M is a magical letter for foods. Here, you can find the commonest of grains such maize and the most exotic-sounding of fruits, e.g., mongongo from Namibia. This alphabetical list also captures ready dishes like the classic Italian pasta, macaroni, and some of the more common of subcontinental spices, like methi.
We begin with a summary:
Fruits: Macadamia Nut, Mahonia Berries, Mahkota Dewa, Mamoncillo, Mamey, Mango, Mandarin Orange, Marang, Matoa Fruit, Menteng Fruits, Medlars, Macintosh Apples, Mexican Pinyon, Mongongo Fruit, Mulberry.
Vegetables and legumes: Magic Molly Potatoes, Malabar Spinach, Malabar Gourd, Maitake Mushroom, Malabar Chestnuts, Mangetout, Marble Potatoes, Mayan Golden Potato, Marjoram, Marrowfat Peas, Melon, Miner’s Lettuce, Mississippi Sweet Potato, Mushrooms.
Spices, oils and Condiments: Margarine, Marmalade, Maple Syrup, Mate, Marikolunthu, Methi, Minutina, Mint, Molasses, Maroheiya Leaves, Mustard.
Meat, Poultry and fish: Mackerel, Mahi Mahi, Masago Caviar, Marlin, Mollusks, Moi Fish, Monkfish, Mutton.
Dairy and Eggs: Mascarpone, Mayonnaise, Manchego Cheese, Marmite, Milk.
Grains and seeds: Maize, Malt.
Ready Meals: Macaroni, Madeira Cake, Mango Chutney, Marzipan, Marshmallows, Matzo, Meringue, Mincemeat, Miso, Monkey Bread, Muffin.
Beverages: Mai Tai, Malt Beer, Michelada, Milk & Honey, Milkshake.
Fruits that start with M
From the lilting, crisp buttery flesh of the hard-shelled macadamia nuts to the savory refreshment of a juicy mango on a hot tropical afternoon, let’s explore all fruits starting with L!
1. Macadamia Nut
The macadamia nut is a hard-shelled, rich-flavored fruit of nut trees that were originally native to Australia. These edible nuts are extremely high in fat seconded by a small supply of protein. In each serving, a macadamia will provide 116 percent of the daily needs of fat and 16 percent of protein.
In cuisine, these crunchy fruits can be roasted or featured in fruit pies. Macadamia oil, a nutritious extract from the nuts, can help battle weight gain and boost gut function.
Related: macadamia nuts nutritional summary.
2. Mahonia Berries
Mahonia berries are cloudy blue-purple fruits that are more used in culinary terms than eaten raw due to their extremely bitter pulp. As food, they feature in cooked fruit pies and their extracts make thick pastes for jams or jellies.
Despite being highly staining fruits if used carelessly, mahonia berries or Oregon grapes, as they are alternatively called, have substantial medicinal uses. Traditional Chinese herbalists have been making stomach tonics and heartburn medicine out of them for a long time.
3. Mahkota Dewa
A tropical plant from Indonesia, Mahkota dewa, meaning God’s crown, is a fruit that serves as a natural remedy against high glucose levels in blood. The fruit is endowed with antioxidants. It is round in shape, toned a bright scarlet and infests almost any part of the tree.
Mahkota dewa is normally taken in the form of boiled slices as in the raw form it is mildly toxic. It has a sweet taste but on the main it has high saponin levels that are reduced by boiling.
4. Mamoncillo
A fruit of the Melicoccus bijugatus tree in the soapberry family, mamoncillo is grown across the tropical west, particularly the Americas. It is a tiny, perfectly round stone fruit with edible sweet flesh. It is also known as Spanish lime for its thick lemon skin and juicy orange pulp. Economically, this fruit is used to brew soft beverages and alcoholic drinks.
5. Mamey
Mamey or mamey sapote is a Mexican and Central American fruit of a tree that is also farmed in the Caribbean. It is a key constituent of milkshakes, jellies as well as ice cream. The oblong-shaped fruit with a tan color espouses orange flesh that is quite sweet, with a flavor reminiscent of brown sugar. It also has some hints of a sweet potato and nuances of melons, especially pumpkin.
6. Mango
Mango is one of the most nutritional and economically important fruits that are produced by the tropical shrub Mangifera indica. It is said to have its origins in the south of Asia but it is now grown across all tropical parts of the world from India to Africa. Its hallmark is nutrition, with each mango fruit producing the following daily value percentages:
- 60 percent vitamin C
- 5 percent vitamin B6
- 6 percent dietary fiber
- 5 percent carbs
Related: Kenya mangoes.
7. Mandarin Orange
Mandarin oranges are the fruits of a relatively small citrus tree variety. They are orange-tinged on the skin with a similarly-hued juicy flesh. The mandarin is one of the fruits that are crossed to make a tangerine, the other being a pomelo. Some of the distinguishing features of mandarin oranges that sets them apart from clementines, tangerines and regular oranges include:
- They are small-sized.
- They have a sweeter taste than common oranges.
- They have a flattened globe, unlike oranges, which are perfectly round.
- Their skin is loose and thin and thus easy to peel
More: Tangerines and mandarin oranges nutrition info.
8. Marang
As one of the stranger-looking fruits of tropical southeast Asia, the dense-skinned marang brings you a whiff of gasoline in the nose and the taste of a sweet pear on the palate. It is the scion of a tree that looks like a breadfruit tree.
When out and about in the Philippines, you may hear other Tagalog words for this berry including madang and timadang. The flesh of marang is a paste of tiny seeds massed into white pulp that exudes a sweet taste.
9. Matoa Fruit
A fruit of Papua New Guinea and other parts of southeast Asia, the matoa is a sweet, delicious rounded berry that is also known as island lychee. This small, longan-sized fruit has transparent flesh. Eating the fruit helps to improve immunity and fight radicals in cells due to its antioxidant content.
10. Menteng Fruits
Menteng are globe-shaped fruits that grow from trees and shrubs that reach up to 25 meters high. Classified in the species Baccaurea racemosa, menteng are native to southeast Asia. where they are usually in season in the first three months of the year. This edible fruit has a red skin when ripe and a juicy light blue pulp.
11. McIntosh Apples
Now eclipsed by the technology giant that celebrates their name, McIntosh apples are round fruits of medium size with short stems and are of Canadian origin. The fruits’ reddish-green skins are thick, smooth and easily peeled. In taste, the McIntosh spurt juice with a sweet slightly tart flavor. They are great dessert companions as they cook fast, adding a spicy, fruity flavor to food.
12. Mexican Pinyon
Mexican pinyon is the fruit of the Pinus embroides tree. Also known by the alternative term pinyon pine, it is a pine that grows in the southwestern belt of North America. It grows to a high size of 30 feet tall, and is noted for its solid, rounded cluster of bluish-green needle canopy.
The Mexican pinyon nuts are quite tasty and can be eaten raw or cooked as fruit roasts, when not being processed into candy.
13. Mongongo Fruit
Known for their succulent, velvety flesh, the mongongo nuts are egg-shaped fruits that are usually in season each March through May when they fall from the branches in the western South African region. Mongongo fruits are important socially and economically in Namibia where they are native.
This fruit of the Kalahari is the source of the nutritious mongongo oil, a source of money for desert inhabitants. This oil also prepares food instead of fat and embellishes cosmetics.
Related: Namibia berries and related fruits.
14. Mulberry
Mulberry is the fruit of the mulberry tree, a smallish tree with broad leaves which is native to the Far-east. The fast-growing plant has a short life span, interestingly associated with that of humans, even if some of these trees sometimes grow to be 250 years old.
The fruits grow in a dense cluster of black-purple berries that are similar in appearance to strawberries. The sweet-tasting mulberry is eaten raw and may help lower high cholesterol, control blood sugar and prevent cancer.
Vegetables and legumes that start with M
Be it the mold of marble potatoes on a hot plate or the bland whiff of edible fungus that we like to call mushrooms, you will definitely find a reason to smile as you sort through this sumptuous repast of K vegetables and legumes.
15. Magic Molly Potatoes
Magic Molly potatoes are fingerling types with purple skin and equally astounding dark purple flesh. As a fingerling variety, this tuber has fingerlings that are slightly larger than usual. Its surprising color goes into the dish also as the cooked mash retains its royal purple even after the neutralizing effect of heat.
The term ‘magic molly ‘ may have originated from its black beauty connotation, with Alaska being their country of origin. Be it as it may, eating these beauties lends your body anthocyanins, which are pigments that act as antioxidants.
Related: nutrition in baked red potatoes.
16. Malabar Spinach
A leafy green leafy vegetable from southeast Asia and Africa, Malabar spinach is characterized by dense dark green leaves. It grows mostly in wet lowlands and can also be irrigated in dry areas.
The Malabar spinach is recommended for diabetics for its low ability to raise blood sugars alongside its high dietary fiber content. Other nutrients include:
- 14 percent of the daily value of potassium
- 3 percent of the daily needs of protein
17. Malabar Gourd
The Malabar gourd is a squash that is cultivated for its nutritious produce ranging from the fruit with its edible seeds to the green leaves. You may hear it under the term Asian pumpkin and fig-leaf gourd.
Malabar gourd tastes like zucchini albeit with a milder aroma with a softer texture. This veggie of South America makes sumptuous desserts and often doubles as a worthy green substitute for meat.
18. Maitake Mushroom
The maitake mushroom grows on old fallen structures including timber, and is a common sight in Japan and China. It grows in a dense cluster mostly at the base of large trees and may resemble many tiny dancing shapes. Indeed, in the Japanese, the term ‘maitae’ translates to dancing mushroom. People in the two countries have traditionally used this fungus as food to boost the immune system.
19. Malabar Chestnuts
The nutty produce of swamp-growing tropical trees from the mallow family, Malabar chestnuts are delicacies to snack away at leisure. These nuts are hidden in spherical green pods. They taste nutty though they contain tannic acid that may cause stomach upsets for some people. Otherwise, you can fry them as stir-fries or even roast them just like you do cashews.
20. Mangetout
Mangetout or snow peas are cousins of French beans in the culinary department as they are eaten whole, pods, seeds and all. These edible-pod peas have flattened pods with immature pod walls that entrap unripened seeds inside. They are harvested in their early stages before the pods can harden.
Mangetout tastes sweet with a mild flavor on the raw but is always blanched before partaking. Dishes paired with these leafy legumes include salads, noodle stir-fries and Asian green curries.
21. Marble Potatoes
Marble potatoes describe a number of small-sized potatoes from diverse varieties that come in different colors from white to red and purple. They are tiny, round and ping pong ball-like. There are also oblong shapes among them.
These baby potatoes are regular meal favorites as they cook faster than jumbo types. You can feature them in dishes garnished with garlic, rosemary or even vinegar.
22. Mayan Golden Potato
Named for their striking looking golden hue, Mayan golden potatoes are rich yellow-tinged, long, oval-shaped tubers originally from Peru. Their flesh is also original for it is a deep gold while the taste is distinguished by its nutty nuances. The flesh is also quite creamy and yet dry and compact in texture. It is an early season tuber, which makes it a deli delight in many restaurants that serve potato-based foods.
Related: market insights on Peru potatoes.
23. Marjoram
Similar to oregano and sometimes mistaken for one, marjoram is a Middle-eastern shrub that bears leaves that exude a sweet flavor like that of pine and citrus. The plant is sensitive to cold weather and does well in the sun. You can take advantage of its sweet aroma to marinade your seafood and meat. You can also garnish it on roasted veggies such as eggplant to give them a bubbly taste.
24. Marrowfat Peas
Marrowfat peas are actually green peas that are left unharvested in the field until they have matured and turned into pulses. These dry seeds are then harvested and eaten as cooked food instead of as pods. The name Marrowfat derives from the Japanese word, ‘maro,’ which describes something plump. During the introduction of these plump peas to England from the Orient, farmers would request for ‘marrow fat’ or ‘fat seeds,’ hence the term. Either case, you can use these mature green beans in dishes the same way as garden peas or beans.
25. Melon
A member of the Cucurbita family of plants bearing surface fruits with bright-tinged flesh, melons are usually sweet and fleshy. While a watermelon qualifies as one, it is different as it has a deep red watery flesh and seeds spread all over the fruit. Other melons are mostly yellow or orange-tinged, have consistent flesh and have inedible seeds in a central core. These fruits make baked food pies, porridge, grilled dishes and more.
Some types of melons include:
- Cantaloupe
- Pumpkins
- Zucchini
- Watermelon
Worth checking out: nutrition in Cantaloupe melons.
26. Miner’s Lettuce
You may have already stumbled upon a plateful of fresh leaves added on top of a dish and thought it was spinach only to munch away at it only to find it was miner’s lettuce. So named for its wide culinary use by frontier miners during the California Gold Rush period to stave off scurvy, these greens still pull a punch as immunity boosters. Grown widely in North America, they are often called winter purslane.
You can use miner’s lettuce in steamed, boiled or stir-fried dishes. Some gourmets even go further to saute the leaves.
27. Mississippi Sweet Potato
The Mississippi sweet potato, which is more or less either the Beauregard or Evangeline variety, is a tuber that has a rose-tinged skin with a smooth finish. The flesh of this sweet-tasting tuber is a rich orange and is tender and moist to the touch.
You can feature this beta-carotene-rich sweet potato in pies with evaporated milk and a touch of bourbon wine. Alternatively, you can mash these tubers in evaporated milk and add some brown sugar and cinnamon to spice the dish up.
Related: US sweet potatoes market insights.
28. Mushrooms
Mushrooms are fleshy molds filled with spores and constitute the bodies of certain fungi. These shapely toadstools form on normal ground close to the soil but can also be found on trees or rocks that serve as food source for the fungus.
Some mushrooms are edible and have a bland taste but make good stuffing or creamed food companions. They have substantial levels of protein, vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and potassium. In Japan, shiitake mushrooms make for great culinary sources while lion’s mane mushrooms are used widely as food in Europe.
Dairy and eggs that start with M
Do you like dairy products or are you more into eggs? Either way, you will find both products here, including the quintessential milk, in this list of dairy products starting with M.
29. Mascarpone
Mascarpone is a smooth cream cheese set in acid and it is made in Italy. It is a traditional dairy delicacy often found in breakfast spreads in the country. The cream cheese is taken fresh without aging. Instead of using milk as in other cheeses, this type uses cream as the base.
Mascarpone is made from heavily whipped cream (Mascarpone cheese in Italy) acidified in Tartar and calcium chloride. It is commonly taken without a sweetener.
30. Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is a thick, cold spread that is a common garnishing on sandwiches and baked products. It is also used with potato chips and food as salad dressing. It is made from egg yolks mixed with oil as well as vinegar. It can also have a measure of wine and sea salt on it.
Mayonnaise is rich in fat, and has 115 percent of the daily value of the nutrient.
31. Manchego Cheese
Coming from the fabled La Mancha region depicted in Don Quixote, Manchego cheese is the distinct product of milk from the Manchega sheep. It is not taken fresh but cured for between 2 and 24 months.
In terms of taste, a spread of Manchego hovers between sweetness and fruitiness on the palate. The younger it is, the richer the flavor, with a grassy aroma. The older it is, the sweeter and caramel-like the taste becomes.
32. Marmite
One of those rare by-products of beer distilling that prove surprisingly healthy, marmite is a pasty spread partially made from yeast extract. It is credited to a German scientist and is today a branded spread from Unilever UK.
As a food spread, the dark-brown Marmite exudes a strong salty taste with a very satisfying aroma. Some describe it as a bit yeasty and soy-like, all balanced by a thick consistency. It is considered to be a mainly B vitamins’ product.
33. Milk
Milk is the liquid meal from the mammary glands of mammals. As the mother of all foods, milk not only nourishes the young of domestic animals, but provides well-balanced select nutrients. In terms of nutrition, this white creamy low-fat stuff is well balanced with these daily value percentages:
- 1 percent fat and 1 percent carbohydrates
- 1 percent cholesterol
- 4 percent potassium, 12 percent calcium and 2 percent magnesium
- 6 percent protein
- 8 percent cobalamin
Grains and seeds that Start with M
M as a letter of the alphabet is adept with the most definitive foods and it is no wonder that you are seeing maize as the only grain here starting with this letter.
34. Maize
Maize or corn is one of the most important cereals grown around the world. In North America, this grain is known as corn while in the tropical world it is more commonly referred to as maize. The grain was first grown in south Mexico around 8000 B.C.
Around the world, maize is used as a starchy whole or processed food. Common dishes include roasted sweet corn, corn flour meal, popcorn, corn chips and boiled maize. In terms of nutrition, maize is rich in phosphorus, starch and proVitamin A compounds.
35. Malt
Malt is a grain from barley that has been soaked for a long time till it has begun to germinate and then dried with hot air. It is one of the main ingredients for brewing beer as its sugars ferment fast. Though maize and rice can also serve the same purpose, they do not have similar sugars as those of malt to ferment fast. Thus, when you hear the term malting, it basically describes barley that has been soaked then dried to bring a fermenting effect in beer.
Meat, poultry and fish
From mackerel to mutton, a list of meat, poultry and fish products starting with M is never complete without a whetted palate yearning for the real sweetmeats!
36. Mackerel
Known for their long-distance migratory punctuality, mackerel describes various species from the Scombridae family that seasonally move from coast to coast in large numbers. On average, the fish weigh 1.6 kg and are tinged a light gray hue.
With a strong sea flavor, mackerel are oily fish that can make a healthy dish. They have 63 grams of water content. They also harbor high protein content at 18 grams. Providing 107 percent of the daily needs of Vitamin D, these fish are the perfect replacement to the morning sun.
In terms of nutritional contents, please check the key nutrition values in raw mackerel.
37. Mahi Mahi
Mahi mahi is a ray-finned dolphin fish that dwells close to the surface in the coastal waters of cold and tropical climes. You may hear it in reference as dorado or even just ‘dolphin.’The reason it is called dolphin is that mahimahi happens to be the Hawaiian term for dolphins. In old times, it also used to precede ships in a similar manner as its capering namesake, and hence the name. Weighing 22 kgs in adult weight, this fish is considered safe to eat as it has low mercury levels.
38. Masago Caviar
Masago caviar is both the roe from capelin fish or food made from this row. The roe is basically the mass of eggs obtained from the ovaries of the female caviar once they are sliced open. They taste similar to the fish itself with an additional ocean-fresh aroma. They are orange in color and hence your dish will be a bright orange mash.
39. Marlin
Not to be confused with Merlin, the wizard of Arthurian legends, Marlin is a long-snout marine fish with a shapely dorsal fin that gradually rises to a crest. Its name is considered to come from its pointed body topped by a spear-shaped snout, which is similar to the marlinspike of a sailor.
You can eat marlin to relish its mild flavor after thorough cleaning. This is because, as a highly migratory Atlantic species, it collects toxic metals such as mercury.
40. Mollusks
As the second biggest classification of invertebrates, mollusks are some of the most common sea creatures to come across. There are about eighty five thousand species of these. Mollusks are usually soft-bodied and are protectively enclosed in shells either whole or in part. They live in aquatic, freshwater and even in land water masses. The most common edible mollusks include:
- Cockle snails
- Blue mussels
- Clams
- Scallops
- Chitons
41. Moi Fish
Moi fish or Pacific threadfin are sometimes identified with royal terms as they used to be at one time seafood fit for only Hawaiian kings.They are ray-finned and colored a beautiful silver gray hue. They subsist in warmer waters across the globe.
In terms of taste, Moi fish have a salty yet mild taste. Their meat’s texture is tender, flaky and moist.
42. Monkfish
Lophius piscatorius or monkfish is a deep sea angler fish of the European ocean waters and the Indian Ocean. It is one of the uglier sea creatures out there in the deep and it is no wonder that it is christened ‘sea devil.’ Fishermen once used to put it back to sea but monks would beg for it and hence the name.
You will drop notions of repulsion, however, once you taste the tightly packed, wholesome tasty white flesh of monkfish. Its touch on the palate has hints of lobster on it, while the flavor is a bit lobster-like, yet sweet and somehow fishy. Like its taste versatility, monkfish also welcomes virtually any cooking method.
43. Mutton
Mutton is the meat of sheep and goats that have reached maturity. In sheep, it is used to indicate meat from ewes or rams that have reached three years of age. Mutton from animals below this age is known as hogget and that from 1 year-olds is considered lamb.
Mutton is rich, fatty but muscular. It is also strong-flavored with a lot of density and tough texture. It makes great steak on grills though it can be baked or fried. It also makes sumptuous mutton gravy.
Spices, oils and condiments that start with M
Whether you cherish an exotic spice like methi or you go for time-defining aromatic plants like mint, or even that substitute to tea that is mate, you will love this journey through M spices.
44. Margarine
Margarine is a blend of mostly vegetable oils and is used in making spreads on baked foods as well as a flavoring agent in cooking. Though it is virtually all fat with little else, margarine is healthier than butter. Butter comes from trans-fat from milk or animal products and is mostly saturated. Margarine, on the other hand, is partially unsaturated, making it healthier. Original margarine however used to come from saturated fat.
45. Marmalade
Made from citrus fruit juice and the peel of oranges, limes or lemons, marmalade is a thick paste that is prepared by boiling this mixture in sugared water. The classic marmalade comes from bitter orange recipes.
Unlike jams:
- Marmalade does not require vegetable extracts but has to feature a citrus fruit derivative.
- Secondly, marmalade uses only parts of fruits, like the pulp, juice and peel and not the entire fruit like happens with jam.
46. Maple Syrup
Rich in calcium and magnesium and high in calories, maple syrup which is derived from the sap of maple trees that thrive in cold climes, is a natural substitute to honey. There are differences however between this starchy sap extracted from a tree and the bee product, namely:
- In terms of taste, maple syrup has a woodsy flavor while honey is floral in aroma.
- Though honey is a skin-improving product, maple syrup tends to have slightly more health benefits owing to its mineral content.
47. Mate
Mate, the short term for Yerba-mate, is an aromatic beverage-making plant from the Illex genus that grows naturally in Argentina. It is commonly taken in heated or iced water . Though little known in other tea and coffee-producing nations, yerba-mate is nevertheless the national beverage of many South American nations, whose nationals prefer it over coffee and tea.
The dried ground leaves of mate are infused in water to bring the same effect as tea or coffee in water. Its taste is a little astringent but is loaded with caffeine just like coffee.
Also read: Brazil mate prices.
48. Marikolunthu
Marikolunthu or davana plant is a leafy aromatic shrub that grows naturally in south India where it is used as an industrial product in the beauty niche and as a tea for combating cold. In industrial terms, the ground leaves make soaps and cosmetics.
In medicinal terms, Marikolunthu leaf powder is sprinkled in tea to stop runny nose or flu in babies. It can also control throbbing ear trouble. It is also believed to give relief to headaches and heal wounds.
49. Methi
Methi describes a herb that defines much of South Asian cooking. It can be used in the form of seeds to garnish dishes or as leaves to add a sweet yet nutty aroma to salads. Methi requires moderation when being included in dishes to reduce adverse effects as it can take over the whole taste of the food.
50. Minutina
Also known as erbe stelle in Italy, minutina, as it is known in the US, is a plant respected for its hardy growing qualities, which has leaves shaped in a thin grassy rosette . These leaves garnish salads, especially winter salads when mixed with miners lettuce and similar veggies. Buck’s horn plantain, which is its most common name, grows to be a flowering plant with decorative spore-bearing stalks that tower above the leaves.
51. Mint
Mint, also known as mentha for its aromatic cooling substance known as menthol, is a plant from a broad family that includes peppermints and spearmints. Its leaves are some of the most used water spicing agents for making mint water which is said to lower high blood pressure and detoxify the body.
Mint has a cooling feel on the tongue, with a roughly similar taste when taken with tea. To make mint tea, you just need a few leaves which you mix with hot tea and lemon for extra flavoring.
52. Molasses
Molasses is a nutritious syrupy byproduct of making sugar from canes or beets. It is a common flavoring agent in foods and brown sugar. It was first associated with honey in the 16th century during the voyages of the Portuguese to the West Indies where the product was imported for making rum.
As the less sugary treacle of sugar production, molasses has these major nutrients in the form of daily value percentages:
- Magnesium at 60 percent
- Vitamin B6 at 35 percent
- Iron at 26 percent
- Calcium at 20 percent
- The rest are carbs and potassium
Related: US molasses prices insights.
53. Moroheiya Leaves
A trailblazing medicinal plant dating all the way from ancient Egypt, Corchuros plant is a medicinal and textile-producing herb which is cultivated for its sprouts, locally known as moroheiya leaves. These leaves have featured in Egyptian stews, sauces and salads since time immemorial.
The moroheiya leaf is noted for its ability to overcome these common nutritional issues:
- Hunger-as it satiates.
- Nutrient deficiency, as it has antioxidants that recover people from malnutrition ailments.
- It is also an antidote that helps protect the body against poisonous substances such as arsenic.
54. Mustard
An irresistible, grainy condiment, mustard is made from a mishmash of all types and forms of mustard seeds from the plant of that name. These grains can be whole, crushed, broken. They can also be from various varieties including white/yellow, brown or black mustard seeds.
They are all mixed as they are in a water solution featuring vinegar and lemon juice. Sometimes even wine is added. This creates a thick paste that is a bright yellow though a dark brown. You can use mustard as a sauce or spread to enjoy its healthy attributes such as treating ringworm.
Ready meals and other dishes
Ready meals that you find at a deli or you decide to cook at home are always reminding you of that marshmallow you saw in a movie or that Madeira cake you espied while out window shopping. Indeed, all those nostalgic treats are all arrayed here in dishes starting with M.
55. Macaroni
Macaroni is dry pasta made from durum wheat and cut into hollow, thin tubes. It can be straight or curved, with elbow macaroni used to highlight the elbow shape of curved pasta. The shaping of the pasta is done by special food machines, although extrusion technology that makes macaroni can also be commercially used.
The origins of these popular snacks include the northern and central regions of Italy.
56. Madeira Cake
Made from self-raising flour, Madeira cake is a loaf-cum-cake that looks delectable from far. It is made more enticing with drops of lemon, powdered almonds, butter and eggs. It is baked a crisp brown and you cut mostly yellow-tinged slices out of it.
You will often find this quintessential bread in English homesteads. As a spongy loaf, Madeira cake makes for that perfect picnic delicacy that is taken with tea.
57. Mango Chutney
Mango chutney is a chutney made from raw mango paste. The dish employs spices such as coriander, garlic and raisins. Brown sugar is also used to augment the sour taste of the green unripe fruit. The ripe juicy mango is rarely used as people like to relish its sweetness raw.
The mango chutney dish tastes tangy but unlike raw green fruits, it is soft and thick. As a true chutney, this recipe is slow-cooked to its well-seasoned fruity flavor.
For prices especially in India where this mango is popular, please check the price insights on mangoes in India
58. Marzipan
Marzipan is a fruity confection with a nutty flavor, owing to its mainly almond cornmeal mixed with sugar and honey recipe. Other ingredients are optional but used all the same including almond oil or fruit juice.
The most common forms of marzipan in the market are sweets such as chocolate-coated bars. There are also confections that imitate the flavors of fruits as well as vegetables.
59. Marshmallows
Prepared from sugar and water bound with gelatin, then whipped to a firm yet tender compactness, marshmallows is a classic American fast food. It can be used as stuffing in a baked pastry or eaten separately after breading it with cornstarch. Being a confectionery, marshmallows come in enticing shapes, from square molds to multi-colored cubes.
For nutrition, please check marshmallows nutrition summary
60. Matzo
Matzos are unleavened crispy biscuits made by the Jews to mark Passover. It is actually a flatbread made in the form of a biscuit, with no chametz, a Hebrew word for food with leavening agent. Lack of a raising agent makes matzo a nutritious holiday delicacy with the following percentages of daily value needs:
- 17 percent milk
- 5 percent vitamin B6
- 12 percent dietary fiber
- 28 percent carbs
61. Meringue
Meringue is a classic creamy French dessert that is prepared from a base of beaten egg whites mixed with sugar and then baked to a crispy texture. To the whole, you can also embed such spices as lemon or vinegar to lend an acidic kick to the blend. Others enrich meringue with a spread of cream, while salt, wheat flour and gelatin are optional binding agents on the eggs.
62. Mincemeat
Mincemeat is a blend of cut fruits with spirits, spices and part of animal fat, which are used as stuffing in a pie or pastry. Mincemeat is a term that is deceivingly thought to be ground meat yet meat is just a small part of the whole. The main ingredients include:
- Chopped dried fruits.
- Distilled low alcohol waters
- Spices
- Beef suet, which is hard white fat from the loins of cows
63. Miso
Made from fermented soybeans in salt and koji or even rice, miso is a folk delicacy in Japan used as a table sauce. It can have barley and seaweed, among other components. Koji is a thick substance made from a fungus mixed with a grain such as rice and added to miso to make a sauce.
Though very rich in protein at 24 percent of the daily value, with substantially high dietary fiber and minerals, miso is brimming with sodium at 155 percent of the daily needs.
64. Monkey Bread
A weird name it is true, but monkey bread is that sweet, gooey, stuffy dough that you will eat again and again with your fingers just like a primate does, hence the name. This sumptuous cake is made in a ring shape and topped with brown sugar which gives it a rich color. It is molded into a ribbed dough shape. To make one, you require:
- Refrigerated biscuit dough
- Cinnamon and raisins
- Eggs
- Brown sugar
65. Muffin
Muffins are some of the most common quickbreads in delis, bakeries and even at home. Tasty and sugary, they are made from wheat flour that is raised by chemical means, thus the term quickbread, and then molded into shape.
There are also flatbread types that also qualify as muffins as long as they have a partially raised surface. To qualify as one, a flatbread needs to be baked and transferred to a griddle for further cooking.
Beverages that start with M
Do you like a malt pint in your favorite glass or your beer kicks better as true exotic Mai Tai rum? From yours truly, here are beverages starting with M.
66. Mai Tai (rum)
Mai Tai is a cocktail made of three measures of white rum for every measure of lime juice, mixed with orange curacao and orgeat syrup, with a fair measure of dark rum added on top. It was first brewed in 1944 using mainly local ingredients. Mai Tai is meant to recall the distinct flavors of cocktails from the Tiki cultures of the south Pacific and the Caribbean.
To celebrate the classic status of the beer, you might as well know that Mai Tai is the Tahitian term for ‘out of this world,’ a sure testament to taste.
67. Malt Beer
Malt beer is a n alcoholic drink processed from the fermenting effect of malt, essentially soaked barley seeds that are dried to halt further germination. This drink is very low in alcoholic content, averaging 0 to 2.5 percent of ABV.
The difference between malt and regular beer is that the latter is fermented at a low level. Ingredients included in this lager include sugar, corn and other components mixed with fermented barley.
For nutritional information, here is a comprehensive breakdown of the main nutrition components in malt beer.
68. Michelada
A beer and lime juice cocktail, Michelada is that truly Mexican drink that will leave a refreshing, savory, spicy aftertaste. It is garnished with sauces and sprinkled with spices including chili. The main ingredients change from one place to another in Mexico, but you can expect a pint of lime juice, 4 ounces of beer and 4 ounces of tomato juice in the classic mixture.
To drink Michelada, you just pour it chilled in a pint glass with a little salt in it.
69. Milk & Honey
Milk & honey is a nightly dose of milk and honey that can be your best bet for a good sleep ahead. To make this drink, you need a warm pint of milk which you sweeten with a syrup of honey. You can also opt for vanilla and cinnamon, which are associated with good slumber. Honey and milk not only battle insomnia and boost your bone health but taste quite welcoming on the palate. Though, some people are allergic to this mixture, so it is a question of approach.
70. Milkshake
Almost everyone has had a milkshake at one time or another, from this drink made of milk blended with ice cream and sweetened with butterscotch or the like. It can also have caramel sauce and syrup from chocolate.
Milkshakes are made from whole fruits and seeds that are distilled into a thickened paste that is taken cold.
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