teaspoon
tablespoon
cup
millilitres
litre
tsp
tbsp
c
ml
l
5ml
15ml
250ml
–
1000ml
The measurement of a cup is not standardised globally, and this variation can occasionally affect the outcome of a recipe. In my kitchen, I use a cup measurement equivalent to 250ml. While some countries, such as the United States, typically use a slightly smaller 240ml cup, the difference in many recipes is negligible.
However, a few countries, including Japan, adopt a significantly smaller 200ml cup. In such cases, the difference can become crucial. For instance, while a bit less carrot in a stew might not make a substantial difference, 50ml less flour in baking could significantly alter the texture and structure of your baked goods.
A tablespoon, on the other hand, is typically 15ml in most parts of the world. But if you’re in Australia, be aware that their tablespoon measures up to 20ml. This highlights the importance of understanding these regional differences in measurements to ensure the success of your culinary endeavors, especially when following international recipes
Weights – Metric to Imperial
Living in New Zealand, I use to the metric system in my recipe development. Although I occasionally utilise cup measurements, my preference leans towards using scales for accuracy. The metric system’s simplicity, with its base-10, makes calculations easy scaling recipes, determining costs, and creating recipes that can be reliably replicated.
One of my loves is resurrecting and reimagining old recipes, like those from my grandmother’s cookbooks and other collected treasures. In a bid to modernise these dishes with a plant-based twist, I meticulously measure and test multiple times.
However, when converting from imperial to metric measurements, it’s often necessary to round numbers. This rounding can lead to discrepancies, particularly when scaling up a recipe.
For instance, while 1 ounce is typically converted to 25g for simplicity, its exact weight is actually 28.35g. If you were to multiply this rounded 25g by 10 to calculate 10 ounces, the total would fall short by around 33.5g. In some recipes, this could lead to noticeable differences in the final result. So it’s crucial to be mindful of these potential pitfalls when working with converted measurements and scaling recipes.
To make other conversions you can use a site like this
Common Liquid Conversions
Metric and Imperial Cups
Metric
30ml
60ml
80ml
125ml
185ml
250ml
375ml
500ml
1000ml
Fluid ounce
1 fl oz
2 fl oz
2 ¾ fl oz
4 fl oz
6 fl oz
8 fl oz
12 fl oz
16 fl oz
32 fl oz
Cups
1/8 cup
¼ cup
1/3 cup
½ cup
¾ cup
1 cup
1 ½ cup
2 cups
4 cups