IN PICS | 10 dishes and ingredients you've probably been mispronouncing
Consider yourself a foodie? Make sure you’re pronouncing words like 'quesadilla' and 'umngqusho' correctly
Image: 123RF/Olga Miltsova
We’ve all been in that awkward position: you see something exotic on a menu but you’re not sure how to pronounce it so you decide to order something else — probably something boring — instead.
From the Mexican quesadilla to traditional South African umngqusho and trendy edamame beans in a poke bowl, here's nail the pronunciation of these commonly mispronounced foods every time.
1. QUESADILLA
Consider it a Mexican tramezzini: cheese and other ingredients sandwiched between two tortillas and toasted.
The wrong way to pronounce it: Kwess-uh-dee-lah
The right way: Ke-sah-dee-yah
2. POKE
Hawaii's answer to sushi, this dish features raw marinated fish cut into small pieces and typically served in a bowl with rice and other ingredients.
The wrong way to pronounce it: Poh-ke (rhyming with joke)
The right way: Poh-kay (rhyming with okay)
3. BRUSCHETTA
An Italian antipasto of toasted bread with toppings.
The wrong way to pronounce it: Bru-shet-ta
The right way: Brew-sket-ta (pronounced ‘k’ instead of ‘sh’)
Image: 123RF/Kati Finell
4. UMNGQUSHO
One of Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi and the late Nelson Mandela's favourite foods, this Xhosa stew is made of samp and beans.
The wrong way to pronounce it: Oom-ku-sho
The right way: Oom-nqoo-shoh (with a click on the ‘q’)
5. EDAMAME
A popular snack served up in Japanese restaurants, these young green soybeans are typically boiled and served in the pod (which you don't eat).
The wrong way to pronounce it: Ed-a-mame
The right way: Ay-duh-mah-may (with emphasis on the third syllable)
6. QUINOA
This trendy protein-rich grain is typically found in bowls and salads.
The wrong way to pronounce it: Kwin-oh-ah
The right way: Keen-wah
7. TEMPEH
Following on from the growing popularity of meat alternatives like tofu and seitan, Uber Eats tips tempeh to be one of the hottest food trends of 2020, reports BizCommunity. It's traditional Indonesian cake-like product made from fermented soybeans.
The wrong way to pronounce it: Tem-peh
The right way: Tem-pei
8. GNOCCHI
Italian potato dumplings served with an array of different pasta sauces.
The wrong way to pronounce it: Guh-no-chee
The right way: Nyoh-key
Image: 123RF/Heinz Leitner
9. JALAPEÑO
A medium-sized chili pepper that's a commonly used ingredient in Mexican dishes.
The wrong way to pronounce it: Ja-luh-pee-no
The right way: Ha-lah-pen-yo (in Spanish, a ‘j’ sounds more like an ‘h’)
Image: 123RF/snyfer
10. PAELLA
A Spanish rice dish that typically includes seafood.
The wrong way to pronounce it: Pie-yella
The right way: Pah-yey-ya