Ongekookte

Ongekookte is a Dutch adjective meaning not cooked; in English, uncooked or raw. It is used to describe foods that have not been heated by cooking methods such as boiling, frying, baking, or grilling. The term can apply to ingredients presented in their natural state, or to items that are intended to be eaten without heat, and it is often contrasted with cooked or baked.

Etymology: Ongekookte is formed from on-, a negating prefix, and gekookt, the past participle of koken (to cook). The phrase is common in culinary contexts to indicate a non-heated state of food.

Usage: In recipes and menus, ongekookte foods may be listed to show that heat is not required for preparation or consumption. For example, ongekookte groenten means raw vegetables; ongekookte eieren refers to raw eggs. The term is distinguishable from rauw, which more broadly denotes raw or uncooked in general, whereas ongekookt emphasizes the lack of cooking specifically.

Safety: Eating ongekookte foods can carry risks associated with pathogens in raw ingredients. Guidance on raw foods varies by ingredient and jurisdiction. Some foods are traditionally eaten raw under controlled conditions (for example, certain seafood or meat preparations) while others should always be cooked before consumption, especially for vulnerable groups such as pregnant people, young children, the elderly, or immunocompromised individuals.

See also: rauw voedsel, koken, raw foods.