Human beings’ basic needs include shelter, clothing, and the most important, food. But in modern times, undeniably delicious food has become basically a staple.
Food has been there when there was no man but rather a simple and primitive sign of life on this planet. From under-evolved animals to evolved humankind, food has always been the source of energy. Even though the literal definition of food has changed over the centuries but the tasteful definition has surely changed a lot. From eating raw meat by hunting animals to cooked beef steaks, humans have accomplished an outstanding milestone in the culinary world. It’s funny how the word ‘culinary’ was not even coined when food existed on this planet. From simple and humble staples to mouth-watering delicacies, mankind has left no stones unturned when it came to tantalizing their taste buds. The whole planet is moving forward due to this simple yet major part of the system. And the amalgamation of different cuisines makes this world a better place, to say the least. It not only serves the purpose of filling the stomach anymore, rather it has become like a constant companion at home, at work, in movie theatres, on the sides of the street, and each, and everywhere eyes can go. Every country, even every small corner of the world has created one or two or maybe more than that of their special dishes which have become some of the most delicious and famous dishes in the world. This blog might come in handy if you are planning to travel to these regions as the food guide.
- Picanha of Brazil
This dish is a cut of beef that is specifically the meat from the above rare part of the cow which sits on a fatty cap. The meat cut is highly prized and popular in Brazil and later was accepted in Portugal. Although the dish is not that popular in the States but the meat cut is pretty popular in the U.S. by the name sirloin cap and in the U.K. it is known by the name rump cap. This meat cut is mainly used for churrasco where the meat is firstly grilled and then sliced off from a skewer. The meat cut has very little fat content so it can get overcooked very easily if not handled carefully which will make the meat tough and rubbery. The word picanha has been derived from the word ‘picana’ which is the name of the poles ranchers use to herd the cattle, although in Brazil the name got a slightly different meaning which referred to the portion of the animal that was poked by the ranchers’ poles.
- Roti Canai of Malaysia
This can be considered as the presentable and sophisticated cousin from abroad of the humble paratha of India. The dish is said to have its origin in India when the Indian laborers migrated to Malaysia. It is said that the Indian laborers took this recipe with them to Malaysia and it has been one of the best things to eat in Malaysia. The simple ingredients like flour, clarified butter or ghee, and salt are mixed together and rolled into dough way too many times. But the reason for knitting it so hard, as it creates layers of soft and buttery goodness when flattened into a circular shape called ‘roti’. Then it is fried and the outer part gets golden and crispy while the inside remains soft and fluffy. It is mostly served as an accompaniment to curries.
- Phat Kaphrao of Thailand
One of the most common dishes ordered by foreigners visiting Thailand is Phat Kaphrao. This dish is a mixture of different sources of protein, carbohydrates, and tantalizing taste, of course. The Thai stir-fry consists of minced meat, and seafood along with a bunch of green and colorful veggies which get sautéed with a dash of soya sauce and fish sauce. It is mainly served on the side of clean white rice, fried egg, and a little bit of fish sauce.
- Pizza Napoletana of Italy
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear Italy? Pizza, right? Well, the reason for this goes back to the 1700s with the creation of the iconic Napoletana pizza which has only two variations. One is called marinara pizza which is topped with sun-dried tomato sauce along with garlic and oregano, the other variety is called Margherita pizza which is topped with fresh and gooey mozzarella cheese, fresh and bright red tomato, and green basil leaves. The color combination of this pizza is said to represent the Italian flag. The crust is supposed to be thin with the outer corners being puffy and charred if baked properly.
- Goutie of China
This is the northern Chinese version of the Chinese jiaozi dumpling. This is basically a dumpling that is filled with minced pork, Chinese cabbage, ginger, rice, scallions, sesame seeds, oil, and wine. The first existence of this dish dates back to the Song Dynasty but nowadays it has become a very popular street food that is also eaten as a starter and appetizer. The dumplings do not look like the traditional ones with the round bottom, rather these are long and straight. At first, the bottom of the dumplings are fried and then a little bit of liquid is added to the pan and then covered. This gives the chance to get the filling and the upper part of the dumplings to get steamed and cooked nicely. The crunchy and soft creamy texture is attained by this special method of cooking.
- Butter Garlic Naan of India
Naan is one the most popular traditional dishes of India and the butter garlic naan is by far the most popular version. The naan is basically a puffy flatbread that contains ingredients like flour, salt, sugar, yeast, and yogurt. The dough is rolled out as a flatbread and put inside a hot tandoor oven which gives it the classic charred look and then it is topped with butter and minced garlic. The flatbread is served mostly with different types of curries in India like butter chicken, paneer butter masala, malai kofta, sahi paneer, and so on.
- Shashlik of Russia
The name of this dish is for a traditional barbecue of the Central and Western part of Asia. It consists of overnight marinated, skewered, and grilled pieces of meat like lamb, beef, and pork. The meat pieces are usually grilled with a combination of vegetables like bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, or tomatoes. In Russia, grilling is mainly the responsibility of the man while slicing vegetables and setting up tables is the duty that falls on the women. The point of this barbecue is to have a social gathering around a fire pit filled with delicious and juicy meat. As the meat is marinated overnight in a mixture of vinegar, herbs, spices, and dry wine, the meat becomes incredibly tender. Tender enough to keep you asking for more.
Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato of Portugal
This dish is a clam dish that is mainly consumed as an appetizer which got its name from the 19th-century poet Raimundo António de Bulhão Pato. This humble and simple dish involves clams along with a flavorful sauce that is made with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh coriander. White wine can also be added to the sauce if you like that. This appetizing dish is mainly served with a piece of bread on the side.
- Pempek of Indonesia
This traditional dish of Indonesia is actually a fish cake that is made with minced or grounded fish and tapioca. The dish originally was created in the city of Palembang, which is located in the South Sumatra province. The story related to the origin of the dish speaks of an old citizen of the Palembang who got tired of the regular fried and grilled fish so one day he decided to ground up the fish, mix it with tapioca flour and fry them. This invention led the man to cycle through the city while selling the fish cakes, later this dish became the traditional snack of Indonesia.
- Bánh mìthịt of Vietnam
This traditional street food of Vietnam is nothing more than a variation of the Vietnamese bánh mì sandwich where thịt means meat. This meat sandwiches contain different Vietnamese cold cuts such as sliced roasted pork, sliced ham, sliced pork belly, and pork sausage along with mayonnaise, cucumbers, pickled carrots, daikon, and liver pâté which is then stuffed into a traditional bánh mì roll, at the end it is garnished with sliced chilies, coriander, and black pepper. This dish has become a staple for school kids and workers and is usually eaten as breakfast or lunch.
- Dakos of Greece
This a traditional Cretan dish of Greece which is mainly served as a light dinner. It is also called ntakosand consists of a dry barley rusk called paximaddi which is topped with diced fresh and ripped tomatoes, crumbled myzithra cheese, whole olives, capers, fresh oregano, and a few splashes of very high-quality olive oil. The rusk is rubbed with a small piece of garlic and sprinkled lightly with sea salt. The myzithra cheese is often used as the feta is reserved for tourist restaurants. Varieties of olives like Koroneiki, Lianes, or Tsounates are recommended to be used to get the maximum flavor of this dish.
- Leche de tigre of Peru
This dish is not just a dish but it is also a drink. Yes! It is a special kind of Peruvian cuisine that consists of the ceviche juice that is left after the consumption of the fish. The drink is creamy and milky in texture with a fresh, savory, spicy, and acidic note to it. Sometimes, to make the drink thick, chefs add pureed fish to it while others add milk to get that whitish color and to balance out the acidity of the lime. There are many variations of this dish but the flavors remain somewhat the same. This drink has created a special place in the Peruvian households as it is considered an aphrodisiac and a great cure for hangovers.
- Carne asada tacos of Mexico
The history of tacos in the culinary world started with this dist. It was in the 1500swhen the first taco dish in the history originated. The taco was made with thin slices of meat that had been cooked on hot coal, topped with onions, chili peppers, guacamole, and lime, and placed in a corn tortilla. Nowadays, humankind has made extravagant variations of this humble taco and it has brought about a culinary twist in this world.
- Cağkebabı of Turkey
It is a variation of kebab that originated from the city of Erzurum in Turkey. The lamb is left to be marinated with onions, salt, and pepper for twelve hours and then it is put on a woof fire on a big horizontal skewer. The master of this trade, known as the usta will then slice the succulent and juicy meat off with a skewer until the skewer is completely full with lamb meat pieces. Often the meat is eaten straight from the skewer but sometimes it is served wrapped in a warm, soft, and freshly baked flatbread called lavash.
- Maguro nigiri sushi of Japan
This sushi is a traditional Japanese type of nigiri sushi which consists of hand-pressed sushi rice which is topped with a slice of tuna. There are many variations of tuna cuts which include otora or the fatty cut, chutoro, or the medium-fatty cut, and akami, or the red meat cut. Traditionally this sushi is eaten with hand and in a single bite. The subtle flavor and rich texture of the sushi are quite palatable for the sushi newcomers. It is mainly served with soy sauce, wasabi, or pickled ginger called gari on the side.
- Châteaubriand of France
This is a steak dish whose name Châteaubriand not only refers to the meat cut but also to the special technique including grilling or roasting by which the dish is made. The first time this dish was made, it was for a French, diplomat, author, and statesman named Francois René Vicomte de Chateaubriand by a chef named Montmireil in the year 1822. The steak is always served with a side of sauce generally a traditional red wine sauce or Béarnaise sauce along with roasted new potatoes or tiny chateau potatoes.
- Pernil of Puerto Rico
This dish is by far the most famous dish found in Puerto Rico. The dish consists of a succulent and delicate roasted pork shoulder that gets marinated in a mixture of salt, garlic, vinegar, paprika, and oregano, this marinade is called adobo mojado. The name of this dish is derived from the Spanish word ‘pierna’ which means leg but it is also a Catalan word for ham which is used in the traditional recipe. But as the pork shoulder is more available than ham, it has become the main ingredient of this dish. According to locals, the pork shoulder tastes better than the ham as it is much more flavorful. The dish has become a staple and is cooked at weddings and birthdays where the crowd gets to enjoy the crispy golden skin and the tender and succulent meat underneath.
- Khinkali of Georgia
This dish is a traditional dumpling dish of Georgia which is considered as one of the national dishes of the country. These cute pouches made with flour are filled with minced meat and spices and then twisted on the top in the traditional way. Depending on the region the kind of meat used in the stuffing changes. For example, the stuffing is made with lamb in the mountainous regions of Georgia whereas throughout the major part of the country, a mixture of beef and pork is seen as the filling. The traditional way of eating these dumplings is by eating while holding the twisted top part in hand. The twisted part should not be eaten as it holds the whole thing together and is mainly left on the plate after finishing to count how many dumplings have been eaten. The meat of the filling is not pre-cooked so all the juices from the meat get trapped into the little pouches.
- Zeytoonparvardeh of Iran
This dish is mainly consumed as a snack or an appetizer in this country. It is like a fruit salad but with different kinds of Iranian ingredients like pitted olives and pomegranate molasses along with some additional ingredients like walnuts, garlic, cilantro or mint, pomegranate seed, and a big splash of olive oil. The colorful and flavorful combination originated from the Gilan province of Iran. The dish tastes the best when it is served chilled.
- Ciorba Radauteana of Romania
This dish is a traditional Romanian soup that is made with chicken, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic, onions, celery, carrots, sweet red peppers, and parsley. All of the ingredients are cooked over medium heat until the chicken and the vegetables are cooked to perfection. The soup has a highly acidic sour note to it due to the lemon juice but it is considered to have healing powers and is a must in cases of common cold symptoms and it is consumed as a great cure for hangovers as well.
- Sinigang of Philippines
This dish is a sour Filipino soup that is made from tamarind, hot peppers, water, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, eggplant, diced tomatoes, sliced onions, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, green beans, and salt. The sour soup against the hot tropical weather of this country feels fresh and acts as a true representative of the Filipino cuisine. Other ingredients apart from the traditional ones like fish, milkfish, pork, beef or chicken can also beaded to the soup. The soup is most commonly served as a main dish with rice on the side. Nowadays, apart from tamarind other fruits like raw guavas or mangoes are also being used in this soup.
- Gambas al ajillo of Spain
This traditional Spanish dish which translates to ‘garlic shrimp’ is a shrimp dish where the shrimp or prawns are sautéed in a pan with olive oil, minced garlic, paprika, and lemon juice. The dish is usually served as a tapa with some crusty bread that can mop up the flavorful sauce and garnished with chopped parsley.
- Boiled Maine Lobster of the United States of America
One of the most simple and popular dishes in the U.S. is the boiled Maine lobster where the lobsters are kept in the fridge for thirty to sixty minutes before putting them in boiling water which has been seasoned with sea salt. Freezing the lobsters is important as they fall asleep in the cold which makes it painless for them when plopped into the hot water. The cooking time depends on the size of the lobster and the cooking needs to be done carefully because if it gets overcooked then the meat will be tough and rubbery. And that’s it. The whole lobster is served with melted butter and a big bucket for the shells.
- Tequeños of Venezuela
This dish is said to have originated from the city of Los Teques. It is a traditional Venezuelan snack that consists of nicely fried wanton wrappers or empanadas that are filled with cheese. The snack is usually served with various dipping sauces like salsa de palta or guacamole. This crispy on the outside and cheesy on the inside snack became rapidly popular throughout the entire Latin America. It is mainly consumed as an appetizer or an afternoon snack. Oftentimes, the Peruvians add other ingredients like lomosaltado, ham, or aji de gallina to the cheese stuffing.
- Ajvar of North Macedonia
One of the most popular condiments of the Balkans and Eastern Europe is this traditional pepper and eggplant spread. The most delicious and prized of the ajvar is the Macedonian ones as they are made with only red peppers. Although there is a debate around this but it is considered that the name has been derived from the Turkish word ‘hayvar’ which means caviar. After the fall of production of the real caviar in Serbia, they started offering the ‘red-ajvar’ or the vegetable caviar which can also be the origin of the name. This relish is made with a paste of roasted red bull horn pepper, hot pepper, eggplant, and garlic. The word fire roasted vegetables gives a nice smoking taste along with the tangy and sweet taste of the peppers. This relish is a match made in heaven when it is paired with any kind of grilled meat.
