Published: 21 June 2024
1. El Salvador
Located south of Honduras, El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America. Salvadoran cuisine benefits from both Indigenous and Spanish influences.
Pupusa is one of the most popular dishes in El Salvador. This national dish is prepared using thick corn tortillas that are usually stuffed with cheese, meats, refried beans and/or loroco (a type of edible flower bud native to Central America). Pupusas are usually topped with a healthy dollop of tomato salsa and a side of cabbage vinegar slaw. They can be enjoyed anytime of day and are very affordable and easy to make.
Sopa de Gallina India is a traditional Salvadoran soup that is made using a free-range, home-raised chicken known as gallina india. The chicken can be served on the side or in the soup. The soup also features chopped vegetables (such as carrots, potatoes, chayotte and squash), herbs, spices, and seasonings.
Elote loco literally translates into “crazy corn”. This very popular street food features a boiled or grilled cob of sweet corn that is usually rolled in grated cheese and topped with ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Elote loco is commonly sold at parades.
Panes con pollo is a very popular recipe in El Salvador. This sandwich usually includes turkey or stewed chicken in tomato sauce, lettuce or watercress and sliced vegetables such as cucumber, tomatoes and radish. You can also find variations which include boiled egg and beets.
Yuca con chicharrón is a typical Salvadoran dish made with fried cassava root and fried pork belly or fried pork rinds. You can also find versions using boiled cassava instead of fried. Other toppings include pickled cabbage, onion, carrot and fried baby sardines.
Tamales are a staple of Latin American cuisine. They are made with a corn-based dough filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables, and wrapped in plantain or banana leaves before being steamed. Popular fillings in El Salvador include black beans, and chicken with potatoes.
2. Laos
Also known as the “Land of a Million Elephants,” Laos shares its borders with China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand. Laotian dishes are very flavourful and colourful. Most meals in Laos are served with the famous Khao Niao.
Khao Niao, a.k.a sticky rice, is deeply embedded in the Lao culture. It is traditionally served in a woven bamboo basket and eaten by hand (no utensils needed!). The rice is usually soaked overnight before being cooked over a charcoal fire.
Larb (also spelled larp and laab) is a minced meat salad. Larb is heavily seasoned and usually spicy. The meats vary, from beef and pork to chicken, duck and even fish. There are also vegetarian versions that are made with mushrooms or tofu. The dressing usually includes lime juice, garlic, chili, green onions, padaek (fermented fish sauce) and a bunch of herbs including Laos mint and cilantro. This salad is often topped with toasted sticky rice powder.
Khao Piak Sen is considered the “chicken noodle soup” of Laotian cuisine. The flavorful meat broth is served with thick rice noodles and a variety of toppings such as fried garlic, cilantro, lemongrass and chili.
Kaipen is a very popular snack in Laos. These dried and fried seaweed sheets are garnished with sesame seeds and served with a chili dip called “jaew bong”. The latter includes ingredients such as sundried chilies, galangal, garlic and fish sauce.
Duck blood salad, also known as “Paeng pet“, is a traditional breakfast dish in Laos. It combines raw duck blood with cooked and minced duck meat, lime juice, green onions, and aromatic herbs like cilantro and mint.
Tam Mak Hoong is a spicy papaya salad made with unripe shredded papaya, cherry tomatoes, garlic, fermented fish sauce, shrimp paste, chili peppers, palm sugar and lime juice. It can be served with sticky rice or rice noodles, and is sold in restaurants as well as on roadsides.
3. Lapland
Lapland is not a country but rather a region. It is governed by four separate countries: Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia. This frozen land is very sparsely populated and is home to the Sami people, herds of reindeer, and breathtaking Northern lights.
Soft bread cheese, also known as Leipäjuusto, is a Finnish squeaky cheese that is typically made from curdled cow’s milk and baked into a pie shape. It is often served with another speciality of the region: cloudberry jam.
Reindeer meat is a staple in Lapland. A common way to prepare it is by sautéing with onions and spices. Reindeer meat is usually served with mashed potatoes and lingonberries. In Finland, it is also served with a side of pickled cucumbers.
Grillimakkara is a very popular outdoor snack in Finland. These grilled sausages are usually cooked over open fire and enjoyed with mustard.
Fish soups are popular throughout Nordic countries. In Finland, salmon soup (Lohikeitto) is prepared with cream, potatoes and dill. Popular fish in Lapland also include trout, Arctic char and whitefish.
Karelian pie (Karjalanpiirakka) are a familiar sight in Finland. While not specifically a Lapland specialty, they are widely enjoyed there. The rye crusts are usually filled with a rice porridge or mashed potato filling. You can also find carrot filling. This comfort food is often served with butter.
Berries are an important part of Lapland’s traditional diet. The region offers a wide range of wild berries from cloudberries and lingonberries to bilberries and sea-buckthorn berries. The latter can be enjoyed in a variety of preparations such as teas, syrups, and jams.
4. Liechtenstein
Nestled between Switzerland and Austria, Liechtenstein is one of the world’s tiniest nations. Its traditional cuisine is known for being simple yet hearty.
Its national dish is called Käsknöpfle. This dumpling meal is usually layered with cheese (Gruyère, Swiss cheese or Emmental) and topped with fried onions. Often referred to as Alpine mac and cheese, Käsknöpfle is best enjoyed with a side of apple sauce.
Schnitzel is pounded, breaded and fried boneless meat usually served with a lemon wedge and fries/potato salad. Traditionally, schnitzel is prepared using veal meat. Nowadays, vegetarian options are available all over the country.
Hafalaab is a cornmeal dumpling soup flavoured with vegetables and ham or smoked bacon. It is very popular during the wintertime and is commonly found in mountain restaurants and chalets.
Rösti is a traditional Swiss dish that is very popular in Liechtenstein. Originally served for breakfast, these grated potato patties are now enjoyed all day, flavored with ingredients such as diced onions, cheese, bacon, and apples.
Ribel is a traditional Alpine dish made from cornmeal that is cooked and thickened in boiling water and milk. The mixture is then pan-fried or roasted to achieve a crispy, crumbly texture. It is typically served with coffee, compote, and apple slices.
Wurst is a type of smoked sausage commonly paired with sauerkraut. It can be enjoyed on its own or in a sandwich. Wurst is often made with seasoned minced pork or beef.
5. Malta
Malta is an island country located south of the Italian island of Sicily. Its cuisine is a blend of influences, with elements from Mediterranean, Italian, British, and North African culinary traditions.
Aljotta is an aromatic fish soup commonly made with rockfish. It is usually prepared with garlic, tomatoes, onions, rice, and herbs like mint and basil. It is traditionally served with a lemon wedge.
Imqaret are diamond-shaped pastries with a date filling. Of Arabic origin, these treats are a popular street food in Malta. Imqaret are usually infused with aniseed and citrus notes, and served with tea, coffee or a scoop of ice cream.
Pastizzi is a classic street food that is found pretty much everywhere in Malta. These flaky filo pastries are traditionally stuffed with ricotta cheese or mushy peas. However, recent years have revealed new fillings such as corned beef, tuna, rabbit, apples and anchovies.
Timpana is a baked pie filled with cheesy macaroni and meat sauce. It is usually made using minced pork/beef and diced chicken liver, and is flavoured with garlic, onion and bacon.
Bragioli, also referred to as “beef olives”, is a type of Maltese beef roll that is simmered in tomato sauce. Despite the name, this dish doesn’t contain any olives. Instead, the beef rolls are usually stuffed with a filling made from hard-boiled egg, bacon, ground beef, breadcrumbs and seasonings.
Stuffat Tal-Fenek is a slow-cooked rabbit stew made with potatoes, carrots and tomatoes/tomato paste. For a flavorful broth, the dish is typically seasoned with bay leaves, fresh herbs, garlic, onion, and a splash of red wine.
6. Morocco
Morocco is renowned for its generous and flavorful cuisine. This North African food culture is celebrated for its delightful combinations of sweet and savory flavors in its dishes.
Tajines are slow-cooked stews that are usually prepared in an earthenware pot of the same name. Popular tajines include chicken with preserved lemons and olives, beef with prunes and almonds, and lamb with artichoke and green peas. “Khobz makala” is the traditional moroccan bread used to dip into the stew.
Pastilla is a classic in Moroccan cuisine made with fillings ranging from chicken and seafood to pigeon meat. It is usually topped with cinnamon and icing sugar and is commonly served as a starter during special events like weddings.
Harira is a tomato, chickpea and lentil-based soup that is especially loved by North Africans during the holy month of fasting. This soup holds a variety of ingredients, making it not only extremely flavourful but also very filling. It is best served with fresh dates and honey-soaked chebakia. These sweet and crispy Moroccan pastries are made up of deep-fried strips of dough that are shaped into a flower and coated with honey and sesame seeds.
Mechoui refers to the slow-roasting of an entire lamb or sheep. Popular spices used to season the meat include Ras el hanout and cumin.
Couscous is a staple food in North Africa. This generous serving of tiny pastas made from semolina flour is topped with stewed lamb or beef meat and a variety of vegetables. It is very common for families to come together after the Friday prayer to eat couscous together in a communal plate.
At first glance, seffah medfouna features a mound of steamed broken vermicelli embellished with caramelised raisins, powdered sugar, ground almonds and cinnamon. But there’s more than meets the eyes! Arabic for “buried”, “medfouna” refers to the saffron-flavoured chicken hidden inside the vermicelli dome. Cooked until tender in butter and oil, the chicken is infused in a saffron sauce which includes ground ginger, turmeric powder, chopped sweet onions and freshly chopped coriander.
7. Tuvalu
Tucked away in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean between Australia and Hawaii, Tuvalu is one of the smallest and most remote nations in the world. Traditional Tuvalu cuisine aims at highlighting local foods as opposed to imported (processed and tinned) foods.
Fish is definitely one of the key staple foods of people in Tuvalu. In fact, islanders have truly mastered the art of catching fish. In his book “The Material Culture of Tuvalu“, cultural anthropologist Gerd Koch explains that “men of Nukufetau have 47 different ways of catching 112 families and species of fish.” This includes fishing with bare hands and hand nets as well as spear fishing and torch fishing. Fishing experts (“tautai“) usually gain their knowledge through generational transmission.
Coconuts are used in nearly every dish on the island, including “Fausi“, the local bread. Local pastries are also usually sweetened with toddy, a type of wine made from palm leaves that acts as a substitute to sugar.
Also known as the “swamp taro”, pulaka is a local crop of great cultural significance to Tuvaluans that is grown in deep pits filled with fresh water and “maintained by families over generations“. Pulaka corms are usually cooked in an earth oven in order to be peeled and ready for consumption. Grated pulaka is also used to make a sweet pudding dish called “Fekei Pulaka“. After being pounded, the grated pulaka is combined with red boiled coconut toddy to create a paste. Small balls are shaped using the paste before being wrapped in leaves and steamed for a few hours in an earth oven. Once cooked, the pulaka-coconut balls are drenched in coconut cream.
Crab serves as an important source of protein for Tuvaluans, especially during stormy weather when fishing is impossible. Crab meat is commonly found simmering in coconut cream.
Locally grown, palm-like trees and shrubs known as Pandanus are often seeked out for their leaves, fruits and roots (which can be eaten raw or steamed). Edible pandanus fruits and nuts, referred to as “fala” by the natives, contain significant amounts of B-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A), calcium and vitamin C.
First introduced by the Europeans after the discovery of the islands, breadfruit is a very versatile fruit with a potato-like texture that is highly praised for its nutritional properties. Naturally high in complex carbohydrates, breadfruit not only provides significant amounts of vitamins B1, B3, A and C, but also minerals such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. What’s more, 1/2 cup of breadfruit can provide up to 4g of complete protein (providing all of the essential amino acids).
8. Uganda
Situated in East Africa, Uganda is bordered by five different countries: Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its cuisine showcases a variety of different flavours and textures, with staple foods including bananas, plantains, cassava, and maize.
Luwombo (also known as Oluwombo) is a stew made with chicken, goat or beef meat. It is slow-cooked in banana leaves with vegetables and groundnut paste over low heat. This traditional dish is a must during special ceremonies in Buganda culture. It can be served alone as a meal but is usually eaten with rice, ugali/posho or matoke.
Matoke is one of the most popular foods in Uganda. These green plantain bananas are prepared by steaming them in banana leaves and mashing them. Matoke is served with all types of foods including meats, fish, stews and sauces such as groundnut sauce.
Nsenene are fried and salted grasshoppers. These high-protein snacks are seasonal delicacies that are usually sold during the months of May, June, October and November.
Rolex is a very popular street snack in Uganda. This rolled sandwich is made by filling a chapati bread with an omelet and vegetable mix. Chapati bread is a staple in many other parts of the world including India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Posho, also called “Ugali” in Swahili, is a Ugandan maize meal made with maize flour and boiling water. Bland to taste, posho usually accompanies sauces, beans or meat/vegetable stews.
Malakwang is a tangy stew that comes from the Acholi tribe in northern Uganda. It is made using the malakwang plant as well as peanut and sesame butter. It is usually served with sweet potatoes or millet bread.
9. Ukraine
Ukraine is one of the largest and most populated countries in Europe. Its cuisine features hearty and flavorful dishes as well as a variety of different fermented foods.
Varenyky is a staple dish in Ukrainian cuisine. These half-moon shaped dumplings come in a variety of different fillings. The classic filling is potato and onion but varenyky can also be stuffed with cheese, mushrooms, cabbage, meats, berries and cherries.
To make chicken Kyiv, simply fry chicken breasts that have been pounded, stuffed with a garlic and herbs butter and coated with egg and breadcrumbs. Also known as “côtelette de volaille”, chicken Kyiv can be found pretty much everywhere in Ukraine, including in Ukrainian schools and company cafeterias.
Ukrainian stuffed cabbage rolls, also known as “Holubtsi“, are usually prepared with rice and seasoned ground beef/pork. You can also stuff them with different kinds of vegetables like potatoes and mushrooms. The rolls are usually cooked in a tomato sauce before being served. This traditional dish appears both in daily life and during festivities like Christmas and Easter.
Borscht gets its striking red color from the beets that it contains. This colorful soup is very common in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. In Ukraine, each region has its own way of preparing it. It is often topped with sour cream and fresh dill, and pairs wonderfully with pampushky (Ukrainian garlic bread buns).
Ukrainian cured pork fat, a.k.a. salo, is usually served on dark rye bread with sour cream, dill, salt and garlic. Salo can be consumed raw, salted or smoked. It is one of the most popular snacks/appetizers in Ukraine.
Deruny are classic Ukrainian potato pancakes made of grated potatoes, onion, flour, eggs and seasonings. Once fried or baked, these golden pancakes are usually served with a dollop of sour cream.
10. Yemen
Located in the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen shares its borders with Saudi Arabia and Oman. Roughly twice the size of the US state of Colorado, Yemen has a cuisine that focuses on locally-grown grains and embraces cooking methods such as slow braising and roasting, with staple meats including chicken, lamb and goat
Creamy and rich in probiotics, Yemeni Mateet is a breakfast soup/porridge that combines yogurt, milk and barley flour with garlic, onions, spices and chili peppers.
Yemenis also eat shakshouka in the morning. This typical North African and Middle-Eastern dish is usually served with poached eggs. However, in Yemen, the eggs are scrambled and flavoured with spices such as cumin and turmeric.
Yemeni Mutabak (or martabak) is a pan-fried, multi-layered pancake that is stuffed with either sweet or savoury fillings. Classics include spicy minced meat, egg and vegetables. This well-liked snack is also very popular in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Saudi Arabia.
Aseed is a thick porridge usually made from ground wheat flour or cornmeal. It can be enjoyed with a savory meat broth or as a dessert with honey or date syrup.
Mandi is considered a staple dish in many regions of Yemen. Historically slow-cooked underground over coals, this dish, native to Hadhramaut province, combines aromatic yellow rice with spiced meat (usually chicken or lamb). A special blend of spices called Hawajj is used to prepare Mandi and each family has its own Hawajj combination.
Mokh (goat’s brain) is a delicacy in Yemen as well as in other countries such as India and Morocco. It is often cooked in a tomato-based sauce spiced with garlic, onions and cumin.
Yemeni culture is also a culture of dipping. Communal dishes are very common and most of the meals are enjoyed while sitting on the floor. In accordance with islamic practices, Yemenis eat using their right hand and will also use a variety of different breads to scoop stews and sauces.
