and oily-looking on the head. Being a deep-sea dweller, the mildly large fish is sometimes considered endangered, especially in the UK due to fishing.
A bite at a grilled orange roughy will bring you a very delicate, sweet flavor for a deep sea creature, with not much of a fishy aroma. You will find the texture flaky and firm.
33. Oxtails
Oxtail refers to just what you are thinking now: that cut or chop of a bull’s whole tail. Though it originally only indicated the tail of an ox, nowadays the term has a qualified meaning to also include cows.
Weighing 3.5 kilos on average, the oxtail is a savory meat akin in taste to beef. Besides, it has high fat content, albeit most of it saturated. With protein levels of 16 percent of the daily value, you are, however, in good health territory when eating oxtail.
More resources: nutritional summary of cooked oxtails.
Spices, Oils and Condiments that start with O
From that indispensable onion chop to that nutritious extra virgin olive oil fresh from Italian or Spanish presses, here you will find a list of condiments and oils falling under the letter O that will spice up your day ahead.
34. Onions
Onions are the most grown allium-family vegetable, next to shallots, leeks, garlic and chives, all of which comprise common condiments for preparing meals. Pungent in scent and made of rings on their foliage formation, onions add a distinct flavor to food.
In medicinal terms, this vegetable whose whole body is eaten apart from the roots, is a good remedy against inflammation. An onion contains chemicals that hinder inflammation of cells and is useful in treating joint issues.
35. Olive Oil
Olive oil is the extract of the olive fruits from the ‘European olive’ tree that grows in the Mediterranean region. It can be pressed mechanically without additives to make extra virgin olive oil. This oil is a key ingredient in the Levant and southern European cuisine.
The most common food-based uses of olive oil include frying, garnishing stew and salad dressing. When taken unrefined (extra-virgin), it retains healthy fats and antioxidants that are good for the cells and for the heart.
Related: Morocco olive oil prices.
36. Oregano
With its rosette leaves growing horizontally opposite one another, oregano is a common sight in the Mediterranean where it originated and in other cooler climes. It is a herb with spicy qualities that grows into a height of less than 80 centimeters. It is related to marjoram, another herb from the mint family.
As a cuisine favorite, oregano garnishes salads as a spice. It is also medicinal for those who consume it in meals as it fights cough, has antibacterial properties and helps heal wounds.
37. Ortega Chili Pepper
Ortega chili pepper describes chili varieties from California that are also known as New Mexico, including Anaheim and Chilacas. They are considerably mild in flavor and thus go well with most meals.
There is also the brand that sells these chili peppers under the name Ortega, a product going back to 1897. These branded chili come in packets and are roasted on fire to amass flavor.
Ready meals and Various Dishes that start with O
You will find everyday classics like omelette, pungent toasted delicacies like onion rings and novel relishes like obbatu, on this long list of ready meals and dishes that start with O.
38. O’Brien Potatoes
O’Brien potatoes consist of potatoes fried on a pan and spiced with green peppers. The dish is taken while still sizzling hot. While the real origin of the name is contested, some claim that a 1900s’ restaurant operator known as Beefstew O’Brien did the trick of mixing capsicums and pimentos with potatoes and the name stuck.
39. Oat Bran
Oat bran may be the coarsest part of an oat groat, but it might also be the healthiest. It is actually the by-product of dehusking oats when making oatmeal: it is made of the separating layer between the grain and the outer husk. It also contains the fibers that constitute the husks that are ground by steel mills during the dehusking process. The oat bran can be taken whole, cooked or used as a paste constituent.
Nutrients: 30 percent iron, 10 percent vitamin B6, 58 percent magnesium and 34 percent protein worth of the total daily recommended values.
40. Oatcakes
A product of oats, made from either coarse oatmeal or wholemeal oats, oatcakes are hard biscuit-like snacks. They are prepared on a griddle or in an oven. They are flat and round like crackers, though they can also be in the form of pancakes or even candy bars.
41. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is prepared oats that have either been dehusked, then steamed, or ground, then milled into flour. Oatmeal constitutes one of the healthiest meals you can ever partake of as it is loaded with nutrients. The percentages of the daily values of oatmeal nutrition include:
- 33 percent iron for strong bones.
- 8 percent calcium for bone and teeth nourishment.
- 15 percent Vitamin B6 for anemia prevention.
42. Obbatu
Obbatu or puran poli is an Indian flatbread that is rolled in ghee or oil and sweetened with jaggery. A kind of chapati , only smaller in size, from southern India, obbatu tastes sweet and has a crisp exterior. It has additional ingredients over those of common flatbread including chana dal, coconut, dark brown local sugar and turmeric, mixed with dough.
43. Obleas
Obleas is a time-honored pastry dating back to Medieval Spain made of a pair of thin wafers entrapping sweet content. The wafers are basically dough from a mixture of water/milk, butter, eggs and sugar shaped into thin pastries.
Popular stuffings of obleas include milk caramel popular as dulce de leche or even jam. Condensed milk with sweetening also makes a common filling.
44. Obusuma
Just another term for ugali, the staple food of most Kenyans, obusuma particularly describes a mega slab of this maize flour-based mash. This cooked cornmeal is basically flour mixed with boiling water and stirred to a dry paste over several minutes of careful cooking. Wholesome and starchy, it provides a reinvigorating energetic feel.
In Kenya, obusuma is always paired with a vegetable curry such as spinach or cabbage. Other accompaniments include meat stew, fish and fresh or fermented milk.
Related: uncooked cornmeal nutrition summary.
45. Ochazuke
Ochazuke or Chazuke, or if you are from Kyoto, bubuzuke, is a Japanese rice dish that requires just one extra ingredient to make: green tea. It is basically a good resort for eating leftover rice instead of throwing it away.
To make the dish, you sprinkle a pinch of green tea or dashi (vegetable or fish stock), or even just hot water on the rice, let it simmer a little, then enjoy the dish as if it were fresh!
46. Oeufs En Meurette
Oeufs en meurette is a folk dish from Burgundy that consists of poached eggs with a meurette sauce or any other appropriate sauce. To make the dish, you boil the eggs lightly so as to remove their shells, then poach them in boiling water (i.e., without shells).
To make a meurette sauce to go with the poached eggs, you need a few herbs which you mix with cured ham that has been blanched with red wine. You then pour the cooked sauce onto the eggs and your oeufs en meurette will be on course.
47.Ogbono Soup
The sight of a steaming hot ogbono soup on the dinner table makes for a salivating experience courtesy of the thick meaty gravy obtained from ogbono seeds’ broth. This broth is made from wild mango seeds, locally known as ogbono, which are fried in palm oil into a stew sizzling with meat and fish chops.
On the cautionary side, you might spoil your taste buds if you keep ogbono soup for a long time: the seed content might turn it bland or soapy-tasting. A well-cooked broth, however, is tasty. Only don’t keep it too long!
48. Ohitashi
Ohitashi or Spinach ohitashi is a leafy greens-based dish, whereby veggies are steeped into a sauce based on the dashi soup-making culture of Japan.
To make ohitashi, you need to know your Japanese cuisine pretty well, though this is not a must. For example, a dashi that you will steep your vegetables in may be the best for one vegetable and not for spinach. A dashi is a stock or rich soup that can constitute mushrooms and local seaweed or even certain small fish.
49. Okowa
Different from the staple rice balls that define oriental cuisine, okowa is a dense mixed rice dish made from steamed glutinous rice, hence its sticky nature. It is further embellished with a cut of chicken, a mushroom and soy sauce. This sweet rice is often combined with local herbs, which lend it an augmented taste.
More resources: insights on rice price in Japan.
50. Okroshka
A vintage have-it-all fermented dish of the Russian Volga, okroshka is a healthy dose of a lively soup with raw vegetables, meats, rye bread and a pint of alcohol in it.
Usually taken cold, okroshka nevertheless retains a kick in its low kvass alcoholic component and chews well for its mainly veal or ham sausage chops. Its puffy content includes boiled potatoes accented with mostly raw veggies, all inclusive in a dense soup.
51. Olan
Olan is one of those Keralite dishes that make a rich broth courtesy of its aromatic and rich ingredients. This south India Sadhya dish consists of a neutral mix of gourd chops and black-eyed peas garnished with coconut oil-seasoned ginger and simmered down with coconut milk. This stew is thick yet gluten-free, tasty despite its chili content and not at all bland even if it has ash gourds.
52. Omelets
Omelets are basic breakfast dishes that anyone can make, consisting of fried eggs and often filled with onion, basil, chives, meat, cheese and other ingredients. Common in modern cuisine as they may seem, omelets are surprisingly healthy if you only know which ingredients to add. A vegetable omelet will more or less contain these key nutrients as percentages of the daily value portions:
In terms of nutrition, please check the omelets nutrition breakdown
53. Onigiri
Onigiri, another word for nigirimeshi, is a mochi, a Japanese rice ball that is shaped like a pyramid. It is sometimes stuffed into nori, a local seaweed that is eaten either raw or cooked in its dried form.
To make an onigiri, you need sushi rice, black sesame seeds, soy sauce and appropriate seasoning, with optional nori wraps.
54. Onion Dip
An onion dip is a blending of minced onions with flavoring and a sour cream base. The thick, slightly pungent paste usually accompanies potato chips in a meal set up. There are two types of onion dip dishes:
- French onion dip-which includes a soupy blend of beef scallion and onions.
- American dip-which features the classic onion-only and sour cream mix.
55. Onion Rings
As appetizers or side dishes, onion rings may seem an universal dish, particularly as they are enjoyed on both sides of the Atlantic, but they are primarily a French delicacy. They are alternatively known as French fried onion rings. Their main ingredients and preparation method are as below:
- Cut rings from onion bulbs.
- Dip the rings in a batter such as that of bread crumbs.
- Deep-fry the breaded rings until a crisp brown and eat as a side dish.
Related: nutrients in onion rings.
56. Oondees
Oondes are spherical breakfast balls that are eaten for breakfast in Mangalore, India. Made from rice or semolina, these culinary spheres have a semi-solid interior texture and a crisp exterior. They may also contain boiled potatoes spiced with dabeli masala as stuffing.
57. Opera Cake
For those lucky among us who have ever been to an opera house, the elegant layers of an opera cake that evoke that singing edifice will ring a bell. This coffee paste-soaked French sponge cake is made of buttercream layers and topped with a charming glaze of chocolate.
Ganache is another important layering ingredient of an opera cake. It consists of whipped chocolate and cream and doubles as a filling in other confectioneries.
58. Oreos
Trailblazing the candy world for more than a century since its unveiling in 1912, Nabisco Oreos is a branded sandwich cookie made of a pair of chocolate candies filled with sweetened cream. These everyday candies are common sights in almost any confection shop across the globe.
Due to popularity and the changing nature of ingredients, the name of Oreos has changed over time: in the 1920s it was an Oreo Sandwich, in the late ‘40s a Creme Sandwich and today, a Chocolate Sandwich Cookie.
59. Ornejones
Ornejones are cookie sandwiches consisting of two wafers filled with a layer of cream. The flavor can range from chocolate to orange, among other aromas. You may have heard these pastries referred to as ‘big ears,’ owing to the shape of their wafers. Despite this odd name, ornejones are crunchy, puffy and creamy, and will therefore make your day livelier.
60. Orzo
If you are partially into rice and partially into pasta, then you will feel at home when sampling orzo or risoni, a short form of Italian pasta. From a distance, you might mistake it for a huge grain of rice.
To make orzo, you mix semolina, a flour made from durum wheat, with pasta flour and cut into tiny pastas. There are also those who make this pasta from whole grain instead of flour.
Related: grain and pasta foods.
61. Oshiruko
If you make a thick red bean soup and remove the beans, then serve the salted sauce with a puffy rice cake, you arrive at a dessert called oshiruko in Japan. It is a soup and cake mixture made from sweetened or cooked red beans that may or may not be included in the soup.
The cake in the oshiruko soup is actually a mochi, describing a baked blend of rice flour, water and sugar. Mochi balls are a popular breakfast dough-based food in the Land of the Rising Sun.
62. Osmanthus Cake
Osmanthus cake is a folk Chinese pastry that gives out a sweet whiff. It is made from sticky rice flour that is garnished with honey and rock sugar as both scenting and sweetening agents. On a table, the osmanthus cake looks like an edible crystal bar with a glutenous and waxy finish.
63. Ossobuco
A healthy classic of the braised style of cooking from Italy, where you fry a sauce lightly then cook it into a stew in a closed oven, the ossobuco is an Italian dish from Lombardy that you won’t forget easily. Its preparation method and ingredients include:
- Cut veal into shanks.
- Braise the veal with vegetables and blanch the mixture with white wine into a broth.
- Garnish it with gremolata (a mixture of herbs such as parsley, garlic and lemon zest).
- Serve the ossobuco stew with risotto alla milanese, a rice cooked in meat stock.
64. Osumashi
On one of those very rare occasions when you get tired of savoring the carefully blended yellowtail fish sushi meal, you may want to fall back on a simpler Japanese culinary classic, the osumashi. It is a clear soup that you can simply make from soy sauce and light seasoning such as salt. What more, you can make it your own style by having handy ingredients in season, such as wheat gluten, mushroom or fish cake.
65. Ou Tenga Maas
What a name, Ou tenga maas! A dish, nevertheless to relish long after you have eaten, especially for its fish ingredients only toned down into a sour curry. This dish from India is made from that secret ingredient of all south Asia dishes, turmeric, ground into a fine powder, then rubbed onto fish filets and the outcome fried in mustard oil. The resulting sour taste is further remedied with onion and bay leaves. Try this Assamese recipe today to enjoy its drag on the tongue!
66. Oyakodon
A healthy dish from Japan that you can make within no time and yet relish it, oyakodon is a sauce that translates to ‘parent-and-child donburi,’ a remark denoting its related ingredients. In the sauce are chicken chops and eggs. These are mixed with scallion slices and topped with soy sauce.
The stock is eaten with donburi, meaning Japanese rice that is served in a bowl. The dish consists of 426 calories, high protein and substantial fat content.
67. Oyster Sauce
Oyster sauce is the umbrella term for many soups made from extracts made from cooking this shellfish. All in all, an oyster sauce comes in the form of a sticky dark brown paste whose ingredients include:
- Oyster parts or extracts
- Seasoning including salt
- Sweeteners such as sugar
- Water blended with thick corn starch
More resources: nutrition summary of oyster sauce.
68. Oysters Rockefeller
Oysters Rockefeller is a mouth-watering dish that is made of oysters on the half-shell enriched with a topping of thick butter and herbs. Herbal garnishing includes parsley and lettuce, among others. Flavor garnishing comes from lemon slices on top of the oysters. It is breaded a bit with crumbs and can be cooked in baked or broiled form.
Oysters Rockefeller began in 1889 in New Orleans courtesy of the Alciatore family, which had a restaurant that cooked oysters.
Beverages that start with O
If you are one of those who relish a quick morning, afternoon or evening drink starting with the letter O and no other, feel at home with this warm cup of oat milk and one other mystery product on this list!
69. Oat Milk
Oat milk is one of those healthy whole grain extracts that you should have for a heady bone-strengthening breakfast. It is made from whole oats which are dipped in water to release the creamy milky stuff. Oat milk has a slight flavor like that of oatmeal. You can have it from a shop, only that this time it will be flavored with chocolate or vanilla nuances, and even sweetened a bit.
70. Ogi
Ogi is a pap or porridge which is better known as a key ingredient for the common Nigerian drink, Adoyo. To make adoyo, ogi is mixed with boiling water containing decanted slices of pineapple, lemongrass and sometimes orange. It is taken straight from the hose without adding any artificial coloring. Thus, it is a welcoming healthy morning drink.
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