I Now Pronounce You...

Let's face it: Not everything is as straightforward as 'pav bhaji' or 'chicken tikka masala'. Here's a quick Insider guide to pronouncing words we've all probably pointed to in the menu, rather than say it out aloud to the waiter.

Frites

This is French for, well, French Fries. Roadside stalls selling frites are ubiquitous in their home country... Belgium.

Correct pronunciation: freet. Rhyming with Preet.
Wrong pronunciation: freets. Rhyming with eats.
Very wrong pronunciation: fry-ts: Rhyming with tights.

Jus

It's a thin gravy made from meat or vegetable juices.

Correct pronunciation: joo. Just like 'jew', or a very polite sneeze.
Wrong pronunciation: jas. Like the nickname of Jaspreet.
Very wrong pronunciation: juice. Like, y'know, what comes out of a fruit.

Crème brûlée

Yikes, three different accents! This is a dessert featuring custard and caramel. It literally translates to 'burnt cream'.

Correct pronunciation: crem brulay. You could fit in with the French!
Wrong pronunciation: creem broolee: You sound like you want to fight a famous martial arts movie star.
Very wrong pronunciation: cremay bro lee: You ain't fooling anyone.

Purée

When vegetables get mashed to create a paste.

Correct pronunciation: pure A: Like a very good-at-heart first letter.
Wrong pronunciation: purr ee: Like a sleeping cat that suddenly got frightened.
Very wrong pronunciation: puri: The French often wonder why our roadside food is so... Solid.

Quesadilla

A Mexican dish - which is a tortilla filled with cheese, veggies and meat.

Correct pronunciation: kase-uh-dee-uh: Get your sombrero out, that sounds Mexican!
Wrong pronunciation: kase-ah-dil-ah: Sounds like the name of a bad Bollywood romance movie.
Very wrong pronunciation: kways-ah-dhilla: Oh no.

Tartare

Minced meat that's shaped and served in small sizes.

Correct pronunciation: tah-tahr: Like a Brit saying bye.
Wrong pronunciation: tar-tear: That's what happens to Mumbai's roads in monsoon.
Very wrong pronunciation: tar-tareh: ... Zameen par?

Now that you've mastered these pronunciations, nothing should stop you from confidently saying what you want at Small Plates Week!