I’m finishing a tasty bulgur with chicken and along the way got curious about what this creature really is. It turns out that bulgur, couscous, and semolina—all are made from wheat, from hard varieties, but each in a slightly different way. Bulgur is made from whole grains that are steamed, dried, and ground. Couscous and semolina are made from milled wheat (known as semolina), but for couscous, the milled product is rolled into balls, whereas in the case of semolina, it is not. Essentially, couscous is balls of semolina.
Now for a mix of other things.
A typhoon is a marine hurricane specifically in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. A twister and a tornado are the same thing.
Black, green, white teas, and oolong are produced from the leaves of the same plant, Camellia sinensis. The differences in color, taste, and aroma are determined by the degree of fermentation of the leaves and the methods of their processing.
The same difference applies to olives and olives. Green fruits of the olive tree have always been called “olives,” and the black ones – “olives,” but essentially, it’s the same plant—olives. The main difference is just the period in which they are collected. Green ones are picked before ripening, black ones—after. The difference in color is primarily due to the maturity of the olive oil at collection, but it also depends on how they are processed. Green ones are soaked in a solution containing alkali, then fermented in brine. The longer they ferment, the less bitter and more delicate they become.
Cilantro and coriander are the same plant. Cilantro, as I understand, is the Georgian name for coriander. Or you could say that coriander is the spice (seeds of cilantro), cilantro is the greens (leaves).
Tarragon and estragon are also the same plant. Moreover, it is wormwood 🙂 (don’t be alarmed, it’s the genus Artemisia, not a specific plant). In English—Tarragon, and in Latin, it’s even called Artemisia dracunculus. Dracunculus!
Thyme and savory are also the same. Thymus vulgaris.
Oregano is common marjoram.
Black pepper and white pepper both come from the fruits of the Piper nigrum plant. The difference between them lies in the method of processing: black pepper is made from unripe, dried fruits, while white pepper is obtained by removing the outer skin from ripe fruits.
Asparagus and asparagus are the same thing. Asparagus is the scientific name for asparagus.
Quinoa is kind of like a swan. Just a different subspecies. By the way, quinoa fruits are considered fruits 🙂
Turmeric and turmeric are the same thing. There are three kinds, and all three can be consumed under the name Indian saffron. By the way, the plant is also called Hidden-lilies. Pretty.
But I’m not joking about croutons, toasts, and kombucha, which is a tea mushroom 🙂
P.S. A good addition from Alexi Kaskevich (thanks!)
“Not only black and white pepper (spices) are fruits of the same Piper nigrum plant, but the green pepper (spice) is also fruits of the same plant (just collected unripe)
But pink pepper (spice) – fruits of a totally different plant (different genus, different family, different subclass – in general, a completely different branch of evolution)
Moreover, in the store, let alone the market, you probably can’t always find out exactly what you are buying – as pink pepper (spice) fruits of three different plants are sold, only two of which are close relatives (and relatives of cashew – from the family Anacardiaceae), and the third from a different genus and family, but from the same subclass Rosids)”
Hi, I'm Rauf Aliev. 