Indian meal
/'indjən'mi:l/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- Coarsely ground corn: A type of meal or flour made from dried corn (maize) that has been ground into a coarse texture, historically associated with the culinary traditions of Indigenous peoples of the Americas.
Usage
- This term is used as a mass noun to refer to the ingredient itself.
- It is typically used in historical or traditional cooking contexts.
Examples
- Noun:
- The recipe for traditional johnnycakes calls for indian meal.
- They used indian meal to make a hearty porridge.
Advanced Usage
- The term is considered dated and may be seen as culturally insensitive in modern contexts. More contemporary and precise terms like cornmeal or coarse cornmeal are preferred.
- Historical texts often mention "indian meal," but today we would simply call it cornmeal.
Variants and Related Words
- Cornmeal (n): The modern, general term for dried, ground corn.
- Maize meal (n): Another term used, particularly outside North America.
- Polenta (n): While often referring to a dish, can also refer to a specific type of coarse cornmeal.
Synonyms
- Coarse cornmeal
- Maize flour (though "flour" often implies a finer grind)
Notes on Meaning
- This term specifically denotes a coarse grind. Finely ground corn is typically called corn flour.
- It is important to distinguish this from a meal (an instance of eating) related to Indian (South Asian) cuisine. The term "indian meal" in this sense is a compound noun referring to the ingredient, not a description of a type of food from India.
Noun
- coarsely ground corn