Popular recipes
The classics worth knowing — across continents, categories and skill levels.
Smoky Jollof Rice
The pride of West Africa — long-grain rice slow-cooked in a deeply spiced tomato-pepper base until each grain glows red.
Suya Beef Skewers
Thinly sliced beef coated in spicy peanut yaji and grilled over open flame — Nigeria's iconic street food.
Egusi Soup
Rich, nutty soup of ground melon seeds simmered with palm oil, leafy greens and assorted meats — eaten with pounded yam or fufu.
Pounded Yam & Efo Riro
Silky pounded yam paired with efo riro — a vibrant Yoruba spinach stew built on palm oil, peppers and assorted proteins.
Moi Moi
Steamed bean pudding of blended peeled black-eyed peas, peppers and palm oil — pillowy, savoury and party-table essential.
Puff Puff
Golden, airy yeast-risen dough balls — Nigeria's beloved street snack, lightly sweet and crisp on the outside.
Akara Bean Fritters
Crispy deep-fried fritters of whipped peeled beans, onion and pepper — classic with pap or fresh bread.
Amala, Ewedu & Gbegiri
The Yoruba 'abula' trio — smooth yam-flour amala paired with slippery jute-leaf ewedu and silky beans gbegiri, crowned with peppery stew.
Ofada Rice & Ayamase
Nutty unpolished Ofada rice with 'designer stew' — green bell peppers and habaneros bleached in palm oil with assorted meats and iru.
Asun (Peppered Goat)
Smoky grilled goat meat tossed in fiery scotch bonnet, onion and bell pepper — the party plate of Ondo and the Yoruba west.
Ofe Nsala (White Soup)
Anambra's pale, peppery catfish soup thickened with pounded yam paste and perfumed with utazi and uziza — no palm oil, no tomato.
Nkwobi
Igbo palm-oil cow-foot delicacy — gelatinous beef bathed in thick ngu (potash) palm-oil sauce, utazi and onion, served in carved wooden bowls.
Abacha & Ugba (African Salad)
Igbo cassava shavings tossed with fermented oil-bean ugba, palm-oil paste, garden eggs and smoked fish — a beloved no-cook delicacy.
Ofe Onugbu (Bitter Leaf Soup)
Classic Igbo soup of washed bitter leaves and cocoyam-thickened broth, rich with assorted meats, stockfish and palm oil.
Banga Soup
Urhobo/Itsekiri palm-fruit soup — fresh palm-nut cream simmered with catfish, beef and a fragrant blend of banga spices and oburunbebe stick.
Edikang Ikong
The luxurious Efik vegetable soup of fluted pumpkin (ugu) and waterleaf, packed with assorted proteins and very little water — vegetables cook in their own juice.
Afang Soup
Ibibio/Efik soup of finely sliced afang (okazi) leaves loosened with waterleaf, palm oil, periwinkles and assorted meats.
Tuwo Shinkafa & Miyan Kuka
Soft northern rice pudding paired with miyan kuka — a deep-green baobab-leaf soup thickened to silk with kalwa (dried okra) and beef.
Masa (Waina)
Northern rice pancakes — soaked rice ground with yeast and ferment-leavened, then cooked in a dimpled pan into golden cushions, eaten with honey or yaji.
Miyan Taushe
Hausa pumpkin and groundnut soup — silky purée of roasted pumpkin enriched with peanut butter, spinach and dried fish.
Kilishi
Northern Nigeria's spiced beef jerky — paper-thin beef sun-cured, coated in peanut-yaji paste and roasted to smoky, fiery sweetness.
Ghanaian Jollof Rice
Ghana's beloved jollof — long-grain rice cooked in a rich tomato base perfumed with bay, ginger and shito heat.
Waakye
Iconic Ghanaian rice and beans tinted deep red by sorghum leaves — served with shito, gari, spaghetti and stew.
Kelewele
Spicy fried ripe plantains marinated with ginger, chili and warm spices — sweet, smoky and addictive.
Nkatenkwan (Groundnut Soup)
Velvety peanut soup with chicken, ginger and chili — Ghana's hearty Sunday classic served with fufu or rice balls.
Banku with Grilled Tilapia
Fermented corn and cassava dough paired with whole grilled tilapia and fiery pepper sauce — a coastal Ghanaian favourite.
Red Red (Bean Stew & Fried Plantain)
Black-eyed pea stew enriched with palm oil and served with sweet fried plantains — a beloved Ghanaian comfort plate.
Fufu with Light Soup
Ashanti pounded cassava-and-plantain fufu bathed in a peppery tomato-and-ginger light soup with goat or guinea fowl.
Ampesi
Ashanti boiled yam, cocoyam or plantain served with a tomato-and-garden-egg palaver-style stew.
Abenkwan (Palm Nut Soup)
Ashanti soup of fresh palm-nut cream simmered with fish, meat and aromatics — deep orange and glossy.
Omotuo (Rice Balls)
Ashanti soft rice balls hand-shaped from overcooked rice — the classic partner for groundnut and palm-nut soups.
Nkontomire Abomu
Ashanti cocoyam-leaf stew with ground melon seeds (agushi), smoked fish and palm oil.
Ga Kenkey
Ga-Adangbe steamed fermented white corn dumplings wrapped in corn husks — Accra's staple with shito and fried fish.
Kpekpele (Homowo Dish)
Ga-Adangbe steamed fermented corn couscous eaten with palm-nut soup at Homowo — the 'hooting at hunger' festival.
Shito (Black Pepper Sauce)
Ga-Adangbe smoky black chili paste of dried shrimp, tomato paste and spices — Ghana's national condiment.
Gobɛ (Beans & Gari)
Ga-Adangbe workday plate — soft-cooked black-eyed peas with palm oil, fried plantain and gari sprinkle.
Akple
Ewe stiff porridge of corn and cassava dough — the Volta Region's answer to banku, paired with fetri detsi.
Fetri Detsi (Okra Stew)
Ewe silky okra stew with smoked fish, crab and palm oil — a Volta essential with akple.
Abolo
Ewe steamed corn-flour cakes eaten with one-man-thousand (fried anchovies) on the Volta lakeside.
Yakayake
Ewe steamed cassava couscous eaten with sugar, coconut and fried fish — a Keta breakfast tradition.
Fante Fante (Fisherman's Stew)
Cape Coast fisherman's one-pot of fresh fish poached in a bright palm-oil tomato and onion stew.
Fante Kenkey (Dokono)
Fante fermented corn dough wrapped in dried plantain leaves and boiled — sweeter and paler than Ga kenkey.
Etsew (Cassava Porridge)
Fante fermented cassava porridge — sour, warming and eaten with sugar and milk.
Tuo Zaafi (TZ)
Dagomba northern staple of soft millet or maize porridge served with ayoyo (jute-leaf) soup and dawadawa.
Tubaani
Northern steamed bean cake of ground beans, chili and dawadawa wrapped in leaves.
Dawadawa Soup
Northern Ghana's earthy soup thickened with fermented locust-bean seeds, guinea fowl and shea butter.
Koose
Northern bean fritters — soaked cowpeas blended with onion and chili, dropped into hot oil.
Zom Koom
Frafra millet flour drink from Upper East — sweetened and spiced with ginger and clove.
Bambara Bean Porridge
Upper East porridge of bambara groundnuts simmered with millet, salt and palm oil.
Saab (Dagaaba TZ)
Upper West stiff millet porridge — the Dagaaba staple served with bito (dried okra) soup.
Bito (Dried Okra Soup)
Upper West Dagaaba soup of pounded dried okra thickened with dawadawa and shea butter.
Ghanaian Suya
Zongo Hausa skewers of thin-sliced beef crusted in ground peanut, ginger and yaji spice, charred over coals.
Masa (Waina)
Zongo Hausa fluffy rice pancakes cooked in special dimpled pans and eaten with yaji or sweet sauce.
Zongo Fried Rice
Zongo Muslim-quarter street fried rice — smoky, spiced and heavy on kebab, gizzard and shito.
Akyeke
Nzema Western Region steamed sour-cassava couscous — served with pepper sauce, fried fish and coconut.
Yam Mpotompoto
Bono / Brong-Ahafo one-pot mashed-yam pottage with palm oil, smoked fish and garden eggs — nursery comfort food.
Fried Yam & Tilapia
Coastal chop-bar plate — deep-fried yam batons and crisp tilapia with fresh green pepper sauce.
Momoni Stew
Coastal fishing-village stew built on fermented salted fish (momoni), palm oil and hot pepper.
Chichinga (Ghanaian Kebab)
Pan-Ghanaian street kebab of beef, gizzard and liver rubbed in dry chichinga spice and charred over coals.
Bofrot (Puff-Puff)
Nationwide sweet yeasted dough balls fried till deep gold — Ghana's Sunday morning treat.
Sobolo (Hibiscus Drink)
Nationwide chilled hibiscus tea infused with pineapple skin, ginger, clove and mint.
Nkate Cake
Nationwide brittle-style bar of roasted peanuts held together with caramelized sugar.
Atadwe Milk (Tigernut Milk)
Nationwide creamy porridge-drink of tigernuts, rice and dates — thick, sweet and cooling.
Hausa Koko
Nationwide spiced fermented millet porridge — Ghana's morning bowl, often paired with koose.
Doro Wat
Ethiopia's national dish — chicken slow-braised in caramelized onions, berbere and spiced butter, served over injera.
Preserved Lemon Chicken Tagine
Slow-cooked chicken with olives, preserved lemon and ras el hanout — fragrant, bright and deeply savory.
Chicken Katsu Curry
Crispy panko-crusted chicken cutlets over fluffy rice with a glossy, gently sweet Japanese curry sauce.
Butter Chicken
Tandoor-charred chicken in a velvety tomato, butter and cream sauce balanced with fenugreek leaves.
Pad Thai
Stir-fried rice noodles with shrimp, tamarind, palm sugar and crushed peanuts — sweet, salty, sour.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Roman classic — guanciale, egg yolks, pecorino and black pepper. No cream, no shortcuts.
Paella Valenciana
The original Valencian paella — chicken, rabbit, green beans and saffron rice with a coveted crispy socarrat.
Provençal Ratatouille
Sun-soaked Provençal vegetable stew of eggplant, courgette, peppers and tomato finished with herbs.
Tacos al Pastor
Marinated pork in achiote and dried chilies, traditionally spit-roasted with pineapple. Served on warm corn tortillas.
Classic Ceviche
Sea bass cured in fresh lime juice with ají, red onion and cilantro — Peru's national dish.
Silky Hummus
Velvety chickpea purée with tahini, lemon and garlic — finished with olive oil and warm spices.
Low-and-Slow BBQ Ribs
Pork ribs rubbed with brown sugar and paprika, smoked low until they bend and pull from the bone.
Crusty Sourdough Loaf
An open-crumb country loaf built on a lively starter, long fermentation and a hot Dutch oven.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Crisp edges, fudgy centers, dark chocolate puddles and toasted brown butter depth.
Koshari
Egypt's beloved street dish — layers of rice, lentils, macaroni, chickpeas and spiced tomato sauce, crowned with crispy onions.
Beef Rendang
Slow-simmered Sumatran beef in coconut milk and a deep spice paste until dry, dark and intensely fragrant.
Fish & Chips
Beer-battered cod with thick-cut chips — crisp shatter, flaky flesh, malt vinegar mandatory.
Grilled Steak with Chimichurri
Charred ribeye over open coals served with bright, garlicky herb chimichurri.
Jerk Chicken
Scotch bonnet, allspice and thyme marinade slow-grilled over pimento wood for smoky island heat.
Chicken Kabsa
Fragrant Saudi rice cooked with whole chicken, tomato and warm baharat spices — a feast for sharing.
Lamb Plov
Silk Road one-pot rice with lamb, carrots, garlic and cumin — built in layers in a deep kazan.
Aussie Meat Pie
The national handheld — flaky shortcrust base, puff lid, and a rich gravy-laced beef filling. Best eaten with tomato sauce.
Lamingtons
Squares of light sponge dipped in chocolate icing and tumbled in desiccated coconut — Australia's afternoon-tea icon.
ANZAC Biscuits
Chewy oat-and-coconut biscuits bound with golden syrup — no eggs, so they shipped well to soldiers in WWI.
Barramundi with Lemon Myrtle
Pan-seared barramundi crusted with native lemon myrtle, served with brown butter and macadamias — modern bush-tucker cooking.
Pumpkin Damper
Bushman's campfire bread, here enriched with roasted pumpkin for a soft golden crumb. Tear and slather with butter.
Chicken Parmigiana
Pub-classic crumbed chicken topped with napoli sauce and melted mozzarella — the Aussie 'parma' served with chips and salad.
Pavlova
Crisp meringue shell, marshmallow centre, whipped cream and fresh summer berries.
Moussaka
Layered eggplant, spiced lamb ragu and creamy béchamel baked until deep golden.
Plasas (Cassava Leaf Stew)
Sierra Leone's national dish — pounded cassava leaves slow-cooked in red palm oil with smoked fish, dried shrimp, groundnut paste and ogiri for that signature dark, velvety, deeply savoury stew over rice.
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Potato Leaf Plasa (Petehteh Leaf Stew)
Finely chopped sweet potato (petehteh) leaves stewed down with palm oil, peanut paste, smoked fish, ogiri and a touch of okra — a Salone household favourite, lighter and grassier than its cassava-leaf cousin.
Granat Sup (Sierra Leonean Groundnut Soup)
Salone's classic 'granat sup' — beef (or chicken) simmered in palm oil with onion, a little tomato and groundnut paste until the peanuts cook out fragrant, glossy and the oil floats on top. Served over white rice.
Okroh Soup (Sierra Leonean Okra Soup)
Salone okroh sup — fresh okra grated to a glossy, ropey draw, simmered in red palm oil with beef, smoked fish, dried shrimp and scotch bonnet until rich, slippery and deeply savoury. Eaten with rice or foofoo.
Tola Soup (Beniseed / Sesame Soup)
A Salone delicacy from the east — roasted beniseed (sesame seeds) ground to a paste and simmered with beef, smoked fish, palm oil and scotch bonnet into a nutty, glossy soup. Especially loved in Kono and Kailahun.
Bittas Soup (Bitter Leaf Soup)
Salone bittas sup — washed bitter leaves slow-cooked in red palm oil with beef or cowfoot, smoked fish, dried shrimp and ogiri. The leaves are repeatedly squeezed to tame the bitterness into a clean, herbal edge.
Sierra Leonean Smoky Jollof Rice
Salone-style jollof: parboiled rice cooked in a deeply spiced pepper base until the bottom catches just enough to perfume every grain with smoke.
Stamppot Boerenkool
Dutch winter classic of mashed potatoes folded with curly kale, served with smoked sausage and a pool of gravy.
Moules-Frites
Steamed mussels in white wine, shallot and parsley, served with crisp double-fried Belgian frites.
Classic Cheese Fondue
Moitié-moitié fondue of Gruyère and Vacherin Fribourgeois, melted with white wine, garlic and kirsch.
Wiener Schnitzel
Paper-thin veal cutlets in golden, soufflé-light breadcrumbs, fried in clarified butter and served with lemon.
Traditional Irish Stew
Slow-simmered lamb, potatoes and onions in a clean, herb-scented broth — Ireland's national one-pot.
Judd mat Gaardebounen
Luxembourg's national dish: smoked collar of pork simmered with broad beans in a creamy savory sauce.
Mansaf
Jordan's national dish — lamb simmered in tangy fermented jameed yogurt sauce, served over saffron rice and shrak bread.
Musakhan
Palestine's beloved sumac chicken roasted with caramelized onions and pine nuts on olive-oil-soaked taboon bread.
Shakshuka
Eggs poached in a smoky tomato-pepper sauce with cumin and paprika — a North African–Levantine breakfast staple.
Machboos Laham
Emirati spiced lamb and rice perfumed with loomi (dried lime), saffron and the warm baharat blend.
Omani Shuwa (Oven Version)
Traditionally buried in an earth oven for a day — this oven take captures the same banana-leaf-wrapped, spice-rubbed lamb.
Machboos Diyay
Qatar's celebratory chicken and rice — fragrant with loomi, baharat and saffron, finished with crispy fried onions.
Kuwaiti Machboos with Daqoos
Kuwait's signature one-pot spiced rice with lamb, served with daqoos — a fresh tomato, garlic and chili sauce.
Machboos Samak
Bahrain's prized fish machboos — hammour or snapper layered with spiced rice, loomi and caramelized onions.
Masgouf
Iraq's national dish — butterflied river fish marinated in tamarind, turmeric and olive oil, grilled slowly upright by an open flame.
Khorovats
Armenia's celebrated barbecue — chunks of pork or lamb marinated simply with onion, herbs and pepper, then charred over vine wood.
Adjaruli Khachapuri
Boat-shaped Georgian cheese bread filled with molten sulguni and a runny egg yolk stirred in at the table.
Azerbaijani Plov
Saffron rice with a crisp golden gazmag crust, served with lamb-and-chestnut stew alongside in the Baku tradition.
Pierogi Ruskie
Tender boiled dumplings filled with potato and twaróg cheese, finished in butter with golden onions.
Borscht
Ruby-red beet and cabbage soup simmered with beef, finished with dill and a swirl of smetana.
Varenyky with Cherries
Pillowy half-moon dumplings stuffed with sour cherries, served warm with sour cream and sugar.
Svíčková na Smetaně
Marinated beef sirloin in a silky root-vegetable cream sauce, served with bread dumplings, cranberry and lemon.
Bryndzové Halušky
Slovakia's national dish — soft potato dumplings tossed with tangy sheep's bryndza cheese and crisp bacon.
Hungarian Gulyás
Slow-simmered beef and potato soup deeply colored with sweet Hungarian paprika and finished with caraway.
Sarmale
Sour-cabbage rolls stuffed with pork, rice and smoked paprika, slow-baked over sauerkraut and served with mămăligă.
Shopska Salad
Bulgaria's flag in a bowl — ripe tomatoes, cucumber, peppers and onion blanketed under a snowy mound of sirene cheese.
Ćevapi
Skinless grilled minced-meat sausages served in warm somun flatbread with raw onion and ajvar.
Crni Rižot (Black Risotto)
Adriatic squid-ink risotto from Dalmatia — glossy black, briny and finished with olive oil and parsley.
Bosanski Lonac
Layered Bosnian pot of beef, cabbage, potato and root vegetables slow-cooked until everything melts together.
Štruklji with Cottage Cheese
Rolled Slovenian dumpling of thin dough wrapped around sweet-savoury cottage cheese, steamed and finished with breadcrumbs.
Tavë Kosi
Albania's national dish — lamb baked under a tangy, custardy yogurt-and-egg topping with rice.
Tavče Gravče
Macedonia's signature baked beans in a clay pot with onions, peppers and a bold dusting of red paprika.
Šaltibarščiai
Lithuania's electric-pink chilled beet and kefir soup, served with hot boiled potatoes on the side.
Pelēkie Zirņi ar Speķi
Latvia's signature grey peas with smoked bacon and onion — a humble winter staple served with kefir.
Mulgipuder
Estonia's Mulgi-region mash of potatoes and barley groats topped with browned bacon and onion.
Mămăligă cu Brânză
Moldovan polenta layered with sheep brânză cheese and sour cream, served with crackling pork.
Riz Gras
Burkinabé one-pot rice braised with beef, vegetables and tomato.
Dambou
Steamed millet couscous with moringa leaves — a Nigerien staple.
Akume with Fetri Dessi
Soft cornmeal pap with okra and smoked fish stew.
Amiwo
Reddish tomato-spiced cornmeal porridge served with chicken sauce.
Liberian Cassava Leaf
Slow-cooked ground cassava leaves with smoked meat and palm oil.
Cachupa
National hominy, bean and pork stew of the islands.
Caldo de Mancarra
Rich peanut stew with chicken and tomato.
Mauritanian Thieboudienne
Saharan one-pot fish-and-rice with caramelized vegetables.
Kisra
Thin sourdough sorghum flatbread of the Sudanese savanna.
Skoudehkaris
Spiced lamb-and-rice pilaf, the Djiboutian national dish.
Langouste à la Vanille
Lobster simmered in vanilla coconut sauce.
Seychellois Octopus Curry
Slow-braised octopus in coconut creole curry.
Dholl Puri
Yellow split-pea stuffed flatbread, Mauritius's national street snack.
Chambo with Nsima
Grilled lake fish served with stiff maize porridge.
Papa with Moroho
Maize porridge with wild greens — Basotho daily comfort.
Sidvudvu
Pumpkin-and-maize porridge from the Swazi highlands.
Muamba de Galinha
Angolan chicken stew with palm oil, okra and pumpkin.
Kanda ti Nyma
Pumpkin-seed meatballs braised in tomato sauce.
Daraba (Chadian Okra & Peanut Stew)
Chad's signature lush green stew — fresh okra simmered slowly with sweet potato, eggplant, tomato and groundnut paste in red palm oil until thick, glossy and 'drawing'. Served piping hot over boule de mil (millet ball).
Sauce Longue (Chadian Long Okra Sauce)
Southern Chad's iconic 'long sauce' — okra (sometimes thickened with mucilaginous bark) simmered with dried fish, onion, tomato and chili into a stretchy, ropey sauce that pulls from the spoon in long strands. Eaten with boule de mil.
Maafé Tchadien (Chadian Groundnut Stew)
Chad's version of the Sahelian peanut stew — beef or goat braised with tomato, onion and a generous slick of groundnut paste until the oil floats on top. Eaten with rice or boule de mil.
Karkanji (Chadian Hibiscus Drink)
Karkanji — the deep crimson dried-hibiscus drink found at every Chadian celebration. Steeped with ginger, cloves and a hint of mint, sweetened and served ice-cold.
Kisra (Fermented Sorghum Flatbread)
Paper-thin tangy sorghum crepes from northern and eastern Chad (shared with Sudan) — a naturally fermented batter cooked very fast on a hot griddle, then folded into stacks to scoop up daraba or maafé.
Tilapia Braisé (Lake Chad Grilled Fish)
Whole tilapia (or capitaine) from Lake Chad and the Chari River, scored, marinated in garlic, ginger, lemon and chili, then grilled over wood embers until the skin blisters and the flesh is smoky and just-set.
Saka-Saka
Pounded cassava-leaf stew with smoked fish and palm oil.
Poulet Nyembwe
Chicken braised in palm-fruit cream sauce.
Pepe Soup
Fiery pepper soup with goat or fish.
Calulu
Layered fish-and-greens stew with palm oil and okra.
Buuz
Steamed mutton dumplings central to Tsagaan Sar.
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Pyongyang Naengmyeon
Chilled buckwheat noodles in icy beef broth.
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup
Soy-braised beef shank in fragrant five-spice broth.
Chicken Karahi
Wok-style tomato-and-ginger chicken from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Shorshe Ilish
Hilsa fish in pungent mustard-poppy seed gravy.
Sri Lankan Fish Curry
Tuna simmered in toasted-spice coconut sauce.
Nepali Chicken Momo
Steamed dumplings served with tomato-sesame achar.
Ema Datshi
National cheese-and-chili stew of Bhutan.
Mas Huni
Shredded smoked tuna with coconut, onion and chili — Maldivian breakfast.
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Kabuli Pulao
Fragrant lamb pilaf crowned with caramelized carrots and raisins.
Nasi Lemak
Coconut rice with sambal, anchovies, peanuts and egg — the national breakfast.
Hainanese Chicken Rice
Poached chicken with fragrant ginger rice and three sauces.
Mohinga
Lemongrass-fish noodle soup, the Burmese national breakfast.
Fish Amok
Steamed coconut-curry fish custard in banana leaves.
Larb Gai
Lao minced-chicken salad with toasted rice powder.
Ambuyat
Sago starch jelly twirled with bamboo and dipped in tangy sauce.
Batar Da'an
Hearty corn, mung bean and pumpkin stew.
Lagman
Hand-pulled noodles in lamb-and-pepper stew.
Qurutob
Torn fatir flatbread soaked in qurut yogurt with vegetables.
Dograma
Crumbled flatbread with shredded lamb and onion in broth.
Barbagiuan
Fried chard-and-ricotta turnovers, Monaco's national snack.
Käsknöpfle
Tiny egg dumplings with melted Alpine cheese and fried onions.
Bacalhau à Brás
Salt cod scrambled with shoestring potatoes, onion and eggs.
Stuffat tal-Fenek
Slow-braised rabbit stew with red wine, the Maltese national dish.
Souvla
Large lamb chunks slow-grilled on a rotating spit.
Torta Tre Monti
Layered hazelnut wafer cake of the three peaks.
Trinxat
Mashed cabbage and potato pan-fried with bacon.
Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe
Three-ingredient Roman pasta of pecorino and black pepper.
Draniki
Crispy potato pancakes served with sour cream.
Flija
Layered crepes baked under a saç dome with cream and butter.
Kačamak
Polenta-and-potato mash with cheese and cream.
Fårikål
National lamb-and-cabbage stew with whole peppercorns.
Frikadeller
Pan-fried Danish meat patties with creamy gravy.
Lohikeitto
Creamy Finnish salmon soup with leek and dill.
Plokkfiskur
Mashed fish-and-potato comfort gratin.
Pepián
Toasted-spice chicken stew, the national dish.
Stew Chicken with Rice and Beans
Recado-stained chicken with coconut rice and red beans.
Baleadas
Folded flour tortillas with refried beans, cream and cheese.
Pupusas Revueltas
Stuffed corn cakes with chicharrón, cheese and beans.
Nacatamal
Banana-leaf wrapped masa with pork, rice and vegetables.
Gallo Pinto
Black bean and rice classic with Salsa Lizano.
Sancocho Panameño
Hen-and-yam stew with cilantro foot, the national soup.
Griot
Marinated then fried pork shoulder served with pikliz.
La Bandera Dominicana
Rice, red beans and stewed chicken — the everyday national plate.
Doubles
Twin curried-chickpea fried flatbreads — Trinidad's street icon.
Bahamian Conch Fritters
Crispy conch-meat fritters with dipping sauce.
Cou-Cou and Flying Fish
Cornmeal-okra polenta with steamed flying fish — Barbados's national dish.
Callaloo Soup
Pureed dasheen-leaf soup with coconut and crab.
Oil Down
One-pot breadfruit, salted meat, callaloo and coconut milk — the national dish.
Green Fig and Saltfish
Boiled green bananas with sautéed salt cod — Saint Lucia's national dish.
Roast Breadfruit and Jackfish
Open-fire roasted breadfruit with brined jackfish — the national dish.
Fungi and Pepperpot
Cornmeal-okra fungi served with spinach-based meat stew.
Stewed Saltfish with Dumplings
Saltfish simmered with onion and tomato — the national dish.
Pastel de Choclo
Sweet corn pie over spiced beef pino with raisins and olives.
Bandeja Paisa
Antioquian platter of beans, rice, beef, chicharrón, plantain and egg.
Pabellón Criollo
Shredded beef with black beans, rice and fried plantain.
Encebollado
Tuna soup with yuca, pickled red onion and cilantro.
Salteñas
Sweet-savory baked beef-and-broth empanadas.
Sopa Paraguaya
Cornbread with cheese and onion — the 'solid soup'.
Chivito
Steak sandwich loaded with ham, cheese, egg and bacon.
Guyanese Pepperpot
Slow-braised meat in cassareep — Amerindian-Creole national dish.
Pom
Baked grated taro casserole with chicken — the national dish.
Lu Pulu
Corned beef and onion baked in taro leaves with coconut cream.
Pulaka in Coconut Cream
Steamed swamp taro with coconut cream and pandan.
Mumu
Pit-roasted pork, sweet potato and greens with coconut cream.
Kokoda
Coconut-cured raw fish salad — Fiji's ceviche.
Fish in Coconut Cream
Reef fish poached in spiced coconut cream.
Lap-Lap
Banana-leaf wrapped grated-root cake with coconut cream and meat.
Te Bua Toro ni Baukin
Pumpkin braised in coconut cream — an I-Kiribati staple.
Bwiro
Fermented breadfruit pudding wrapped in leaves.
Chicken Kelaguen
Grilled chicken citrus salad with coconut and chili.
Coconut Fish
Reef fish baked in coconut cream and lime.
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Chicken Tinola
Ginger-clear chicken soup with green papaya and chili leaves.
Thiéboudienne
Senegal's national dish — broken rice braised in tomato-tamarind broth with stuffed fish and vegetables.
Yassa Poulet
Lemon-and-onion braised chicken from Casamance, served over rice.
Mafé
Velvety peanut-butter and tomato stew with beef and root vegetables.
Poulet Yassa Guinée
Guinean take on yassa with extra mustard, olives and habanero heat.
Fonio Jollof
Ancient Fouta-Djallon fonio grain steamed in jollof tomato sauce.
Konkoé Pepper Soup
Smoked-fish pepper soup spiced with grains of paradise and ginger.
Domoda
Gambia's national peanut stew with beef, pumpkin and a tang of lemon.
Benachin
Wolof one-pot 'one-pot rice' with fish or meat and seasonal vegetables.
Tiguadege Na
Malian peanut-butter beef stew finished with okra and chili.
Riz au Gras
Sahelian jollof-style rice braised with lamb and root vegetables.
Fonio Salad
Cool fonio with cucumber, tomato, parsley and lemon — a Bamako lunch staple.
Kedjenou de Poulet
Slow-shaken clay-pot chicken with peppers, tomatoes and ginger — minimal liquid, maximum flavour.
Attiéké Poisson Braisé
Steamed cassava semolina with grilled tilapia and pepper-onion sauce.
Garba
Abidjan street snack of fried tuna over attiéké with chili-onion salsa.
Sierra Leonean Groundnut Stew
Krio-style peanut stew with chicken, sweet potato and scotch bonnet.
Sierra Leonean Okra Soup
Palm-oil okra soup with smoked fish and beef, served with foofoo.
Babenda
Mossi rice cooked with sorrel leaves, peanuts and dried fish.
Djerma Rice & Sauce
Steamed rice with peanut-tomato sauce and lamb — a Niamey staple.
Djenkoumé
Tomato-rich corn pudding traditionally served with grilled chicken.
Kuli-Kuli
Crunchy fried peanut sticks — a Beninese street favourite.
Liberian Jollof Rice
Liberia's tomato-rich jollof with chicken, shrimp and habanero.
Pastel com Diabo Dentro
'Pastry with the devil inside' — fried cornmeal turnovers with spicy tuna.
Bissau Jollof
Creole-Portuguese jollof with smoked fish and bay-scented broth.
Méchoui
Slow-roasted whole lamb shoulder rubbed with cumin, garlic and butter.
Shiro Wat
Silky chickpea-flour stew simmered with berbere and niter kibbeh; an Ethiopian everyday classic eaten with injera.
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Kitfo
Warm minced raw beef dressed with mitmita and aromatic spiced butter — a celebratory Gurage dish.
Injera
Spongy sourdough flatbread of teff flour — the plate, utensil and staple of Ethiopian and Eritrean tables.
Ugali & Sukuma Wiki
Stiff white maize porridge with quick-fried collard greens — Kenya's daily comfort plate.
Nyama Choma
Charcoal-grilled goat or beef ribs, sliced and dipped in salt and kachumbari — Kenya's beloved roast meat.
Pilau
Coastal Swahili spiced rice with beef, slow-toasted onions and pilau masala.
Mandazi
Lightly sweet East African fried dough scented with cardamom and coconut.
Zanzibar Pilau
Spice-island rice slow-cooked with beef, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom from Zanzibar's spice trade.
Ndizi na Nyama
Tender beef stewed with green plantains in a coconut-tomato sauce.
Mishkaki
Marinated beef skewers grilled over charcoal — Tanzania's roadside favorite.
Matoke
Steamed and mashed green bananas — Uganda's staple, often served with groundnut sauce or beef stew.
Luwombo
Royal Buganda stew of chicken, peanuts and mushrooms steamed inside folded banana leaves.
Rolex
Ugandan street favorite: a chapati rolled around a vegetable omelette.
Isombe
Pounded cassava leaves slow-cooked with peanuts, onion and palm oil.
Rwandan Brochettes
Goat skewers grilled over charcoal and served with grilled plantain.
Ibihaza
Pumpkin and beans simmered together — a comforting Rwandan staple.
Boko Boko Harees
Slow-cooked wheat and chicken porridge from the Great Lakes Swahili tradition.
Grilled Tilapia Tanganyika
Whole tilapia from Lake Tanganyika grilled with garlic, lemon and chili.
Ibiharage
Fried beans with onion, garlic and palm oil — a Burundian comfort side.
Bariis Iskukaris
Somali spiced rice cooked with goat, xawaash spice blend and raisins.
Sambusa
Crisp triangular pastries stuffed with spiced beef or lentils — a Ramadan favorite.
Suqaar
Quick-fried diced beef with peppers, onion and xawaash, eaten with anjero or rice.
Zigni
Eritrea's fiery beef stew slow-cooked with berbere and caramelized onions.
Tsebhi Birsen
Eritrean red lentil stew with berbere and spiced butter.
Himbasha
Lightly sweet celebration bread scented with cardamom and studded with raisins.
Lamb Tagine with Prunes
Slow-braised lamb with prunes, cinnamon and toasted almonds — a sweet-savory Moroccan classic.
Seven-Vegetable Couscous
Friday couscous steamed three times over a saffron-spiced lamb and vegetable broth.
Chicken Pastilla
Flaky warqa pastry layered with saffron chicken, almonds, eggs, cinnamon and sugar.
Harira
Tomato-lentil-chickpea soup thickened with flour, lifted with cilantro — Ramadan's iftar staple.
Msemen
Layered square Moroccan flatbreads, crisp outside and tender within — eaten with honey or cheese.
Ful Medames
Slow-cooked fava beans dressed with olive oil, lemon, garlic and cumin — Egypt's national breakfast.
Molokhia
Silky jute-leaf soup finished with garlic-coriander tagleya, ladled over rice and chicken.
Mahshi
Vine leaves and vegetables stuffed with herbed rice and slow-cooked in tomato broth.
Fattah
Layered rice, toasted bread and lamb drenched in vinegar-garlic sauce — an Egyptian feast dish.
Basbousa
Semolina cake soaked in lemon-rose syrup, topped with almonds.
Tunisian Fish Couscous
Coastal Tunisian couscous with grouper, harissa and saffron-tomato broth.
Brik à l'Œuf
Crisp malsouka pastry triangle hiding a runny egg, tuna, capers and parsley.
Shakshuka
Eggs poached in a spiced tomato-pepper sauce with harissa and caraway.
Lablabi
Spicy chickpea soup ladled over torn day-old bread, finished with cumin, harissa and a soft egg.
Chorba Frik
Smoky green-wheat soup with lamb, tomato and chickpeas — Ramadan in a bowl across Algeria.
Couscous Royale
Steamed couscous served with lamb, chicken, merguez and a vegetable-saffron broth.
Mhajeb
Stuffed semolina flatbread filled with onion-tomato-paprika confit.
Bazin
Dense barley dough served with a rich tomato-lamb stew and hard-boiled eggs.
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Sharba Libiya
Tomato-lamb soup with orzo, mint and chickpeas, brightened with lemon.
Mbatten
Stuffed potato slices: spiced minced beef sandwiched between potato and fried in batter.
Ful Sudani
Sudanese fava beans mashed with peanut paste, sesame oil, tomato and feta — breakfast across Sudan.
Kisra
Thin fermented sorghum flatbread, the Sudanese answer to injera.
Mullah Rob
Tangy okra-yogurt stew with lamb, dried tomato and Sudanese spices.
Aseeda
Smooth wheat porridge served with mullah stew or honey and ghee.
Bobotie
Cape Malay spiced minced beef baked under a savoury egg-milk custard with bay leaves.
Bunny Chow
Durban-Indian curry served inside a hollowed loaf of white bread.
Boerewors & Pap
Charcoal-grilled coriander-spiced sausage coil served with stiff maize pap and tomato relish (sheba).
Cape Malay Chicken Curry
Mildly sweet, fragrant curry with apricot, cinnamon and cardamom from Cape Town's Bo-Kaap.
Melktert
Silky cinnamon-dusted milk tart with a buttery shortcrust base.
Chakalaka
Spicy tomato-bean-vegetable relish from the townships, served with pap, braai or bread.
Sadza & Beef Stew
Stiff maize sadza with a tomato-onion beef stew — Zimbabwe's everyday plate.
Muriwo Unedovi
Collard greens simmered with peanut butter, onion and tomato.
Nyama yeHuku
Free-range chicken stewed with onion, tomato and Zimbabwean curry powder.
Mapopo Candy
Chewy papaya candy cooked with sugar, lemon and ginger — a beloved Zimbabwean sweet.
Peri-Peri Prawns
Mozambique's iconic prawns grilled with garlic, lemon and fiery peri-peri butter.
Matapa
Cassava leaves slow-cooked in coconut milk with peanuts and prawns — a Mozambican coastal classic.
Frango à Zambeziana
Coconut-and-piri-piri grilled chicken from the Zambezi region.
Xima
Mozambican white maize porridge — the daily staple of the south.
Kapana
Windhoek's open-air street beef — sliced thin, charred fast over open coals and dipped in chili-salt.
Potjiekos
Layered three-legged-pot stew of meat and vegetables cooked slowly over coals — never stirred.
Vetkoek with Mince
Golden fried bread split and stuffed with curried minced beef.
Oshifima ne Evanda
Northern Namibian millet pap with a slow-cooked spinach and beef relish.
Seswaa
Botswana's national dish — beef boiled until falling apart, then pounded with salt and served over bogobe.
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Bogobe jwa Lerotse
Sorghum porridge cooked with sweet wild melon — sweet, tangy and creamy.
Morogo wa Dinawa
Wild greens cooked with cowpeas, onion and tomato.
Nshima with Ifisashi
Stiff maize nshima paired with greens cooked in fresh peanut sauce.
Kapenta Stew
Tiny dried lake fish quickly stewed with onion, tomato and chili — protein-packed Zambian comfort.
Chikanda
African 'polony' — a cake of pounded wild orchid tubers, peanuts and chili.
Romazava
Madagascar's national stew — beef and pork with anamalao and brèdes mafana for a tongue-tingling finish.
Ravitoto sy Henakisoa
Pounded cassava leaves slow-cooked with pork belly — a Malagasy Sunday classic.
Vary Amin'Anana
One-pot Malagasy rice porridge with leafy greens and a little meat or fish.
Koba Akondro
Banana, peanut and rice flour log steamed in banana leaves — a Malagasy market sweet.
Ndolé
Cameroon's national dish — bitter leaves slow-cooked with peanut paste, smoked fish and beef.
Poulet DG
'Director General' chicken — fried chicken and ripe plantains tossed in a peppery vegetable sauce.
Eru
Bamenda-style finely shredded eru leaves cooked with waterleaf, palm oil and smoked meats.
Beignets Soufflés
Light yeast doughnuts dusted with sugar — a Cameroonian breakfast favorite.
Poulet à la Moambé
DR Congo's national dish — chicken slow-braised in palm-fruit sauce with chili and garlic.
Fufu
Smooth dough of cassava (and sometimes plantain) flour — Congo's universal companion to stews.
Saka-Saka
Pounded cassava leaves slow-simmered with palm oil, smoked fish and onion.
Mikate
Congolese yeast doughnuts scented with banana and nutmeg.
Liboke ya Mbisi
Whole river fish steamed in banana leaves with onion, tomato and chili.
Kanda ti Nyma
Beef-and-pumpkin-seed meatballs simmered in a peppery tomato sauce — a CAR classic.
Gozo
Stiff cassava-flour dough pounded smooth — eaten with stews across CAR.
Ngunza
Cassava leaves cooked with peanut butter, palm oil and smoked fish.
Boule de Mil
Millet-flour dough — Chad's everyday staple eaten with sauce.
La Bouillie
Sweet millet porridge with peanuts, sugar and ginger — a popular Chadian breakfast.
Saka-Saka Congo
Cassava leaves slow-cooked with palm oil and smoked fish — Brazzaville's daily favorite.
Poulet Moambé
Republic of Congo take on moambé — chicken in a dark, garlicky palm-fruit sauce.
Maboke
Whole fish with chili, onion and herbs steamed in marantaceae or banana leaves.
Poulet Nyembwe
Gabon's national dish — chicken in a rich palm-nut (nyembwe) sauce, often with smoked fish.
Banane et Atanga
Boiled green plantain served with softened atanga (African pear) — a classic Gabonese pairing.
Poisson Braisé
Whole grilled fish marinated with garlic, ginger and chili — Gabon's beachside classic.
Pepe Soup
Spicy pepper-and-fish soup with chili, ginger and herbs — eaten across the Gulf of Guinea.
Succotash
Sweet corn and lima beans with onion and tomato — a tropical Atlantic side.
Plantains Frits
Crisp golden ripe plantain slices, the perfect partner to pepe soup.
Calulu
São Tomé's national dish — layered dried fish, okra and greens slow-cooked with palm oil.
Banana Pão
Soft banana cake from the cocoa islands — sweet, dense and lightly cinnamon-spiced.
Molho de Pimenta
São Toméan island chili sauce of fresh peppers, garlic and lime.
Shoyu Ramen
Tokyo-style soy-based ramen with chicken-pork broth, chashu pork and a soft-boiled egg.
Nigiri Sushi
Hand-pressed vinegared rice topped with sashimi-grade fish.
Chicken Katsu Curry
Crispy panko-crusted chicken cutlet over rice with thick Japanese curry.
Okonomiyaki
Osaka-style savory pancake of cabbage, batter and pork belly, topped with okonomi sauce, mayo and bonito.
Miso Soup
Dashi-based broth with miso, tofu and wakame — Japan's daily bowl.
Tonkatsu
Crisp panko-fried pork loin served with shredded cabbage and tangy tonkatsu sauce.
Jingisukan
Hokkaido's mutton and lamb grilled on a domed skillet with vegetables and a soy-based dipping sauce.
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Zangi
Hokkaido-style marinated fried chicken — juicier and more heavily seasoned than mainland karaage.
Ishikari Nabe
Hokkaido salmon hot pot in miso-dashi broth with tofu, potato and seasonal vegetables.
Gyutan Yaki
Sendai's charcoal-grilled salted beef tongue, sliced thick and served with barley rice and pickled cabbage.
Wanko Soba
Iwate's bite-sized bowls of buckwheat noodles served endlessly with toppings until the eater surrenders.
Monjayaki
Tokyo's soupier cousin of okonomiyaki — a runny batter cooked directly on a teppan and scraped up with a spatula.
Chankonabe
Tokyo sumo-stable hot pot — a huge shared bowl of chicken meatballs, tofu and vegetables in dashi.
Yakitori (Momo)
Charcoal-grilled chicken thigh skewers glazed with tare, a soy-mirin sauce reduced with chicken bones.
Tempura Moriawase
Assortment of seafood and vegetables in a light, icy batter — Edo-style tempura with tentsuyu.
Miso Katsu
Nagoya's crispy pork cutlet dressed in a rich hatcho-miso and dashi sauce.
Hitsumabushi
Nagoya grilled eel rice eaten three ways — plain, with condiments, then as ochazuke with dashi.
Takoyaki
Osaka street snack — spherical wheat batter balls filled with octopus, tenkasu and pickled ginger.
Kitsune Udon
Osaka udon in kombu-bonito broth topped with sweet simmered abura-age.
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Sukiyaki
Kansai-style tabletop hot pot of thinly sliced beef, tofu and vegetables simmered in warishita and dipped in raw egg.
Hiroshima Okonomiyaki
Layered Hiroshima okonomiyaki — a thin crepe, mountain of cabbage, pork, yakisoba and egg.
Sanuki Udon
Kagawa's famously chewy thick udon, served kake-style in hot dashi or bukkake-style with a chilled dip.
Tonkotsu Ramen
Hakata (Fukuoka) ramen — creamy pork-bone broth boiled at a rolling boil, with thin straight noodles.
Motsunabe
Fukuoka hot pot of beef offal in garlicky soy or miso dashi with a mountain of cabbage and nira.
Nagasaki Champon
Nagasaki's Chinese-inflected noodle soup — pork, seafood and vegetables stir-fried, then simmered in creamy pork-chicken broth.
Karaage
Oita-style Japanese fried chicken thigh, marinated in soy and ginger and double-fried to a shattering crust.
Goya Champuru
Okinawa's signature stir-fry of bitter melon, tofu, pork belly and egg.
Rafute
Okinawan braised pork belly — cubes cooked low and slow in awamori, soy and brown sugar until spoon-tender.
Onigiri
Salt-shaped rice triangles wrapped in nori, filled with umeboshi, salmon or bonito.
Yaki Gyoza
Utsunomiya-style pan-fried pork and cabbage dumplings with a crisp lace bottom.
Tamagoyaki
Rolled Japanese omelette, gently sweet with dashi — a classic bento and sushi-bar staple.
Oden
Winter one-pot of daikon, eggs, fishcakes and konnyaku simmered in light kombu-bonito dashi.
Zaru Soba
Chilled buckwheat noodles served on a bamboo mat with a soy-dashi dipping sauce.
Unagi Donburi
Grilled freshwater eel glazed in sweet soy tare, served over a bowl of steamed rice.
Dorayaki
Two honey-sweet pancakes sandwiched around chunky sweet red bean paste.
Ichigo Daifuku
Whole strawberries and sweet red bean paste wrapped in stretchy mochi dumplings.
Melonpan
Soft milk bread rolls topped with a crisp, sugar-crackled cookie shell — no melon required.
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Matcha Latte
Uji-style matcha whisked to a jade foam and topped with steamed milk — hot or iced.
Mapo Tofu
Sichuan classic — silken tofu in a numbingly spicy sauce of doubanjiang, ground pork and Sichuan peppercorn.
Kung Pao Chicken
Sichuan stir-fry of chicken, dried chili, peanuts and a sweet-sour-savory sauce.
Peking Duck
Air-dried duck roasted to lacquer-crisp skin, sliced and rolled in pancakes with hoisin and scallion.
Xiaolongbao
Shanghai soup dumplings with a thin pleated wrapper, gingery pork and a burst of aspic-melted broth.
Yangzhou Fried Rice
Cantonese-style fried rice with shrimp, ham, peas, egg and scallion — light, dry-grain and aromatic.
Char Siu
Cantonese honey-glazed roast pork with five spice and red fermented bean curd.
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Wonton Noodle Soup
Cantonese springy egg noodles with shrimp wontons in a clear pork-shrimp broth.
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Dan Dan Noodles
Sichuan street noodles under a slick of chili oil, Sichuan pepper, sesame paste, preserved mustard greens and crumbled pork.
Twice-Cooked Pork
Sichuan hui guo rou — simmered pork belly stir-fried with doubanjiang, leeks and fermented black beans.
Fish-Fragrant Eggplant
Yu xiang qie zi — silky Sichuan eggplant in a sweet-sour-spicy sauce built on pickled chili and garlic.
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Chongqing Chili Chicken
La zi ji — crunchy fried chicken cubes hidden under a mountain of dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorn.
Sichuan Hotpot
Bubbling ma la broth of beef tallow, doubanjiang, dried chili and Sichuan peppercorn for dipping meats, tripe and vegetables.
Har Gow
Cantonese dim sum crescent — a translucent wheat-starch wrapper around plump seasoned shrimp.
Siu Mai
Open-topped dim sum dumplings of pork and shrimp crowned with roe or diced carrot.
Cantonese Roast Goose
Siu ngo — a whole goose stuffed with five-spice marinade, lacquered with maltose and roasted to shattering-crisp skin.
Sweet and Sour Pork
Cantonese gu lou yuk — crisp battered pork tossed in a glossy sauce of hawthorn, vinegar and pineapple.
Clay Pot Rice
Bo zai fan — Cantonese one-pot rice with lap cheong sausage, chicken and a prized golden crust of scorched rice.
Hong Kong Egg Tarts
Dan tat — flaky lard shortcrust cases holding a bright, quivering egg custard.
Zhajiangmian
Beijing hand-cut noodles topped with a dark salty pork sauce fried from yellow soybean paste, plus shredded cucumber and radish.
Jianbing
Beijing breakfast crepe of mung-bean and wheat batter, egg, hoisin, chili and a crackly bao cui cracker.
Jiaozi
Northern Chinese boiled or pan-fried dumplings — pork, cabbage, chive and ginger inside a chewy hand-rolled wrapper.
Beijing Lamb Hotpot
Shuan yang rou — paper-thin lamb dipped through a mild broth in a copper chimney pot and eaten with sesame-based sauce.
Shengjianbao
Shanghai pan-fried buns — leavened dough enclosing juicy pork and aspic, crisped on the bottom and finished with sesame and scallion.
Hongshao Rou
Red-braised pork belly — cubes lacquered in caramel, dark soy and Shaoxing wine until wobbling and mahogany.
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Lion's Head Meatballs
Huaiyang shizitou — oversized pork meatballs braised in stock with Napa cabbage until spoon-tender.
Drunken Chicken
Shanghainese cold appetizer of poached chicken steeped overnight in Shaoxing wine and jellied broth.
Chairman Mao's Red-Braised Pork
Hunan mao shi hongshao rou — pork belly braised with dried chili and caramel, spicier and darker than the Shanghai version.
Steamed Fish Head with Chopped Chili
Hunan duo jiao yu tou — a bighead-carp head steamed under a scarlet duvet of fermented chopped chilies and scallion.
Buddha Jumps Over the Wall
Fujianese fo tiao qiang — a luxury layered soup of abalone, scallop, sea cucumber, fish maw, chicken and ham slowly steamed in a jar.
Oyster Omelette
Fujianese o a jian — small oysters bound in a chewy sweet-potato-starch omelette with eggs, chive and a sweet chili sauce.
Da Pan Ji
Xinjiang 'big plate chicken' — bone-in chicken braised with potato, pepper, dried chili and Sichuan peppercorn, served over wide belt noodles.
Lanzhou Beef Noodle Soup
Hui-Muslim lanzhou lamian — hand-pulled noodles in a clear beef broth topped with braised beef, radish, chili oil and coriander.
Biang Biang Noodles
Shaanxi belt-wide hand-slapped noodles under a sizzle of chili flakes, garlic, scallion and vinegar-soy.
Roujiamo
Xi'an 'Chinese hamburger' — a griddled baijimo flatbread stuffed with pork stewed in more than a dozen spices.
Crossing-the-Bridge Noodles
Yunnan guo qiao mi xian — a scalding-hot chicken broth in which raw meats, quail eggs, herbs and rice noodles cook at the table.
Guo Bao Rou
Dongbei sweet-and-sour pork — extra-crunchy potato-starch battered pork loin in a bright vinegar-sugar glaze with carrot and coriander.
Hot and Sour Soup
Suan la tang — a peppery, tangy broth thick with tofu, wood ear, lily bud, bamboo shoot and ribbons of egg.
Mooncakes
Cantonese-style Mid-Autumn cakes with a burnished golden-syrup pastry and a lotus-seed paste hiding a salted duck yolk.
Tangyuan
Glutinous rice balls filled with black sesame paste, floated in a warm ginger-osmanthus syrup for Lantern Festival.
Sesame Balls
Jian dui — hollow deep-fried glutinous rice balls coated in white sesame, filled with sweet red bean paste.
Char Siu Bao
Cantonese dim sum steamed buns with a snowy fluffy dough splitting open around sweet-savoury diced char siu pork.
Mantou
Plain northern Chinese steamed wheat buns — snow-white, pillowy and lightly sweet.
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Yangrou Chuanr
Xinjiang-style cumin lamb skewers grilled over charcoal with chilli flakes — the smoky staple of every Chinese night market.
Changsha Stinky Tofu
Hunan's blackened fermented tofu — deep-fried crisp, drenched in garlicky chilli sauce and pickled radish.
Cong You Bing
Flaky Shanghainese scallion pancakes — layered, pan-fried and shatteringly crisp.
Tanghulu
Beijing candied hawthorn skewers — glassy sugar shells shattering over tart red fruit.
Malatang
Sichuan street-cart hotpot — pick-your-own skewers of vegetables, tofu and meat cooked in a numbing chilli broth.
Youtiao
Golden airy Chinese fried dough sticks — dunked in soy milk or wrapped in cheung fun.
Tianjin Jian Bing Guozi
Tianjin's breakfast crêpe — mung-bean batter crisped on a griddle, cracked egg, hoisin, chilli and a crunchy fried cracker inside.
Gai Daan Jai (Egg Waffle)
Hong Kong bubble waffle — puffy egg-yolk yellow pearls crisp on the outside, custardy inside.
Cheung Fun
Cantonese silky steamed rice noodle rolls — served plain with sweet soy, sesame paste and chilli oil, or filled with prawns or char siu.
Curry Fish Balls
Hong Kong street-cart snack — yellow curry-simmered fish balls skewered on bamboo.
Luosifen
Guangxi Liuzhou's pungent river-snail rice noodle soup — sour bamboo, chilli oil and deep umami stock.
Roujiamo-Style Guokui
Shaanxi flat wheat pocket bread baked on a griddle — the crisp outer shell for street sandwiches.
Bibimbap
Warm rice bowl crowned with namul vegetables, beef bulgogi, fried egg and gochujang sauce.
Kimchi Jjigae
Bubbling stew of aged kimchi, pork belly and tofu — Korea's ultimate comfort.
Bulgogi
Thin marinated beef ribeye seared fast with sesame, soy and Asian pear.
Japchae
Sweet-savory glass noodles tossed with beef, mushrooms, spinach and sesame.
Tteokbokki
Chewy rice cakes simmered in a sweet-spicy gochujang sauce — Seoul's iconic street food.
Samgyetang
Whole young chicken stuffed with sticky rice, ginseng and jujube, simmered into a restorative soup.
Buuz
Steamed Mongolian dumplings of mutton, onion and garlic — the Lunar New Year staple.
Khuushuur
Crisp fried meat pies of mutton and onion — Mongolia's Naadam-festival favorite.
Tsuivan
Steamed-and-stir-fried Mongolian noodles with mutton, cabbage and onion.
Pyongyang Naengmyeon
Cold buckwheat noodles in a clear chilled beef-and-radish broth with mustard and vinegar.
Mandu Guk
Beef-broth soup with pleated dumplings of pork, kimchi and tofu — a New Year tradition in the north.
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup
Rich red-braised beef shank with tomato, doubanjiang and wheat noodles — Taiwan's national bowl.
Lu Rou Fan
Braised pork-belly mince over rice — Taiwan's everyday comfort bowl.
Gua Bao
Pillowy folded steamed bun stuffed with red-braised pork belly, pickled mustard greens and peanut powder.
Oyster Omelette
Night-market favorite of plump oysters in a chewy sweet-potato-starch omelette with sweet chili sauce.
Bubble Tea (Boba)
Taichung-born tapioca pearl tea with sweet milk — the world's favorite Taiwanese export.
Butter Chicken
Delhi's velvety tomato-cream chicken curry finished with butter, fenugreek and cream.
Hyderabadi Biryani
Layered basmati and saffron-marinated mutton sealed and dum-cooked over slow heat.
Masala Dosa
Crispy fermented rice-and-lentil crepes filled with mustard-tempered potato.
Chole Bhature
Punjab's spiced chickpea curry with deep-fried leavened bhature.
Rogan Josh
Kashmiri lamb curry rich with Kashmiri chili, fennel and ginger powder.
Palak Paneer
Cubes of paneer in a smooth spinach sauce tempered with garlic and cumin.
Samosa
Crisp pastry triangles stuffed with spiced potato and peas.
Tandoori Chicken
Punjab's yogurt-and-spice marinated chicken charred in a clay tandoor.
Dal Makhani
Punjab's slow-simmered black urad and kidney beans finished with butter and cream.
Naan
Leavened tandoor flatbread brushed with garlic butter.
Aloo Paratha
Punjab's whole-wheat flatbread stuffed with spiced potato, griddled with ghee.
Mango Lassi
Punjab's chilled yogurt drink blended with Alphonso mango and cardamom.
Kashmiri Yakhni
Kashmir's Pandit yogurt-based lamb curry perfumed with fennel and dried ginger.
Kashmiri Dum Aloo
Baby potatoes fried and braised in a Kashmiri chili yogurt gravy.
Kashmiri Kahwa
Kashmir's saffron green tea with cardamom, cinnamon and slivered almonds.
Galouti Kebab
Lucknow's melt-in-mouth minced lamb patties perfumed with 100+ spices and kewra.
Shami Kebab
Awadhi patties of minced lamb ground with chana dal, egg-bound and shallow-fried.
Awadhi Biryani
Lucknow's delicate pakki biryani layered with mildly spiced mutton and basmati.
Dal Baati Churma
Rajasthan's baked wheat dumplings served with panchmel dal and sweet churma.
Laal Maas
Rajasthan's fiery red mutton curry stained with Mathania chilies and smoked with ghee.
Ghevar
Rajasthan's disc-shaped honeycombed Teej sweet soaked in saffron syrup.
Dhokla
Gujarat's steamed savory sponge cake of fermented chickpea and rice batter.
Methi Thepla
Gujarat's soft fenugreek-spiced flatbread that keeps for road trips.
Undhiyu
Surat's upside-down winter vegetable and muthiya stew cooked in matlu pots.
Vada Pav
Mumbai's iconic spiced potato fritter in a soft pav with green and dry-garlic chutneys.
Pav Bhaji
Mumbai's buttery mashed vegetable curry served with toasted pav.
Misal Pav
Pune's fiery sprouted-moth-bean curry topped with farsan and served with pav.
Ukadiche Modak
Maharashtra's steamed rice-flour dumplings stuffed with coconut and jaggery for Ganesh Chaturthi.
Goan Fish Curry
Goa's tangy coconut-and-kokum fish curry with pomfret or kingfish.
Pork Vindaloo
Goa's Portuguese-descended pork curry marinated in vinegar, garlic and Kashmiri chili.
Bebinca
Goa's 7-16 layer coconut-milk and egg-yolk cake baked one layer at a time.
Dhansak
Parsi lamb and mixed-lentil stew scented with dhansak masala and served with brown rice.
Patra ni Machhi
Parsi wedding-day fish steamed in banana leaves with a green coconut-mint chutney.
Macher Jhol
Bengal's light mustard-oil fish curry with potato and turmeric — everyday comfort.
Shorshe Ilish
Bengal's monsoon delicacy — hilsa steamed in a pungent mustard-and-green-chili paste.
Kosha Mangsho
Bengal's Sunday slow-cooked mutton — deep, dark and oil-lacquered.
Rasgulla
Bengal's spongy chhena balls simmered in cardamom sugar syrup.
Dalma
Odisha's one-pot lentils and vegetables tempered with panch phutana and ghee.
Chhena Poda
Odisha's caramelized baked cottage-cheese cake — 'burnt cheese'.
Litti Chokha
Bihar's roasted whole-wheat balls stuffed with spiced sattu, served with fire-roasted vegetables.
Hyderabadi Haleem
Hyderabad's Ramadan wheat, lentil and mutton porridge pounded to a silky stew.
Mirchi ka Salan
Hyderabad's peanut-and-sesame gravy of long green chilies, the classic biryani companion.
Chettinad Chicken
Tamil Nadu's Chettinad chicken curry with a freshly roasted spice masala and star anise.
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Sambar
South India's tamarind and toor-dal stew with drumsticks, brinjal and freshly ground sambar podi.
Appam with Stew
Kerala's lacy fermented rice hoppers with a gently spiced coconut-milk vegetable stew.
Malabar Fish Curry
Kerala's coconut-milk fish curry sharpened with kudampuli (Malabar tamarind).
Puttu Kadala
Kerala's steamed rice-flour cylinders layered with coconut, served with black chickpea curry.
Idli
South India's steamed fermented rice-and-urad cakes — light, sour and impossibly soft.
Bisi Bele Bath
Karnataka's spicy hot lentil-rice one-pot with tamarind, vegetables and a distinctive masala.
Andhra Kodi Kura
Andhra's fiery chicken curry with roasted chili-coriander masala and curry leaves.
Gongura Pachadi
Andhra's tart sorrel-leaf chutney tempered with garlic and red chili.
Sindhi Kadhi
A tangy Sindhi yogurt-free vegetable curry thickened with roasted besan.
Assamese Masor Tenga
Assam's light, sour fish stew with tomato, lemon and elephant apple.
Naga Pork with Axone
Nagaland's smoky pork stewed with axone (fermented soybean) and raja chili.
Himalayan Momos
Sikkim–Darjeeling steamed dumplings of chicken or vegetable, served with a fiery tomato dip.
Thukpa
Tibetan-Sikkimese hand-pulled noodle soup with chicken and mountain vegetables.
Gobi Manchurian
Kolkata Indo-Chinese: crispy cauliflower florets tossed in a hot garlic-soy sauce.
Hakka Noodles
Kolkata's Indo-Chinese stir-fried noodles with cabbage, carrot and chili-garlic soy.
Mulligatawny Soup
Anglo-Indian pepper-and-lentil soup — a colonial adaptation of milagu tanni.
Railway Mutton Curry
Anglo-Indian first-class dining-car curry — mildly spiced, tomato-tart, coconut-finished.
Gulab Jamun
Golden fried milk-solid dumplings soaked in cardamom-rose sugar syrup.
Jalebi
Fermented flour spirals fried to a crisp and drowned in saffron sugar syrup.
Masala Chai
India's daily brewed black tea with milk, ginger, cardamom and pepper.
Pani Puri
Crispy hollow puris filled with spiced potato-chickpea and shots of tangy mint water.
Kulfi
India's dense reduced-milk ice — never churned, always sliced.
Boondi Raita
Cooling whisked yogurt with fried gram-flour pearls, cumin and mint.
Nihari
Lahore's slow-cooked beef shank stew thickened with wheat flour, finished with fried onions and ginger.
Sindhi Biryani
Tangy Sindhi biryani layered with mutton, potato, prunes and tomato in fragrant basmati.
Haleem
Slow-cooked porridge of wheat, barley, lentils and beef pounded to a silky stew — Karachi street legend.
Seekh Kebab
Charcoal-grilled minced beef skewers with green chili, ginger and garam masala.
Shorshe Ilish
Hilsa fish steamed in pungent mustard sauce with green chili and mustard oil — Bengal's prized dish.
Panta Bhat
Fermented rice soaked overnight, served chilled with onion, chili, lime and fried hilsa or dried fish.
Kacchi Biryani
Old Dhaka raw-marinated mutton biryani layered with basmati, potato and ghee.
Bhuna Khichuri
Toasted rice and moong dal cooked together with whole spices — Bengal's monsoon comfort.
Kottu Roti
Chopped godhamba roti stir-fried with vegetables, egg and spiced curry on a hot griddle.
Hoppers
Bowl-shaped fermented rice-coconut crepes — eaten with sambol and curry.
Fish Ambul Thiyal
Sour Sri Lankan tuna curry preserved with goraka and black pepper — dry, dark and intense.
Pol Sambol
Fresh coconut sambol with chili, lime, onion and Maldive fish.
Dal Bhat
Nepal's daily plate — steamed rice with lentil dal, vegetable tarkari and tangy achar.
Momo
Himalayan steamed dumplings stuffed with spiced buffalo or chicken, served with tomato achar.
Thukpa
Tibetan-Nepali noodle soup with vegetables, chicken and warm spices — mountain comfort.
Ema Datshi
Bhutan's national dish — sliced chilies stewed with farmer's cheese, garlic and butter.
Phaksha Paa
Pork belly braised with dried red chili, radish and ginger.
Jasha Maroo
Spicy minced chicken stew with ginger, tomato and green chili.
Mas Huni
Maldivian breakfast of shredded smoked tuna, coconut, onion and chili eaten with roshi flatbread.
Garudhiya
Clear Maldivian tuna broth eaten with rice, lime, chili and onion.
Mas Riha
Maldivian tuna curry rich with coconut milk, curry leaves and pandan.
Kabuli Pulao
Afghanistan's national rice — caramelized basmati layered with lamb, raisins, carrots and almonds.
Mantu
Steamed dumplings of spiced beef topped with garlic-yogurt and tomato-lentil sauce.
Qorma-e-Sabzi
Slow-cooked spinach and herb stew with lamb and dried lime.
Bolani
Crisp pan-fried flatbread stuffed with potato and scallion or pumpkin.
Pad Thai
Stir-fried rice noodles with tamarind, fish sauce, palm sugar, shrimp, egg and peanuts.
Tom Yum Goong
Hot-and-sour shrimp soup fragrant with lemongrass, kaffir lime and galangal.
Green Curry Chicken
Coconut curry with green curry paste, chicken, Thai eggplants and basil.
Som Tum
Pounded green papaya salad with lime, fish sauce, peanuts and dried shrimp.
Massaman Curry
Mild Persian-influenced curry with beef, potatoes, peanuts and warm spices.
Mango Sticky Rice
Steamed glutinous rice soaked in salty-sweet coconut cream with ripe mango.
Phở Bò
Hanoi-style beef noodle soup with charred ginger, star anise and rice noodles.
Bánh Mì Thịt
Crusty baguette with pâté, cold cuts, pickled daikon-carrot, cilantro and chili.
Bún Chả
Hanoi grilled pork patties and belly served with rice noodles and dipping broth.
Gỏi Cuốn
Fresh rice paper rolls with shrimp, pork, herbs and vermicelli; peanut hoisin dip.
Cá Kho Tộ
Caramelized clay-pot fish braised with fish sauce, pepper and coconut water.
Bánh Xèo
Sizzling turmeric-coconut crepes filled with shrimp, pork and bean sprouts.
Beef Rendang
Minangkabau slow-cooked beef in coconut milk and spice paste until dark and dry.
Nasi Goreng
Indonesian fried rice with sweet soy, shrimp paste, fried egg and krupuk.
Sate Ayam
Skewered chicken grilled over charcoal with sweet-soy peanut sauce.
Gado-Gado
Steamed vegetable and tofu salad with rich peanut sauce and krupuk.
Soto Ayam
Golden turmeric chicken soup with vermicelli, egg and crisp shallots.
Bakso
Springy beef meatballs in clear broth with noodles, tofu and fried garlic.
Chicken Adobo
National-style braise of chicken in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay and pepper.
Sinigang na Baboy
Tamarind-sour pork soup with vegetables — radish, eggplant, kangkong, beans.
Lechon Kawali
Boiled-then-deep-fried pork belly with shatter-crisp skin and liver-vinegar dip.
Kare-Kare
Oxtail and tripe stew in thick peanut-annatto sauce served with bagoong.
Pancit Canton
Stir-fried egg noodles with chicken, shrimp, sausage and crisp vegetables.
Halo-Halo
Layered shaved-ice dessert with sweet beans, jellies, leche flan and ube.
Nasi Lemak
National coconut rice with sambal, anchovies, peanuts, egg and cucumber.
Char Kway Teow
Smoky stir-fried flat rice noodles with prawns, cockles, egg and Chinese sausage.
Asam Laksa
Penang sour fish noodle soup with tamarind, mackerel, mint and pineapple.
Roti Canai
Flaky pulled flatbread served with dhal or curry for breakfast.
Rendang Tok
Perak royal-style dry rendang with toasted coconut and warm spices.
Satay Kajang
Charcoal-grilled marinated chicken or beef skewers with thick peanut sauce.
Hainanese Chicken Rice
Poached chicken with fragrant chicken-fat rice, chili-ginger and dark soy.
Chili Crab
Whole crab in sweet-spicy tomato-chili gravy thickened with egg ribbons.
Katong Laksa
Coconut-curry noodle soup with prawns, cockles and laksa leaf, eaten with spoon.
Kaya Toast Set
Toasted bread with pandan-coconut jam and butter, soft eggs and kopi.
Bak Kut Teh
Pork rib soup peppery with white pepper and garlic, Teochew style.
Char Siu Rice
Hawker-style honey-glazed barbecue pork over rice with greens.
Mohinga
National catfish-and-rice noodle breakfast soup thickened with chickpea flour.
Lahpet Thoke
Fermented tea-leaf salad with fried beans, peanuts, sesame and tomato.
Ohn-No Khao Swè
Coconut-chicken noodle soup with chickpea flour, onion and crisp toppings.
Shan Noodles
Tomato-chicken sticky rice noodles topped with crushed peanuts and pickled greens.
Wet Tha Hin
Slow-cooked pork belly curry with garlic, ginger, turmeric and tamarind.
Fish Amok
Steamed coconut-curry fish mousse in banana-leaf cups with kroeung paste.
Beef Lok Lak
Wok-tossed marinated beef cubes over lettuce with lime-pepper dipping sauce.
Samlor Korko
Hearty country soup of pork, prahok, green papaya and toasted rice.
Nom Banh Chok
Khmer breakfast rice noodles in green fish-coconut curry with raw vegetables.
Larb Gai
Lao national minced chicken salad with toasted rice powder, lime and herbs.
Khao Niao
Lao sticky rice steamed in a bamboo basket — eaten by hand with every meal.
Tam Mak Hoong
Pungent green papaya salad with padaek (fermented fish sauce) and crab.
Or Lam
Luang Prabang stew of buffalo or beef with sakhan wood, eggplant and herbs.
Ambuyat
Brunei national starch — sago paste eaten with bamboo chopsticks and tangy cacah.
Nasi Katok
Beloved Bruneian street meal of rice, fried chicken and fiery sambal.
Kelupis
Glutinous rice cakes wrapped in nyirik leaves and steamed with coconut.
Ikan Sabuko
Tetum-style mackerel with tamarind, basil and roasted corn-coconut paste.
Batar Da'an
Timorese stew of corn, mung beans and pumpkin slow-simmered with garlic.
Tukir
Goat or pork cooked inside green bamboo over fire — smoky, herbal and tender.
Uzbek Plov
National rice pilaf layered with lamb, carrots, cumin and whole garlic in a kazan.
Samsa
Flaky tandoor-baked pastry stuffed with lamb, onion and cumin.
Lagman
Hand-pulled noodles in lamb-and-vegetable stew with bell pepper and tomato.
Shashlik
Charcoal-grilled lamb skewers with onion, cumin and vinegar marinade.
Manti
Large steamed dumplings filled with spiced lamb, onion and pumpkin.
Obi Non
Round tandoor-baked Uzbek bread stamped with a chekich pattern.
Beshbarmak
Kazakh national 'five fingers' dish — boiled horse or lamb over wide noodles.
Kazy
Traditional horse-meat sausage cured with garlic and pepper, then boiled.
Kazakh Manti
Steamed pumpkin-and-lamb dumplings served with butter and sour cream.
Baursak
Pillowy fried dough diamonds served with tea, honey or jam.
Kuyrdak
Pan-fried offal of lamb or horse with onions, potatoes and pepper.
Shubat
Tangy fermented camel milk — a steppe staple drunk fresh.
Kyrgyz Beshbarmak
Kyrgyz national dish of boiled lamb or horse over square noodles with onion sauce.
Kyrgyz Lagman
Pulled noodles with lamb, peppers and tomato — Dungan-influenced.
Ashlan-Fu
Karakol cold spicy noodle soup of mung-starch jelly, noodles and chili broth.
Kuurdak
Slow-pan-fried lamb with onions and potatoes, eaten with bread.
Boorsok
Fried dough squares served piled at every Kyrgyz feast with honey and tea.
Qurutob
National dish of torn fatir bread soaked in tangy qurut yogurt sauce with vegetables.
Oshi Palov
Tajik palov of rice, lamb, carrots and quince cooked together in a kazan.
Sambusa
Triangular tandoor-baked pastries filled with spiced lamb and onion.
Shurbo
Hearty lamb-and-chickpea soup with potatoes, carrots and herbs.
Turkmen Palaw
Turkmen rice pilaf with lamb, carrots and dried apricots from Karakum tradition.
Dograma
National dish of finely chopped tandyr bread, boiled lamb and onion in broth.
Chorba
Rich lamb soup with potatoes, tomato and carrots, deeply spiced with cumin.
Ishlekli
Large round meat pie traditionally baked in hot sand or coals with lamb and onion.
Gutap
Half-moon fried turnovers stuffed with herbs, pumpkin or meat.
Bœuf Bourguignon
Burgundian beef braised in red wine with lardons, mushrooms and pearl onions.
Coq au Vin
Chicken slow-braised in red wine with lardons, mushrooms and pearl onions.
Ratatouille
Provençal stew of eggplant, zucchini, peppers and tomato perfumed with herbes de Provence.
Quiche Lorraine
Buttery shortcrust filled with smoky bacon, cream and egg custard.
Croissant
Laminated viennoiserie with crisp shatter and honeycomb interior.
Soupe à l'Oignon
Caramelized onion soup gratinéed with Comté over toasted baguette.
Crêpes Suzette
Thin crêpes flambéed in orange-butter sauce with Grand Marnier.
Cassoulet
Slow-baked Languedoc casserole of white beans, duck confit, sausage and pork.
Bouillabaisse
Marseille fisherman's stew of rockfish and shellfish in saffron-tomato broth, served with rouille.
Steak Frites
Pan-seared entrecôte with a peppery pan sauce and crisp twice-fried pommes frites.
Tarte Tatin
Upside-down caramelized apple tart from the Loire, baked over a dark butter caramel.
Salade Niçoise
Composed Riviera salad of tuna, green beans, tomato, olives, anchovy and egg.
Confit de Canard
Gascony duck legs cured with salt and thyme, then poached slowly in their own fat until silky.
Crème Brûlée
Silky vanilla custard under a shattering torched-sugar crust.
Schweinshaxe
Bavarian roast pork knuckle with crackling skin and dark beer gravy.
Sauerbraten
Marinated pot-roast beef in tangy gingersnap-thickened gravy.
Currywurst
Berlin street classic — sliced bratwurst in spiced curry-tomato sauce with fries.
Kartoffelpuffer
Crisp grated potato pancakes served with apple sauce or sour cream.
Rouladen
Beef rolls stuffed with bacon, mustard, onion and pickle in dark gravy.
Käsespätzle
Soft egg noodles layered with melted Emmental and crispy fried onions.
Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte
Black Forest layer cake of chocolate sponge, kirsch cherries and whipped cream.
Stamppot Boerenkool
Mashed potatoes blended with kale and topped with smoked sausage.
Bitterballen
Crisp-fried beef ragù balls with creamy interior — bar snack with mustard.
Hollandse Nieuwe
Raw matjes herring eaten with chopped onion and pickles.
Erwtensoep
Snert — split-pea soup so thick a spoon stands up, with smoked sausage.
Poffertjes
Tiny puffy pancakes from buckwheat batter with butter and powdered sugar.
Moules-Frites
Mussels steamed in white wine with shallots, celery and parsley — served with fries.
Carbonnade Flamande
Flemish beef stew braised in dark abbey beer with onions and mustard bread.
Gentse Waterzooi
Ghent's creamy chicken stew with leek, carrot and celeriac in egg-yolk broth.
Liège Waffle
Brioche-style waffle studded with pearl sugar that caramelizes on the iron.
Stoofvlees
Slow-braised beef in beer sauce sweetened with speculoos and brown sugar.
Fondue Moitié-Moitié
Half Gruyère, half Vacherin Fribourgeois melted with white wine and kirsch.
Rösti
Crisp Swiss potato cake — golden outside, tender within.
Raclette
Melted raclette cheese scraped over boiled potatoes, gherkins and pickled onions.
Zürcher Geschnetzeltes
Sliced veal in creamy white-wine mushroom sauce — served with rösti.
Wiener Schnitzel
Pounded veal cutlet breaded and pan-fried in clarified butter until soufflé-crisp.
Tafelspitz
Boiled beef in clear broth with root vegetables — Vienna's imperial dish.
Wiener Saftgulasch
Vienna-style beef goulash with twice as much onion as meat and sweet paprika.
Sachertorte
Dense chocolate cake glazed with apricot jam and dark chocolate ganache.
Kaiserschmarrn
Torn fluffy pancake dusted with powdered sugar and served with plum compote.
Irish Stew
Slow-simmered lamb with potatoes, onions and carrots in a clear broth.
Irish Soda Bread
Buttermilk-leavened bread with a crusty cross — no kneading, no yeast.
Shepherd's Pie
Lamb mince in rich gravy under buttery mashed-potato crust.
Boxty
Half raw, half mashed potato pancakes fried in butter — Leitrim classic.
Colcannon
Mashed potato folded with buttery cabbage or kale and scallion.
Judd mat Gaardebounen
Luxembourg's national dish — smoked pork collar with broad beans in cream.
Bouneschlupp
Hearty green-bean soup with potato, leek and smoked sausage.
Gromperekichelcher
Crisp grated-potato fritters with shallot and parsley — fairground favourite.
Barbagiuan
Monaco's national fried ravioli stuffed with chard, ricotta and Parmesan.
Socca
Riviera chickpea-flour pancake baked crisp and dressed with pepper.
Stocafi
Slow-stewed stockfish with tomato, olives, capers and orange zest.
Käsknöpfle
National dish — tiny egg dumplings layered with mountain cheese and crisp onion.
Ribel
Alpine cornmeal porridge soaked overnight then crisped in butter.
Hafalaab
Cornmeal-flour dumplings simmered with smoked pork in a hearty broth.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Roman pasta with guanciale, egg yolks, Pecorino Romano and black pepper — no cream.
Lasagne alla Bolognese
Emilia-Romagna layered pasta with slow ragù, béchamel and Parmigiano.
Pizza Margherita
Naples-style pizza of San Marzano tomato, fior di latte and basil.
Risotto alla Milanese
Saffron risotto enriched with bone marrow, finished with butter and Parmigiano.
Osso Buco alla Milanese
Braised veal shanks in white wine and broth, finished with gremolata.
Tiramisù
Layered savoiardi soaked in espresso with mascarpone-zabaione cream.
Gnocchi al Pesto
Pillowy potato gnocchi with Ligurian basil pesto, Parmigiano and Pecorino.
Paella Valenciana
Original Valencian paella with rabbit, chicken, garrofó beans and saffron.
Gazpacho Andaluz
Cold blended Andalusian soup of ripe tomato, cucumber, pepper and bread.
Tortilla Española
Thick Spanish potato omelette with slow-confit potatoes and onion.
Patatas Bravas
Crisp double-fried potatoes with smoky paprika sauce and garlic alioli.
Gambas al Ajillo
Sizzling shrimp with garlic, olive oil and dried chili in a clay cazuela.
Fabada Asturiana
Asturian white-bean stew with chorizo, morcilla and pork shoulder.
Churros con Chocolate
Crisp star-fluted fried dough sticks dunked in thick hot chocolate.
Croquetas de Jamón
Creamy jamón-studded béchamel croquettes with a crisp golden crust.
Salmorejo Cordobés
Silky chilled tomato and bread cream from Córdoba, topped with jamón and egg.
Pulpo a la Gallega
Galician boiled octopus on potato with smoked paprika and olive oil.
Cochinillo Asado
Segovian roast suckling pig with shatter-crisp skin and silky meat.
Cocido Madrileño
Madrid's chickpea, meat and vegetable pot served in three courses.
Pan con Tomate
Catalan grilled bread rubbed with garlic and ripe tomato, finished with olive oil.
Crema Catalana
Catalan citrus-and-cinnamon custard with a torched caramelised sugar crust.
Bacalao al Pil Pil
Basque salt cod poached in garlic oil, emulsified into a glossy pale sauce.
Arroz Negro
Valencian black rice with squid and cuttlefish ink, finished with alioli.
Fideuà
Valencian noodle 'paella' with seafood, cooked dry until noodles curl and crisp.
Moussaka
Layered eggplant, spiced lamb ragù and béchamel baked golden.
Pork Souvlaki
Tender cubes of pork shoulder marinated in lemon, garlic and oregano, then threaded onto skewers and charred over a hot grill.
Tzatziki
Cool, garlicky strained-yogurt dip with grated cucumber, dill and a gloss of olive oil — the classic souvlaki companion.
Spanakopita
Phyllo pie of spinach, feta, dill and scallion brushed with olive oil.
Horiatiki Salad
Classic village salad of tomato, cucumber, pepper, olives and feta block.
Baklava
Layered phyllo with walnuts and cinnamon soaked in lemon-honey syrup.
Chicken Gyros
Yogurt-marinated chicken roasted on a vertical spit, wrapped in pita with tzatziki.
Dolmades
Grape leaves rolled around herbed rice, simmered with olive oil and lemon.
Pastitsio
Baked pasta with cinnamon-spiced beef ragù and a thick béchamel top.
Fasolada
The 'national dish' — humble white-bean and tomato soup with olive oil and celery.
Avgolemono Soup
Silky chicken and rice soup thickened with tempered egg and lemon.
Saganaki
Pan-seared cheese with a crackling golden crust, finished with lemon.
Kleftiko
Slow-baked lamb with lemon, garlic and oregano, sealed in parchment.
Loukoumades
Airy yeasted dough puffs deep-fried and soaked in cinnamon-honey syrup.
Galaktoboureko
Semolina custard baked between buttered phyllo and drenched in citrus syrup.
Bacalhau à Brás
Shredded salt cod scrambled with matchstick potatoes, onion and egg.
Caldo Verde
Minho soup of puréed potato with shredded collard greens and chorizo.
Pastéis de Nata
Lisbon's caramelized custard tarts in shatter-crisp puff pastry.
Cataplana de Marisco
Algarve clam-and-shrimp stew steamed in copper cataplana with chouriço and tomato.
Francesinha
Porto's stacked sandwich of steak, sausage and ham under cheese with beer-tomato sauce.
Pastizzi
Diamond-shaped flaky pastries stuffed with ricotta or mushy peas.
Stuffat tal-Fenek
National rabbit stew in red wine with tomato, garlic and bay — a Maltese feast dish.
Lampuki Pie
Maltese seasonal pie of dorado fillets with spinach, cauliflower and olives.
Aljotta
Garlicky Maltese fish soup with tomato, marjoram, mint and rice.
Grilled Halloumi & Watermelon
Charred salty halloumi paired with sweet watermelon, mint and lemon.
Souvla
Cypriot Sunday spit-roast of large lamb chunks rotated slowly over charcoal.
Kleftiko
Lamb sealed in parchment or clay with potatoes, lemon and oregano — slow-baked.
Loukoumades
Crisp golden honey-doused dough puffs sprinkled with cinnamon.
Torta Tre Monti
San Marino's iconic layered wafer cake with hazelnut cream and chocolate glaze.
Piadina Sammarinese
Soft griddled flatbread folded with prosciutto, squacquerone and arugula.
Pasta e Ceci
Apennine chickpea-and-pasta soup with rosemary, garlic and good olive oil.
Trinxat de la Cerdanya
Pyrenean mash of winter cabbage and potato seared in pork-belly fat with garlic.
Escudella i Carn d'Olla
Catalan-Andorran festive broth with pilota meatball, pasta shells and meats.
Coca de Recapte
Pyrenean flatbread topped with roasted peppers, eggplant, anchovies and olive oil.
Saltimbocca alla Romana
Roman veal scaloppine topped with prosciutto and sage in white-wine butter.
Carciofi alla Romana
Roman braised artichokes stuffed with mint, parsley and garlic in olive oil.
Cacio e Pepe
Three-ingredient Roman pasta with Pecorino Romano and toasted black pepper.
Pierogi Ruskie
Half-moon dumplings filled with farmer's cheese and potato, topped with golden onions.
Bigos
Hunter's stew of sauerkraut, fresh cabbage, kielbasa, pork and dried mushrooms.
Żurek
Sour rye soup with white sausage, potato and boiled egg.
Kotlet Schabowy
Pounded pork loin breaded and pan-fried — Sunday dinner with potatoes and kraut.
Borscht
Crimson beet soup with beef, cabbage and a swirl of smetana and dill.
Pelmeni
Tiny Siberian dumplings filled with seasoned beef and pork, served with sour cream.
Beef Stroganoff
Strips of beef in mushroom-mustard sour-cream sauce over buttered noodles.
Blini with Caviar
Yeasted buckwheat pancakes topped with smetana, salmon roe and dill.
Ukrainian Borshch
Heritage beet-and-pork-rib soup with beans and garlic-lard pampushky.
Varenyky
Plump dumplings with cherry, potato or cottage-cheese fillings, topped with butter.
Chicken Kyiv
Crisp-breaded chicken breast hiding a molten core of garlic-parsley butter.
Salo with Black Bread
Cured pork back fat sliced thin over rye with garlic and pickles.
Svíčková na Smetaně
Marinated beef sirloin in creamy root-vegetable sauce with bread dumplings.
Vepřo-Knedlo-Zelo
Roast pork shoulder with bread dumplings and sweet-sour sauerkraut.
Trdelník
Spit-rolled sweet dough baked over coals, dusted in cinnamon-sugar and walnuts.
Smažený Sýr
Breaded fried Edam slab served with potatoes and tartare sauce.
Bryndzové Halušky
Slovak national dish — potato dumplings smothered in sheep-cheese bryndza and bacon.
Kapustnica
Christmas-Eve sauerkraut soup with smoked sausage, mushrooms and prunes.
Segedínsky Guláš
Slovak pork-and-sauerkraut goulash thickened with sour cream and paprika.
Gulyás
Beef-and-paprika herder's soup with potatoes, peppers and csipetke pinch noodles.
Pörkölt
Thick paprika-rich meat stew without potatoes — served with nokedli.
Lángos
Yeasted potato fry-bread topped with sour cream, garlic and grated cheese.
Csirkepaprikás
Chicken stewed in onion and paprika finished with thick sour cream.
Sarmale
Sour-cabbage rolls of pork, rice and dill simmered with smoked bacon and tomato.
Mămăligă cu Brânză
Stiff cornmeal porridge layered with sheep cheese and topped with fried egg.
Mici
Skinless garlic-and-spice grilled sausages — a Romanian summer staple.
Shopska Salad
Diced tomato, cucumber, pepper and onion blanketed in grated white sirene cheese.
Banitsa
Coiled phyllo pie filled with sirene cheese, eggs and yogurt.
Kavarma
Clay-pot pork stew with peppers, mushrooms, white wine and savory.
Ćevapi
Garlic-flavored grilled minced-meat fingers served in lepinja with kajmak and onion.
Ajvar
Roasted red-pepper-and-eggplant relish slow-cooked with garlic and oil.
Karađorđeva Šnicla
Rolled and breaded pork or veal cutlet stuffed with kajmak — Belgrade signature.
Peka
Dalmatian octopus or veal slow-cooked under an iron bell with potatoes and herbs.
Crni Rižot
Adriatic black risotto stained with cuttlefish ink, with garlic and white wine.
Pašticada
Dalmatian beef braise marinated in vinegar then slow-cooked with prunes and prosek.
Bosanski Lonac
Layered pot of beef, lamb, cabbage, potato and root vegetables slow-baked whole.
Bosanski Burek
Coiled hand-stretched phyllo filled with seasoned minced beef.
Begova Čorba
Sarajevan bey's soup with chicken, okra and root vegetables thickened with roux.
Štruklji
Rolled dumplings of stretched dough wrapped around cottage-cheese filling.
Jota
Karst soup of sauerkraut, beans, potato and smoked pork with bay and garlic.
Kranjska Klobasa s Kislim Zeljem
Carniolan smoked sausage poached and served with sauerkraut and mustard.
Tavë Kosi
Albanian national dish — baked lamb and rice in a tangy yogurt-egg custard.
Byrek me Spinaq
Spiral phyllo pie of spinach, scallion and feta brushed with olive oil.
Fërgesë
Tirana baked dip of peppers, tomato, cottage cheese and feta with garlic.
Tavče Gravče
National baked-bean dish with onion, paprika and dried mint in a clay pan.
Pastrmajlija
Boat-shaped Macedonian flatbread topped with cured pork or lamb and chili.
Macedonian Ajvar
Roasted-pepper relish slow-cooked thick with sunflower oil and garlic.
Cepelinai
Zeppelin-shaped potato dumplings stuffed with pork, served with bacon-sour cream sauce.
Šaltibarščiai
Vivid pink cold beet soup with kefir, cucumber, dill and hot potatoes on the side.
Kugelis
Baked grated-potato pudding with bacon, onion and milk — crispy top, creamy inside.
Pelēkie Zirņi ar Speķi
Latvian national grey peas with smoky bacon, onion and a glass of kefir.
Rupjmaize
Dense Latvian sweet-and-sour rye bread with caraway and a dark crust.
Skābu Kāpostu Zupa
Sour-cabbage soup with pork ribs, barley and potato — winter warmer.
Mulgipuder
Estonian mash of potato and barley topped with crispy bacon and onion.
Kama
Estonian roasted-grain flour stirred into kefir or yogurt with berries and honey.
Verivorst
Estonian Christmas blood sausage with barley, marjoram and onion, with lingonberry.
Mămăligă cu Brânză și Smântână
Moldovan polenta with brânză sheep cheese and smântână sour cream.
Plăcinte cu Brânză
Pan-fried filled flatbreads with cheese, dill and egg — countryside snack.
Zeamă de Pui
Sour chicken soup with homemade noodles, lovage and borș fermented bran liquid.
Draniki
Belarusian grated-potato pancakes fried golden, served with sour cream.
Machanka
Pork-ribs and sausage in creamy roux gravy ladled over potato pancakes.
Kholodnik
Cold pink kefir-and-beet soup with cucumber, dill and boiled egg.
Flija
Layered crepe-like dish baked outdoors under a sač with butter and cream.
Tavë Prizreni
Clay-pot stew of veal, peppers, mushrooms and tomato baked under cheese.
Byrek me Mish
Hand-stretched phyllo pie filled with seasoned minced beef and onion.
Njeguški Pršut Platter
Smoked Njeguši ham sliced thin with sheep cheese, olives and bread.
Kačamak
Mountain mash of cornmeal and potato whipped with kajmak and butter.
Japraci
Stuffed kale or chard rolls with rice and lamb, smothered in yogurt-egg sauce.
Fish and Chips
Beer-battered cod with thick-cut chips and mushy peas.
Sunday Roast Beef
Roast beef with Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes and gravy.
Shepherd's Pie
Minced lamb stew topped with golden mashed potato.
Full English Breakfast
Bacon, sausages, eggs, beans, tomato, mushrooms and toast.
Cream Scones
Light scones served with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
Bangers and Mash
Pork sausages with creamy mash and onion gravy.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Date sponge drenched in dark toffee sauce.
Beef Wellington
Seared beef fillet wrapped in mushroom duxelles, prosciutto and golden puff pastry.
Cornish Pasty
Handheld shortcrust turnover stuffed with skirt beef, swede, potato and onion — crimped along the side.
Toad in the Hole
Fat pork sausages baked into a puffed Yorkshire pudding batter with onion gravy.
Cottage Pie
Beef mince simmered with root veg and stock, blanketed in buttery mash and baked golden.
Steak and Kidney Pie
Slow-braised beef and ox kidney in dark gravy under a puff pastry lid.
Eton Mess
Crushed meringue folded through whipped cream and macerated strawberries.
Yorkshire Puddings
Tall, hollow-centred batter puddings baked in searing hot beef dripping.
Welsh Rarebit
Rich mustard-and-ale cheese sauce grilled over toast until bubbling and blistered.
Kedgeree
Anglo-Indian breakfast of curried rice, flaked smoked haddock and jammy eggs.
Ploughman's Lunch
Pub classic platter of mature cheddar, cured ham, pickled onions, chutney, apple and crusty bread.
Scotch Eggs
Soft-boiled eggs wrapped in seasoned sausagemeat, breadcrumbed and deep-fried until crisp.
Bakewell Tart
Shortcrust pastry lined with raspberry jam and almond frangipane, topped with flaked almonds.
English Trifle
Layered sherry-soaked sponge, raspberry jelly, vanilla custard and whipped cream.
Köttbullar
Swedish meatballs in cream gravy with lingonberry jam.
Gravlax
Salt-and-sugar cured salmon with dill and mustard sauce.
Kanelbullar
Cardamom-scented cinnamon buns topped with pearl sugar.
Janssons Frestelse
Creamy potato gratin with sprats and onion.
Raggmunk
Crispy potato pancakes with bacon and lingonberry.
Smörgåstårta
Layered savory sandwich cake with seafood and cream cheese.
Ärtsoppa & Pannkakor
Thursday tradition: yellow pea soup followed by thin pancakes.
Spettekaka (Skåne)
Skåne's towering spit-roasted egg-and-sugar cake, drizzled layer by layer over a rotating cone until lacy and crisp.
Kroppkakor (Öland)
Öland potato dumplings stuffed with salt pork and onion, boiled and served with lingonberries and cream.
Saffranspannkaka (Gotland)
Baked Gotland saffron and rice pudding pancake, served with whipped cream and salmbär (dewberry) jam.
Isterband med Stuvad Potatis (Småland)
Småland's slightly soured pork-and-barley sausage pan-fried and served with dilled creamed potatoes.
Kalops (Västergötland)
West-Swedish braised beef stew scented with allspice and bay, plated with pickled beetroot and boiled potatoes.
Skagenröra på Toast (Bohuslän)
Bohuslän shrimp salad of tiny hand-peeled räkor, dill and lemon mayonnaise piled on buttery fried toast.
Värmlandskorv (Värmland)
Värmland's rustic potato-and-pork sausage, gently boiled and served with mustard, pickles and rye bread.
Pitepalt / Blodpalt (Norrbotten)
Piteå potato dumplings — some plain, some with pig's blood — stuffed with salt pork and served with lingonberry and butter.
Renskav (Jämtland)
Sápmi and Jämtland classic: thin-shaved reindeer sautéed with onion and cream, plated with mashed potato and lingonberries.
Pytt i Panna (Södermanland)
Södermanland farmhouse hash of diced potato, onion and leftover meat, crowned with a fried egg and pickled beets.
Semla (Uppland)
Fat Tuesday cardamom bun from Uppland monastic tradition, filled with almond paste and mountains of whipped cream.
Prinsesstårta (Stockholm)
Stockholm's 1930s royal creation: sponge, raspberry jam, vanilla custard and whipped cream sealed under smooth green marzipan.
Surströmming (Ångermanland)
Höga Kusten fermented Baltic herring — an August ritual — rolled with almond potato, red onion and dill on tunnbröd.
Ugnsbakad Falukorv (Dalarna)
Weeknight Dalarna oven-baked falukorv scored and stuffed with mustard and cheese, served with mashed potatoes and lingonberries.
Ostkaka (Hälsingland)
Hälsingland farmhouse curd-cheese cake baked until just set and served warm with cloudberry jam and cream.
Lussekatter (Lucia)
Saffron-scented S-shaped buns baked across Sweden for Sankta Lucia on 13 December.
Inlagd Sill (Bohuslän)
West-coast pickled herring in a sweet-sour dill and allspice brine — cornerstone of the sill-tallrik.
Västerbottenpaj
Västerbotten cheese quiche served at crayfish parties across northern Sweden.
Nyponsoppa (Norrland)
Northern rosehip soup — velvety, tart and traditionally served with almond biscotti and cream.
Blodpudding (Skåne)
Skånsk baked blood pudding sliced and pan-fried, served with lingonberry jam and bacon.
Kladdkaka (Örebro)
Örebro-style gooey chocolate cake with a set crust and molten centre — the ultimate fika bake.
Chokladbollar
No-bake fika classic — oats, butter, cocoa and coffee rolled in pearl sugar or coconut.
Dammsugare (Stockholm)
Stockholm punch-roll — arrack-scented cake logs sheathed in green marzipan with chocolate tips.
Wallenbergare (Södermanland)
Delicate veal-and-cream patties named for a Sörmland aristocrat, served with peas and lingonberry.
Kalix Löjrom på Toast (Norrbotten)
PDO Kalix vendace roe spooned onto buttered toast with red onion, dill and crème fraîche.
Räkmacka (Västkusten)
Iconic west-coast open-face sandwich piled high with hand-peeled Skagerrak shrimp.
Sillsallad (Julbord)
Bright-pink Christmas herring-and-beetroot salad — a jul-bord centrepiece across Sweden.
Blåbärssoppa (Småland)
Warming Småland blueberry soup — the Vasaloppet skier's cup.
Prinskorv (Julbord)
Little Christmas sausages pan-fried until glossy and served on the jul-bord with mustard.
Toscakaka
Golden-almond caramel-topped sponge — the crown of a Swedish fika table.
Kjøttkaker
Norwegian beef patties with brown gravy and lingonberry.
Røkt Laks Smørbrød
Open-face rye sandwich with smoked salmon, dill and egg.
Lapskaus
Hearty Norwegian stew of beef, potatoes and root vegetables.
Krumkake
Crisp cardamom waffle cones often filled with cream.
Fiskesuppe
Creamy Norwegian fish soup with cod, salmon and root vegetables.
Fårikål (Møre og Romsdal)
Norway's national dish, celebrated in Ålesund — bone-in lamb slow-simmered with cabbage and whole black peppercorns.
Pinnekjøtt (Vestland — Bergen)
Bergen Christmas Eve tradition of salt-cured, dried and steamed lamb ribs over birch twigs, with kålrabistappe.
Smalahove (Voss)
Voss autumn specialty — salted, smoked and steamed sheep's head served whole with rutabaga mash and potatoes.
Lutefisk (Trøndelag)
Trondheim Advent classic: lye-cured stockfish baked with salt and served with bacon, pea purée and lefse.
Sodd (Trøndelag — Steinkjer)
Ceremonial Trøndelag mutton and meatball soup with carrot, potato and a whisper of ginger — served at weddings and confirmations.
Rakfisk (Valdres, Innlandet)
Valdres autumn ferment of trout brined for months, sliced thin and served with lefse, red onion, sour cream and boiled potato.
Komle / Raspeball (Rogaland)
Rogaland Thursday potato dumplings stuffed with cured lamb, boiled and served with sausage, rutabaga and bacon fat.
Bacalao Kristiansund (Møre og Romsdal)
Kristiansund's klippfisk stew of soaked salt cod slow-cooked with tomato, potato, onion and olive oil — a coastal legacy.
Reinsdyrsteik (Finnmark)
Roast reindeer saddle from Finnmark with juniper, brown sauce, mountain berries and creamed Brussels sprouts.
Bidos (Sápmi — Finnmark)
Sámi celebration reindeer stew — chunks of reindeer simmered with carrot and potato in a clean, birch-scented broth.
Multekrem (Troms)
Arctic cloudberry cream from Troms — northern gold folded into softly whipped cream and sugar, served at Christmas.
Kvæfjordkake — Verdens Beste (Troms)
Named 'the world's best' by parliament — Kvæfjord's meringue-topped sponge sandwiching vanilla cream and toasted almonds.
Lefse (Hardanger, Vestland)
Hardanger soft potato flatbread rolled thin, griddled on a takke and served buttered with sugar and cinnamon.
Brunost på Vafler (Gudbrandsdalen, Innlandet)
Innlandet heart-shaped waffles with cardamom and sour cream, topped with warm brunost shavings and cloudberry jam.
Elgstek (Innlandet)
Hedmark autumn roast of moose loin with juniper, brown sauce, potatoes and tyttebær (lingonberry) jam.
Rømmegrøt (Innlandet — Setesdal)
Setesdal-style sour cream porridge served with cured meats, cinnamon-sugar and melted butter at seter feasts.
Riskrem med Rød Saus (Jul)
Christmas rice cream folded with whipped cream and vanilla, served with warm red-berry sauce.
Kransekake
Towering almond ring cake glazed white — the crown of Norwegian weddings, confirmations and 17. mai.
Tørrfisk (Lofoten, Nordland)
Air-dried Lofoten stockfish rehydrated and served as a Nordland aperitif with butter and flatbrød.
Klippfisk med Løk og Egg (Kristiansund)
Traditional Møre klippfisk plate — split-and-salted cod poached and served with onion, hard-boiled egg and boiled potato.
Fenalår fra Norge (Vestland)
PGI-protected salt-cured and air-dried leg of mutton, sliced paper-thin as a Vestland spekemat centrepiece.
Svele (Rogaland — Haugalandet)
Fluffy west-coast griddle pancakes served warm with butter and sugar on the Stavanger ferries.
Tilslørte Bondepiker
'Veiled farm girls' — layered apple sauce, buttery breadcrumbs and cream, a classic Oslo grandma dessert.
Pultost (Hedmark, Innlandet)
Pungent Hedmark caraway sour-milk cheese spread on flatbrød with butter and cured meats.
Trollkrem
Fluffy lingonberry-and-egg-white cloud whipped stiff — a Norwegian children's classic.
Rullepølse (Akershus)
Rolled and pressed spiced lamb flank cured and boiled — a smørbrød cornerstone around Oslo.
Bløtkake (17. mai, Oslo)
Norway's constitution-day sponge layered with vanilla cream, berries and whipped cream — bunad on a cake.
Skolebrød / Skoleboller
Cardamom yeast buns filled with vanilla custard, topped with icing and desiccated coconut.
Pølse i Lompe (Oslo)
Norwegian street classic — a boiled pølse wrapped in a thin potato lompe with mustard and crispy onions.
Rosettbakkels (Agder)
Coastal Sørland Christmas rosettes fried on a hot iron and dusted with icing sugar.
Smørrebrød
Open-face rye sandwiches with herring, egg or roast beef.
Flæskesteg
Roast pork with crackling crust, red cabbage and brown potatoes.
Wienerbrød
Buttery laminated Danish pastries with vanilla custard.
Risalamande
Cold rice pudding with chopped almonds and warm cherry sauce.
Stegt Flæsk med Persillesovs
Crispy pork belly slices with parsley sauce and potatoes.
Frikadeller (Sjælland)
Classic Zealand pan-fried pork-and-veal meatballs with rye bread and pickles.
Sol over Gudhjem (Bornholm)
Bornholm smoked herring smørrebrød topped with a raw egg yolk 'sun'.
Medisterpølse (Fyn)
Funen-style spiced pork sausage pan-fried with potatoes and red cabbage.
Sønderjysk Kaffebord (Sønderjylland)
South Jutland coffee table tradition of soft cakes, hard cakes and wienerbrød.
Rullepølse (Lolland-Falster)
Rolled, spiced and pressed pork belly sliced thin for smørrebrød.
Leverpostej (Hovedstaden)
Copenhagen-style baked pork liver pâté for smørrebrød with bacon and mushrooms.
Brunede Kartofler (Nordjylland)
North Jutland caramelised small potatoes glazed with sugar and butter.
Rødgrød med Fløde (Syddanmark)
Southern Denmark red berry pudding served with cold cream.
Drømmekage fra Brovst (Nordjylland)
'Dream cake' from Brovst — soft sponge with a broiled coconut-caramel top.
Stjerneskud (Hovedstaden)
Copenhagen 'shooting star' — fried and steamed plaice on toast with prawns and caviar.
Hindbærsnitter (Midtjylland)
Central Jutland raspberry slices — shortcrust layers with jam and pink icing sprinkles.
Boller i Karry (Sjælland)
Zealand pork meatballs in mild curry sauce served over rice.
Fastelavnsbolle (Hovedstaden)
Copenhagen carnival buns filled with cream and topped with chocolate icing.
Koldskål (Fyn)
Funen chilled buttermilk soup with vanilla, lemon and crunchy kammerjunker biscuits.
Gule Ærter (Midtjylland)
Central Jutland yellow split-pea soup with salted pork, sausage and mustard.
Karjalanpiirakka
Karelian rye pies filled with rice porridge, topped with egg butter.
Korvapuusti
Finnish cinnamon-cardamom buns shaped like 'slapped ears'.
Lihapullat
Finnish meatballs in cream sauce with mashed potato and lingonberry.
Ruisleipä
Sour Finnish rye bread leavened with rye starter.
Mustikkapiirakka
Finnish blueberry pie on a buttery shortcrust base.
Lohikeitto (Lappi)
Lappish creamy salmon soup with potatoes, leek and dill.
Kalakukko (Pohjois-Savo)
Kuopio-style rye loaf baked around vendace, pork belly and onions.
Karjalanpaisti (Pohjois-Karjala)
Karelian oven stew of beef, pork and lamb slow-cooked with root vegetables.
Paistetut Muikut (Etelä-Savo)
Southern Savonia lake vendace floured in rye and pan-fried crisp.
Poronkäristys (Lappi)
Sautéed reindeer served over mash with lingonberry and pickles.
Mämmi (Satakunta)
Satakunta Easter malt-and-rye pudding served cold with cream and sugar.
Perunarieska (Pohjois-Pohjanmaa)
North Ostrobothnian potato flatbread baked hot with butter.
Mustamakkara (Pirkanmaa)
Tampere blood sausage served warm with lingonberry jam and milk.
Runebergintorttu (Uusimaa)
Loviisa's Runeberg tart — almond-and-rum cake ringed with raspberry jam and icing.
Leipäjuusto (Kainuu)
Kainuu 'bread cheese' — squeaky curd cheese browned in the oven, served with cloudberry jam.
Silakkalaatikko (Ahvenanmaa)
Åland Baltic herring casserole layered with potatoes, onion and cream.
Vispipuuro (Keski-Suomi)
Central Finland whipped semolina-and-lingonberry porridge, light and pink.
Hernekeitto (Häme)
Häme yellow pea soup with ham and mustard — the Thursday tradition.
Kaalikääryleet (Varsinais-Suomi)
Turku-region cabbage rolls stuffed with rice and pork, glazed with syrup.
Tippaleivät (Uusimaa)
Helsinki May Day funnel pastries dusted with icing sugar, served with sima.
Kjötsúpa
Hearty Icelandic lamb soup with root vegetables and rice.
Skyr Berry Bowl
Thick skyr layered with berries, honey and oats.
Rúgbrauð
Sweet dense Icelandic rye, traditionally steamed in geothermal heat.
Hangikjöt Plate
Smoked lamb served with peas, potatoes and béchamel.
Kleinur
Twisted Icelandic cardamom doughnuts fried until golden.
Harðfiskur
Wind-dried Westfjords cod or haddock torn into snacks with rich butter.
Kæstur Hákarl
Snæfellsnes-style fermented Greenland shark, cubed and served with brennivín.
Saltfiskur
Reykjanes salt cod poached with potatoes, onions and drawn butter.
Slátur
Húnavatnssýsla autumn tradition — lamb blood and liver sausage boiled in stomach casings.
Lifrarpylsa
East-fjords liver sausage — the milder half of the Þorrablót platter.
Laufabrauð
Akureyri Christmas leaf-bread — paper-thin rye rounds carved with family patterns and fried.
Pönnukökur
Reykjavík thin cardamom pancakes rolled with sugar or folded around whipped cream and jam.
Vínarterta
West-Iceland layered almond-cardamom torte with spiced prune filling.
Pylsur með öllu
Reykjavík's famous lamb hot dog 'with everything' — the Bæjarins Beztu classic.
Humarsúpa
Höfn í Hornafirði creamy langoustine soup with cognac and dill.
Þorramatur Platter
Þingeyjarsýsla midwinter Þorrablót spread of cured meats, fish and rye.
Flatkökur
Húnavatn dry-pan rye flatbreads charred on a hot griddle, served with hangikjöt.
Vanilluskyr
Capital-region vanilla skyr whipped with cream and served with berries.
Kleinur (Austurland)
East-fjords cardamom-buttermilk twists fried in mutton tallow — the coffee-table staple.
Hverabrauð
Laugarvatn geothermal rye bread baked in a buried pot beside the hot spring.
New England Clam Chowder
Creamy potato and clam chowder thickened with bacon fond and a touch of cream.
Louisiana Gumbo
Dark-roux Cajun stew with andouille, chicken and the holy trinity over rice.
Creole Jambalaya
One-pot rice with andouille, chicken and shrimp in a tomato-Cajun base.
Philly Cheesesteak
Thinly sliced ribeye griddled with onions and melted cheese on a hoagie.
Buffalo Wings
Crispy fried chicken wings tossed in a tangy butter–hot sauce glaze with blue cheese.
Baked Mac and Cheese
Elbow pasta in a sharp cheddar mornay, baked with a buttery crumb crust.
Skillet Cornbread
Crisp-edged buttermilk cornbread baked in a hot cast-iron skillet.
Key Lime Pie
Tart Florida classic of key lime custard in a graham cracker crust.
New York Cheesecake
Tall, dense vanilla cheesecake on a graham crust, baked low for a silky crumb.
Classic Apple Pie
Double-crust pie of cinnamon-spiced apples with a flaky butter pastry.
Buttermilk Pancakes
Fluffy stack of buttermilk pancakes with butter and maple syrup.
Southern Fried Chicken
Buttermilk-brined chicken dredged in seasoned flour and shallow-fried until shatter-crisp.
Cobb Salad
Composed salad of chicken, bacon, egg, avocado, blue cheese and tomato with red-wine vinaigrette.
Caesar Salad
Crisp romaine in garlicky anchovy-Parmesan dressing with sourdough croutons.
Texas Smoked Brisket
Central Texas–style whole packer brisket rubbed simply with salt and pepper and smoked low over post oak until bark is black and the point jiggles.
Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza
Tall buttery cornmeal crust layered with mozzarella, sausage and chunky tomato in a seasoned steel pan.
Nashville Hot Chicken
Buttermilk-brined fried chicken lacquered in a cayenne-brown-sugar frying-oil paste, served on white bread with pickles.
New York Reuben Sandwich
Deli classic of pastrami or corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss on griddled rye with Russian dressing.
New Orleans Beignets
Café du Monde–style square yeast doughnuts fried to a puffy crackle and buried under powdered sugar.
Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits
Charleston favorite of sautéed shrimp with bacon and scallions over creamy stone-ground grits.
Southern Pecan Pie
Classic Thanksgiving pie of pecans set in a caramelized brown-sugar, corn-syrup and vanilla custard.
Boston Baked Beans
Slow-baked navy beans with salt pork, molasses and mustard — a New England Saturday-night staple.
Maine Lobster Roll
Chilled Maine lobster tossed lightly with mayo, celery and lemon, piled into a buttered split-top bun.
Tampa Cuban Sandwich
Pressed Cuban bread stuffed with roast pork, ham, Swiss, salami, mustard and pickles — the Tampa way.
Wisconsin Fried Cheese Curds
Fresh squeaky cheese curds in a light beer batter, fried until molten inside a crisp golden shell.
Chicago Italian Beef
Thinly shaved slow-roasted beef in seasoned jus on a French roll with giardiniera or sweet peppers.
Tex-Mex Nachos
Sheet-pan tortilla chips layered with seasoned beef, refried beans, melted cheddar and jack, jalapeños and pico.
New York Bagel with Lox
Fresh boiled-and-baked bagel schmeared with cream cheese and layered with cold-cured salmon, red onion, tomato and capers.
Mole Poblano
Toasted-chili and chocolate sauce simmered with spices, served over turkey or chicken.
Chiles en Nogada
Roasted poblanos stuffed with picadillo, draped in walnut cream and pomegranate seeds.
Pozole Rojo
Hominy and pork stew in a guajillo-ancho red broth with crisp garnishes.
Enchiladas Verdes
Corn tortillas rolled around shredded chicken under tomatillo salsa, crema and queso.
Tamales Rojos
Steamed masa parcels filled with red-chili pork, wrapped in corn husks.
Classic Guacamole
Hass avocados mashed with lime, onion, chili and cilantro — molcajete style.
Mexican Shrimp Ceviche
Shrimp 'cooked' in lime juice with tomato, cucumber, onion and avocado on tostadas.
Sopa de Tortilla
Smoky tomato-pasilla broth with crisp tortilla strips, avocado and queso.
Elote (Mexican Street Corn)
Grilled corn slathered with crema, chili, lime and cotija.
Churros con Chocolate
Crisp fried dough sticks dusted in cinnamon sugar with thick hot chocolate.
Flan Napolitano
Silky cream-cheese flan with a dark caramel mirror.
Horchata
Refreshing rice-and-cinnamon drink sweetened with milk and vanilla.
Chilaquiles Verdes
Tortilla chips simmered briefly in tomatillo salsa, topped with egg, crema and onion.
Cochinita Pibil
Yucatán slow-roasted pork marinated in achiote and sour orange, wrapped in banana leaves and served with pickled red onion.
Carnitas Michoacanas
Michoacán confit-style pork slowly cooked in its own fat with milk, orange and bay until crisp on the outside and tender inside.
Barbacoa de Borrego
Hidalgo pit-style lamb wrapped in maguey leaves and steamed for hours until spoon-tender, served with consomé.
Birria de Res
Jalisco red-chili beef stew, brothy and deeply spiced, served with tortillas for dipping or as quesabirria tacos.
Discada Norteña
Northern-Mexico cowboy dish of chorizo, bacon, sausage and beef cooked on a plow-disc with tomato, peppers and beer.
Tostadas de Tinga
Puebla shredded-chicken tinga in chipotle-tomato sauce piled on crisp tostadas with beans, crema and avocado.
Chile Relleno
Roasted poblano chile stuffed with cheese or picadillo, dipped in egg-white batter and fried, bathed in tomato caldillo.
Aguachile Verde
Sinaloa raw-shrimp dish 'cooked' in lime and blended serrano-cilantro water with cucumber and red onion.
Pescado a la Veracruzana
Veracruz whole red snapper simmered in a Mediterranean-inflected tomato sauce with olives, capers and pickled chiles.
Machaca con Huevo
Norteño breakfast of shredded dried beef scrambled with eggs, tomato, onion and chile, wrapped in flour tortillas.
Menudo Rojo
Northern weekend soup of tripe and hominy in a red guajillo-chile broth, served with lime, onion and oregano.
Torta Ahogada
Guadalajara sandwich of carnitas in a crusty birote roll, drowned in a spicy chile de árbol tomato sauce.
Pambazo
Mexico City sandwich of a soft roll dunked in guajillo sauce, then griddled and stuffed with chorizo, potato, lettuce and crema.
Cabrito al Pastor
Monterrey specialty of young goat splayed on iron rods and roasted slowly over mesquite coals.
Sopes Surtidos
Mexico City masa cakes with a pinched rim, topped with refried beans, meat, salsa, crema and cheese.
Tlayuda Oaxaqueña
Oaxaca's giant crisped corn tortilla layered with asiento, black-bean paste, quesillo, meat and salsa — 'Mexican pizza'.
Rajas con Crema
Puebla side of charred poblano strips simmered with onions, corn and Mexican crema until silky.
Classic Poutine
Quebec staple of crisp fries smothered in cheese curds and rich brown gravy.
Tourtière
Quebec spiced pork pie with cinnamon, clove and savoury, in a buttery double crust.
Butter Tarts
Flaky pastry shells filled with gooey brown-sugar, butter and maple filling.
Nanaimo Bars
No-bake BC layered bars: coconut-graham base, custard buttercream and chocolate top.
Montreal-Style Bagels
Sweeter, chewier bagels boiled in honey water and baked in a wood-fired style oven.
Pan Bannock
Indigenous-inspired skillet bread, golden outside and tender inside.
Soupe aux Pois
Quebec yellow split-pea soup with smoky ham hock and herbs.
Maple-Glazed Salmon
Pacific salmon brushed with maple, soy and Dijon, roasted until lacquered.
Peameal Bacon Sandwich
Toronto classic of cornmeal-crusted back bacon griddled and stacked on a soft kaiser.
Halifax Donair
East Coast spiced beef wrap with sweet condensed-milk garlic sauce, tomato and onion.
Maple-Pecan Pie
Pure maple syrup pecan pie in a flaky butter crust.
Acadian Ployes
Acadian buckwheat pancakes cooked one side only, served with butter and maple.
Saskatoon Berry Pie
Prairie summer pie of saskatoon berries in a flaky double crust.
Montreal Smoked Meat
Quebec-style brisket dry-cured with pickling spices, smoked, then steamed and piled on rye with yellow mustard.
Ottawa BeaverTails
Ottawa-born fried whole-wheat dough paddles stretched flat and dusted with cinnamon sugar or drizzled with maple.
Pouding Chômeur
Quebec 'poor man's pudding' — vanilla cake baked in hot maple syrup so a sticky caramel forms underneath.
Quebec Sugar Pie
Traditional Quebec pie with a rich brown-sugar, cream and vanilla filling in a flaky butter crust.
Cretons
Quebec pork spread simmered with milk, onion and warm spices, chilled and served on toast for breakfast.
Newfoundland Jiggs' Dinner
Newfoundland Sunday boil-up of salt beef, cabbage, root vegetables and pease pudding steamed in a cheesecloth bag.
Fish and Brewis
Classic Newfoundland breakfast of soaked hardtack and salt cod, topped with fried salt-pork scrunchions.
Sautéed Fiddleheads
New Brunswick spring specialty: young ostrich-fern shoots blanched twice then sautéed in butter with garlic and lemon.
Calgary Ginger Beef
Alberta Chinese-Canadian classic: deep-fried batter-crusted beef strips glazed in sweet, spicy ginger-garlic sauce.
Prairie Bumbleberry Pie
Prairie double-crust pie of mixed summer berries and rhubarb bound with a lemony cornstarch glaze.
Acadian Rappie Pie
Nova Scotia Acadian casserole of grated potato squeezed dry, saturated with chicken broth and baked with pulled chicken until golden.
Alberta Bloody Caesar
Calgary-invented Canadian cocktail of vodka, Clamato, hot sauce and Worcestershire on a celery-salt rim.
Prairie Date Squares
Also called matrimonial cake — sweet date filling sandwiched between buttery oat-crumble layers.
Jerk Chicken
Pimento-and-Scotch-bonnet marinated chicken grilled over smoky wood until lacquered.
Ackee and Saltfish
Jamaica's national dish — boiled saltfish flaked into sautéed ackee with peppers and onion.
Jamaican Curry Goat
Goat braised with Jamaican curry powder, scotch bonnet and potato.
Rice and Peas
Coconut-cooked rice with kidney beans, thyme and scotch bonnet.
Jamaican Festival
Sweet fried cornmeal dumplings, the classic side to jerk and fried fish.
Ropa Vieja
Shredded flank steak braised in tomato sofrito with peppers, olives and capers.
Lechón Asado
Pork shoulder marinated in mojo of sour orange, garlic and oregano, slow-roasted to crackling.
Moros y Cristianos
Black beans and rice cooked together with sofrito, bay and cumin.
Cubano Sandwich
Pressed sandwich of roast pork, ham, Swiss, pickles and mustard on Cuban bread.
Flan Cubano
Silky caramel custard set in a water bath.
Pepián de Pollo
Mayan thick stew of chicken in toasted-seed and chili sauce.
Kak'ik (Turkey Soup)
Q'eqchi' Maya red turkey soup with achiote, chilies and herbs.
Tamales Colorados
Banana-leaf tamales with corn masa and red chili-tomato recado, filled with chicken or pork.
Fiambre
Sacatepéquez All Saints' platter of up to 50 cold cured meats, cheeses and pickled vegetables tossed in a caper-vinegar dressing.
Paches de Papa
Quetzaltenango Thursday tradition: potato-masa tamales in red recado with chicken or pork, steamed in banana leaves.
Tapado Garífuna
Izabal Garífuna coastal stew of fish, seafood, plantain and yuca simmered in coconut milk with achiote and culantro.
Chojín
Department-of-Guatemala salad of crisp chicharrón tossed with diced radish, mint, lime and orange juice.
Hilachas
Zacapa shredded-beef stew in a tomato, guajillo and pasa-chile recado, served with rice and warm tortillas.
Tamalitos de Chipilín
Alta Verapaz masa tamales flecked with tender chipilín leaves, steamed in cornhusks and served with tomato salsa and cream.
Enchiladas Guatemaltecas
Guatemalan open-face tostada topped with pickled cabbage-and-beet curtido, seasoned beef, boiled egg, cheese and tomato sauce.
Atol de Elote
Chimaltenango highland warm corn drink blended from fresh sweet corn, milk, cinnamon and sugar — a market classic.
Caldo de Gallina Criolla
Huehuetenango market-day free-range hen soup with chayote, carrot, corn and rice, brightened with cilantro and lime.
Chuchitos
Quiché-highland small firm masa tamales filled with tomato-chile recado and pork, topped with dry cheese and salsa.
Revolcado
Chiquimula stew of pig's head and offal in a deep red guajillo-tomato recado, thickened with toasted seeds.
Chirmol Asado
Jutiapa charcoal-roasted tomato salsa with onion, chile, cilantro and lime, spooned over grilled meat or tortillas.
Desayuno Chapín
Sololá Lake Atitlán typical breakfast plate of eggs, refried black beans, fried plantain, fresh cheese, avocado and hand-made tortillas.
Pinol de Gallina
Baja Verapaz stew of hen in a toasted-corn-and-sesame recado spiced with cinnamon and clove — one of Guatemala's oldest Mayan-mestizo dishes.
Tortillas a Mano
Totonicapán highland hand-patted nixtamal corn tortillas cooked on a hot clay comal — the daily bread of Guatemala.
Belizean Rice and Beans
Coconut rice cooked with red beans, served with stewed chicken and fried plantain.
Hudut
Garifuna fish stew in coconut broth with mashed green-and-ripe plantain (fufu).
Baleadas
Soft flour tortilla folded over refried beans, crema and crumbly queso.
Sopa de Caracol
Garifuna conch soup in coconut broth with yuca, plantain and culantro.
Chuleta con Tajadas (Atlántida)
La Ceiba plate of griddled pork chop over crisp green plantain tajadas with chismol and repollo.
Sopa de Mondongo (Cortés)
San Pedro Sula weekend tripe soup with yuca, plantain, corn and fragrant culantro.
Nacatamal Olanchano
Banana-leaf tamal from Olancho with masa, seasoned pork, potato, olives and capers.
Enchiladas Hondureñas (Francisco Morazán)
Crisp fried tortillas topped with seasoned beef, cabbage, tomato sauce, egg and queso seco.
Rosquillas de Maíz (Choluteca)
Southern Honduras crunchy corn-and-cheese rings baked in a clay oven, perfect with coffee.
Torrejas de Semana Santa (Comayagua)
Holy Week bread pudding-style fritters simmered in spiced panela syrup with cinnamon.
Tajadas con Chismol (Yoro)
Fried green plantain slices topped with fresh Honduran chismol salsa — everyday Yoro comfort.
Baleada Sencilla (Cortés)
The classic San Pedro Sula street breakfast: thick flour tortilla with refried beans, mantequilla and queso.
Baleada Mixta (Cortés)
Loaded San Pedro Sula baleada with seasoned beef, avocado, egg and pickled onions.
Sopa de Caracol Isleña (Islas de la Bahía)
Bay Islands Garífuna conch soup in coconut milk with yuca, plantain, carrot and culantro.
Pan de Coco Garífuna (Colón)
Trujillo-style Garífuna coconut bread rolls, soft and fragrant, baked over fresh coconut milk.
Ereba (Cassava Bread) (Gracias a Dios)
Traditional Garífuna flatbread from La Mosquitia made of grated, pressed and griddled bitter cassava.
Yuca con Chicharrón (Copán)
Copán market plate of boiled yuca and crispy pork with pickled cabbage curtido and chismol.
Frijoles Fritos con Mantequilla (Lempira)
Highland Lempira refried red beans mashed with lard and topped with Honduran mantequilla and queso.
Curtido de Repollo (Santa Bárbara)
Tangy cabbage and carrot slaw served alongside baleadas, enchiladas and fried yuca throughout Santa Bárbara.
Pupusas de Chicharrón y Queso
Griddled masa pockets stuffed with seasoned pork and cheese, served with curtido.
Curtido
Lightly fermented cabbage slaw with carrot, onion and oregano — the pupusa's partner.
Gallo Pinto
Stir-fried red beans and rice with onion, pepper and a splash of Lizano-style sauce.
Nacatamal
Large banana-leaf tamales of masa, achiote-spiced pork, potato and rice.
Vaho (Managua)
Sunday steamed feast of citrus-marinated brisket, yuca and ripe plantains cooked over banana leaves.
Indio Viejo (Masaya)
Pre-Columbian Masaya stew of shredded beef thickened with toasted corn masa, sour orange and mint.
Vigorón (Granada)
Granada plaza classic: boiled yuca, crispy chicharrón and tangy cabbage curtido served on a banana leaf.
Quesillo (León)
La Paz Centro street snack: soft cheese, pickled onions and cream wrapped in a warm corn tortilla.
Repocheta (Chinandega)
Chinandega fritanga favorite: crispy fried tortillas topped with refried beans, melted cheese and pickled cabbage.
Nacatamal Esteliano (Estelí)
Northern Estelí Sunday nacatamal with fatty masa, achiote pork, rice, potato, mint and sour orange.
Güirila (Matagalpa)
Sweet fresh-corn tortilla from Matagalpa griddled on a comal and served with cuajada and cream.
Rosquillas Somoteñas (Madriz)
Somoto's iconic crunchy corn-and-cheese rings, wood-oven baked and famously exported from Madriz.
Sopa de Queso Chontaleña (Chontales)
Chontales ranch soup of fresh cheese balls stuffed with masa, simmered in tomato broth with mint.
Cuajada con Tortilla (Boaco)
Boaco ranch breakfast of hand-patted corn tortilla with fresh cuajada, gallo pinto and sweet plantain.
Rosquillas de Carazo (Carazo)
Santa Teresa, Carazo bakery classic — smaller, buttery corn-and-cheese rings with a delicate crunch.
Pinolillo (Nueva Segovia)
Nicaragua's national drink — Nueva Segovia toasted-corn and cacao powder shaken with milk, ice and sugar.
Caballo Bayo (Jinotega)
Jinotega fiesta grand platter of many stews — pork, chicken, beef, tripe — with tortillas, beans and pickles.
Rondón Costeño (RACCS)
Bluefields Caribbean coconut seafood stew with fish, shrimp, yuca, plantain and dumplings — the Creole classic.
Patacones con Frijoles Molidos (Rivas)
Rivas plantain-country plate of twice-fried green plantain patties served with silky mashed red beans.
Costa Rican Casado
Plate lunch of rice, black beans, fried plantain, salad and a meat (chicken, beef or fish).
Chifrijo
Layered bowl of rice, beans, crispy chicharrón and pico, eaten with tortilla chips.
Sancocho de Gallina
Hearty Panamanian hen soup with yuca, ñame, corn and culantro.
Arroz con Pollo Panameño
One-pot rice with chicken, achiote, peas, carrot and olives.
Griot
Citrus-marinated pork shoulder braised then fried until crisp; served with pikliz.
Pikliz
Fiery pickled cabbage, carrot and scotch bonnet relish — the partner to griot.
Diri ak Djon Djon
Black mushroom rice cooked with shrimp or lima beans — a celebration dish.
La Bandera Dominicana
Dominican daily plate: white rice, red beans (habichuelas guisadas) and stewed beef.
Mangú con los Tres Golpes
Mashed green plantain breakfast with fried cheese, salami and eggs.
Sancocho de Siete Carnes
Festive seven-meat stew with yuca, plantain, corn and squash.
Doubles
Two soft turmeric flatbreads (bara) sandwiching curried chickpeas (channa) with chutneys.
Trini Callaloo
Silky stew of dasheen leaves with okra, coconut and crab — a Sunday classic.
Curry Chicken with Buss-Up-Shut
Trini curry chicken with potato, scooped up with shredded paratha-style roti.
Conch Fritters
Bahamian deep-fried conch fritters with bell pepper, onion and a creamy hot sauce.
Peas n' Rice
Pigeon peas and rice cooked with tomato, bacon and thyme.
Cou-Cou and Flying Fish
Barbados' national dish: cornmeal-and-okra polenta with steamed flying fish in tomato gravy.
Bajan Macaroni Pie
Caribbean baked macaroni with cheddar, mustard and a kick of pepper sauce.
Dominican Crapaud-Style Stewed Chicken
Brown-stewed chicken with garlic, thyme and Dominican green seasoning.
Callaloo Soup
Dominica's national soup of dasheen leaves, coconut milk and salt pork.
Oil Down
Grenada's national one-pot of breadfruit, salted meat, callaloo and dumplings cooked down in coconut milk.
Green Fig and Saltfish
Saint Lucia's national dish — green bananas with sautéed saltfish, peppers and onions.
Roasted Breadfruit and Jackfish
Vincentian national dish: charred breadfruit served with steamed jackfish in tomato.
Fungi and Pepperpot
Antigua's national pairing: cornmeal-okra fungi with a long-simmered meat-and-greens pepperpot.
Stewed Saltfish with Spiced Plantains
Kittitian national dish: saltfish stewed with onion and tomato, served with dumplings and plantain.
Ceviche Clásico
Sea bass cured in fresh lime leche de tigre with red onion, ají limo, sweet potato and choclo.
Lomo Saltado
Wok-seared beef strips with onion, tomato and ají amarillo over rice and fries.
Ají de Gallina
Shredded chicken in creamy ají amarillo, walnut and bread sauce over potatoes.
Causa Limeña
Cold layered yellow potato cake with ají amarillo, lime and a tuna or chicken filling.
Anticuchos de Corazón
Beef-heart skewers marinated in ají panca and grilled over charcoal.
Feijoada Completa
Brazilian black bean and pork stew with smoked sausage and ribs, served with rice, farofa and orange.
Moqueca Baiana
Bahian fish stew with coconut milk, dendê oil, peppers and tomato, simmered in a clay pot.
Pão de Queijo
Chewy gluten-free Minas Gerais cheese rolls of tapioca flour and curado cheese.
Brigadeiros
Brazilian chocolate fudge truffles rolled in sprinkles.
Picanha na Churrasqueira
Whole picanha (rump cap) skewered with the fat cap on, grilled and sliced thin.
Asado de Tira
Crosscut beef short ribs grilled slowly over wood embers and salted simply.
Empanadas Salteñas
Hand-cut beef, potato, onion, cumin and pepper baked in golden lard pastry.
Milanesa Napolitana
Breaded beef cutlet topped with tomato, ham and melted mozzarella.
Chimichurri
Sharp herb sauce of parsley, oregano, garlic, vinegar and olive oil for grilled meats.
Alfajores de Maicena
Tender cornstarch shortbread sandwich filled with dulce de leche and rolled in coconut.
Pastel de Choclo
Chilean baked dish of pino (beef-onion-egg-olive) under a sweet corn topping.
Empanadas de Pino
Large baked Chilean empanadas of beef pino with olive, raisin and hard-boiled egg.
Cazuela de Vacuno
Chilean beef and vegetable broth with corn on the cob, pumpkin, potato and rice.
Bandeja Paisa
Antioquian platter of beans, rice, chicharrón, chorizo, fried egg, plantain, avocado and arepa.
Ajiaco Bogotano
Bogotá chicken soup with three potato varieties, corn and the herb guascas, served with cream and capers.
Arepas de Queso
Griddled corn cakes with melted cheese inside.
Pabellón Criollo
Venezuelan plate of shredded beef, black beans, white rice and fried sweet plantain.
Arepa Reina Pepiada
Crisp-griddled corn pocket stuffed with chicken-avocado salad.
Hallacas
Christmas banana-leaf parcels of corn dough and a beef-pork-chicken guiso with olives, raisins and capers.
Ceviche de Camarón
Ecuadorian shrimp ceviche in tomato-orange-lime broth with red onion and cilantro.
Encebollado
Tuna and yuca soup with pickled red onion, cilantro and lime — Ecuador's hangover cure.
Llapingachos
Andean cheese-stuffed potato patties griddled crisp and served with peanut sauce.
Salteñas
Juicy Bolivian baked empanadas with a sweet-spiced beef-or-chicken stew set with gelatin.
Pique Macho
Cochabamba pile of beef, sausage, fries, peppers, onion, tomato, egg and locoto chili.
Sopa Paraguaya
Paraguayan 'solid soup' — a rich corn-and-cheese cornbread with onion.
Chipa
Paraguayan ring rolls of cassava starch and cheese, crisp outside and chewy inside.
Chivito al Plato
Uruguay's national stack: thin beef tenderloin with ham, bacon, mozzarella, lettuce, tomato and egg, in a bun or on a plate.
Tira de Asado Uruguayo
Wood-fired short ribs cooked low on a parrilla with chorizo and morcilla.
Guyanese Pepperpot
Christmas Amerindian-Creole stew of beef cooked in cassareep with cinnamon, clove and pepper.
Cook-Up Rice
One-pot rice with pigeon peas, salted meats and coconut milk.
Pom
Surinamese-Jewish baked casserole of grated pomtajer (taro) with citrus-marinated chicken.
Surinamese Roti met Kip
Hindustani-Surinamese curry chicken with potato and long beans, scooped up with flaky dhalpuri roti.
Tabbouleh
Bright Lebanese parsley salad with fine bulgur, tomato, mint, lemon and olive oil.
Fattoush
Crisp Lebanese chopped salad with toasted pita, sumac and pomegranate molasses.
Kibbeh bil Sanieh
Tray-baked kibbeh of fine bulgur and lamb with a spiced onion-pine nut filling.
Mana'eesh Za'atar
Lebanese flatbreads brushed with za'atar and olive oil, baked until pillowy.
Shish Taouk
Yogurt-and-garlic marinated chicken skewers grilled hot, served with toum and fries.
Baba Ganoush
Smoky charred eggplant whipped with tahini, garlic and lemon.
Muhammara
Aleppo red-pepper-and-walnut dip with pomegranate molasses and a hint of cumin.
Kibbeh Maqliyya
Crisp fried torpedoes of bulgur shell stuffed with spiced lamb and pine nuts.
Mujadara
Lentils and rice topped with deeply caramelized onions — Levantine peasant comfort.
Fattet Hummus
Layered breakfast of warm chickpeas, toasted pita, garlic-yogurt, tahini and pine nuts.
Kabsa Lamb
Saudi national rice cooked with lamb, baharat, dried lime and tomato, topped with toasted nuts and raisins.
Mandi Chicken
Smoked rice and spiced chicken inspired by Hadhrami clay-pit cooking.
Areeka
Soft date and bread mash bound with butter and honey — a hospitality sweet.
Saltah
Yemen's national lamb-and-vegetable stew topped with bubbling fenugreek hilbeh and sahawiq.
Fahsa
Sizzling shredded lamb stew bubbling with hilbeh in a hot stone bowl.
Bint Al-Sahn
Yemeni layered honeycomb-thin bread baked with butter and finished with honey and nigella.
Mansaf
Jordan's national feast: lamb in tangy fermented jameed yogurt sauce over rice and shrak bread.
Maqluba
'Upside-down' Levantine rice with fried eggplant, cauliflower and chicken or lamb.
Kunafa Nabulsiyeh
Crisp shredded-pastry over melty white cheese, soaked in rose-orange syrup and topped with pistachio.
Musakhan
Roast chicken on taboon flatbread loaded with sumac onions, olive oil and pine nuts — Palestine's national dish.
Maqluba Falastiniyeh
Palestinian upside-down rice layered with fried eggplant, potato and lamb.
Musakhan Rolls
Saj bread rolled tight around shredded musakhan chicken and sumac onions, baked crisp.
Hummus Masabacha
Whipped silky hummus topped with whole warm chickpeas, lemon-tahini and parsley.
Falafel
Crisp herby chickpea fritters from soaked (not cooked) chickpeas, deep-fried until shatter-light.
Sabich
Iraqi-Israeli pita stuffed with fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, hummus, salad, amba and tahini.
Shakshuka
Eggs poached in spiced tomato-pepper sauce with cumin and harissa.
Machboos Diyay
Emirati spiced chicken and rice with bzar, dried lime and saffron.
Luqaimat
Crisp golden yeast dumplings drizzled with date syrup and sesame.
Harees
Khaleeji wheat-and-meat porridge slow-cooked to a silky paste, finished with ghee and cinnamon.
Shuwa Lamb
Omani celebration lamb rubbed with date-vinegar spice paste, wrapped in banana leaves and slow-cooked underground (or in oven).
Majboos Samak
Omani saffron rice with grilled kingfish, dried lime and crispy onions.
Machboos Laham
Qatari celebration rice with lamb, baharat, dried lime, rose water and crisp onion.
Balaleet
Sweet-and-savoury Khaleeji breakfast of vermicelli with cardamom, saffron and rose, topped with omelette.
Machboos Diyay Kuwaiti
Kuwait's signature spiced chicken and rice with omani lime, tomato and the sweet-tart daqqus salsa.
Gers Ogaily
Kuwaiti saffron-cardamom sponge cake topped with sesame and pistachio — a sea-voyage classic.
Muhammar
Bahraini sweet rice with date syrup, cardamom and saffron — paired with machboos samak.
Machboos Samak
Spiced fish over saffron-and-loomi rice with crisp fried onions.
Chelo Kabab Koobideh
Persian charcoal-grilled minced lamb skewers served over saffron-buttered rice with grilled tomato and sumac.
Ghormeh Sabzi
Persian herb stew of slow-cooked lamb with kidney beans, dried lime and a forest of fried herbs.
Khoresh Fesenjan
Persian walnut-and-pomegranate stew with chicken, rich and sweet-tart.
Tahdig (Persian Crispy Rice)
Persian basmati with a golden saffron-butter crust at the bottom of the pot.
Ash Reshteh
Persian thick herb-and-noodle soup with beans, kashk and crispy mint-onion.
Adana Kebab
Spicy hand-chopped lamb skewer from Adana, grilled over charcoal and served on lavash with sumac onions.
İskender Kebap
Sliced döner over chopped pide bread, drenched in tomato sauce, browned butter and yogurt.
Menemen
Turkish soft scramble of eggs in tomato and green pepper with pul biber.
Manti
Tiny Turkish lamb dumplings under garlic-yogurt and sizzled paprika butter.
Lahmacun
Thin Turkish flatbread topped with spiced minced lamb, tomato and parsley, baked screaming hot.
Pistachio Baklava
Layered phyllo with crushed pistachio, baked golden and soaked in lemon-scented sugar syrup.
Masgouf
Baghdad's open-fire river carp split flat, basted with tamarind-tomato and grilled over wood.
Iraqi Dolma
Mixed vegetables and vine leaves stuffed with spiced rice and lamb, simmered in tomato-tamarind broth.
Tepsi Baytinijan
Iraqi tray-bake of fried eggplant, lamb meatballs, potato and tomato.
Kleicha
Iraq's national cookie — cardamom-rose pastry rolled around date or walnut filling.
Khorovats
Armenian charcoal-grilled pork or lamb cubes marinated with onion and pepper, wrapped in lavash.
Harissa Armenian Porridge
Armenian ritual porridge of pounded wheat and chicken slow-cooked to a silky paste, finished with cumin butter.
Tolma
Grape leaves and summer vegetables stuffed with rice, lamb and herbs.
Lavash
Paper-thin Armenian flatbread traditionally slapped onto a tonir oven wall.
Ghapama
Whole pumpkin baked stuffed with rice, dried apricot, prune, walnut, raisin and honey.
Armenian Manti
Tiny open-topped lamb dumplings baked golden, then bathed in garlic yogurt and tomato broth.
Adjaruli Khachapuri
Boat-shaped Georgian bread filled with melty sulguni cheese, finished with butter and a runny egg.
Khinkali
Pleated Georgian soup-dumplings of spiced beef-and-pork in a thick wheaten knot.
Satsivi
Cold poached chicken in a velvet walnut-garlic sauce with marigold and coriander.
Lobio
Stewed red beans with walnut, blue fenugreek and herbs, served in a clay pot with mchadi cornbread.
Mtsvadi
Georgian wine-marinated pork skewers grilled over vine cuttings.
Chakapuli
Spring lamb stew with tarragon, sour plums and white wine.
Pkhali Trio
Trio of Georgian vegetable pâtés (spinach, beet, eggplant) bound with walnut, garlic and herbs.
Churchkhela
Walnut strands dipped in thickened grape must (tatara) and air-dried into chewy candles.
Shah Plov
'Crown of plovs' — saffron rice and lamb-fruit filling baked inside a lavash crust, sliced like a cake.
Yarpaq Dolması
Azerbaijani vine-leaf dolma of lamb, rice, mint and dill, served with garlic-mint yogurt.
Qutab
Thin Azerbaijani crescents griddled with herbs, lamb or pumpkin and brushed with butter.
Piti
Sheki specialty of lamb, chickpeas, chestnut and saffron slow-cooked overnight in individual clay pots.
Dovğa
Cooling Azerbaijani yogurt soup with herbs, rice and chickpeas — served hot or cold.
Lavangi Chicken
Whole chicken stuffed with walnut, onion and sour-plum paste, slow-roasted until burnished.
Bakı Pakhlavası
Diamond-cut Azerbaijani layered pastry of walnut, cardamom and saffron syrup with a clove in each piece.
Palusami
Young taro leaves baked into tender parcels with thick coconut cream, onion and a pinch of salt — Samoa's signature umu side.
Oka I'a
Samoan raw-fish salad cured in lime and dressed with coconut cream, cucumber, tomato and chili.
Panipopo
Sweet Samoan coconut buns baked sitting in a pool of coconut-caramel sauce.
Supoesi
Warm Samoan papaya soup with coconut milk — a comforting Sunday breakfast.
Sapasui
Samoan chop suey — bean-thread noodles tossed with soy-glazed beef, ginger and vegetables.
Fa'ausi
Steamed coconut-bread rolls drenched in dark caramel coconut syrup.
Ahi Poke Bowl
Cubed sashimi-grade ahi tuna marinated in shoyu, sesame and Maui onion over warm rice.
Kalua Pig
Smoky shredded pork traditionally cooked in an imu pit — recreated low-and-slow with banana leaf and Hawaiian salt.
Loco Moco
A bed of rice topped with a hamburger patty, fried egg and rich brown gravy — a Hilo diner classic.
Spam Musubi
Grilled shoyu-glazed Spam pressed onto warm rice and wrapped in nori — Hawaii's iconic to-go snack.
Haupia
Silky Hawaiian coconut pudding squares — luau dessert staple.
Huli Huli Chicken
Pineapple-shoyu glazed chicken turned ('huli') over open coals until lacquered and smoky.
Lomi Lomi Salmon
Diced salt-cured salmon massaged ('lomi') with tomato, sweet onion and ice — a luau side.
'Ota 'Ika
Tongan raw-fish salad cured in lime and folded with coconut cream and crisp vegetables.
Faikakai Topai
Tongan dumplings poached in dark coconut-caramel syrup.
Lu Sipi
Mutton flaps braised in coconut cream wrapped in taro leaves — Sunday umu staple.
Feke 'Otai
Octopus simmered tender in coconut cream with onion and lime.
'Otai
Refreshing Tongan watermelon-and-coconut drink with grated tropical fruit.
Keke 'Isite
Tongan banana doughnuts — fried fritters of mashed banana, flour and sugar.
Fekei
Tuvaluan grated-pulaka pudding baked with coconut cream until set and fragrant.
Palusami Tuvalu
Taro leaves slowly baked with coconut cream and onion — the Pacific umu staple Tuvaluan-style.
Ika Mata
Lime-cured reef fish folded with coconut cream and onion — the daily catch reimagined.
Coconut Crab in Cream
Coconut crab (or mud crab) simmered in its own coconut cream with onion and pandan.
Pulaka Fritters
Crispy fritters of grated swamp taro and coconut, fried to golden discs.
Kaleve
Sweet toddy from the coconut palm flower — Tuvalu's everyday drink, served chilled.
Bunnings Sausage Sizzle
Thin beef snag grilled till blistered, draped in caramelised onion and a squeeze of tomato sauce on a folded slice of white bread.
Vegemite on Toast
The breakfast benchmark — hot toast, cold butter and a thin scrape (never thick) of Vegemite.
Pavlova
Crisp-shelled, marshmallow-centred meringue piled with whipped cream and summer fruit — claimed by both AU and NZ.
Fairy Bread
White bread, butter and hundreds-and-thousands — the non-negotiable Aussie kids' party plate.
Aussie Beef Rissoles
Pan-fried beef-and-onion patties served with mash, peas and onion gravy — pure milk-bar nostalgia.
Barbecued Prawns
Aussie king prawns marinated in garlic, lemon and chili, then quickly chargrilled on the barbie.
Caramel Slice
Three-layer Aussie classic: shortbread base, gooey condensed-milk caramel and a snappy chocolate top.
Pepper Kangaroo Fillet
Lean kangaroo loin seared rare, rested under a peppery red-wine pan sauce with native pepperberry.
Anzac Slice
Tray-bake version of the Anzac biscuit — chewy oats, coconut and golden syrup pressed and sliced.
Hāngī
Earth-oven feast of meat and root vegetables steamed for hours over hot stones — the heart of Māori manaakitanga.
Hokey Pokey Ice Cream
Vanilla ice cream rippled with shards of golden honeycomb — NZ's national scoop.
Roast Kūmara
Wedges of orange kūmara roasted with manuka honey, thyme and butter until caramelised.
Afghan Biscuits
Cocoa-cornflake shortbread biscuits topped with chocolate icing and a single walnut.
Kiwi Mince & Cheese Pie
Hand-sized hot pie of beef mince gravy under a molten cheese cap and flaky puff lid.
Whitebait Fritters
West Coast delicacy — tiny whitebait barely bound with egg, fried golden and squeezed with lemon.
Lolly Cake
No-bake log of crushed Malt biscuits and condensed milk studded with fruit puffs, rolled in coconut.
Roast NZ Lamb with Mint Sauce
Pasture-raised lamb leg studded with garlic and rosemary, served with sharp fresh mint sauce.
Green-Lipped Mussels in White Wine
Marlborough green-lipped mussels steamed open in white wine, garlic, cream and parsley.
Louise Cake
Buttery shortcake base spread with raspberry jam and topped with coconut meringue.
Kaukau in Coconut Cream
Highland sweet potato simmered in thick coconut cream with onion and aibika greens.
Saksak
Sago pudding with banana wrapped in banana leaves and steamed — the classic PNG sweet.
Dia
Sliced ripe banana and sweet potato simmered in spiced coconut cream — a Madang favourite.
Chicken & Pumpkin Coconut Stew
Village-style stew of chicken and kaukau pumpkin in coconut cream with bush herbs.
Banana-Leaf Grilled Fish
Whole reef fish stuffed with chili, ginger and lime, wrapped in banana leaf and grilled over coals.
Lovo Feast
Underground earth-oven feast of marinated meats, fish and dalo cooked over hot stones — the heart of Fijian celebration.
Rourou
Tender taro leaves slow-cooked in coconut cream with onion — the classic Fijian green.
Duruka in Coconut Cream
Fiji asparagus (sugar-cane flower) simmered in coconut cream with chili — a seasonal village delicacy.
Fiji Indian Chicken Curry
Indo-Fijian curry of chicken on the bone with potato, finished with curry leaves and coconut cream.
Vakalolo
Steamed cassava balls in dark coconut-caramel — a sweet Fijian treat.
Prawn Kokoda
Lime-cured prawns folded with coconut cream, tomato and chili — fresh Fiji ceviche.
Poi
Pounded taro paste — a staple of Solomon village meals, served with fish or stew.
Cassava Pudding
Grated cassava baked with coconut cream and brown sugar into a chewy, caramelised slab.
Motu Earth Oven Pork
Pit-cooked pork and yams steamed over hot stones with banana leaves — communal feast.
Lime-Grilled Reef Fish
Whole reef fish marinated in lime, garlic and chili then grilled over coals.
Bonara Banana
Ripe bananas simmered in coconut cream and sugar with a hint of nutmeg.
Tuluk
Manioc-and-pork roll wrapped in banana leaf and slow-cooked — a celebratory ni-Vanuatu dish.
Santo Beef Stew
Espiritu Santo beef braised with island vegetables and coconut cream until rich and tender.
Nalot
Pounded baked banana or breadfruit drizzled with hot coconut cream — comfort dessert of the islands.
Poulet Fish
Vanuatu's 'chicken-flavoured' reef fish poached in coconut cream with lime and chili.
Simboro
Cassava-and-banana dumplings wrapped in island cabbage leaves and steamed in coconut cream.
Palu Sami Kiribati
Taro leaves baked into parcels with corned beef, onion and rich coconut cream — a Sunday staple.
Grilled Bonefish ('Te Ikari')
Lagoon-caught bonefish scored, salted and grilled over coconut husks until smoky and crisp.
Karewe Pancakes
Sweet pancakes made with karewe (coconut toddy) — a popular Tarawa breakfast.
Pumpkin in Coconut Cream
Sweet island pumpkin simmered in coconut cream with onion — comforting weeknight side.
Banana Fritters
Crisp golden fritters of mashed ripe banana, flour and a hint of vanilla.
Bwiro Coconut Cake
Fermented breadfruit (bwiro) baked with coconut cream and brown sugar into a rich, fudgy cake.
Jaibo (Pandanus Pulp)
Cooked pandanus key fruit pressed into a sweet pulp paste — Marshallese candy.
Charcoal Tuna Steaks
Yellowfin steaks rubbed with sea salt, lime and chili then seared rare over coconut-husk coals.
Iutur Rice Cake
Sweet sticky-rice and coconut cake wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.
Chukuchuk Rice Balls
Sweet rice balls rolled in fresh grated coconut — a children's favourite.
Chicken Kelaguen
Grilled chicken chopped fine and dressed with lemon, hot pepper, onion and freshly grated coconut.
Coconut Crab Pohnpei
Coconut crab boiled in seawater, then finished in its own roe with butter and lime.
Uht Sweet Banana
Pohnpeian baked banana glazed with coconut cream and sugar.
Reef Tuna Sashimi
Fresh-caught yellowfin sliced thin and served with soy, wasabi and lime — Micronesian fishing-village standard.
Pounded Breadfruit
Roasted breadfruit pounded smooth with coconut cream — the heart of any Micronesian meal.
Nauru Coconut Fish Curry
Reef fish poached in coconut cream with curry leaves, onion, ginger and chili.
Banana-Coconut Pudding
Layered ripe banana baked under a coconut custard until set and burnished.
Coconut Rice & Reef Fish
Rice cooked in coconut milk and topped with simply pan-fried reef fish and lime.
Pandanus Pulp Cakes
Cooked pandanus pulp pressed with coconut and sugar into chewy island candy.
Tuna with Lime & Chili
Hand-line tuna seared rare and dressed with lime, chili and toasted coconut flakes.
Palauan Chicken Tinola
Brothy chicken soup with green papaya, ginger and chili leaves — Palau's comfort dish.
Demok (Taro-Leaf Stew)
Slow-cooked taro leaves with coconut cream and crab — a celebrated Palauan delicacy.
Mangrove Crab in Coconut
Mud crabs simmered in spiced coconut cream with chili and lime leaves.
Ulkoy Shrimp Fritters
Shredded squash and small shrimp battered and fried golden — a popular Palauan snack.
Tapioca-Coconut Pudding
Cassava pearls cooked in coconut cream with brown sugar and a pinch of salt.
Muamba de Galinha
Angola's national chicken stew with palm oil, okra and pumpkin — deep, earthy and lightly spiced.
Calulu de Peixe
Dried-and-fresh fish stew layered with sweet potato leaves, okra and palm oil.
Cocada Amarela
Bright-yellow coconut and egg-yolk pudding scented with cinnamon — a Portuguese-Angolan classic.
Comorian Pilau
Spiced rice with beef, cardamom and clove — the Indian Ocean's perfumed pilaf.
Lobster in Vanilla Sauce
Spiny lobster in a coconut-cream sauce perfumed with Comorian vanilla.
Mkatra Foutra Coconut Bread
Soft, lightly sweet flatbread enriched with coconut milk and nigella seeds.
Skoudehkaris
Djibouti's national rice — lamb braised with tomato, cumin and cardamom folded through fluffy basmati.
Djiboutian Sambusa
Crisp triangles filled with spiced beef and onion — a Ramadan staple.
Lahoh Sourdough Pancake
Spongy fermented pancake eaten with honey, ghee or stew across the Horn of Africa.
Sishwala Maize Porridge
Stiff maize porridge eaten with stews — the Swazi household staple.
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Emasi Sour Milk Bowl
Naturally fermented milk served over crumbled maize porridge — tangy, cooling, traditional.
Sitfubi Pumpkin Maize
Steamed pumpkin folded into maize meal with a touch of sugar — homely Swazi comfort food.
Papa le Moroho
Stiff maize papa served with a pan of wilted greens and onion — Lesotho's everyday plate.
Makoenya Fat Cakes
Yeasted fried dough rolls — a staple street snack across Lesotho and Southern Africa.
Motoho Sorghum Drink
Lightly fermented sorghum porridge drink — slightly sour and refreshing.
Nsima with Relish
Malawi's daily plate — stiff maize nsima with a tomato-onion relish and greens.
Grilled Chambo with Tomato
Lake Malawi tilapia scored, salted and grilled, finished with a quick tomato-onion sauce.
Malawian Mandasi
Cardamom-and-coconut-scented fried dough triangles for tea time.
Dholl Puri
Mauritius's beloved street wrap — soft turmeric flatbread stuffed with split-pea purée and curry.
Rougaille Sausage
Creole tomato stew with smoked sausage, thyme and ginger — pure Mauritian comfort.
Gateaux Piments
Crisp split-pea fritters with chili and curry leaves — the island's favourite snack.
Seychellois Fish Curry
Tuna or jobfish in a coconut-tomato curry with cinnamon and curry leaves.
Ladob
Bananas and sweet potato simmered in coconut milk, vanilla and nutmeg.
Octopus Curry
Tender braised octopus in a fragrant Creole-style coconut curry.
Kisra Sorghum Flatbread
Paper-thin fermented sorghum crepe served with stews across the Nile valley.
Mulah Takua Greens Stew
Pumpkin-leaf and peanut stew served over kisra or stiff porridge.
Asida with Honey
Smooth wheat-flour porridge mounded and drizzled with honey and ghee — festive comfort food.
Fungee & Pepperpot
Antigua's national dish — cornmeal fungee with a slow-cooked salt-meat pepperpot stew of greens.
Saltfish Buljol
Flaked salt cod tossed with tomato, onion, pepper and lime — a cool Caribbean breakfast.
Ducana
Sweet potato and coconut dumplings steamed in banana leaves.
Amiwo
Soft red cornmeal porridge enriched with tomato, onion and chili — Benin's staple alongside grilled chicken.
Akkara Bean Fritters
Crispy black-eyed pea fritters sold from roadside pans across Benin.
Ago Glain Crab Sauce
Crab simmered in palm-oil tomato sauce with dried shrimp and chili.
Riz Gras
One-pot tomato rice with beef and seasonal vegetables — Burkina's Sunday lunch.
Babenda Sorrel Stew
Sorrel leaves cooked with rice, fish and peanut paste — a hearty Mossi country dish.
Zoom-Koom Millet Drink
Cool millet-and-ginger water sweetened with sugar — sold from chilled jugs across Ouaga.
Cachupa Rica
The slow-cooked national stew of hominy corn, beans, pork, sausage and cabbage.
Pastel com Diabo Dentro
'Pastry with the devil inside' — sweet-potato dough turnovers stuffed with spicy tuna.
Buzio Sea-Snail Rice
Sea snails simmered with rice, tomato and bay — an island favourite.
Domoda Peanut Stew
Beef braised in a tangy peanut and tomato sauce, served over rice.
Superkanja Okra Stew
Silky okra stew with palm oil, smoked fish and meat over white rice.
Banana Akara
Mashed-banana fritters dusted with sugar — Gambian street tea-time treat.
Oil Down
Grenada's national one-pot of breadfruit, salt meat, dumplings and callaloo simmered in coconut milk and turmeric.
Callaloo Soup
Velvety green soup of dasheen leaves, coconut and crab.
Nutmeg Ice Cream
Custard ice cream perfumed with the famous Grenadian nutmeg — the spice isle on a spoon.
Jollof à Bissau
Bissau-Guinean tomato rice with palm oil, smoked fish and Scotch bonnet.
Caldou Fish Stew
Light coconut-and-lime fish stew with okra and sweet potato.
Cashew Apple Juice
Bright sweet-tart juice from the cashew apple — a Bissau-Guinean export favourite.
Liberian Jollof
Liberian-style jollof with chicken, plantains and a soft-set tomato base.
Cassava Leaf Stew
Pounded cassava leaves cooked low with palm oil, smoked fish and beef — a Liberian classic.
Fufu & Pepper Soup
Springy cassava fufu with a fiery, fragrant fish pepper soup.
Mauritanian Thieboudienne
Senegambian-style fish and broken-rice one-pot, beloved across Mauritania's coast.
Méchoui (Slow-Roast Lamb)
Whole leg of lamb rubbed with cumin and butter, slow-roasted until pull-apart tender.
Zrig (Camel Milk Drink)
Lightly sweetened camel-milk yogurt drink, served chilled across the desert.
Djerma Rice & Sauce
Steamed rice with a peanut-tomato sauce of beef and okra — a Niger River staple.
Tuwo Millet Porridge
Stiff millet porridge moulded into balls, eaten with okra or peanut soups.
Dambou Couscous
Steamed millet couscous tossed with moringa leaves, tomato and oil.
Stewed Saltfish & Dumplings
Saint Kitts's national breakfast — saltfish in tomato gravy with spicy plantains and dumplings.
Goat Water Stew
Slow-cooked goat in a clove- and rum-spiced gravy — a Caribbean celebration dish.
Coconut Dumplings
Soft boiled flour-and-coconut dumplings to serve with saltfish or stews.
Green Fig & Saltfish
Saint Lucia's national dish — boiled green bananas tossed with sautéed saltfish and pepper.
Saint Lucian Bouyon
A thick one-pot soup of provisions, dumplings and salt meat in coconut broth.
Saint Lucia Cassava Bread
Crisp griddled cassava flatbread, toasted on a hot tawa.
Roasted Breadfruit & Jackfish
Saint Vincent's national meal — fire-roasted breadfruit served with stewed jackfish in tomato sauce.
Cornmeal Cou-Cou
Smooth cornmeal cou-cou with okra — a Vincentian staple alongside fish.
Vincentian Pelau
Caramel-burnt-sugar chicken cooked into one pot with rice, pigeon peas and coconut.
Ablo Steamed Cake
Lightly fermented rice-and-corn flour cakes steamed soft — eaten with grilled fish and chili sauce.
Fufu with Light Soup
Pounded yam-cassava fufu with a clear, fiery tomato-and-fish soup.
Koklo Mémé Grilled Chicken
Spatchcock chicken marinated with mustard, garlic and chili, grilled over coals.
Rechta Algeroise
Hand-cut steamed pasta noodles served under cinnamon-spiced chicken and chickpea broth.
Makroudh Date Diamonds
Semolina and date pastries cut in diamonds, fried and dipped in honey.
Bahamian Conch Salad
Raw conch ceviche with pepper, onion and citrus — Bahamas in a bowl.
Bahamian Johnny Cake
Slightly sweet skillet-baked bread for breakfast with butter and tea.
Machboos Laham
Bahrain's spiced lamb-and-rice — onions caramelised with loomi, cardamom and saffron.
Mahyawa Fish Sauce Dip
Pungent anchovy-and-spice sauce spread on khubz across the Gulf.
Cou-Cou & Flying Fish
Barbados's national plate — okra cornmeal cou-cou with steamed flying fish in tomato gravy.
Conkies
Spiced cornmeal-pumpkin-coconut parcels steamed in banana leaves for Independence Day.
Belizean Rice & Beans with Stew Chicken
Coconut-rich red kidney beans cooked with rice, beside burnt-sugar stew chicken.
Fry Jacks
Crispy fried dough triangles for Belizean breakfast with beans and eggs.
Silpancho
Cochabamba's layered plate — rice, potatoes, pounded breaded steak topped with egg and tomato salsa.
Api with Pasankalla
Hot purple-corn drink scented with cinnamon and clove, served with sweet popped corn.
Bogobe Sorghum Porridge
Stiff sorghum porridge — Botswana's everyday accompaniment to seswaa or beans.
Magwinya Vetkoek
Yeasted fried bread balls eaten with mince, jam or chakalaka.
Ibiharage Fried Beans
Kidney beans simmered tender then fried with onion and chili — a Burundian staple.
Mukeke Lake Fish
Tanganyika lake fish pan-fried then finished in tomato-onion sauce.
Casado Plate
The everyday Tico lunch plate — rice, black beans, plantain, salad and a protein.
Arroz con Pollo Tico
Costa Rican chicken-and-rice flecked with peppers, peas and Salsa Lizano.
Mountain Chicken Stew (Crapaud Style)
Dominica's national dish reimagined ethically with chicken legs in tomato-thyme gravy.
Dominica Bakes
Soft fried bread rounds for breakfast with saltfish or cheese.
Yuca Frita with Chicharrón
Crispy yuca chunks topped with curtido and crackling pork — Salvadoran street food.
Salvadoran Quesadilla
Sweet rice-flour cheese pound cake with sesame seeds — coffee-time classic.
Zigni Beef Stew
Beef braised in berbere and onion until deeply spiced — served with injera.
Shiro Tegabino
Roasted-chickpea flour stew bubbled with berbere in a clay pot.
Poulet Yassa Guinéen
Chicken marinated in lemon and mustard, then braised in caramelised onions.
Fonio Pilaf
Fluffy ancient grain steamed and tossed with onion, peanuts and herbs.
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Guyanese Pepperpot
Indo-Caribbean Christmas stew of beef braised with cassareep, cinnamon and chili until glossy and dark.
Cook-Up Rice
One-pot rice with peas, salt meat and coconut — Saturday supper across Guyana.
Baleadas
Soft flour tortilla folded over refried beans, crema and crumbled queso.
Sopa de Caracol
Garífuna conch chowder in coconut milk with yuca and plantain — Honduras's coastal anthem.
Attiéké & Grilled Fish
Fluffy fermented cassava couscous with grilled tilapia, onions and pepper sauce.
Kedjenou de Poulet
Chicken slow-cooked in a sealed clay pot with tomato, ginger and chili — no liquid added.
Kuwaiti Machboos
Spiced lamb-and-rice cooked with loomi and bezar, finished with tomato sauce and crisp onions.
Jireesh Cracked-Wheat Stew
Bulgur-style cracked wheat slow-cooked with chicken and aromatics until porridge-thick.
Shorba Libiya
Tomato-and-lamb soup with tiny pasta, mint and lemon — Ramadan staple.
Mbatten Stuffed Potato Fritters
Two thin potato slices sandwiching spiced mince, dipped in batter and fried.
Tigadégué
Mali's beloved peanut sauce with beef, sweet potato and rice.
Fonio Foutou
Pounded fonio paste — soft and bouncy — to serve under sauces.
Vigorón
Granada's banana-leaf plate of boiled yuca, crisp chicharrón and tangy cabbage slaw.
Nicaraguan Quesillo
Soft warm tortilla rolled around stretchy cheese, pickled onions and crema.
Pyongyang Naengmyeon
Cold buckwheat noodles in chilled beef-and-radish broth — Pyongyang's signature dish.
Injjo Tofu Stew
Soft tofu simmered with chili paste, beef and scallion — a hearty winter stew.
Shuwa
Lamb rubbed with Omani spice paste, wrapped in banana leaves and slow-cooked in an underground oven (or low oven).
Mishkak Skewers
Beef cubes marinated in cumin, garlic and lime, grilled fast over coals.
Sancocho de Gallina
Panama's restorative chicken-and-yuca soup with culantro and corn.
Arroz con Pollo a la Panameña
Saffron-tinted chicken-and-rice with peppers, peas and capers — Panama's celebration dish.
Sopa Paraguaya
A 'soup' that's actually a savoury cornmeal-and-cheese cake — Paraguay's national bread.
Mbejú Cassava Pancake
Cassava-starch and cheese griddle cake — crisp outside, chewy within.
Machboos Rubyan
Spiced shrimp-and-rice with caramelised onion, dried lime and saffron.
Balaleet
Sweet vermicelli with cardamom, saffron and rosewater, topped with a savoury egg blanket.
Isombe
Pounded cassava leaves with peanut paste, eggplant and spinach — a Great Lakes staple.
Akabenz Pork Brochette
Smoky pork strips grilled over charcoal with chili-onion relish — Kigali street food.
Yassa Poulet
Casamance chicken in deeply caramelised onion, lemon and mustard sauce over white rice.
Pastels Fish Pasties
Crisp fried turnovers stuffed with spiced fish — sold from street stands across Dakar.
Bariis Iskukaris
Somali spiced rice with goat or chicken, raisins and the distinctive xawaash spice mix.
Malawax Pancakes
Soft semolina-and-flour crepes scented with cardamom, eaten with honey or stew.
Pom
Suriname's beloved oven dish — grated pomtajer root baked over citrus-marinated chicken.
Bara
Spiced split-pea fritters with cumin and turmeric — Indo-Surinamese street snack.
Tanzanian Pilau
Spiced one-pot rice with beef, scented with cardamom, clove, cumin and cinnamon.
Chipsi Mayai
Tanzanian chip omelette — French fries cooked into a folded egg pancake.
Ugandan Rolex
Chapati rolled around an omelette of tomato, onion and cabbage — Kampala's iconic street food.
Luwombo Stew
Buganda royal dish — chicken or beef steamed in banana-leaf parcels with ground peanut sauce.
Chivito Sandwich
Uruguay's signature steak sandwich loaded with ham, cheese, bacon, egg and mayo.
Torta Frita
Rainy-day fried flatbread sprinkled with sugar — a Uruguayan pampas tradition.
Saltah
Yemen's national stew — meat broth bubbling under a crown of frothy hilbeh fenugreek paste.
Bint Al-Sahn
Layered honey bread — paper-thin enriched dough stacked, baked golden and drenched in honey.
Nshima with Beef Relish
Stiff white maize nshima with a slow tomato-and-onion beef relish — Zambia's daily plate.
Ifisashi Greens & Peanut
Greens stewed with creamy peanut sauce — eaten with nshima.
Tavë Kosi
Albanian baked lamb-and-rice casserole crowned with tangy yogurt-egg custard.
Byrek me Spinaq
Flaky filo pie layered with spinach, leek and feta — Albania's everyday savoury bake.
Trinxat
Pyrenean cabbage and potato hash crisped in pork fat with bacon and garlic.
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Escudella Andorrana
Mountain meat-and-noodle stew with pilota meatball — Andorra's winter centrepiece.
Calulu de Peixe
Angolan dried-and-fresh fish stew thickened with okra, sweet potato leaves and palm oil.
Cocada Amarela
Bright-yellow coconut and egg-yolk pudding scented with cinnamon — Luanda dessert classic.
Draniki
Crispy Belarusian potato pancakes served with sour cream and dill.
Machanka
Smoky pork-rib gravy ladled over thick buckwheat pancakes.
Ema Datshi
Bhutan's national dish — fiery green chilis melted into local cheese sauce.
Phaksha Paa
Smoked pork belly stir-fried with dried red chilis, ginger and bok choy.
Ćevapi
Bosnian skinless beef-and-lamb sausages charred and tucked into puffy somun bread with onion.
Klepe
Bosnian beef-stuffed pasta dumplings drowned in garlic-yogurt sauce.
Ambuyat
Brunei's national dish — sticky sago starch eaten with chandas dipping sauces.
Nasi Katok
Brunei's late-night package: rice, fried chicken and fiery sambal wrapped in paper.
Banitsa
Coiled filo pastry filled with sirene cheese and yogurt — Bulgarian breakfast staple.
Shopska Salata
Bright Bulgarian summer salad heaped with grated white cheese over tomatoes, cucumber and pepper.
Ndolé
Cameroonian bitterleaf and peanut stew with shrimp and beef — the country's national dish.
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Poulet DG
'Director General' chicken — Cameroon's celebratory plantain, chicken and pepper stir-up.
Kanda ti Nyma
Central African meatballs simmered in pumpkin-seed and tomato gravy.
Gozo
Pounded cassava paste eaten alongside rich CAR sauces and stews.
Pastel de Choclo
Chilean baked corn-and-beef pie — pino filling under a sweet creamed-corn crust.
Empanada de Pino
Chilean baked beef empanada with onion, raisin, olive and a wedge of egg.
Ajiaco Bogotano
Bogotá's three-potato chicken soup with corn, capers and the herb guascas.
Arepa de Huevo
Caribbean Colombian fried corn arepa with a whole egg cooked inside.
Mtsolola
Comorian fish coconut stew with green banana and cassava.
Ladu
Comoros sweet rice flour balls perfumed with cardamom and rose.
Liboke ya Malangwa
Congolese fish parcels steamed in banana leaves with ginger and chili.
Saka Saka
Pounded cassava leaves slow-cooked with palm oil, smoked fish and peanut paste.
Crni Rižot
Adriatic black risotto stained with cuttlefish ink — Dalmatian classic.
Štrukli
Zagorje cheese-filled dough baked or boiled in cream — Croatia's beloved comfort dish.
Yetakelt Wat
Djiboutian spiced vegetable stew with carrot, potato and green bean in berbere.
Lahoh
Spongy fermented sourdough pancake topped with honey and ghee.
La Bandera
Dominican 'flag' lunch — white rice, red beans and stewed chicken.
Mangú
Mashed green plantains topped with pickled red onions and sided 'tres golpes'.
Encebollado
Ecuadorian tuna and yuca soup with pickled red onions and cilantro — coastal hangover cure.
Llapingachos
Ecuadorian highland potato cakes stuffed with melty cheese, served with peanut sauce.
Succotash de Pollo
Equatorial Guinean chicken stew thickened with peanuts and rich palm oil.
Plantain Croquettes
Sweet ripe plantain croquettes rolled in toasted coconut.
Verivorst
Estonian Christmas blood sausage with barley, marjoram and bacon, oven-crisped.
Kohuke
Estonian curd-cheese bar dipped in dark chocolate — beloved childhood snack.
Emasi nePhalishi
Swazi soured-milk emasi spooned over hot maize porridge.
Sidvudvu
Eswatini pumpkin and maize meal porridge sweetened with sugar.
Doro Wat
Ethiopia's iconic deep-red chicken stew with berbere, slow-melted onions and hard-boiled egg.
Shiro Wat
Silky chickpea-flour stew spiced with berbere — daily Ethiopian comfort food.
Poulet Nyembwe
Gabonese palm-nut chicken stew — silky red sauce over rice or cassava.
Odika Fish
Gabonese fish baked in wild-mango odika sauce with peppers.
Pepián
Guatemala's national stew — chicken in toasted pumpkin-seed and tomato sauce.
Rellenitos de Plátano
Guatemalan ripe plantain dumplings stuffed with sweet black beans, fried and sugared.
Griot
Haitian citrus-marinated pork cubes braised then fried crisp; served with pikliz.
Soup Joumou
Haiti's Independence Day pumpkin and beef soup with pasta and root vegetables.
Mansaf
Jordan's national feast — lamb cooked in fermented jameed yogurt over rice and shrak bread.
Maqluba
'Upside-down' Jordanian rice dish layered with eggplant, cauliflower and chicken, then flipped.
Nyama Choma
Kenya's beloved fire-roasted goat seasoned simply with salt, served with kachumbari.
Sukuma Wiki
Quick-fried collard greens with onion and tomato — Kenya's everyday side.
Flija
Kosovar layered crepe-like pastry brushed with cream and baked under coals layer by layer.
Speca me Djathë
Kosovar baked peppers stuffed with curd cheese, eggs and herbs.
Speka Pīrādziņi
Latvian crescent buns stuffed with smoky bacon and onion — celebration table classic.
Sklandrausis
Latvian rye tartlet topped with potato and sweet carrot — a UNESCO heritage bake.
Papa le Moroho
Lesotho stiff maize papa with stewed greens and tomato — daily mountain meal.
Makoenya
Basotho yeasted fried fat cakes — soft and pillowy street snack.
Käsknöpfle
Liechtenstein's national dish — eggy spätzle smothered in melted alpine cheese and crispy onions.
Ribel
Toasted maize-and-wheat crumble pan-fried golden, served with milk and apple sauce.
Cepelinai
Lithuanian zeppelin-shaped potato dumplings stuffed with pork, drowned in sour cream and bacon.
Šaltibarščiai
Lithuanian electric-pink cold beet soup with kefir, dill and hard-boiled eggs.
Judd mat Gaardebounen
Luxembourg's national dish — smoked pork neck simmered with broad beans and creamy gravy.
Bouneschlupp
Luxembourg green-bean soup with potato, leek, bacon and a swirl of cream.
Romazava
Madagascar's national stew — beef simmered with bitter brèdes mafane greens.
Koba Akondro
Malagasy peanut, banana and rice flour log steamed in banana leaf.
Nsima ne Ndiwo
Malawian stiff maize nsima served with stewed greens and groundnut sauce.
Mandasi
Lightly sweet Malawian fried dough buns served with tea.
Mas Huni
Maldivian shredded smoked tuna tossed with coconut, onion and chili — eaten with roshi.
Garudhiya
Clear Maldivian tuna broth ladled over rice with lime, chili and onion.
Dholl Puri
Mauritian split-pea-stuffed flatbread served with bean curry, rougaille and chili pickle.
Rougaille Saucisse
Creole tomato stew with smoked sausage, ginger, garlic and thyme over rice.
Mămăligă cu Brânză
Moldovan polenta layered with sheep cheese and sour cream — peasant comfort food.
Plăcintă cu Brânză
Pan-cooked Moldovan flatbread stuffed with cheese and dill — golden on both sides.
Barbagiuàn
Monégasque fried ravioli stuffed with chard, ricotta and parmesan — national snack.
Fougasse Monégasque
Anise and orange-flower flat bread topped with sugared almonds — Monaco festive sweet.
Buuz
Mongolian steamed dumplings filled with seasoned mutton — Lunar New Year staple.
Tsuivan
Mongolian steamed noodles tossed with mutton, cabbage and carrot in a single pot.
Kačamak
Montenegrin highland mash of polenta and potato whipped with sheep cheese and cream.
Njeguški Pršut Plate
Njeguši cured ham with smoked cheese, olives and rakija — Montenegrin meze.
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Frango Piri Piri
Mozambican fire-grilled chicken bathed in piri piri, garlic and lemon.
Matapa
Mozambican cassava leaves slow-cooked with peanut, coconut and shrimp.
Namibian Potjiekos
Slow three-hour cast-iron pot stew of beef, root veg and beer over an open fire.
Kapana
Namibian street-grilled spiced beef strips dipped into chili-and-tomato relish.
Dal Bhat Tarkari
Nepal's daily plate — lentil soup, rice, vegetable curry and pickle.
Nepali Momo
Himalayan steamed dumplings stuffed with spiced buffalo or chicken, dipped in tomato achar.
Tavče Gravče
Macedonia's national bean casserole baked in earthenware with paprika, onion and mint.
Ajvar
Smoky Macedonian roasted-pepper relish with eggplant, garlic and oil.
Musakhan
Palestinian roast chicken on taboon bread piled with sumac onions and toasted pine nuts.
Palestinian Maftoul
Hand-rolled large couscous steamed with chickpeas, chicken and warm spice broth.
Sarmale
Romanian sour-cabbage rolls stuffed with pork, rice and dill — slow-baked with smoked bacon.
Mici
Romanian skinless grilled meat fingers with mustard — quintessential summer barbecue.
Nidi di Rondine
San Marino's 'swallow's nest' rolled pasta filled with ham, cheese and béchamel.
Torta Tre Monti
San Marino's iconic stacked wafer cake glazed with chocolate hazelnut cream.
Calulu de São Tomé
São Tomé fish stew with okra, eggplant and palm oil over rice.
Banana Pão
Pan-fried plantain rounds — São Tomé's everyday side.
Kabsa
Saudi national rice dish — chicken or lamb cooked with tomato, dried lime and Arabian spice.
Jareesh
Slow-cooked cracked wheat porridge with lamb and yogurt — Najdi comfort food.
Karađorđeva Šnicla
Rolled veal cutlet stuffed with kajmak, breaded and fried — 'Serbian girl' steak.
Serbian Pljeskavica
Wide spiced patty of beef and lamb grilled and stuffed into lepinja with onion and kajmak.
Ladob
Seychellois sweet plantain and sweet potato cooked in coconut milk with vanilla and nutmeg.
Daube de Banane
Plantain caramelised in spiced syrup with cinnamon and clove.
Bryndzové Halušky
Slovak national dish — potato dumplings smothered in sheep cheese and bacon.
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Kapustnica
Slovak smoky sauerkraut soup with sausage, mushrooms and prunes — Christmas Eve classic.
Potica
Slovenia's celebratory walnut roll — soft yeast dough wound around honeyed walnut filling.
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Jota
Karst sauerkraut soup with beans, potato and smoked pork.
Kisra and Mullah
South Sudanese sorghum flatbread served with okra-and-meat mullah stew.
Aseeda Sorghum
Stiff sorghum porridge eaten with stews — South Sudan staple.
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Mullah Waika
Sudanese stew of dried okra (waika) with lamb and peanut, eaten with kisra.
Ful Sudani
Sudanese mashed fava beans dressed with sesame oil, lemon, tomato and feta.
Kibbeh Nayyeh
Syrian raw lamb pounded with bulgur, onion and warm spice — meze centerpiece.
Muhammara
Aleppo roasted-pepper, walnut and pomegranate molasses dip.
Ikan Pepes
Timorese fish parcels grilled in banana leaf with chili, lime and basil.
Batar Daan
Timor-Leste corn-and-pumpkin stew with mung beans — comforting national dish.
Doubles
Trini street snack — soft turmeric flatbreads sandwiching curried chickpeas with mango chutney.
Oil Down
Trinidadian breadfruit and salt-meat one-pot braised in coconut milk with turmeric.
Brik à l'Œuf
Tunisian crisp warka pastry triangle with a runny egg, tuna and capers.
Couscous Tunisien
Tunisian fiery harissa couscous steamed with lamb, chickpeas and seven vegetables.
Machboos
Emirati spiced rice with lamb or chicken, dried lime, saffron and bezar.
Luqaimat
Crispy Emirati dumplings drenched in date syrup and sesame.
Spaghetti alla Papalina
Roman papal spaghetti with prosciutto, peas, eggs and cream — created for a pope.
Crostata di Ricotta
Roman ricotta tart with candied citrus and a hint of dark chocolate.
Pabellón Criollo
Venezuela's national plate — shredded beef, black beans, white rice and sweet plantain.
Arepa Reina Pepiada
Venezuelan corn arepa stuffed with chicken-and-avocado salad.
Sadza ne Nyama
Zimbabwean stiff maize sadza with slow-stewed beef in tomato and onion.
Muriwo une Dovi
Collard greens stewed in creamy peanut sauce — Zimbabwe's signature side.
Mantu
Afghan steamed dumplings filled with spiced beef, topped with yogurt and tomato-lentil sauce.
Chakhchoukha
Algerian torn flatbread soaked in lamb-and-vegetable harissa stew.
Fungee and Pepperpot
Antigua's national dish — cornmeal fungee paired with spinach-and-meat pepperpot.
Conch Fritters
Bahamian conch chunks battered with peppers and herbs, fried golden, with calypso dip.
Bahraini Machboos
Bahrain's spiced fish or chicken biryani with dried lime, baharat and basmati.
Bhapa Ilish
Bangladesh's national fish — hilsa steamed in mustard, green chili and coconut.
Cou-Cou and Flying Fish
Barbados' national plate — cornmeal cou-cou with seasoned steamed flying fish.
Belizean Rice and Beans
Coconut-cooked rice and red beans with stewed chicken — Belize's everyday plate.
Amiwo
Benin's red corn paste cooked in tomato and chili, eaten with fried fish or chicken.
Salteñas
Bolivian juicy baked empanadas with sweet-spicy beef, potato, peas and olive.
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Seswaa
Botswana's celebratory pounded beef — slow-boiled then mashed with salt; served with pap.
Feijoada
Brazilian black-bean and pork stew — the national dish, served with rice and orange.
Riz Gras
Burkinabé one-pot tomato rice with beef, eggplant and cabbage — a Sahelian classic.
Mukeke
Lake Tanganyika fish grilled with palm oil, onion, tomato and chili — Burundi's signature.
Fish Amok
Cambodia's signature steamed fish curry, custardy with kroeung and coconut, in banana-leaf bowls.
Cachupa Rica
Cape Verde's national hominy and bean stew with pork, sausage and sweet potato.
Gallo Pinto
Costa Rican breakfast of black beans and rice fried with sofrito and Lizano sauce.
Ropa Vieja
Cuban shredded beef stewed with peppers, onions, tomato and olives — the national dish.
Souvla
Cypriot large-cube lamb roasted slowly on a spit over charcoal, simply seasoned.
Svíčková
Czech braised beef in creamy root-vegetable sauce, with bread dumplings and cranberries.
Crapaud Stew
Dominican stewed frog (crapaud) with thyme, garlic and lime — an island specialty.
Poulet à la Moambé
DRC's iconic palm-nut chicken stew — silky red sauce over rice and saka saka.
Pupusas Revueltas
Salvadoran masa pockets stuffed with chicharrón, beans and cheese, with curtido slaw.
Zigni
Eritrean fiery beef stew with berbere — eaten with injera.
Domoda
Gambian peanut-tomato stew with beef or chicken, served over white rice.
Grenadian Oil Down
Grenada's national pot — breadfruit, salt meat and dumplings braised in turmeric coconut milk.
Poulet Yassa
West African yassa — chicken slow-cooked in caramelised onion, lemon and mustard.
Bissau Jollof
Guinea-Bissau's spicy red rice with beef, tomato and pepper — Sahel jollof variant.
Guyanese Pepperpot
Guyana's national stew — beef in cassareep, cinnamon and chili — served Christmas morning.
Baleadas
Honduran flour tortillas folded over refried beans, cream and crumbled cheese.
Hungarian Gulyás
Hungary's national soup — paprika-rich beef and potato with caraway and pepper.
Ghormeh Sabzi
Iran's national herb stew — slow-cooked with lamb, kidney beans and dried lime.
Masgouf
Iraqi butterflied carp grilled over open fire with tamarind and tomato — Baghdad's signature.
Sabich
Israeli pita stuffed with fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, hummus, salad and amba.
Kedjenou
Ivorian sealed-pot chicken stew with peppers, ginger and onion — slow-shaken low and slow.
Machboos Laham
Kuwaiti spiced rice with lamb, cardamom, dried lime and saffron.
Larb Lao
Lao national salad — minced meat tossed with toasted rice, lime, fish sauce, mint and chili.
Palava Sauce
Liberian greens and meat stew with palm oil and bonny fish — eaten with rice.
Bazin
Libyan firm barley dough served beneath a spicy lamb, egg and potato sauce.
Tigadégué Na
Malian peanut-tomato stew with chicken, served over jasmine rice.
Fenkata
Maltese garlic-and-wine stewed rabbit — celebratory village feast.
Mauritanian Thieboudienne
Mauritania's coastal jollof-style fish-and-rice with vegetables in tomato.
Nica Gallo Pinto
Nicaraguan rice and red beans fried with onion, pepper and a touch of vinegar.
Dambou
Nigerien steamed millet couscous with vegetables and fresh moringa leaves.
Pyongyang Naengmyeon
Cold buckwheat noodles in icy beef broth with pear, cucumber and a vinegar-mustard dressing.
Shuwa
Omani slow-roasted lamb in banana leaf, marinated with bzar spice and buried with coals.
Karachi Biryani
Pakistani layered chicken biryani with potato, fried onion, mint and saffron.
Sancocho Panameño
Panama's curative chicken soup with yuca, ñame, corn and culantro.
Sopa Paraguaya
Paraguay's 'solid soup' — savoury cornmeal cake with onion, cheese and milk.
Pierogi Ruskie
Polish dumplings filled with potato, twaróg cheese and fried onion — comfort food classic.
Qatari Machboos
Qatari spiced rice with chicken, dried lime, baharat and rose water.
Borscht
Crimson Russian beet soup with cabbage, beef and a swirl of sour cream.
Isombe
Rwandan pounded cassava leaves cooked with eggplant, peanut paste and palm oil.
Stewed Saltfish with Dumplings
Kittitian national dish — saltfish stewed with onion and tomato, served with spicy plantain and dumplings.
Green Fig and Saltfish
St Lucia's national dish — boiled green bananas with saltfish in tomato and pepper.
Roasted Breadfruit and Jackfish
SVG's national dish — fire-roasted breadfruit served with fried jackfish in onion sauce.
Yassa Poulet
Senegalese chicken slow-cooked in deeply caramelised onion, lemon and mustard.
Baasto iyo Suugo
Somali pasta with spiced meat sauce and a banana on the side.
Sri Lankan Rice and Curry
Sri Lankan plate of red rice surrounded by dhal, fish curry and pol sambol.
Roti Kip
Surinamese roti with masala chicken, potato and long bean — Hindustani classic.
Rösti
Swiss crispy grated potato cake — golden outside, tender inside.
Qurutob
Tajik national dish — strips of fatir bread soaked in fermented yogurt with onion, tomato and herbs.
Ugali na Nyama
Tanzanian stiff maize ugali with tomato-stewed beef.
Djenkoumè
Togolese tomato-soaked corn paste eaten with grilled chicken or fish.
Matoke Stew
Ugandan steamed green bananas mashed with tomato-onion sauce — daily staple.
Varenyky
Ukrainian crescent dumplings stuffed with potato and cheese, served with sour cream.
Milanesa Napolitana
Uruguayan breaded steak crowned with ham, tomato sauce and melted mozzarella.
Yemeni Mandi
Yemeni smoky lamb-and-rice cooked in a tandoor with hawaij spice.
Chikanda
Zambian groundnut and orchid-tuber 'African polony' — a vegetarian loaf.
Poyo (Palm Wine)
Fresh sap tapped from oil or raffia palms, naturally fermented into a milky, tangy Sierra Leonean staple served at gatherings.
Sierra Leonean Ginger Cake
Moist, spiced butter cake heavy on fresh ginger and molasses — a Krio tea-time favourite.
Sierra Leonean Ginger Drink (Jinjah)
Fiery Krio ginger beer sweetened with sugar and brightened with lime — sold in chilled sachets across Freetown.
Tombi (Sweet Corn Drink)
Creamy Krio drink of milled maize simmered with sugar, milk and nutmeg — a Freetown street favourite.
Sorrel Drink (Bissap Krio)
Deep-red hibiscus brew steeped with ginger, cloves and pineapple peel — served ice-cold at Sierra Leonean weddings.
Sierra Leonean Rice Bread
Dense, sweet Krio quick-bread made with rice flour, ripe banana and nutmeg — sold wrapped in banana leaf.
Binch Akara (Black-Eyed Pea Fritters)
Krio breakfast fritters of skinned black-eyed peas whipped with onion and pepper, fried crisp and dipped in pepper sauce.
Kaklo (Fried Ripe Plantain)
Sweet ripe plantain slices fried until caramelised — the classic partner to jollof, plasas and beans.
Sierra Leonean Coconut Rice
Long-grain rice simmered in fresh coconut milk with onion and thyme — served with grilled fish or pepper chicken.
Sierra Leonean Pepper Chicken
Charred marinated chicken glazed with a fiery scotch-bonnet and ginger pepper sauce — a Freetown roadside classic.
Krain Krain (Jute Leaf Soup)
Silky green jute-leaf soup with smoked fish, crayfish and palm oil — ladled over rice or fufu.
Grilled Pepper Fish
Whole snapper or barracuda slathered in scotch-bonnet paste and charcoal-grilled — Aberdeen beach classic.
Zobo (Hibiscus Drink)
Deep-crimson hibiscus infusion spiced with ginger, cloves and pineapple — Nigeria's most-loved party drink.
Kunu Aya (Tiger Nut Milk)
Creamy Northern Nigerian drink of soaked tiger nuts blended with dates and coconut — served ice-cold.
Kunu Zaki (Millet Drink)
Hausa fermented millet drink with ginger, cloves and sweet potato — tangy, spiced and lightly sour.
Fura da Nono (Fulani Millet & Milk)
Fulani herders' meal-in-a-cup — spiced millet dough balls broken into tangy fermented cow's milk.
Chapman Cocktail
Lagos-born non-alcoholic party cocktail: red Fanta and Sprite lengthened with grenadine, Angostura and cucumber.
Palm Wine (Emu / Nkwu Enu)
Fresh raffia-palm sap left to ferment naturally — Nigeria's oldest ceremonial drink, milky and effervescent.
Burukutu (Millet Beer)
Middle Belt sorghum-and-millet brew fermented in clay pots — cloudy, tart and mildly alcoholic.
Ogbono Soup
Igbo draw-soup thickened with ground wild-mango seeds — glossy, savoury and eaten with fufu.
Ofe Oha (Ora Soup)
Igbo delicacy of tender oha leaves in a cocoyam-thickened palm-oil broth — festive and deeply aromatic.
Ukwa (Breadfruit Porridge)
Igbo dry-season delicacy of African breadfruit seeds simmered with dried fish, crayfish and palm oil.
Isi Ewu (Spicy Goat Head)
Igbo delicacy of tender goat-head meat tossed in a palm-oil sauce with utazi, ehu seed and potash — iconic bar food.
Ekpang Nkukwo
Efik pot-baked delicacy — grated cocoyam wrapped in cocoyam leaves and steamed with palm oil, periwinkles and dried fish.
Editan Soup
Bitter-leaf-like Efik soup of chopped editan and water leaves in a rich palm-oil broth with periwinkles and stockfish.
Atama Soup
Efik-Ibibio banga-style soup perfumed with dried atama leaf — palm-fruit rich with periwinkles and bushmeat.
Owo Soup
Bright-orange Itsekiri/Edo palm-oil soup thickened with potash and starch — the classic partner to starch and boiled yam.
Edo Black Soup (Omoebe)
Deep-green Edo herbal soup blending bitterleaf, scent leaf and uziza with palm oil, dried fish and assorted meat.
Starch & Banga Soup
Urhobo signature — glossy yellow cassava starch swallow eaten with palm-fruit banga soup.
Rivers Fisherman Soup
Ijaw seafood pepper-soup piled with fresh fish, prawns, crab and periwinkles in a fiery uziza broth.
Miyan Kubewa (Dried Okra Soup)
Hausa dry-season soup of ground dried okra in a peppery tomato-and-locust-bean broth — eaten with tuwo.
Dan Wake (Bean Dumplings)
Hausa dumplings of bean flour dyed dark green with baobab-leaf powder, boiled and dressed with peppery oil.
Balangu (Hausa Grilled Meat)
Fresh-cut ram or beef grilled straight over open flames and dusted with yaji spice — Kano's most famous street grill.
Dambu Nama (Shredded Beef Floss)
Kanuri and Hausa spiced beef floss — meat boiled, pounded, then dry-fried with yaji until light and fluffy.
Miyan Karkashi
Hausa slippery-leaf soup of karkashi (jute leaves) simmered with dawadawa, dried fish and beef — eaten with tuwo.
Ewa Agoyin
Lagos street classic — soft mashed brown beans doused in a smoky pepper-and-palm-oil sauce, eaten with agege bread.
Kokoro (Crunchy Corn Sticks)
Yoruba roadside snack of sweetened cornmeal-and-gari sticks deep-fried to a hard, addictive crunch.
Ikokore (Water Yam Pottage)
Ijebu-Yoruba grated water-yam porridge cooked in palm oil with smoked fish and crayfish — soft, savoury and rustic.
Genger & Ruam (Tiv Sesame Soup)
Tiv sesame-seed soup thickened with ground beniseed and eaten with ruam kunu — pounded yam or rice fufu.
Dodo (Fried Plantain)
Sweet ripe plantains sliced and shallow-fried until caramelised — the universal Nigerian side.
Boli (Roast Plantain)
Firm plantains roasted whole over charcoal until charred and served with groundnuts and pepper sauce.
Chin Chin
Crunchy fried dough diamonds spiced with nutmeg — the party-bag staple in every Nigerian household.
Nigerian Meat Pie
Flaky handheld pies filled with peppered minced beef, potato and carrot — every bakery's bestseller.
Nigerian Buns
Dense, slightly sweet fried dough balls — a chewy roadside pairing for zobo or fura.
Yassa Poisson
Casamance fish yassa — grilled fish smothered in slow-cooked lemon-mustard onions and served over broken rice.
Caldou
Ziguinchor lemon-and-palm-oil fish stew — clear, sour and served with plain white rice.
Soupou Kandia
Casamance okra sauce with smoked fish, palm oil and beef — glossy, spicy and eaten over rice.
Domoda
Mandinka groundnut stew — thicker and tangier than mafé, brightened with lemon and tomato.
Lakh (Ruy)
Serer millet porridge topped with sweetened sour milk and a drizzle of baobab or peanut sauce.
Ngalax
Sweet millet paste with peanut butter and baobab, traditionally shared on Korité and Easter.
Fataya
Fried half-moon pastries stuffed with spiced fish or minced meat — a Dakar street-corner classic.
Accara
Lebou fishing-village bean fritters — black-eyed peas whipped fluffy and fried, served with kaani pepper sauce.
Firire
Whole fish rubbed with parsley-garlic-chili rof and shallow-fried — the Lebou beach lunch.
Thiof Braisé
Whole thiof grouper marinated with lemon, mustard and parsley then grilled over charcoal — Dakar's signature grill.
Dibi
Charcoal-grilled mutton dusted with mustard-onion-chili powder — Dakar's late-night dibiterie staple.
Nem Sénégalais
Dakar's Vietnamese-influenced fried spring rolls with beef mince, vermicelli and cabbage — sold from every Plateau kiosk.
Ceebu Yapp
Saint-Louis red-rice dish with braised beef and caramelised onions — thiéboudienne's meaty sibling.
Cere Basi Salté
Peul millet couscous with lamb-and-vegetable broth — the herder's celebration plate of the Ferlo.
Thiéré
Steamed rolled millet couscous — the everyday Peul grain, eaten with sauces or soured milk.
Lalo
Toucouleur jute-leaf sauce from the Senegal river valley — silky, dark green and served with millet couscous.
Bissap
Ruby-red hibiscus infusion sweetened with vanilla and mint — Senegal's everyday cooler.
Bouye (Baobab Juice)
Milky baobab-fruit drink — tangy, vanilla-perfumed and lightly thick, sold from every corner shop.
Jus de Gingembre
Fiery Senegalese ginger juice with lime and vanilla — served ice-cold in small glasses.
Café Touba
Mouride-order coffee ground with djar (Selim pepper) and cloves — spicy, aromatic and drunk sweet.
Tibs
Fast-fried cubes of beef or lamb sizzled with onion, rosemary, chili and niter kibbeh — the highland celebration dish.
Key Wat (Sik Sik)
Deep-red Amhara beef stew of long-cooked onions, berbere and niter kibbeh — the meat wat of celebrations.
Alicha Wat
Mild turmeric-and-ginger stew (no berbere) with lamb and potatoes — a golden counterpoint to fiery wats.
Gomen (Collard Greens)
Slow-cooked collards braised with garlic, ginger and niter kibbeh — the everyday Amhara side.
Atkilt Wat
Cabbage, potato and carrot braised with turmeric and ginger — the vegan mainstay of the beyaynetu platter.
Misir Wat
Split red lentils simmered with onion, berbere and garlic — the classic fasting-day wat.
Dulet
Gurage minced lamb liver, tripe and lean meat sautéed with chili, onion and mitmita — served warm, almost raw.
Kocho
Fermented enset (false-banana) flatbread — the daily bread of Gurage and Sidama, wrapped in leaves and griddled.
Tegabino Shiro
Gurage shiro cooked and served bubbling in a clay dish — thicker and spicier than everyday shiro wat.
Tihlo
Tigrayan roasted-barley dough pulled apart and dipped into peppery meat stew — eaten with a wooden fork.
Hilbet
Cool Tigrayan paste of soaked lentils and split peas whipped with fenugreek and chili — a fasting-day dip.
Genfo
Thick barley porridge shaped into a dome with a niter-kibbeh-and-berbere pool in the centre — Tigray's breakfast of new mothers.
Chechebsa (Kita Firfir)
Oromo torn flatbread tossed in niter kibbeh and berbere — a beloved breakfast with honey or yogurt.
Chukko (Chuko)
Borana Oromo whipped soured milk with roasted barley flour — a pastoralist's high-country breakfast.
Anchote
Western Oromo tuber boiled, mashed with garlic and niter kibbeh — the traditional dish honouring warriors and new mothers.
Kocho with Kitfo
The Sidama-Gurage classic pairing: warm mince kitfo over kocho flatbread with a smear of ayib fresh cheese.
Buna Qala
Sidama ceremonial coffee simmered with butter and salt in a clay pot — richer and heavier than typical buna.
Data (Wolayta Kocho)
Wolayta buttered enset porridge topped with warm cheese and berbere-butter — a highland feast dish.
Fatira
Harar layered flaky pancake folded around egg and honey — a Ramadan breakfast staple from the walled city.
Hilib Ari
Ogaden Somali charcoal-grilled goat marinated with xawaash spice, lemon and garlic — served with anjero.
Suqaar
Ogaden diced-beef stir-fry with pepper, xawaash and coriander — quick, spiced and eaten with anjero or rice.
Himbasha
Afar and Tigrayan celebration bread flavoured with cardamom, raisins and black nigella — round, scored and pillowy.
Kita
Konso and highland unleavened griddle bread — quick, dense and torn to scoop stews when injera isn't at hand.
Anyuak Grilled Fish
Anyuak river-fish from Gambella grilled over open flame with chili paste and served with kita and greens.
Buna (Coffee Ceremony)
The three-round Ethiopian coffee ceremony — beans hand-roasted, hand-pounded and brewed in a jebena.
Tej
Ethiopian honey wine fermented with gesho (hop-like buckthorn) — served in a rounded berele flask.
Tella
Rustic home-brewed Ethiopian beer of barley, gesho and roasted bread crumbs — cloudy, tart and low in alcohol.
Atmit
Silky oat or barley gruel with milk and cardamom — a nurturing drink for the ill and post-partum mothers.
Dabo Kolo
Small crunchy roasted-wheat nuggets spiced with berbere — the coffee-ceremony snack that travels everywhere.
Sambusa
Fried triangular pastries filled with berbere-spiced lentils or beef — a Ramadan and fasting-season favourite.
Injera Firfir
Yesterday's injera torn and tossed hot with niter kibbeh, berbere and onion — the national breakfast leftover.
Braai Tjops
Lamb loin chops marinated in garlic, coriander and vinegar then grilled hard over red coals — the heart of every South African braai.
Lamb Potjiekos
Cast-iron three-legged pot slow-cooked over coals — layered lamb, root vegetables and red wine, never stirred until the end.
Koeksisters
Plaited fried dough plunged into ice-cold ginger-lemon syrup — crackling outside, syrup-soaked inside.
Vetkoek
Fried dough buns split open and stuffed with curried mince or apricot jam — a farmstall and township classic.
Biltong
Air-dried spiced beef strips — the Voortrekker traveller's protein, cured with coriander, vinegar and salt.
Droëwors
Air-dried beef-and-lamb sausages seasoned like biltong — the Karoo road-trip snack.
Melkkos
Sweet cinnamon milk soup with dumpling scraps of dough — an old Cape farm supper.
Umngqusho
Xhosa samp-and-sugar-bean stew — Nelson Mandela's favourite everyday dish.
Umqombothi
Traditional Xhosa sorghum-and-maize beer — thick, tangy and ceremonial, served from a clay pot.
Umleqwa
Xhosa 'running chicken' — the yard hen slow-simmered with onion, tomato and umsobo greens.
Umvubo
Xhosa mash-up of dry crumbly pap and amasi (soured milk) — a simple soothing supper.
Isijingi
Zulu pumpkin porridge — soft mashed pumpkin cooked with maize meal, butter and sugar.
Isistambu (Zulu Samp & Beans)
Zulu samp and sugar-bean stew, slightly richer with beef bone and morogo greens.
Inhloko
Ceremonial Zulu slow-cooked cow's head — traditionally reserved for men at weddings and coming-of-age feasts.
Uphuthu
Zulu dry-crumb maize pap — steamed rather than porridge-smooth, eaten with amasi, beans or meat.
Amasi
Zulu naturally soured milk — thick, tangy and drunk cold with pap or straight from a calabash.
Motoho wa Ting
Sotho sour-sorghum porridge fermented overnight — sipped cold as a summer thirst-quencher.
Mokoutu
Sotho dried-fish stew with tomato, onion and morogo — a Free State household staple.
Dikgobe
Tswana samp and sugar-bean-and-sorghum stew flavoured with onion — a common Sunday plate in the North West.
Tshidzimba
Venda samp, cowpeas and peanuts simmered together — nutty, chewy and warmly filling.
Thophi
Venda maize-meal-and-pumpkin porridge — smoother and softer than isijingi, sweetened at the table.
Tinhove
Tsonga slow-simmered maize kernels with cowpeas and peanut — the everyday Limpopo lowveld comfort dish.
Mopane Worms (Madora)
Sun-dried mopane caterpillars rehydrated and fried with onion, tomato and chili — Limpopo's protein delicacy.
Tihove Ni Timanga
Tsonga maize-and-peanut mash finished with a knob of butter — a nutty highland winter bowl.
Isidudu
Ndebele soft maize-and-pumpkin breakfast porridge — creamy, faintly sweet and eaten with milk.
Tomato Bredie
Cape Malay lamb-and-tomato stew perfumed with cinnamon, allspice and cloves — served over yellow rice.
Cape Malay Samoosas
Crispy triangular pastries filled with lightly spiced mince — a Ramadan iftar essential in Bo-Kaap.
Denningvleis
Cape Malay tamarind-and-clove lamb stew — dark, sweet-sour, one of the oldest recipes in Cape cooking.
Malva Pudding
Sticky, spongy apricot-jam cake soaked with hot butter-cream sauce — the crown of any Cape Sunday lunch.
Gatsby
The Cape Flats' giant sub — a footlong roll stuffed with chips, achar, cheese and steak, masala fish or polony.
Braaied Snoek
Cape West Coast snoek butterflied, basted with apricot-jam-and-garlic and grilled skin-side down.
Durban Mutton Curry
Fiery red Durban curry with mutton, potato and Mother-in-Law masala — served with roti or rice and sambals.
Durban Breyani
Layered Durban Indian rice, marinated mutton, lentils, potato and fried onion sealed and steamed on dum.
Durban Roti
Flaky layered Durban roti — rolled with ghee, folded and griddled soft to wrap around curries and bunny chow.
Morogo Wild Greens
Wild spinach or amaranth cooked down with onion and tomato — the everyday green served with pap.
Mogodu (Tripe)
Tender long-braised beef tripe with onion, curry powder and stock — a township Sunday staple with pap.
Kota (Bunny Chow's Cousin)
Township quarter-loaf hollowed and stuffed with chips, polony, cheese, atchar and Russian sausage.
Shisa Nyama
Township braai plate — mixed marinated meats grilled over hot coals with chakalaka, pap and atchar.
Boerewors Roll
The rugby-stadium classic — coiled coriander-spiced boerewors on a soft hot-dog roll with fried onions and tomato relish.
Rooibos Tea Latte
Cederberg red-bush tea steeped strong and stretched with steamed milk, honey and a shake of cinnamon.
Amarula Milkshake
Creamy blended milkshake of vanilla ice cream and Amarula cream liqueur — dessert in a glass.
Home-Brew Ginger Beer
Naturally fermented ginger beer with lemon, cream of tartar and raisins — the picnic classic in every South African fridge.
Boere Ontbyt
The full farmer's breakfast — boerewors, bacon, eggs, fried tomato and mieliepap on one platter after a cold Free State morning.
Mieliepap Breakfast Porridge
Soft mielie-meal porridge cooked to a pillowy consistency and served with warm milk, butter and brown sugar — breakfast for millions.
Mosbolletjies
Cape Dutch sweet aniseed buns leavened traditionally with grape must — pulled apart warm with butter and coffee at breakfast.
Breakfast Bunny Chow
Durban-style morning twist: a quarter loaf hollowed and filled with spicy mince curry, baked beans and a fried egg on top.
Amagwinya with Polony & Atchar
Fried dough buns split hot and stuffed with sliced polony and tangy mango atchar — the taxi-rank breakfast of townships nationwide.
Hertzoggies
Little Cape tarts named for PM Hertzog — apricot jam in short pastry crowned with coconut meringue.
Peppermint Crisp Tart
No-bake layered tart of tennis biscuits, caramel-whipped cream and grated peppermint chocolate — every South African birthday table.
Souskluitjies (Cinnamon Dumplings)
Steamed sweet dumplings drenched in a buttery cinnamon-sugar sauce — an Afrikaner oupa-and-ouma pudding.
Boeber
Cape Malay milk pudding of vermicelli, sago, cardamom and rose water — served on the 15th night of Ramadan.
Cape Brandy Pudding (Tipsy Tart)
Sticky date and pecan pudding soaked with a hot brandy syrup — a Cape farmhouse classic since the 1700s.
Russian & Slap Chips
A fat Russian sausage split and grilled beside a mountain of vinegar-soaked slap chips — the quintessential taxi-rank meal.
Slap Chips
Soft, vinegary hand-cut chips scooped into newspaper cones — the pavement staple outside every fish-and-chips shop.
Walkie Talkies
Grilled chicken feet and heads seasoned with peri-peri — a Joburg township braai-stand favourite eaten with pap.
Skopo (Smiley)
Slow-cooked sheep head — the 'smiley' — flame-cleaned then boiled until tender, sold hot from Zulu street braziers.
Amagwinya & Polony Roll
The R10 township lunch — a hot vetkoek slit open and packed with thick polony slices, cheese and tomato sauce.
Christmas Braaied Gammon
Whole gammon simmered in ginger beer then glazed with apricot mustard and finished over the Christmas Day braai — the Southern-hemisphere centrepiece.
Geelrys (Yellow Rice & Raisins)
Turmeric-and-cinnamon rice tossed with plump raisins and butter — the Sunday and celebration partner to bobotie and bredies.
Cape Malay Pickled Fish
Fried firm-fleshed fish layered under a golden turmeric-curry pickle of onions and vinegar — Cape Malay Easter Friday tradition.
Cape Malay Akhni
One-pot fragrant lamb-and-rice biryani cousin cooked with potato, lentils and whole spice — served in the Bo-Kaap for Eid.
Durban Diwali Burfee
Fudgy milk-powder squares perfumed with cardamom and topped with slivered almonds — trays of these travel between Durban homes on Diwali.
Tangia Marrakchia
Marrakech bachelor's dish — beef or lamb sealed in a clay urn with preserved lemon, smen and cumin, then slow-baked overnight in the ashes of the hammam furnace.
Rfissa
Fez postpartum classic — chicken and lentils fragrant with fenugreek and ras el hanout, ladled over torn msemen and day-old bread.
Bissara
A silky puree of dried split peas or favas from the northern Rif — poured hot, hollowed with olive oil, cumin and chilli, and eaten with khobz at dawn.
Kefta Meatball Tagine
Marrakech street tagine — cumin-spiced beef meatballs simmered in tomato with eggs cracked in at the last minute.
Berkoukesh
Middle Atlas Berber hand-rolled pearl couscous soup with lamb, chickpeas and lentils — winter fuel from Ifrane to Khenifra.
Fish Tagine with Chermoula
Essaouira port classic — sea bream marinated in coriander-cumin chermoula and stacked over potato, tomato and green pepper in a low tagine.
Medfouna (Berber Pizza)
A Rissani-Souss oasis specialty — flat bread dough stuffed with spiced lamb, onion and almond, then baked in a sand oven.
Sahrawi Camel Tagine
Sahrawi desert kitchen — cubed camel simmered long with onion, tomato and dried limes until the tough muscle turns silky.
Zaalouk
Smoky eggplant-and-tomato salad cooked down with garlic, cumin and paprika — scooped with bread at every Moroccan table.
Taktouka
Charred green pepper and tomato salad seasoned with garlic, cumin and preserved lemon — the counterpart to zaalouk.
Bakoula (Mallow Greens)
Rif Amazigh braise of mallow and spinach with olives, garlic and preserved lemon — deep green, slick with olive oil.
Cheese & Herb Briouats
Warqa triangles hiding melty cheese, parsley and preserved lemon — fried gold and eaten warm with mint tea.
Maakouda
Casablanca street snack — mashed potato patties spiced with cumin and coriander, fried crisp and stuffed into a demi-baguette with harissa.
Sfenj
Chewy Moroccan ring doughnuts hand-shaped by street sfenaji, fried in bubbling oil and threaded on rope with sugar and mint tea.
Moroccan Bocadillo
Tetouan-style baguette sandwich — tuna, tortilla, olives, potato salad and harissa layered into a split loaf, an Andalusian street classic.
Babbouche (Snail Broth)
Marrakech Jemaa el-Fna cart classic — small snails simmered in a bitter-warming broth of thyme, aniseed, licorice and mint, sipped from the shell.
Baghrir (Thousand-Hole Pancakes)
Semolina pancakes bubbled all over on one side only — soaked in warm honey butter and stacked with mint tea.
Harcha
Semolina griddle cakes with a shortbread crumb — split hot, buttered and topped with honey or jam for breakfast.
Krachel
Fez sweet milk rolls perfumed with orange blossom, anise and sesame — plaited soft and glazed with egg-milk before baking.
Batbout
Small pillowy pocket breads cooked in a dry pan — split and stuffed with cheese, khlii or honey butter for breakfast.
Khlii & Eggs
Fassi cured beef preserved in its own fat, warmed with eggs in a hot tagine — the winter breakfast of Fez medina.
Chebakia
Rose-shaped sesame-anise cookies fried, then plunged into hot honey and orange blossom — trays cover Ramadan tables.
Kaab el Ghazal (Gazelle Horns)
Delicate crescent pastries filled with almond paste perfumed with orange blossom — served at Fassi weddings and Eid.
Ghriba
Crackle-topped almond or semolina shortbread rolled in icing sugar — a bite-size sweet at every Moroccan tea tray.
Sweet Almond Briouats
Warqa triangles bulging with cinnamon-almond paste — fried and drenched in honey scented with orange blossom.
Sellou / Sfouf
Toasted flour, sesame and almonds bound with honey and butter into a rich, energy-dense confection — Ramadan and postpartum staple.
Mechoui
Whole lamb rubbed with cumin, butter and garlic and roasted in a pit oven until the skin lacquers and the meat pulls into strings — the Souss festival centrepiece.
Kefta Brochettes
Cumin-scented minced lamb pressed onto flat skewers and grilled over glowing coals — served with bread and harissa at every souk brazier.
Atay bi Naana (Mint Tea)
Chinese gunpowder green tea steeped with mint and cane sugar, poured from height into small glasses — the ceremony of Moroccan hospitality.
Avocado Milkshake (Aseer Avocat)
Casablanca juice-bar staple — blended avocado, milk, sugar and a touch of orange blossom, served thick with a spoon.
Sharbat Louz (Almond Milk)
Fassi cold almond milk perfumed with orange blossom — poured over crushed ice at weddings, Ramadan and Eid.
Mrouzia
Fassi Eid al-Adha preserve tagine — lamb from the sacrificed sheep slow-cooked with ras el hanout, honey, raisins and toasted almonds until candied.
Couscous Tfaya
Wedding-day couscous topped with tfaya — caramelised onions with cinnamon, raisins and honey — piled over saffron chicken.
Ashura Sweet Couscous
Ashura-eve couscous eaten with dried fruits, walnuts and cinnamon — steamed for the first day of Muharram to honour those who have passed.
Dafina (Skhina)
Moroccan-Jewish Shabbat stew of beef, chickpeas, potato, wheat berries and whole eggs cooked overnight in a sealed pot for Saturday lunch.
Boulfaf (Eid Liver Skewers)
Skewers of lamb liver wrapped in caul fat, cumin-rubbed and grilled the day of Eid al-Adha — the first bite from the sacrificed sheep.
Hamam Mahshi (Stuffed Pigeon)
Cairo delicacy — squab stuffed with freekeh, onions and warm spice, then roasted until the skin lacquers.
Macaroni Béchamel
Cairo's beloved pasta bake — penne layered with cinnamon-spiced beef ragu and a thick béchamel, baked until bronzed.
Sayadeya (Alexandrian Fish & Rice)
Alexandria fisherman's classic — sea bass fried and layered over rice cooked in caramelised-onion fish stock scented with cumin.
Rabbit Molokhia
Delta farmhouse version of molokhia — jute-leaf soup made with rabbit stock and finished with a fierce garlic-coriander tagleya.
Bamia (Okra & Lamb Stew)
Baby okra pods braised with lamb in a garlic-tomato sauce sharpened with lemon — served over vermicelli rice.
Nubian Fatta with Dukkah
Aswan Nubian celebration platter — layered rice, garlic-vinegar bread, spiced lamb broth and a hail of hazelnut-cumin dukkah.
Bedouin Sand-Baked Chicken
Sinai Bedouin desert cook — a whole chicken buried in hot sand under coals with onion, garlic and cumin until it falls off the bone.
Siwa Lamb Fatta
Siwa oasis feast dish — lamb slow-braised with dates and cumin, ladled over rice and shredded bread with a spiced ghee shower.
Ta'meya (Fava Falafel)
Egyptian falafel made from split favas rather than chickpeas, blitzed emerald green with dill, leek and coriander then fried into crackling patties.
Egyptian Shakshouka
Cairo café breakfast — eggs baked in a cumin-scented pepper-tomato ragu with basterma crisped in the pan.
Feteer Meshaltet
Sa'idi 'king of pies' — paper-thin dough folded around river of ghee into laminated layers and baked crisp; served with honey or cheese.
Eggah
Thick baked Egyptian frittata of eggs, parsley, leek and courgette — cut into wedges for breakfast or mezze.
Beid bel Basterma
Cairo classic — cured spiced beef basterma crisped in ghee with eggs cracked on top, scooped with baladi bread.
Torshi Lift (Pink Pickled Turnips)
Vivid pink turnip pickles coloured by a single beet — the sharp counterpoint on every koshari and ful plate.
Baba Ghanoush
Charred eggplant whipped with tahini, garlic and lemon — the mezze plate anchor.
Salata Baladi
Finely diced tomato, cucumber, onion and parsley dressed with lemon and cumin — served at every Egyptian table.
Hawawshi
Cairo street classic — baladi bread pockets stuffed with cumin-spiced minced beef, onion and pepper, then baked or griddled crisp.
Kebda Eskandarani
Alexandria liver sandwich — slivered beef liver flash-fried with chilli, garlic and cumin, jammed into a hot baladi loaf.
Cairo Shawarma
Chicken shawarma marinated in yoghurt, vinegar and cardamom, piled into flatbread with garlic sauce and pickled turnips.
Ful Sandwich
The Cairo commuter's breakfast — mashed ful medames stuffed into a hot baladi pocket with torshi, cumin oil and chilli.
Alexandrian Sujuk Sandwich
Alexandria street stall snack — cumin-and-garlic sujuk sausage seared crisp and pressed into finger-length loaves with tomato.
Om Ali
Egypt's national dessert — puff-pastry pieces soaked in sweet cardamom milk, nuts and coconut, then baked until the top burnishes.
Konafa with Cream
Shredded pastry crisped in ghee around ashta cream, drenched with orange-blossom syrup and dusted with crushed pistachio.
Qatayef
Ramadan pancake-dumplings folded around walnut-cinnamon filling, fried and dipped in orange-blossom syrup.
Mahalabia
Milk pudding thickened with cornflour, scented with mastic and rose water, dusted with cinnamon and pistachio.
Balah el-Sham
Choux-like fluted logs piped straight into hot oil, fried crisp and drenched in cold sugar syrup — Cairo's Ramadan mainstay.
Grilled Kofta Mashwiya
Cumin-and-parsley minced beef and lamb pressed onto flat skewers and grilled over glowing charcoal for street mezze.
Sumac Grilled Chicken
Chicken spatchcocked and marinated with sumac, garlic and lemon, then grilled over coals until the skin blisters.
Karkade (Hibiscus)
Aswan and Nubian hibiscus infusion — sweetened deep red and drunk ice-cold in summer or hot in winter.
Sahlab
Winter hot drink of orchid-starch-thickened milk topped with cinnamon, coconut and crushed nuts — a Ramadan cart classic.
Erksous (Licorice)
Icy dark licorice-root infusion sold from brass urns during Ramadan — bitter, cooling and slightly foamy.
Fesikh
Mullet salt-cured and fermented for 45 days — traditionally eaten at Sham el-Nessim, the ancient Egyptian spring festival still shared by Muslims and Copts.
Kahk el-Eid
Icing-sugar–blanketed shortbread rings stamped with kahk moulds and filled with agameya (honey-sesame) or dates — made in tins for every Eid al-Fitr.
Coptic Fasting Lentil Rice
Coptic Great Lent kitchen — a vegan lentil-and-rice one-pot with caramelised onion, cumin and tomato, kept strictly free of animal fat during the 55-day fast.
Egyptian Charoset
Egyptian-Jewish Passover charoset — a dark paste of dates, raisins, walnuts and sweet wine to symbolise the mortar of the enslaved, eaten with matzah at Seder.
Zalabya (Ramadan Fritters)
Yeasted batter dropped spoonful-by-spoonful into hot oil and dunked in orange-blossom syrup — trays appear at every Ramadan iftar and Mawlid.
Kusksi Libi
Libyan couscous steamed over a spiced lamb, chickpea and pumpkin broth — Friday-lunch centrepiece from Tripoli to Benghazi.
Mubakbaka
Tripolitanian one-pot pasta braised directly in a spiced lamb-tomato sauce — the everyday Libyan spaghetti bake without an oven.
Rishta Libiya
Hand-rolled Tripolitanian egg-noodle soup with chickpeas, lamb and mint — a winter-Sunday classic in old-city households.
Madfouna Nafusa
Amazigh 'buried' lamb from the Nafusa Mountains — meat and potatoes sealed in a covered pot and slow-cooked over embers until falling apart.
Osban
Libyan stuffed lamb tripe or sausage packed with rice, liver, herbs and spice — a Ramadan and Eid al-Adha staple simmered in broth.
Imbakbaka bel Djaj
Chicken variant of the Libyan one-pot pasta — bharat-spiced chicken thighs and pasta drinking a chickpea-tomato broth.
Tajin Libi
Tripolitanian oven tagine — layers of lamb, potato and egg baked in a shallow clay dish until the top sets like a savoury cake.
Hraymi
Libyan-Jewish Shabbat fish — thick fillets poached in a fiery chilli, garlic and cumin sauce and eaten with challah on Friday nights.
Shorbat Adas Bengaziya
Benghazi lentil soup with cumin, tomato and lamb bones — the eastern Cyrenaican answer to sharba libiya, thicker and rustier.
Kusksi bel Hout
Coastal Libyan fish couscous from Misrata and Zliten — grouper steaks and vegetables in a saffron-tomato broth over steamed couscous.
Shakshuka Libiya
Libyan-style shakshuka thickened with grated potato and merguez-style lamb sausage — a breakfast pan eaten with khubz.
Ftat Nafusa
Amazigh Nafusa mountain breakfast — torn barley flatbread doused with warm olive oil, honey and buttermilk.
Bsisa
Roasted barley, chickpea and fenugreek flour whisked with olive oil, dates and water — the Libyan working breakfast for centuries.
Ftira Tarabulsiya
Tripolitanian griddle flatbread of semolina and olive oil, pulled apart and dipped into tea, honey or spicy filfil chutney.
Aseeda Tamr Fezzan
Fezzan oasis breakfast — a stiff wheat porridge crowned with a well of melted butter and date syrup.
Torshi Libi
Bright pink Libyan turnip pickle stained with beetroot and sharpened with vinegar and garlic — the mezze staple on every table.
Batata Mubattana
Tripolitanian sister of mbatten — potato slices sandwiching spiced minced lamb, dipped in egg and fried into crisp discs.
Salatat Mishwiya
Fire-charred pepper and tomato salad crushed with garlic, cumin and olive oil — the smoky sidekick to grilled meats.
Mishwi Bengazi
Cyrenaican charcoal-grilled lamb chops rubbed with bharat and cumin, served with grilled tomato and torshi.
Kufta Mishwiya
Skewered minced-lamb kufta with parsley, onion and bharat — Tripoli street grills line them up over glowing charcoal.
Samak Mashwi Misrata
Whole sea bream from the Misrata coast, slathered in chermoula and grilled over embers until the skin crackles.
Brik bel Adas
Tripolitanian brik — malsouka pastry parcels of spiced lentils, potato and egg, fried until the yolk is just runny.
Sfinz
Yeasted wet-dough doughnuts pulled and fried in front of you at Libyan sfinz stands — eaten dusted with sugar or dunked in date syrup.
Lahoh Bengazi
Cyrenaican spongy pancake bread pocked with bubbles, cooked on one side and torn into stews or spread with honey.
Kaak Libi
Ring-shaped sesame biscuits sold by the string at Libyan cafés — subtly anise and mahleb, dunked in mint tea.
Magrood Bengazi
Cyrenaican semolina lozenges stuffed with spiced date paste, fried and drenched in honey-orange syrup.
Ghraybeh Libiya
Snow-white melt-in-the-mouth ghee shortbreads studded with an almond — served with tea at every Eid gathering.
Basbousa Libiya
Semolina sponge soaked in citrus syrup, cut into diamonds and topped with an almond — the Friday-tea cake.
Debla Libiya
Libyan-Jewish 'roses' — paper-thin dough spun on a fork into fried spirals and soaked in honey syrup for weddings and Rosh Hashanah.
Shai bel Nana
The Libyan three-pour green tea — brewed strong, poured high with fresh spearmint and served in tiny glasses.
Atay Tuareg
Tuareg desert tea ceremony from the Fezzan and Ghat — three brews, each stronger and sweeter than the last, poured over embers.
Zhourat Fezzan
Fezzan oasis herbal infusion of dried chamomile, verbena, rose and sage — served after heavy tagines to settle the stomach.
Taguella Tuareg
Tuareg 'sand bread' from the deep south — a wheat disc buried in hot sand and embers, dug up, brushed clean and torn into spiced meat sauce.
Tazra Tebu
Tebu millet porridge from the Kufra oases in southeast Libya — pearl-millet flour cooked with salted lamb broth and topped with dates.
Hilba Tebu
Fenugreek relish from the Tebu of southeastern Libya — soaked fenugreek whipped with chilli, garlic and tomato for scooping bread.
Aseeda Mawlid
Cinnamon-spiced semolina paste mounded in trays and blanketed with honey-butter — cooked in Libyan homes for Prophet Muhammad's birthday.
Swahili Biryani
Tanga-style biryani layered separately — spiced meat sauce spooned over saffron rice, unlike a mixed pilau.
Samaki wa Kupaka
Grilled whole fish smothered in a tangy coconut-tamarind curry — a Swahili coast signature.
Wali wa Nazi
Fragrant coconut rice — the coastal partner to any Swahili curry or grilled fish.
Mbaazi wa Nazi
Pigeon peas simmered in coconut milk with cumin and turmeric — a Zanzibar breakfast staple with mahamri.
Kachumbari
Bright tomato-onion-chili relish that cools every grill plate on the Swahili coast.
Urojo (Zanzibar Mix)
Turmeric-mango soup piled with bhajia, boiled potato, crushed crisps and coconut chutney — Zanzibar's iconic street bowl.
Mkate wa Ufuta
Zanzibari sesame flatbread — soft, coiled and dusted with toasted sesame.
Halua ya Zanzibar
Amber, chewy Zanzibar halwa scented with cardamom, rosewater and saffron.
Mkate wa Sinia
Steamed rice-flour cake perfumed with cardamom and coconut — the Zanzibari tray cake for celebrations.
Kahawa Tungu
Bitter, unsweetened Zanzibari coffee brewed with cardamom and ginger — poured in small brass cups.
Mtori
Chagga banana-and-beef soup from Kilimanjaro — smooth, warming and traditionally served to new mothers.
Kiburu
Chagga green-banana and bean mash — the everyday Kilimanjaro highland one-pot.
Mbege
Chagga banana-and-finger-millet beer brewed for weddings and clan gatherings on Kilimanjaro.
Samaki wa Mchuzi (Lake Tilapia Stew)
Sukuma fisherman's tilapia stewed in tomato, onion and green pepper — from Mwanza and Lake Victoria.
Dagaa wa Kukaanga
Crispy Lake Victoria sardines pan-fried with onion and tomato — pungent, salty, eaten with ugali.
Nsima na Mchicha
Sukuma daily plate — stiff maize meal alongside amaranth greens stewed with groundnut paste.
Nyama Choma
Slow charcoal-grilled goat leg — Maasai celebration meat, served with kachumbari and ugali.
Supu ya Mbuzi
Clear peppery goat soup Maasai drink at dawn — restorative and simmered with bones, ginger and chili.
Kule Naoto
Maasai fermented cow's milk soured in a smoked gourd — tangy, cultured and shared at gatherings.
Makande
Iringa highland one-pot of hominy maize and beans slow-simmered with onion and a touch of coconut.
Mchicha wa Karanga
Hehe amaranth stew enriched with roasted-peanut paste for a nutty, creamy finish.
Kisamvu
Mbeya pounded cassava leaves simmered long with coconut milk until silky and deep green.
Uji wa Mtama
Sour sorghum porridge from the SW highlands — sipped hot from a mug with a touch of sugar or lemon.
Matoke ya Kihaya
Haya stewed green bananas from Bukoba — often paired with smoked beef or beans.
Obushera
Haya lightly fermented millet drink — mildly sour, cooling and drunk through the day.
Mkate wa Mchele
Coastal Makonde rice bread — soft, slightly tangy from fermented rice batter, dusted with coconut.
Kashata
Coconut-peanut brittle sweetened with sugar and cardamom — cut into diamonds along the southern coast.
Ugali na Dagaa
Dodoma table plate — stiff ugali with a spicy pan of tiny Lake Tanganyika sardines and greens.
Mlenda
Central Tanzanian jute-leaf stew — slippery, mild and eaten with ugali across the Gogo plains.
Chapati
Layered oil-brushed flatbread brought by South Asian communities — flakier and richer than its Indian cousin.
Sambusa
Sharp-cornered Dar sambusa filled with spiced beef mince — the essential Ramadan iftar snack.
Bhajia
Sliced potato dipped in spiced gram-flour batter and fried — sold with tamarind chutney at Dar street stalls.
Mishkaki Masala
Indo-Swahili take on mishkaki — beef skewers marinated in yogurt, ginger and garam masala.
Mandazi
Cardamom-coconut fried triangles — Tanzania's morning dunker with chai.
Vitumbua
Coconut rice-flour cakes fried in a special-hole pan — crisp shell, spongy centre, perfumed with cardamom.
Supu ya Kichwa
Peppery cow-head soup slow-cooked overnight and slurped at dawn from Dar to Mwanza markets.
Chai ya Tangawizi
Milky black tea steeped hard with fresh ginger and cardamom — the national breakfast cup.
Kaimati
Small round yeast dumplings deep-fried and dunked in cardamom-lemon syrup — Swahili Ramadan sweet.
Eid Pilau
The big-pot festive pilau cooked in every Tanzanian home on Eid — beef, whole spices and caramelised onions layered with basmati.
Tende na Mahamri
Iftar table centrepiece — dates paired with soft cardamom-coconut mahamri to break the Ramadan fast.
Mukimo
Kikuyu mash of potatoes, maize, beans and pumpkin leaves — bright green, hearty and iconic.
Githeri
Kikuyu one-pot of boiled maize and beans, finished with sautéed onion, tomato and greens.
Irio
Kikuyu peas, maize and potato mash — a softer, greener cousin of mukimo.
Njahi
Kikuyu black bean stew traditionally served to new mothers — nutty, rich and mashed with banana.
Uji wa Wimbi
Fermented finger-millet porridge — a nourishing highland breakfast served hot with sugar or milk.
Omena
Tiny sun-dried Lake Victoria sardines quickly fried with onion and tomato — a Luo staple.
Aliya
Sun-dried beef simmered until tender then fried with onion — a Luo preservation classic.
Tilapia Ngege
Whole Lake Victoria tilapia fried until crisp then bathed in tomato-onion sauce.
Osuga
Luo black-nightshade greens cooked with onion and a splash of milk to mellow the bitterness.
Ingokho
Luhya slow-simmered village chicken in rich onion-tomato broth — the celebratory bird of Western Kenya.
Tsimboka
Luhya cowpea-leaf greens sautéed with onion and finished with peanut paste.
Obusuma
Luhya millet-and-maize ugali, darker and denser than the white version — pairs with ingokho.
Busaa
Luhya fermented finger-millet brew, traditionally shared from a communal pot with long reed straws.
Mursik
Kalenjin fermented milk cultured inside a smoked calabash — tangy, smoky and famous with athletes.
Kimyet
Kalenjin finger-millet ugali served with milk stews or roasted meat.
Mosop ak Kwen
Kalenjin morning porridge of soured milk stirred through hot millet — warming and probiotic.
Isyo
Kamba one-pot of maize and pigeon peas simmered until creamy — the Ukambani everyday plate.
Muthokoi
Kamba dehulled maize slow-cooked with beans — like githeri but toothsome and pale.
Mutura
Kamba/Kikuyu blood sausage — spiced offal and blood stuffed into cleaned casings and grilled over coals.
Maasai Nyama Choma
Whole goat roasted slowly beside an open fire — Maasai celebration meat, salt-only seasoning.
Loshoro
Maasai fermented milk cooked with maize meal — thick, tangy, drunk from a gourd.
Orpul
Maasai bush feast — men roast a whole sheep and boil soups of medicinal roots, eaten over several days.
Ncugu na Nduma
Meru pigeon peas simmered with peeled arrowroot — mountain slopes on a plate.
Meru Mukimo
Meru mash of potatoes, maize, beans and mchicha — greener than the Kikuyu version.
Kithere
Embu maize-and-pigeon-pea pot finished with pumpkin leaves and a touch of ghee.
Obokima
Kisii finger-millet ugali, dense and dark — the classic partner for chinsaga greens.
Rinagu
Kisii chinsaga (spider-plant leaves) simmered with onion and a splash of milk.
Mombasa Biryani
Coastal Swahili biryani — beef braised in fried onion and spice, layered under saffron rice.
Mahamri
Coastal cardamom-coconut fried buns served with mbaazi za nazi at breakfast.
Mbaazi za Nazi
Coconut-milk pigeon peas from the Swahili coast — sweet, savoury and served with mahamri.
Viazi Karai
Mombasa yellow-batter fried potatoes served with tamarind sauce — iconic street snack.
Samaki wa Kupaka
Whole grilled fish basted with coconut, tamarind and chili — Lamu's signature seafood dish.
Anjera
Kenyan-Somali fermented flatbread — spongy, tangy and torn to scoop suqaar.
Suqaar
Somali diced beef fried with onion, pepper and cumin — Garissa's midday classic.
Nyirinyiri
Somali sun-dried camel meat fried in its own fat with cumin — Northern Kenya's travel food.
Kenyan Chapati
Layered, flaky East African chapati — softer and richer than its Indian cousin, oiled and coiled.
Kenyan Samosa
Triangular pastries stuffed with spiced minced beef — an Indian import turned Kenyan tea-time staple.
Bhajia
Sliced potato dredged in chickpea batter and deep-fried — Nairobi street classic from Gujarati kitchens.
Kachumbari
Bright chopped salad of tomato, onion, chili and coriander — the ubiquitous partner to nyama choma.
Chai ya Masala
Kenya's daily milk tea boiled with cardamom, ginger and cinnamon — strong, sweet and hot.
Mkate wa Mayai
Street-side egg-and-mince pancake — chapati dough stretched thin over a griddle then folded around beef and egg.
Katogo
Uganda's beloved one-pot breakfast of matoke simmered with beans, offal or groundnut sauce.
Nsenene (Fried Grasshoppers)
Seasonal Buganda delicacy — green bush crickets de-winged, salted and pan-fried crisp.
Gonja (Roast Plantain)
Sweet yellow plantains roasted whole over charcoal — a Kampala street snack.
Mukene Sauce
Sun-dried silverfish simmered with tomato and onion — protein-rich Lake Victoria staple.
Mulokony (Cow Trotters)
Slow-cooked cow-trotter stew — a Busoga speciality prized for its rich collagen broth.
Kalo (Millet Bread)
Dense dark-brown millet-and-cassava dough eaten by hand with meat or peanut sauces.
Obushera
Lightly fermented millet or sorghum drink — refreshing and mildly sour.
Enswa (White Ants)
Post-rain flying termites lightly toasted with salt — crunchy, nutty and much loved in Busoga.
Akaro (Cassava-Millet Bread)
Bunyoro's stiff bread of cassava and millet flour — the daily accompaniment to stews.
Nsonzi (Mudfish Stew)
Smoked mudfish simmered with tomato and groundnut paste — a Bunyoro lakeshore dish.
Firinda (Mashed Beans)
Peeled beans slow-cooked and mashed smooth with onion — a soft, savoury Bunyoro staple.
Toro Goat Curry
Rwenzori-highland goat stewed with cardamom, cumin and green banana.
Eshabwe (Ghee Sauce)
Whipped ghee-and-rock-salt sauce — a signature Ankole condiment served over millet bread.
Oburo (Ankole Millet Bread)
Finger-millet bread kneaded stiff in the pot — eaten with eshabwe or beef.
Akashwa (Fresh Cheese)
Ankole soft cottage-style cheese pressed from cultured cow's milk.
Amakamo (Cultured Milk)
Ankole fermented whole-milk drink stored traditionally in wooden pots.
Obwiita (Irish Potato Mash)
Kigezi highland-potato mash finished with milk and butter.
Kigezi Sorghum Kalo
Bakiga sorghum-and-cassava bread — earthy and dense, paired with beans or greens.
Kigezi Obushera
Bakiga sorghum drink lightly fermented and sweetened — served at gatherings.
Bambara Groundnut Stew
Kigezi bambara nuts simmered until creamy with onion and tomato.
Malakwang
Acholi hibiscus-leaf and groundnut stew — tangy, earthy, eaten with millet bread.
Boo (Cowpea Leaves)
Cowpea greens cooked with peanut paste — a northern Ugandan staple side.
Odii (Sesame Paste)
Toasted sesame ground into a rich paste — Acholi's beloved dip for kwon and vegetables.
Kwon Kal (Millet Bread)
Northern Ugandan stiff millet bread torn by hand and dipped in stew or odii.
Akiring (Sun-Dried Beef)
Karimojong preserved beef strips rehydrated and stewed with onion and tomato.
Atap (Karamojong Bread)
Sorghum-and-cassava bread cooked stiff — the daily food of the Karamoja plains.
Ngakiring Cowpeas
Karamoja cowpeas simmered until soft with onion and dried fish.
Atapa (Iteso Bread)
Iteso stiff cassava-and-millet meal, eaten with stews and greens.
Ekicholong (Sorghum Bread)
Teso sorghum bread — dense and slightly sour, torn to scoop up sauces.
Emukene Teso
Iteso preparation of tiny dried Lake Kyoga fish sautéed with onion and tomato.
Malewa (Bamboo-Shoot Stew)
Mt. Elgon bamboo shoots dried, rehydrated and simmered with peanut paste — the Bagisu signature.
Bagisu Busera
Bagisu fermented millet-and-sorghum drink, thicker than obushera.
Malewa & Beef
Bamboo shoots stewed with beef and groundnut for Bagisu circumcision feasts.
Alur Goat Mucii
West Nile goat stew with dried tomato and simsim (sesame) paste.
Lugbara Cassava Bread
West Nile cassava-flour bread cooked stiff and eaten with greens or fish.
Alur Nile Fish
Fresh Nile tilapia grilled then simmered with onion, tomato and sesame.
Ugandan Samosa
Beef or lentil samosas — a legacy of Uganda's South-Asian communities and Kampala kiosks.
Ugandan Chapati
Soft layered wheat flatbread — the backbone of Ugandan street food (base for the Rolex).
Kampala Daal
Split-pigeon-pea daal seasoned with cumin and tomato — Indian-Ugandan comfort food.
Kikomando
Kampala 'commando' plate — chopped chapati tossed with hot beans, cheap and filling.
Posho (Ugali)
Ugandan maize-meal starch — the national side to beans, greens and stews.
Groundnut Sauce (Binyebwa)
Ugandan peanut sauce simmered with onion and tomato — poured over matoke or greens.
Ugandan Mandazi
Cardamom-coconut fried dough triangles — Uganda's tea-time treat.
Uganda Chai
Milky Ugandan tea spiced with ginger and cardamom — sipped morning to night.
Ugandan Kachumbari
Fresh tomato-onion salsa with chili and lemon — served alongside nyama choma or rolex.
Melange (Buffet Plate)
Kigali lunchtime buffet plate — a scoop each of rice, beans, matoke, isombe, cassava and grilled meat.
Kigali Goat Brochette
Charcoal-grilled goat skewers with grilled plantain and chili — Kigali bar-food standard.
Kigali Chapati
Layered oiled flatbread from every Kigali roadside stand, eaten with beans or tea.
Ibirayi n'Ibishyimbo
Ruhengeri-style boiled potatoes stewed with red beans, onion and celery.
Igitoki (Steamed Plantain)
Green cooking bananas steamed in their leaves — the Northern highland staple.
Cabbage & Carrot Sauté
Musanze-market cabbage shredded with carrot and leeks — the plate's greens.
Ruhengeri Potato Stew
Highland potatoes simmered in tomato-onion sauce with a pinch of curry.
Agatogo
Huye banana-and-bean one-pot cooked with palm oil and greens.
Huye Beans in Palm Oil
Slow-cooked red beans finished with palm oil, onion and celery — Southern lunchbox mainstay.
Ibijumba (Sweet Potato)
Boiled sweet potatoes eaten with tea — the Southern-Province breakfast plate.
Nyagatare Beef Stew
Slow-braised beef from the cattle-country East, simmered with tomato and onion.
Inshyushyu (Fresh Warm Milk)
Warm fresh cow's milk — the pastoralist welcome drink of Nyagatare herders.
Ikivuguto (Cultured Milk)
Traditionally soured Rwandan cultured milk, tart and creamy, sipped or eaten with ugali.
Umutsima w'Ubuki
Eastern-Province maize-cassava mash sweetened with honey — herders' snack.
Sambaza Fritters
Tiny Lake Kivu sardines dredged in flour and fried crisp — Rubavu bar snack.
Kivu Grilled Tilapia
Whole Lake Kivu tilapia, scored, salted and grilled over charcoal by the shore.
Kivu Fish Stew
Lake Kivu fish simmered in tomato, onion and palm oil, served with cassava.
Kivu Fish Brochette
Firm lake-fish cubes skewered with onion and grilled over lakeside charcoal.
Mizuzu (Fried Plantain)
Golden fried ripe plantain wedges — highland comfort snack.
Highland Green Peas
Volcanoes-region fresh green peas simmered with onion and butter.
Volcanoes Cabbage & Potato
Highland cabbage layered with potato and carrot — cool-climate one-pot.
Bugesera Cassava Ugali
Stiff cassava-flour bread from the dry Southeast, kneaded fast over the fire.
Bugesera Sorghum Porridge
Warm fermented-sorghum porridge from the SE lowlands, sweetened with sugar.
Bugesera Groundnut Sauce
Peanut paste stew simmered with tomato and onion — served over cassava or ugali.
Wild Forest Honey
Nyungwe-forest wild honey harvested by Twa communities, eaten by the spoon or in porridge.
Twa Forest Mushroom
Wild forest mushrooms sautéed with wild greens and a little smoked salt.
Wild Yam Roast
Foraged wild yams roasted in embers — a Twa forest tradition.
Rwandan Samosa
Crisp fried pastries stuffed with spiced beef or lentils — corner-shop snack across Kigali.
Rwandan Chapati
Layered oiled flatbread introduced by South-Asian traders — now a nationwide favourite.
Kigali Daal
Yellow-lentil daal spiced with cumin and turmeric — a Kigali Indian-restaurant staple.
Frites & Mayo
Belgian-heritage double-fried potato chips served with mayonnaise — Kigali café classic.
Kigali Croissant
Flaky butter croissants baked in Kigali's Belgian-heritage patisseries.
Mille-Feuille
Layered puff pastry and vanilla cream — Belgian-era pastry surviving in Kigali cafés.
Ubugali (Ugali)
Stiff white-maize porridge — Rwanda's everyday side, torn and dipped by hand.
Umutsima
Traditional Rwandan mash of maize and cassava flour — the pre-ugali staple.
Inyama y'Ihene (Goat Stew)
Slow goat stew with onion, tomato and celery — the celebration meat of Rwanda.
Urwagwa (Banana Beer)
Traditional Rwandan banana beer fermented with sorghum — poured at every celebration.
Rwandan Mandazi
Cardamom-scented fried dough triangles enjoyed with morning tea.
Rwandan Chai
Milky spiced tea sipped morning and evening from Kigali to the hills.
Agashya (Tree-Tomato Juice)
Sweet-tart tamarillo (tree-tomato) juice — Rwanda's favourite home cordial.
Rwandan Kachumbari
Fresh tomato, onion and chili salsa served alongside brochettes and grilled fish.
Bujumbura Buffet Plate
Bujumbura lunchtime plate — rice, beans, matoke, cassava leaves and grilled fish or brochette.
Bujumbura Beef Brochette
Charcoal-grilled beef skewers with grilled plantain — Buja bar-food classic.
Buja Chapati
Layered oiled flatbread sold at every Bujumbura roadside stand, eaten with beans or tea.
Ngozi Red Beans
Slow-cooked red beans finished with palm oil, onion and celery — Northern lunch mainstay.
Kayanza Potato Stew
Highland potatoes simmered in tomato-onion sauce — a Kayanza staple.
Northern Matoke
Green cooking bananas steamed in leaves — the Northern highland side dish.
Northern Cabbage & Carrot
Fresh Ngozi cabbage shredded with carrot and leeks — the plate's greens.
Bururi Agatogo
Southern-style banana-and-bean one-pot cooked with palm oil and greens.
Rutana Beans in Palm Oil
Slow-simmered beans finished with palm oil and celery — the Southern lunchbox staple.
Ibijumba (Sweet Potato)
Boiled sweet potatoes eaten with tea — the Southern-Province breakfast plate.
Ruyigi Beef Stew
Slow-braised beef from the cattle-country East, simmered with tomato and onion.
Fresh Warm Milk
Warm fresh cow's milk — the pastoralist welcome drink of Ruyigi herders.
Ikivuguto (Cultured Milk)
Traditionally soured cultured milk, tart and creamy, sipped or eaten with ugali.
Eastern Umutsima w'Ubuki
Eastern-Province maize-cassava mash sweetened with honey — herders' snack.
Sangala (Nile Perch)
Whole Lake Tanganyika Nile perch, scored, salted and grilled over charcoal.
Ndagala Fried Sardines
Tiny Lake Tanganyika sardines dredged in flour and fried crisp — Buja lakeside snack.
Tanganyika Fish Stew
Lake Tanganyika fish simmered in tomato, onion and palm oil, served with cassava.
Mugamba Fried Plantain
Golden fried ripe plantain wedges — Mugamba highland comfort snack.
Highland Green Peas
Mugamba fresh green peas simmered with onion and butter.
Mugamba Cabbage & Potato
Highland cabbage layered with potato and carrot — cool-climate one-pot.
Imbo Cassava Ugali
Stiff cassava-flour bread from the Imbo lowlands, kneaded fast over the fire.
Imbo Sorghum Porridge
Warm fermented-sorghum porridge from the western plains, sweetened with sugar.
Imbo Groundnut Sauce
Peanut paste stew simmered with tomato and onion — served over cassava or ugali.
Wild Forest Honey
Kibira-forest wild honey harvested by Twa communities, eaten by the spoon or in porridge.
Twa Forest Mushroom
Wild forest mushrooms sautéed with wild greens and a little smoked salt.
Wild Yam Roast
Foraged wild yams roasted in embers — a Twa forest tradition.
Burundian Samosa
Crisp fried pastries stuffed with spiced beef or lentils — corner-shop snack across Bujumbura.
Burundian Chapati
Layered oiled flatbread introduced by South-Asian traders — now a nationwide favourite.
Bujumbura Daal
Yellow-lentil daal spiced with cumin and turmeric — a Bujumbura Indian-restaurant staple.
Frites & Mayo
Belgian-heritage double-fried potato chips served with mayonnaise — Bujumbura café classic.
Bujumbura Croissant
Flaky butter croissants baked in Bujumbura's Belgian-heritage patisseries.
Mille-Feuille
Layered puff pastry and vanilla cream — Belgian-era pastry surviving in Bujumbura cafés.
Ubugali (Ugali)
Stiff white-maize porridge — Burundi's everyday side, torn and dipped by hand.
Umutsima
Traditional Burundian mash of maize and cassava flour — the pre-ugali staple.
Inyama y'Ihene (Goat Stew)
Slow goat stew with onion, tomato and celery — the celebration meat of Burundi.
Urwarwa (Banana Beer)
Traditional Burundian banana beer fermented with sorghum — poured at every celebration.
Burundian Mandazi
Cardamom-scented fried dough triangles enjoyed with morning tea.
Burundian Chai
Milky spiced tea sipped morning and evening from Bujumbura to the hills.
Agashya (Tree-Tomato Juice)
Sweet-tart tamarillo (tree-tomato) juice — a favourite Burundian home cordial.
Burundian Kachumbari
Fresh tomato, onion and chili salsa served alongside brochettes and grilled fish.
Imboga (Greens)
Braised leafy greens with onion and a splash of palm oil — everyday Burundian side.
Abgoosht (Dizi)
Tehran's classic slow-simmered lamb, chickpea and potato broth mashed and eaten with sangak bread.
Kotlet
Persian potato-and-beef patties fragrant with turmeric — a Tehran lunchbox staple.
Kalleh Pacheh
Overnight Tehran soup of lamb head and trotters, eaten at dawn with fresh bread.
Mirza Ghasemi
Smoky Gilani dip of fire-roasted eggplant, garlic, tomato and egg.
Baghali Ghatogh
Gilan stew of fava beans, dill and egg with plenty of turmeric — served with kateh rice.
Kabab Torsh
Mazandarani beef skewers marinated in pomegranate molasses, walnut and herb paste.
Salad Shirazi
Finely diced cucumber, tomato and onion salad from Shiraz dressed in verjuice and mint.
Ghalyeh Mahi
Bushehr's dark tamarind-and-herb fish stew from the Persian Gulf — spicy and pungent.
Kalam Polo Shirazi
Shirazi cabbage rice layered with spiced meatballs, dill and cinnamon.
Sholeh Mashhadi
Mashhad's thick pilgrim porridge of wheat, beans, lamb and greens.
Shishlik Shandiz
Khorasan's famed lamb rib chops marinated in saffron and onion, char-grilled at Shandiz.
Mashhadi Shirin Polo
Sweet jewelled rice of orange peel, almond, pistachio and saffron chicken — Khorasani wedding pilaf.
Ash-e Kurdi
Kurdish thick herb soup with chickpeas, lentils, wheat and kashk from Sanandaj.
Koofteh Kermanshahi
Kermanshah's giant stuffed meatball packed with rice, split pea, herbs and a boiled egg core.
Kabab-e Rish
Kurdish shredded-lamb skewers marinated in yoghurt, sumac and onion.
Koofteh Tabrizi
Tabriz's football-sized herb meatball with rice, chickpeas and a whole hard-boiled egg centre.
Dolmeh Barg-e Mo
Azeri vine-leaf rolls stuffed with rice, split pea, meat and herbs, served with yoghurt.
Ash-e Doogh
Tabriz yoghurt-and-doogh soup with meatballs, rice and mint — served cold in summer.
Beryani-e Isfahani
Isfahan's pan-fried patty of minced lamb and cinnamon eaten on flatbread with walnut and mint.
Gaz (Isfahan Nougat)
Chewy Isfahani nougat of manna, rosewater and pistachios, dusted with flour.
Khoresh-e Mast
Isfahan's sweet yoghurt 'stew' with saffron lamb, sugar and pistachio — served as dessert or side.
Sohan-e Qom
Brittle saffron-and-butter toffee from Qom, studded with pistachio and almond.
Ghalyeh Meygoo
Khuzestani prawn stew with tamarind, fenugreek and chili — Persian Gulf coastal classic.
Ahvazi Falafel
Ahvaz-style chickpea falafel — spicier than Levantine, served in flatbread with pickles and amba-like sauce.
Samboose Khuzestani
Khuzestani samosas of spiced potato and lentil in thin pastry — Ramadan favourite.
Ash-e Shooli
Yazdi Zoroastrian sour soup of beets, spinach, chickpeas and vinegar — traditionally served in temples.
Baklava Yazdi
Yazd's delicate diamond baklava of almond, cardamom and rosewater — lighter than Turkish style.
Qottab
Yazdi almond-and-cardamom stuffed crescents fried and dusted with powdered sugar.
Dolmeh Armani
Iranian-Armenian vine leaves stuffed with rice, mince and lots of tarragon, cooked in verjuice.
Gondi
Iranian-Jewish chickpea-and-chicken dumplings poached in golden turmeric broth — Shabbat classic.
Khoresh Gheimeh
Yellow split-pea and lamb stew with dried lime and cinnamon, topped with matchstick fries — Muharram staple.
Kabab Barg
Long skewers of tenderloin marinated in onion, saffron and lemon — the noble Persian kebab.
Zereshk Polo Ba Morgh
Saffron rice jewelled with barberries and served with braised chicken — a celebration dish.
Loobia Polo
Green-bean rice with spiced beef mince, cinnamon and tomato — a weeknight favourite.
Baghali Polo Ba Mahiche
Fava-and-dill saffron rice served with slow-braised lamb shanks — spring classic.
Halim (Persian Wheat Porridge)
Overnight wheat-and-lamb porridge topped with cinnamon-sugar and melted butter — winter breakfast.
Shole Zard
Golden saffron rice pudding perfumed with rosewater and cardamom, dusted with cinnamon.
Faloodeh
Frozen rose-syrup vermicelli sorbet from Shiraz, served with lime.
Doogh
Fizzy salted yoghurt drink flavoured with dried mint — the classic Persian meal companion.
Nan-e Barbari
Long, ridged Persian flatbread crusted with sesame and nigella — bakery-window staple.
Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi
Herb rice with pan-fried whitefish — the traditional Nowruz new-year meal.
Adas Polo
Lentil-studded saffron rice with raisins, dates and spiced mince or shredded chicken.
Mast-o-Khiar
Cool Persian yoghurt-and-cucumber side with mint, walnut and raisins.
Chai (Persian Tea)
Strong black tea steeped in a two-tier samovar and drunk clear with a sugar cube between the teeth.
Quzi
Baghdad wedding dish — slow-roasted lamb piled on saffron rice with almonds, raisins and fried onions.
Pacha
Baghdadi winter delicacy of slow-cooked sheep's head, trotters and tripe stuffed with rice.
Bamia
Baghdadi lamb and okra stew soured with dried lime and tomato.
Timman Bagilla
Baghdadi rice studded with fresh fava beans and dill, crowned with a golden tahdig-style crust.
Margat Samak
Basran fish stew simmered in tamarind, tomato and turmeric.
Machboos Rubyan
Basra Gulf-style spiced shrimp rice with dried lime and cardamom.
Hareesa Basriyah
Southern Iraqi wheat and lamb porridge beaten smooth and finished with cinnamon butter.
Kubba Mosul
Mosul's giant flat kibbeh disc of bulgur dough stuffed with spiced lamb, then simmered in broth.
Kellaji Mosul
Mosul sweet-cheese pastries of thin dough folded around unsalted cheese and pistachio, soaked in rose syrup.
Shifta Moslawiya
Mosul-style spiced lamb patties grilled on skewers with sumac and parsley.
Parda Pilaw
Kurdish wedding rice — spiced lamb, chicken and rice baked wrapped in thin bread that forms a golden shell.
Kurdish Kifta
Kurdistan skewered lamb kofta seasoned with sumac and grilled over vine wood.
Yaprakh
Kurdish vine leaves and vegetables stuffed with sour rice and lamb, simmered in pomegranate broth.
Dogh Kurdi
Kurdish salty herb yogurt drink whisked with dried mint and cold water.
Kubba Halab
Anbar-region rice-shell croquettes stuffed with spiced lamb and pine nuts, deep-fried till amber.
Jireesh
Anbar desert porridge of coarse cracked wheat cooked with lamb and yogurt.
Marag Fasolia
Anbar white bean stew with lamb, tomato and dried lime.
Hareesat Ashura
Najaf's Ashura commemorative wheat porridge cooked in giant cauldrons and shared with pilgrims.
Karbala Samoon
Karbala diamond-shaped white bread baked in stone ovens near the shrine.
Zerde
Karbala saffron rice pudding served at religious gatherings, jewelled with pomegranate.
Christian Pacha
Assyrian Easter pacha of stuffed intestines and lamb head simmered with garlic vinegar broth.
Kadeh
Assyrian sweet enriched bread stuffed with buttery flour-sugar filling for Easter and weddings.
Reesh Aliya
Chaldean roasted lamb head served on saffron rice for family feasts.
Kubba Hamuth
Iraqi-Jewish sour kibbeh soup — semolina dumplings stuffed with lamb, floated in lemony beet-chard broth.
Tebit
Iraqi-Jewish Shabbat overnight chicken and spiced rice cooked in a sealed pot till burnished.
Sambusak
Iraqi-Jewish half-moon pastries filled with chickpeas, onion and cumin.
Gaymar
Marsh Arab thick clotted water-buffalo cream eaten with warm bread and date syrup for breakfast.
Simach Tannour
Marsh Arab reed-fire fish baked flat inside a clay tannour oven with tamarind rub.
Khubz Tannour
Marsh Arab flatbread slapped onto the walls of a clay tannour to bake in seconds.
Yaprak Sarma
Kirkuk Turkmen tightly rolled vine leaves in olive oil and sour pomegranate.
Turshu Kirkuk
Kirkuk Turkmen vinegar-pickled mixed vegetables served with every meal.
Kubba Kirkuk
Kirkuk Turkmen rice-flour kubba stuffed with lamb and simmered in golden turmeric broth.
Iraqi Samoon
Iraq's ubiquitous diamond-shaped white bread with a soft crumb and blistered crust.
Chai Iraqi
Iraqi black tea brewed dark and sweet, poured from a small teapot into estikan glasses.
Shorbat Adas
Iraqi red lentil soup with cumin, lemon and crispy pita croutons.
Fasoulia Yabsa
Iraqi dried white-bean stew with lamb and tomato served over rice.
Baba Ghanoush Iraqi
Iraqi smoky eggplant dip loosened with yogurt and pomegranate molasses.
Jajik
Iraqi cucumber-yogurt-mint salad served alongside grilled kababs.
Baklawa Iraqiya
Iraqi baklawa cut in diamonds with pistachio-walnut filling and rose-cardamom syrup.
Znoud el-Sit
Iraqi 'lady's arms' pastries — phyllo rolls filled with clotted cream, fried and syrup-dipped.
Zlabia
Iraqi Ramadan spiral fritters fried till crisp and soaked in rose-cardamom syrup.
Mahalabiya
Iraqi rose-water milk pudding thickened with rice flour and topped with pistachio.
Amba
Iraq's tangy pickled-mango sauce spiked with fenugreek and turmeric, spooned over sandwiches and kababs.
Shanina
Iraqi salted yogurt drink whisked frothy — the classic accompaniment to lamb rice.
Margoog
Kuwaiti lamb-and-vegetable stew simmered with hand-torn wheat dough discs — a winter classic in Kuwait City.
Mumawwash
Kuwaiti rice-and-mung-bean pilaf topped with caramelised onions and dried lime — comfort food at its finest.
Mutabbaq Samak
Kuwait City's flipped fish-and-rice cake — spiced rice cooked over pan-fried zubaidi and turned out golden.
Harees Kuwaiti
Slow-cooked wheat-and-meat porridge whipped smooth — a Ramadan and wedding staple across Kuwait City.
Balaleet
Kuwaiti sweet vermicelli with cardamom, saffron and rose water, topped with a thin savoury omelette.
Machboos Rubyan
Gulf-shrimp machboos from Kuwait's southern coast — basmati layered with tomato, loomi and coriander.
Mtabbag Zubaidi
Silver pomfret pan-fried and folded into saffron rice with fried onions — Kuwaiti coastal signature.
Samak Mashwi Hamour
Whole grouper marinated in bezar, lemon and coriander, then charcoal-grilled — Al Ahmadi seafront favourite.
Shorbat Samak
Kuwaiti fish soup with tomato, onion, loomi and coriander — the classic Ramadan opener along the southern coast.
Jireesh Jahra
Northern Kuwaiti cracked-wheat porridge with lamb and dried lime — Bedouin comfort food from Jahra.
Mathrooba
Kuwaiti mashed chicken-and-rice with loomi and bezar — hand-pounded to a savoury porridge.
Marag Bedouin
Bedouin lamb stew with dried lime, tomato and root vegetables — cooked over open fire in the northern desert.
Khubz Tanoor Kuwaiti
Bedouin tandoor bread — thin discs slapped onto the clay wall and pulled off blistered.
Samak Maleh Failaka
Failaka Island's salt-cured fish, rinsed and pan-crisped — served with rice and daqoos.
Sayadiya Failaka
Fisherman's rice from Failaka — basmati cooked in deeply caramelised onion stock topped with fried fish.
Machboos Samak Failaka
Island-style fish machboos with a stronger loomi hit and coriander finish, from Failaka fishing villages.
Fattoush Hawalli
Levantine chopped salad with sumac and crisp pita — the go-to starter in Hawalli's Palestinian and Lebanese cafés.
Shawarma Hawalli
Levantine-style shawarma wraps stacked with garlic sauce and pickles — a Hawalli street staple.
Manakish Za'atar
Za'atar-topped flatbreads from Hawalli bakeries — a Kuwaiti breakfast crossover from the Levantine diaspora.
Salmiya Mixed Grill
Charcoal mixed grill from Salmiya seafront — lamb chops, kofta and chicken tikka served on saj bread.
Shish Tawook Salmiya
Yogurt-marinated chicken skewers charred over coals — a Salmiya coast favourite with garlic toum.
Shawarma Plate Salmiya
Salmiya's plated shawarma — sliced meat over saffron rice with pickles, hummus and daqoos.
Mansaf Badu
Bedouin lamb cooked in fermented dried-yogurt (jameed) broth over rice and saj — feast dish of Kuwaiti tribes.
Tharid Badu
Bedouin torn-bread stew — regag bread soaked in a spiced lamb-and-vegetable broth.
Qahwa Arabiya
Bedouin Arabic coffee — lightly-roasted beans brewed with cardamom and saffron, poured from a dallah.
Tahchin Ajami
Kuwaiti-Ajam saffron-yogurt rice cake with layered chicken — inverted with a crisp golden tahdig.
Fesenjoon Ajami
Kuwaiti-Persian chicken stew in walnut-pomegranate sauce — a sweet-tart Ajam-community classic.
Mahyawa Sauce
Kuwaiti-Ajam fermented anchovy sauce with fenugreek and mustard — drizzled on bread and rice.
Muhammar Baharna
Baharna sweet date-syrup rice with cardamom and saffron — paired with fish machboos.
Harees Baharna
Baharna wheat-and-chicken harees seasoned with black lime — served during Ashura and Ramadan.
Halwa Baharna
Baharna-style saffron cornstarch halwa studded with pistachio, cardamom and rose water.
Hamin Kuwaiti
Kuwaiti-Jewish Sabbath overnight stew of chickpeas, rice, eggs and lamb — slow-baked from Friday to Saturday.
Sambusak Kuwaiti Jewish
Kuwaiti-Jewish half-moon pastries stuffed with chickpea, onion and turmeric — Shabbat kiddush staple.
Mahalabiya Kuwaiti Jewish
Kuwaiti-Jewish rose-water milk pudding served for Shavuot, topped with pistachio and cardamom syrup.
Luqaimat
Kuwaiti crisp yeast dumplings deep-fried and drenched in cardamom-saffron date syrup — Ramadan favourite.
Darabeel
Kuwaiti thin syrup-soaked fried pastry ribbons dusted with sesame and cardamom.
Mahalabiya Kuwaitiya
Kuwaiti milk pudding perfumed with rose and cardamom, topped with pistachio.
Khabees
Kuwaiti toasted-flour halva with ghee, saffron and cardamom — served on new-baby celebrations.
Chai Haleeb
Kuwaiti milk tea steeped with cardamom and saffron — the daily domestic ritual.
Karak Chai
Strong milk-tea sold at every Kuwaiti mobile café — evaporated milk, cardamom, saffron and dust-cut tea.
Jallab
Kuwaiti Ramadan cooler of date-and-grape molasses, rose water, crushed ice and pine nuts.
Daqoos
Kuwaiti tomato-garlic-chili sauce spooned over every plate of machboos and grilled meat.
Samboosa Kuwaiti
Ramadan crescent pastries filled with spiced beef and coriander — sold from every Kuwaiti iftar stall.
Thareed Ramadan
Kuwaiti Ramadan bread-stew — regag bread soaked in a spiced lamb-and-vegetable broth, opened at iftar.
Machboos Eid
Kuwaiti Eid festive machboos — long-grain basmati layered with lamb, saffron, raisins and toasted nuts.
Baklawa Kuwaitiya
Kuwaiti-style baklawa with pistachio, cardamom and rose-water syrup — cut into diamonds and served with qahwa.
Tom Kha Gai
Silky coconut-galangal chicken soup with mushrooms, lime and kaffir lime leaves.
Pad See Ew
Charred wide rice noodles stir-fried with dark soy, egg, Chinese broccoli and pork.
Khao Pad Sapparot
Pineapple fried rice with curry powder, cashews, raisins and shrimp served in a pineapple shell.
Yam Woon Sen
Glass-noodle salad tossed with shrimp, minced pork, lime, chili and celery.
Nam Prik Kapi
Pungent shrimp-paste chili dip served with fried mackerel and raw vegetables.
Khao Soi
Northern coconut curry noodle soup with braised chicken, crispy noodles and pickled greens.
Sai Ua
Chiang Mai herb sausage packed with lemongrass, kaffir lime and red curry paste.
Nam Prik Ong
Northern tomato and pork chili relish scooped with crunchy vegetables and pork rinds.
Gaeng Hang Lay
Burmese-influenced pork belly curry with ginger, tamarind and pickled garlic served for Lanna festivities.
Khanom Jeen Nam Ngiao
Northern tomato-pork rib broth served over fresh rice vermicelli with bean sprouts and lime.
Larb Moo
Isan minced pork salad with toasted rice powder, mint, shallot, lime and chili.
Gai Yang
Isan-style butterflied grilled chicken marinated in garlic, cilantro root and fish sauce.
Nam Tok Moo
Grilled pork neck sliced and dressed with lime, fish sauce, chili flakes and toasted rice.
Khao Niao
Steamed glutinous rice — the everyday staple of Isan and the north.
Gaeng Tai Pla
Fiery Southern curry built on fermented fish innards with turmeric and bamboo shoots.
Khao Mok Gai
Southern Thai-Muslim chicken and turmeric rice topped with fried shallots and sweet chili sauce.
Gaeng Som Pla
Sour turmeric-tamarind fish curry loaded with mixed vegetables — Southern style.
Hoy Tod
Crispy-edged oyster and bean-sprout omelette griddled with a starchy batter.
Poo Pad Pong Karee
Whole crab stir-fried with yellow curry powder, egg and evaporated milk.
Goong Pao
Charcoal-grilled river prawns dipped in Chanthaburi-style tart seafood sauce.
Yam Som O
Pomelo salad with shrimp, coconut, roasted chili paste and toasted shallots.
Kuay Tiao Sukhothai
Sweet-savory pork noodle soup from Sukhothai with long beans, peanuts and palm sugar.
Khao Tom Mud
Steamed banana-leaf packets of sticky rice with banana and coconut cream.
Look Chin Ping
Skewered grilled meatballs (pork, fish or beef) glazed with sweet chili and served with jaew.
Choo Chee Pla
Court-style thick red curry sauce ladled over pan-fried fish, garnished with kaffir lime.
Mee Krob
Crispy rice noodles glazed with tangy-sweet tamarind syrup — a classic royal starter.
Thong Yip
Golden pinched-flower egg yolk sweet poached in fragrant jasmine syrup — Portuguese-Siamese court origin.
Khanom Mo Kaeng
Baked custard of coconut milk, palm sugar and mung bean topped with crispy fried shallots.
Khao Mun Gai
Thai take on Hainanese chicken rice with fermented soybean-ginger sauce.
Jok
Silky rice congee with pork balls, ginger, scallion and a soft-boiled egg — a Bangkok breakfast staple.
Ba Mee Moo Daeng
Springy egg noodles topped with lacquered red barbecue pork, garlic oil and scallion.
Khanom Farang Kudichin
Portuguese-Siamese sponge cakelets from Kudi Chin, Bangkok, topped with dried fruit.
Oliang
Southern-Chinese-style Thai iced black coffee blended with corn, cardamom and sesame.
Roti Gluay
Griddled banana pancake drizzled with sweetened condensed milk — a Southern-Muslim street classic.
Satay Moo
Turmeric-marinated pork skewers with peanut sauce and cucumber ajad relish.
Nasi Dagang
Southern-Muslim coconut-steamed rice served at breakfast with tuna curry and pickles.
Gaeng Karee Gai
Mild Thai yellow curry with chicken and potatoes, shaped by Indian trader spice trade.
Samosa Thai
Small crispy pastries stuffed with curried chicken or potato, dipped in sweet chili sauce.
Roti Canai Thai
Flaky pan-fried flatbread served with yellow curry gravy for breakfast in Southern Thailand.
Khanom Tuay
Two-layer steamed coconut custard: sweet pandan base topped with salty coconut cream.
Cha Yen
Bright-orange Thai iced tea sweetened with condensed milk, topped with evaporated milk.
Nam Manao
Refreshing Thai limeade with a pinch of salt to balance sugar.
Luk Chub
Palace-style mung bean marzipan shaped and painted as miniature fruits, glazed in agar — festive gift dessert.
Khao Chae
Songkran hot-season dish of jasmine-scented iced rice with an array of savory sides.