I have an increasing number of visitors coming to this site from the US who have asked if I can provide US equivalents for the Metric quantities I use. Having worked in the US I know there can be considerable differences. These apply not only to the quantities of foods used but also the terms referred to in cooking. There are also additional name differences e.g. we refer to coriander but the Americans call this cilantro.
Cooking with English cookbooks in America can be just as frustrating an experience for US cooks as that endured by his or her counterpart on the otherside of the Atlantic with a US cookbook.
In an effort to make this transition smooth and reliable for both countries and cooks, here is my detailed conversion chart that has served me well for almost all the recipes I have cooked to date for the website and in my book ‘Return to Slender’.
Remember to only use one set of measures, they are not interchangeable. If in doubt then don’t hesitate to email info@bariatriccookery.com for more information.
THIS CHART CAN BE USED FOR THE ARCHIVE RECIPES ON THE SITE. CURRENT AND FUTURE RECIPES WILL ALL HAVE DUAL METRIC AND US QUANTITIES.
LIQUID MEASURES
METRIC/US
5 ml (or 1 tsp)/1 tsp
15 ml (or 1 tbsp)/1 tbsp
30 ml (or 2 tbsp)/3 tbsp
45 ml (or 3 tbsp)/1/4 cup
50 ml/4 tbsp
90 ml (or 6 tbsp)/1/2 cup
150 ml/2/3 cup
300 ml/11/4 cups
450 ml/2 cups
600 ml/21/2 cups
900 ml/33/4 cups
1 litre/41/4 cups
1.2 litres/5 cups
BUTTER/MARGARINE EQUIVALENTS
Metric/US
25g/2 tbsp
40g/3 tbsp
50g/4 tbsp
65g/5 tbsp
75g/6 tbsp
100g/scant 1/2 cup
225g/1 cup
450g/2 cups
EGG WHITE EQUIVALENTS
2 large egg whites/1/4 cup egg white
SUET EQUIVALENT
Metric/US
50g shedded suet/6 tbsp chopped suet
PEANUT BUTTER EQUIVALENT
Metric/US
3 tbsp peanut butter/1/4 cup peanut butter
BREADCRUMB EQUIVALENTS
Metric/US
25g fresh soft breadcrumbs/1/2 cup fresh soft breadcrumbs
100g fresh soft breadcrumbs/2 cups fresh soft breadcrumbs
275g fresh soft breadcrumbs/5cups fresh soft breadcrumbs
MAYONNAISE EQUIVALENT
Metric/US
150 ml mayonnaise/2/3 cup mayonnaise
YEAST EQUIVALENTS
Metric/US
1 tbsp dried yeast/11/2 packages active dry yeast
2 tsp dried yeast/1 package active dry yeast
SUGAR EQUIVALENTS
Metric/US
100g granulated sugar/1/2 cup sugar
150g granulated sugar/3/4 cup sugar
225g granulated sugar/1 cup sugar
450g granulated sugar/2 cups sugar
100g castor sugar/1/2 cup superfine sugar
100g icing sugar/scant 1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
450g icing sugar/3 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
25g brown sugar/2 tbsp brown sugar
50g light soft brown or demerara sugar/1/4 cup light brown sugar
75g light soft brown or demerara sugar/6 tbsp light brown sugar
450g light soft brown or demerara sugar/2 cups light brown sugar
FLOUR EQUIVALENTS
Metric/US
15g plain flour/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 tbsp plain flour/1/4 cup all-purpose flour
25g plain flour/1/4 cup all-purpose flour
50g plain flour/1/2 cup all-purpose flour
100g plain flour/1 cup all-purpose flour
450g plain flour/4 cups all-purpose flour
100g self-raising flour/1 cup all-purpose flour sifted with 1 tsp baking powder
BRAN EQUIVALENTS
Metric/US
25 g/1/2 cup
100g/2 cups
CHOCOLATE EQUIVALENTS
Metric/US
50g/1/3 cup grated chocolate
175g/1 cup chocolate pieces
DIGESTIVE BISCUIT/GRAHAM CRACKER EQUIVALENT
Metric/US
225g crushed digestive biscuits/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
COCOA POWDER EQUIVALENT
Metric/US
25g/1/4 cup cocoa powder
GELATINE EQUIVALENT
Metric/US
14 g envelope powdered gelatine/1/2-oz envelope powdered gelatine
JAM/JELLY EQUIVALENT
Metric/US
100g/1/3 cup jam or jelly
CHEESE EQUIVALENTS
Metric/US
50g/1/2 cup grated Cheddar or hard cheese
100g/1 cup grated Cheddar or hard cheese
113 g carton/1/2 cup cottage cheese
225g/1 cup cream cheese
4 tbsp/1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
50g/1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
75 g/3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
DRIED FRUIT AND NUT EQUIVALENTS
Metric/US
50g seedless raisins/1/3 cup seeded raisins
50g/1/3 cup mixed dried fruit
225g sultanas/11/2 cups seedless white raisins
50g/1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
50g/1/4 cup peanuts
50g/1/2 cup flaked almonds
50g/1/2 cup chopped walnuts
25g/1/4 cup ground almonds
150g desiccated coconut/12/3 cups shredded coconut
COOKED HAM /CHICKEN EQUIVALENTS
Metric/US
50g/1/4 cup chopped cooked ham or chicken
100g/1/2 cup diced cooked ham or chicken
PRAWNS/SHRIMP EQUIVALENTS
Metric/US
100g peeled prawns/2/3 cup shelled shrimp
VEGETABLE EQUIVALENTS
Metric/US
3 tbsp/1/4 cup diced cucumber
3 tbsp/1/4 cup diced peppers
3 tbsp/1/4 cup diced celery
50g/1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
OLIVE EQUIVALENT
Metric/US
50g stoned black olives/1/3 cup pitted ripe olives
KETCHUP EQUIVALENT
Metric/US
4 tbsp/1/3 cup tomato ketchup
RICE EQUIVALENTS
Metric/US
100g/1/2 cup raw rice
225g/generous 1 cup raw rice
100g/2/3 cup cooked long-grain rice
LENTIL EQUIVALENTS
Metric/US
50g/1/4 cup raw lentils
100g/1/2 cup raw lentils
SPLIT PEA EQUIVALENT
Metric/US
175g/3/4 cup raw split peas
EQUIVALENT TERMS AND FOODS
Metric/US
cling film/saran wrap
cocktail stick/toothpick
flan tin/pie pan
greaseproof paper/waxed paper
grill/broil
liquidise/blend
mince/grind
packet/package
piping bag/pastry bag
polythene/plastic
roasting tin/roasting pan
ssandwich tin/layer cake pan
stoned/pitted
Swiss roll tin/jelly roll pan
top and tail/stem and end
courgette/zucchini
aubergine/eggplant
coriander/cilantro
hard-boiled eggs/hard-cooked eggs
soured cream/dairy sour cream
spring onions/scallions
plain flour/all-purpose flour
streaky bacon/bacon slices
belly of pork/salt pork
stock cube/bouillon cube
double cream/heavy cream
tomato puree/tomato paste
salt beef/corned beef brisket
sultanas/seedless white raisins
stewing beef/beef stew meat
desiccated coconut/shredded coconut
minced beef/ground beef
middle neck or scrag end of lamb/lamb neck slices
lamb chump chops/lamb leg chops
lamb’s liver/lamb liver
cornflour/cornstarch
wholemeal flour/whole meal flour
lamb cutlets/rib lamb chops
black olives/ripe olives
rump or topside steak/beef round or rump steak
natural yogurt/plain yogurt
paprika/paprika pepper
pork fillet/pork tenderloin
pinch of/dash of
black treacle/molasses
seedless raisins/seeded raisins
single cream/light cream
stoned/pitted
cooked beetroot/cooked beets
broad beans/lima beans
swede/rutabaga
marrow/zucchini squash
cooking apples/baking apples
sticks of celery/stalks of celery
celeriac/celery root
anchovy essence/anchovy extract
mixed peel/chopped candied peel
dark brown ale or Guinness cream stout/dark beer or Guinness cream stout
vanilla essence/vanilla extract
demerara sugar/light brown sugar
golden syrup/corn syrup
lard/shortening
icing sugar/confectioner’s sugar
spong fingers/ladyfingers
coffee essence/coffee extract
digestive biscuits/graham crackers
caster sugar/superfine sugar
gingernuts/gingersnaps
biscuits/cookies
frozen puff pastry/frozen puff paste
stewing steak/beef stew meat
pastry/dough
choux pastry/choux paste
glace cherries/candied cherries
bicarbonate of soda/baking soda