Latest / Learn Spanish with Fexingo / Spanish Cooking Verbs: Sauté and Grill
Transcript
- Lucas: Hey there. Welcome back to another episode of Learn Spanish with Fexingo. Luna: Hi everyone. I am so ready to cook today. I have been staring at my empty stove all morning. Lucas: We are definitely going to help you fill that gap. Last time we talked about basic utensils like the fork and the glass. Luna: Right. And before that, it was all about laundry. So much folding. But now? Now we are making food. Lucas: Exactly. Today we are focusing on two specific ways to cook that add a lot of flavor. We will learn how to sauté vegetables and how to grill meat. Luna: Oh, I love grilling. It smells amazing. But sometimes I feel like I just throw things on the fire and hope for the best. Lucas: That is a risk. Let’s be more precise. The first phrase is for when you cook quickly in a pan with a little oil. Luna: Quickly in a pan. Okay. What is the word for that? Lucas: The verb is saltear. To make it complete, we say saltear las verduras. This means to sauté the vegetables. Luna: Saltear las verduras. Let me try that. Saltear las verduras. Lucas: Perfect. You got the rhythm right. Saltear las verduras. It sounds very professional. Luna: I can picture it now. Cutting up some peppers and onions, then saltear las verduras in a hot pan. Lucas: Imagine doing that for dinner tonight. You chop everything, turn on the heat, and saltear las verduras until they are tender. Luna: Yeah. That sounds delicious. But what if I want meat instead of veggies? Lucas: Then we move outside. The second phrase is for cooking over direct heat, like on a barbecue. Luna: Okay. How do we say to grill meat? Lucas: You use the verb asar. So, asar la carne. This means to grill the meat or roast the meat. Luna: Asar la carne. Asar la carne. I like how strong that word sounds. Lucas: It does feel substantial. Asar la carne. Just remember to let the coals get hot first. Luna: Wait, how do I start the grill? Do I just light it myself? Lucas: Not always. There is a specific phrase for starting the fire. You say encender la parrilla. Luna: Encender la parrilla. To light the grill. That makes sense. Lucas: Yes. Encender la parrilla. You might need a lighter or some chimney starter. But the action is encender la parrilla. Luna: Okay. So first I encender la parrilla, and then once it is hot, I can asar la carne. Lucas: Exactly. You set up the fire, encender la parrilla, wait for the glow, and then asar la carne. Luna: But what if the fire gets too big? I don't want to burn the steak. Lucas: Good point. If the flames are jumping too high, you need to control them. There is one last phrase for this. Luna: How do I calm down the fire? Lucas: You say mantener el fuego bajo. This means to keep the fire low. Luna: Mantener el fuego bajo. Keep the fire low. Got it. Lucas: Mantener el fuego bajo. This helps you cook the meat evenly without charring the outside. Luna: So the whole process is: encender la parrilla, mantener el fuego bajo, and then asar la carne slowly. Lucas: That is exactly right. It is a beautiful sequence. First you start it, then you manage it, then you cook it. Luna: And while the meat is resting, I could go inside and saltear las verduras. Lucas: A perfect meal. You are building a whole menu in your head. Encender la parrilla, mantener el fuego bajo, asar la carne. Luna: And saltear las verduras on the side. I feel so capable already. Lucas: You should. These four phrases cover the main steps of a great outdoor cookout. Luna: Let’s say them one more time together to lock them in. Encender la parrilla. Lucas: Encender la parrilla. Luna: Mantener el fuego bajo. Lucas: Mantener el fuego bajo. Luna: Asar la carne. Lucas: Asar la carne. Luna: And saltear las verduras. Lucas: Saltear las verduras. Wonderful work today, Luna. Luna: Thanks, Lucas. I think I’m actually hungry now. Maybe I should go test these out. Lucas: Do it. And if you ever find yourself lost in the kitchen, remember Fexingo is here to guide you. Luna: Speaking of guidance, we want to keep this show free for everyone. No ads, no distractions. Lucas: That is true. If Fexingo has been helping you make actual progress with this language, listener support keeps the lights on. Luna: If you can spare a moment, you can support our ad-free mission at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Every bit helps us create these episodes for you. Thank you for caring about the journey. Luna: Now, back to the kitchen. Imagine you are standing in front of the grill. What is the first thing you do? Lucas: You take a deep breath, look at the coals, and you encender la parrilla. Luna: Encender la parrilla. Yes. That is the start of something great. Lucas: Practice those phrases until we chat again. Buen provecho. Luna: See you next time. Bye!