Only A Globetrotter Can Match The Food To The Country
- by Austin Baker
- – on
- in Lifestyle
To a foodie, what could be better than traveling the world? You get to go to different countries, take in the local sights and sounds of the culture, view beautiful landscapes, and (of course) grab a bite to eat from countless restaurants and street vendors! Perhaps the greatest part of eating across the world is simply the pure variety of different flavors and spices that hit your taste buds depending on the region you are in. When your entire life resolves around the pleasures of the culinary arts, nothing is better than sampling the exotic local fares of a land far away!
Of course, the culinary creations of different regions of the world are just about night and day. Some countries take lots of pride in their cuisine, so much so that they establish a national dish that is supposed to define their culture and become a staple of tourists' trips to their land. Who is a total foodie, or just a globetrotter, or a bit of both? Who feels most alive when they are standing on the beach with a piece of Mexican Corn in their hand? Who thinks they would compare to the likes of Gordon Ramsey or Anthony Bourdain? Only a globetrotter can match the food to the country!
Fish and Chips
This international dish is one of the most well-known in the world. It's quite simple- Fresh fish (usually Cod or another catch of the day) is taken, battered, and fried and then served with a side of Chips (what we Americans would call "French Fries"). Usually this dish is served with a house made tartar sauce. It may be about as simple as they come and has assimilated into many different countries, but there's nothing quite like a dish of Fish and Chips from its home country.
Tamales
Tamales are a dish sold mostly by street food vendors in the bustling metropolises of this country. They are quite easy to make- You simply create some hand-spun Masa dough, and fill it with your favorite ingredients (usually beef, cheese, and sauce). The tamale is then wrapped up in a corn husk or a banana leaf and steamed until it his fully cooked. Though it is edible, you definitely don't want to eat the wrapping! What country is this street food from?
Poutine
Believe it or not, this is NOT a US dish! For the longest time, Poutine was mocked by outsiders as a dish that was reserved for the lesser members of society, given that it is a hog-podge of different ingredients slapped together. However, in recent years it has become a national delicacy! Poutine is simply French Fries mixed in with Cheese Curds and smothered with a rich brown gravy sauce. Somehow, this mix-and-match dish tastes a lot better than it sounds!
Wiener Schnitzel
Though this dish has spread to surrounding countries (and derives its name from a foreign language), it is always first and foremost associated with this nationality in particular! Wiener Schnitzel is a cutlet of veal that is butterflied, tenderized, and then breaded with breadcrumbs and egg. It is then fried up in large amounts of fat and served with a lemon to make it a little more tangy. A Schnitzel can be made out of just about any sort of meat using the same techniques.
Baklava
To anyone who has had the pleasure of eating this dish before, your mouth is probably watering just thinking about this delicate dessert! Though Baklava was originally created in the Ottoman Empire, it was adopted by this particular country after the mighty Empire fell. Today it is a staple of any ethnic restaurant under this flag as well as popular with residents of the country. It is made by layering up filo dough, placing nuts, honey, and/or syrup in between each layer.
Vegemite Sandwich
This is a dish that you're only really going to find popular if you've grown up with it your whole life. In this country, Vegemite is a popular spreadable food item that is derived from a yeast extract, giving it the flavor of something between bread dough and nutella. To the untrained taste buds, a Vegemite Sandwich is one of the oddest culinary experiences you can have. In this country, there are people who take it to lunch with them every day!
Egg Drop Soup
If you've ever eaten at one of the insanely popular ethnic restaurants based on the cuisine of this country, identifying egg drop soup should be a walk in the park! This dish was popularized by the rural farmers of the country due to its simplicity, but has quickly become a major dish served in regional restaurants. Egg Drop soup simply is made with some broth (any will do, but normally chicken) mixed in with an egg that is beaten and boiled with the soupy concoction.
Pierogis
For the uninitiated, this dish may sound a little bit...bizarre. It is a pasta-like cuisine with an eastern twist! Pierogis are similar to ravioli, but are not smothered with any sort of sauce. Instead, this dumpling is normally filled with any sort of combination of onions, potatoes, beef, and sauerkraut and then boiled. Finally, they are fried and served with a dipping sauce of your choice. This sort of dish has spread all throughout Eastern Europe, but it is the national dish of this particular country-
Sushi
Though this dish has become a lot more mainstream in recent years, it is still one that makes some people squeamish. Sushi sounds like one of the most unappealing things on the planet- It is raw fish (along with other various ingredients) wrapped up in a roll of rice and seaweed. Not exactly things you'd think of putting in your mouth! Yet, somehow, this combination works; a good Sushi place can charge upwards of $100 per person! Where is this dish from?
Tandoori Chicken
This chicken entree is one that was made unique thanks to the available technologies of the country it was born from! Tandoori Chicken is a simple dish that is comprised of chicken, yogurt, and a blend of spices. What makes the dish so different is that, once prepared, it is cooked in a Tandoor, a small clay oven. Like most of the food that comes out of this country, this dish can be seasoned with whatever types of spices that the diner desires.
Cracked Conch
Cracked Conch is a food that goes into the category of dishes you need to try at least once in your life! The conch is an aquatic creature that resides in the stereotypical spiral and pointed shell found on most beaches. They have the same consistency as a a mussel or a clam, but are a little more rubbery. This may sound unappealing in written words, but once you bread it, fry it, and put it with a little bit of the famous dipping sauce, it's a flavorful blast to your taste buds!
Hakarl
You know those dishes that are said to be an acquired taste? Yeah...Hakarl is definitely one of those. This dish is made in the most strange of ways. A special type of shark is caught, cleaned, and then buried in the sand and covered with several large boulders. Over time, the boulders squish out any of the dangerous toxins, and the animal's biochemistry helps to ferment it. People say this dish smells of ammonia and makes you hurl the first time you try it.
Pho
Nobody truly knows the origins of Pho. While there are some traceable historical accounts, several appear around the same time, making the true history of the dish vague. This soup derives its name from the type of noodles used in it (Banh Pho), and features beef or chicken alongside a secret blend of herbs that give it an iconic flavor. Pho is a very popular form of street food that spread across the globe after a major war sent the citizens of this country across the world.
Soup Dumplings
In many countries in the Eastern Hemisphere, soup is a staple of the diet. However, soup by itself doesn't exactly entice the appetite; this has led to lots of soup dishes being modified. In this country, by far the most popular way to create these modifications is through the use of dumplings, little packets of dough that are filled with things like beef, peas, and carrots and then boiled in with the soup as it is cooking. Some people even go as far as to just eat these dumplings plain!
Ratatouille
Popularized by the hit Pixar film of the same name, Ratatouille is a dish that is a blended stew of assorted vegetables. The cuisine is one of the more recent on this quiz, meaning that there is no "traditional" way to create it and that everybody has their own ideas on what makes a good Ratatouille. The most common way, however, appears to be by cooking each vegetable separately and then mixing them together in the stew pot until they form a smooth and creamy consistency.
Sauerbraten
Sauerbraten is this country's twist on a typical pot roast recipe. Unlike American pot roast, this delicacy can be created with any form of red meat available (beef, lamb, venison, etc.). As the name suggests, Sauerbraten is soaked in a mixture containing vinegar, wine, and spices for multiple days before it is actually put in the pot to cook. Once completed, the dish is smothered with sauce and served with red cabbage, potato pancakes, or egg noodles depending on your preference.
Falafel
This dish may have originated in Egypt and spread throughout the Middle East like wildfire, but it has become so popular in a select few countries that it is now their national dish! Falafels are about as simple as you can get- They are simply ground up chickpeas or fava beans (sometimes a mix of both) that are tossed into a vat of oil and deep-fried. They are often served with a Tahini dipping sauce and sometimes inside of a piece of pita bread.
Gyro
This is the ultimate street food of this country! A gyro is like a mix between a sandwich and a taco; it starts with a large piece of pita bread that is filled to the brim with meat, tomatoes, onions, and lettuce and then coated with a sweet cucumber sauce. As far as the meat goes, the gyro is traditionally made with lamb, but it is common to substitute chicken or sliced beef in its place. What country is this dish from?
Orange Salad
In this country, green reigns supreme! This means that salad is a staple dish to many who reside within its borders. However, it is also more of a tropical climate that can grow just about any sort of fruit imaginable! Denizens of this country have to get creative with how they eat all of these fruits, and an Orange Salad is no exception. This dish is a simple yet satisfying one; oranges are sliced into little hexagons and then sprinkled with sugar, salt, and pepper.
Moules Frites
This dish is a strange one in that, though it is the national dish of this country, its name comes from a different language and its popularity has spread across the world (so much so that it's seen as a huge dish in New Jersey as well). The name quite literally translates into Mussel Fries, which is exactly what it is! Hand-cut french fries are paired with fresh-caught mussels that are cooked with white wine, parsley, shallots, and (of course) butter.
Mole Chicken
Unlike many of the dishes listed in this quiz, there is no doubt where Mole Chicken comes from. No matter how many countries try to serve it, its original homeland will always be the one to do it the best! Mole Sauce is a mixture of fruit, chili powder, nuts, and then a blend of darker spices including cinnamon and chocolate. Though it can be used in several different dishes, this particular one calls for it to be placed over a roasted chicken and served with a bed of rice.
Yorkshire Pudding
Yorkshire Pudding is perhaps one of the most flexible dishes out there. It can be served as an entree or a side dish. It can be served with gravy or eggs or even beef placed on top! Yorkshire Pudding can be made into small bite-sized pieces or large bread bowls. Not to mention it can be filled with anything your heart desires! The base dish is fairly simple, as well- You simply take milk, flour, and eggs and then beat them together, cooking them in a muffin tin.
Kwek Kwek
On top of being a delicious dish, Kwek Kwek is also a fun word to say! Kwek Kwek is a fairly simple recipe to make; you simply take quail eggs and boil them until they become hard. You then take the eggs and roll them in an orange-flavored batter before dropping them into oil to fry. Despite sounding strange on the surface, Kwek Kwek and its variants are an extremely popular street food. This particular cuisine comes from the most unusual of places...
Colcannon
It should come as no surprise that this dish comes from this particular country. After all, they are mostly known for this type of thing! Colcannon is a popular variant on mashed potatoes that includes fresh kale and cabbage mixed in. The crunchy mix-ins do great things to counterbalance the texture of the creamy potatoes, and their taste creates an explosion of flavor in what would otherwise be a fairly standard cuisine. Throughout the country there are variations on Colcannon, some of which include meats, onions, and shallots.
Borscht
We're not sure what it is about this dish, but it looks very enticing yet not very tasty all at the same time! Maybe it's the color....Borscht is an extremely sour soup that gets its name and its vibrant red appearance from its main ingredient, Beet Root. Along with the Schrute Farms delicacy, Borscht can include beef or chicken broth as well as other sour vegetables like cabbage, turnips, and tart apples. However, this soup normally reserved for poor farmers has become one of this country's national dishes
Shawarma
Shawarma is the distant cousin of the Greek Gyro. Though it has been a staple of Middle Eastern diets for decades, it has gained a lot of traction in the Western World thanks to the dish's mention in the hit 2012 film The Avengers. Shawarma is fairly easy to make; you simply take a piece of chicken, beef, or lamb and then grill it with a special blend of spices and herbs. It is then wrapped in a flat bread, accompanied by veggies, and covered with a delicious Tahini sauce.
Macaron
Macarons are a common feature of bakeries and cake shops no matter where you are in the world, but if you want one that is 100% authentic and tastes a million times better than any other, you'll have to journey to this country. Macarons are somewhat deceiving, as they look fluffy and smooth on the surface. When bitten, they give the diner a delicious crunch alongside a smooth almond flavor (on top of whatever creme is used in the middle).
Gallo Pinto
This particular dish is about as simple as you can get! Gallo Pinto (translated into "Spotted Rooster") is a dish of rice and beans that is traditionally served with breakfast in this country. As with any other dish as easy to make as this, several different mix-ins can be added to Gallo Pinto to give it a little bit of flavorful variety! This type of food can be served as an entree or a side dish (depending on the occasion).
Carbonara
Carbonara is a pasta dish that appears simple on the outside, but actually has a lot going on for it! It starts with a simple pasta boiled in water and a little bit of oil to ensure it doesn't stick. Then, you take away the pasta from the heat and mix it in with eggs, pepper, and grated hard cheese. Finally, you fry up a little bit of the meat of your choosing and toss it into the pasta, creating a creamy dish.
Biltong
On top of being fun to say, Biltong is a great dish from this country that acts as both an entree as well as a traveling snack. This cuisine is somewhat related to beef jerky, as the two are both cured, spiced, and dried meats. However, Biltong has a much larger variety of the kind of meat that can be used in it! The beauty of Biltong is that it can be made practically anywhere, from the plains of this country to the hills of Europe!
Jamon Iberico
Other cured meats don't have anything on Jamon Iberico! This dish is the specialty of one particular country, and they take its production so seriously that the have their own food regulations about the dish. Jamon Iberico is a special kind of ham that comes from pigs that are at least 50% Iberico (Iberian); higher quality (or "Black Label") Jamon Iberico comes from swine that are pure Iberico. The process for creating this dish takes well over a year, with "Black Label" varieties sometimes taking over two!
Mumu
Mumu may not look too appealing to the eye, but the people of this country swear by its cooking method. This little island is still adapting to the 21st century and its technologies. However, many citizens are forgoing the conventional oven in favor of this style of dish, in which an assortment of greens, meats, and vegetables are wrapped up in banana leaves and then buried under red-hot coals. It is said that this method of cooking actually preserves more of the Mumu's flavor and also cooks it more evenly throughout.
Kushari
Though Kushari comes from one of the oldest countries in known history, its origins lie as recently as the 1800s, when this region was bustling with tourists and colonists from around the globe. Kushari starts with a bed of rice mixed with lentils and macaroni before getting topped off with tomato sauce, garlic vinegar, chickpeas, and fried onions. If one is so daring, they may also mix in their favorite hot sauce to the dish. What country does Kushari come from?
Mutabbaq
If you are ever in this country, you will see Mutabbaq all over cities, as they are the #1 street food in this region. These pancake-like delicacies are simply fried dough that has been stuffed with popular ingredients depending on your preference. Most of the time, they come in the form of an egg Mutabbaq; this variation on the dish fills the pancakes to the brim with egg, green onion, and minced meat. Which country does this street food come from?
Suya
It doesn't get much more universal than meat on a stick! This street food is sold mainly in this country, but can be found in others within close proximity. Suya is a thin-sliced, marinated meat that is barbecued and then served up with a mixture of spices and onions. The weird part? It can literally be any meat in the world! Suya has been known to be made with lamb and beef, but sometimes it is made out of an animal's kidney or liver!