If you hopped onto this read you must be itching to make some discoveries uncommon to your everyday food items. Well, we have an extensive list just for that in the alphabet H. Read to find out!
1. Halva
Halva is a confection dessert made from seed or nut butter. With nuts, it has a crumbly texture whereas butter gives it smooth fudge-like consistency. Halva is mainly eaten as a treat, however, it is not rare to have it as part of a food course. The candy is very common in the Middle East and Asia.
2. Hazelnut
Most frequently, hazelnuts are the crunchy seeds on top of your bagels and buns. The fruit of the hazel tree, the hazelnut, is roughly 12 to 1 inch long. They have a tough brown covering and shell that must be shattered to reveal the seed. Although hazelnuts may be eaten raw, they are frequently used in recipes for confections like chocolate and butter.
3. Honey
Honey is produced by bees after collecting sugar-rich nectar from flowers. It’s a thick gooey liquid that’s sweet to the taste. But while it may be naturally sweet, it has a ton of health benefits. For instance, it has been associated with improving cholesterol, contains important antioxidants, and is a better choice for diabetics compared to sugar.
Note that, it’s not all bees that produce honey, only honey bees, and stingless bees.
4. Haddock
Haddock is a saltwater fish with a moist texture and mild flavor. The fish is high in protein, and low in calories and mercury making it one of the healthiest edible species. Haddocks are characterized by their ray fins and elongated tapering shape. It also has a slightly sweeter taste. There are so many recipes in which you can use Haddock as well as various cooking methods.
5. Haggis
This is a traditional Scotland dish that comprises the liver, heart, and lungs of a sheep. The pudding is mixed with onions, different spices, oatmeal, and hard fat, then cooked while encased in the animal’s stomach. Sometimes beef can be minced in as well before packing the mixture into the sheep’s stomach. Haggis is commonly accompanied by a side of potatoes.
6. Ham
Ham is a byproduct of pork specifically cut from the leg. The meat goes through a curing process to elongate its shelf life and impart a savory flavor. Wet curing is done using acid while dry curing employs salt. Some versions are smoked too, however, it is not mandatory. Ham works great in sandwiches and you could use it as an ingredient in your meat dishes.
7. Hare
Hare is a game animal that lives in the wild usually in pairs. It belongs to the same family as rabbits only that the creatures are larger and have longer ears. Up to 30 varieties of hare meat exist across the globe and it’s described to be fairly soft and seemingly close to chicken meat, except stronger. It’s a great substitute for fatty cuts and delivers high protein doses.
8. Hakka noodles
The name “Hakka noodles” originates from the Hakka Chinese otherwise the noodles are not much different from the normal kind. They are made out of the unleavened dough with rice and wheat flour, and a simple boil is the standard method of preparation. Hakka noodles taste great when tossed with veggies and sauces, but you could serve them along with meat varieties.
9. Hake
Hake is a fish species in the Merlucciidae family. They grow longer than the typical fish breeds reaching up to 1 meter long and bigger hakes can weigh up to 8 pounds. The species thrives in ocean waters mostly across the Northern and Southern poles. A distinct trait of hakes is the spiky dorsal fins and tiny razor-sharp teeth.
10. Heart cherry
These are juicy heart-shaped fruits in the cherry family. They alternate between red vibrant shades and darker tones. Heart cherries are soft fleshed and make a delicious addition especially when mixed in salads. They are also commonly fermented during winemaking and can be enjoyed in a simple home-baked pie.
11. Herb
Herbs are exceptional garnishes in foods. Usually, these are edible plant leaves that possess a strong aroma and rich taste. They work well with soups and have in the past been used to introduce healing benefits as well. Different herbs fetch different price tags the highest being saffron. Other common kinds include sage, rosemary, thyme, and parsley all of which share a green undertone.
12. Hollandaise
Also known as Dutch sauce, Hollandaise is a rich smooth paste made from egg yolk, liquid butter, and lemon juice. It has a mustard yellow color and sometimes may be mistaken for mayonnaise. Hollandaise doesn’t require much, a seasoning of salt and cayenne/white pepper is all it takes. Serve with broccoli, asparagus, or poached salmon for a real crowd-pleaser.
13. Hummus
Hummus is the famous Middle East spread made from mashed chicken peas, tahini, garlic, and lemon juice all blended together. Some olive oil is drizzled on the top and a few garnishings are added to tie everything together. The dip can be eaten with lots of different snacks and foods, but the most common is pita bread.
14. Honeydew melon
Amongst the melon varieties, honeydew is one of the few least in sugar. Don’t let the name fool you, the fruit merely contains 8g of sugar per 100g. What it has is a high water content that makes it rather refreshing. The flesh of the honeydew is light green while the skin has a white-yellow tone. It is a thoughtful choice for salads and desserts.
15. Horseradish
This is a root vegetable with a distinctive taste and smell to it. It has been in existence for several years and is commonly used as a spice. On the side, it is of strong medicinal value and great for tackling bacterial compounds and cancer antibodies. Upon contact with the tongue, the plant invokes a heat sensation and may bring tears to your eyes.
16. Harissa
Harissa is a fiery sauce that is of Tunisian cuisine. It is mainly made from roasted red peppers and added garlic, coriander seeds, cumin, spices, and herbs. The sauce is oil soluble and for this reason, blends seamlessly into stews and soups. Harissa varies in levels of hotness depending on the peppers used and may have a smoky flavor to it. Unless you have a liking for chili, you may want to use it cautiously.
17. Habanero pepper
On the SHU (Scoville Heat Units) scale, habanero ranks as one of the hottest peppers. It ranges between 100,000-350,000SHU. It is no wonder it makes a fit choice while making hot sauces, dips, and spicy ingredients.
When young, habanero pepper takes to a green color which later turns red upon maturing. Purple and white variations exist too depending on the geographical location.
18. Hoisin sauce
This is a type of sauce whose key ingredient is fermented soybean paste. Other supplementary ingredients include peppers, garlic, fennel, and sugar substrate. It is dark in color and has nice thick consistency along with a fragrant scent. Hoisin sauce is commonly used as a meat glaze owing to its conspicuous salt and sugar taste. Other times it is used in stews or as a side dip.
What’s the Difference Between Hoisin Sauce vs Oyster Sauce
19. Havarti cheese
Cheese, as we know, is a dairy product derived from milk. In this case, Harvati cheese comes from the milk of the Danish cow breed. It has a semi-soft texture that you can easily slice through with a knife. Flavor-wise, it has a mild nutty taste which sets in as a result of the aging process. Unlike other cheese types, Havarti is aged for exactly 3 months. This causes holes in it.
20. Headcheese
Despite the name, this is not dairy cheese. On the contrary, it is a kind of meat jelly made with flesh from the head of calves or pigs. The dish originates from Europe and you will often hear locals refer to it as a jellied loaf. The dish is usually eaten cold after being cut and cubed like cheese. And as for the taste, it has a string porky flavor very similar to what bacon tastes like.
21. Hash browns
Simply, these are deep-fried mashed potatoes with a crisp golden covering on the outside. The secret ingredient lies in how well you grate your potatoes. Very thin slices result in mushy hash browns, while large ones conversely come off undone. Shape your potato batter, proceed to coat with egg wash, and fry. The dish is rich in starch and is a standard breakfast option.
Final Thoughts
There you have it! How many of these foods have you tried, and how many more did you learn? Let us know in the comments section. We’ll be glad to hear from you!