Dreaming of traveling the world? Make sure to try these iconic foods (traditional dishes) in their countries of origin.
1. Croque Madame
FRANCE
A classic breakfast that you will find in any brasserie, it’s a great way to start your day. If you are tired of croissants and baguettes, a Croque Madame is a kind of fried egg and cheese sandwich, topped with grated cheese. If you eat this without the fried egg, the French call it a Croque Monsieur.
2. Spanish Paella Valenciana
SPAIN
If you’re a fan of meat, veggies, and herbs, you’ll love this classic Spanish rice dish. It takes some time to make, but it has so much flavor, not to mention a ton of protein.
You’ll use both chicken and rabbit; then, you’ll add butter beans, green beans, and frozen green peas. That’s enough to keep anyone fully sated for hours.
Add in all the different herbs and spices and you have one heck of a meal.
3. Pasta Carbonara
ITALY
This dish originated in Rome and is a pasta cooked with cream sauce, eggs, pancetta (a sliced bacon) and olive oil. It is usually served in a round dish and topped with Parmesan cheese. The most critical piece of making Carbonara is that the pasta should be boiled al dente.
4. Fondue
SWITZERLAND
The ultimate communal dish, fondue is a dish of melted cheese served in a pot over heat. People dip bread into the cheese with long-stemmed forks. You may also find variations to the traditional cheese fondue – hot oil instead for a meat fondue, or melted chocolate for a tasty dipping dessert.
5. Tom Yum
THAILAND
This sour-spicy soup is flavored by a broth that includes shrimps, chicken, fish and fragrant herbs and spices such as lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce and crushed chillis. It has a distinctive taste and has many variations – most include prawns and other seafood.
6. Meat Pie
AUSTRALIA
The closest thing to a national dish (besides Vegemite, which is a thick food paste usually spread on toasted bread), meat pies are made with a shortcrust base and contain minced meat. Sometimes meat pies have onion, mushrooms and other ingredients inside. Whether it’s for lunch or as a snack, meat pies are quintessentially Australian – and don’t forget the tomato sauce.
7. Chili Crab
SINGAPORE
If you visit the formerly Malaysian island city-state, you simply must try Chili Crab. The national dish of Singapore was reportedly created in the 1950s by street hawkers.
Despite its name, chili crab is generally not very spicy. The fresh crab is served in a thick, sweet, savory sauce with just a touch opf heat. Make sure to get it with lots of mantou (a deep fried Chinese bun) for dipping.
Many people travel to the east coast of Singapore just to experience Chili Crab at Jumbo Seafood or Long Beach. Locals often go to No Signboard, or one of the neighborhood hawker centers.
8. Schaufele
GERMANY
Schäufele is a traditional pork roast that is very popular in the south of Germany. Pork roasts are one of the main staples in the German diet.
They are often served with skin on, resulting in a fatty-crispy layer of pork cracklings around succulent meat. This cut of meat comes from the shoulder of the pig, and includes the shoulder blade bone.
The Schäufele is roasted in the oven and basted with German beer until the meat becomes sweet and tender and the skin crispy.
9. Goi Cuon
VIETNAM
This is a kind of spring roll, consisting of prawns, pork, rice noodles, vegetables and other delicious stuff, wrapped in rice paper. You eat this by dipping it in a hoisin or chili sauce with diced peanuts.
10. Moussaka
The original recipe for Greek Moussaka was created in the 1920s by a French-trained Greek chef, Nikolaos Tselementes. His recipe consists of three layers, which are prepared separately and then assembled in a large dish before cooking in the oven.
11. Panner Butter Masala
INDIA
Paneer is a type of fresh cheese common to the Indian subcontinent, and when paired with butter masala (a type of rich tomato gravy), it is the perfect combination of creaminess and spiciness. This dish is served with rice or tandoori roti (a type of flatbread).
12. Bacalhau
PORTUGAL
Bacalhau is the Portuguese word for cod. Often served with potatoes, this salted cod dish is sometimes garnished with parsley, hard boiled eggs and olives.
13. Quesadilla
MEXICO
The direct Spanish translation of this dish is “cheese tortilla”. This Mexican fast food snack consists of grilled folded tortillas stuffed with vegetables, meat or poultry, and of course – cheese.
14. Hamburger
UNITED STATES
Skip the hamburgers of the McDonalds variety and try a more homemade option. The best hamburgers include fresh bread, crunchy vegetables, melted cheese and juicy burgers, with a side of French fries.
15. Adobo
PHILIPPINES
Considered the national dish of the Philippines, it involves meat (especially chicken or pork) marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, black peppercorns and garlic, then simmered in the marinade. The dish can be prepared with only a small number of ingredients but still be extremely flavorful.
16. Bunny Chow
SOUTH AFRICA
This South African fast food dish consists of a hollowed-out loaf of bread filled with curry. Its origins come from migrant Indian workers, who apparently found that bread was the most convenient way to carry their curries on the way to work in the sugar cane plantations.
17. Koshari
EGYPT
This dish is made of rice, macaroni, and lentils mixed together with a tomato-vinegar sauce, and then topped with chickpeas and crispy fried onions. This vegetarian-friendly and filling meal can be found in roadside stalls and restaurants throughout the country and is sometimes enhanced with garlic juice and hot sauce.
18. Jerk Chichen
JAMAICA
Jerk is a style of cooking where meat is rubbed or marinated with a very hot spice mixture, that includes allspice, Scotch bonnet peppers, and other ingredients. The seasoning is traditionally applied to pork or chicken, but can also be used for virtually any other meat, seafood or vegetable.
19. Kottbullar
SWEDEN
Köttbullar – or Swedish meatballs – are perfectly round meatballs made out of pork/beef mince, and are traditionally served with mashed potato, creamy sauce and little bit of lingonberry jam.
20. Feijoada
BRAZIL
This dish originated in Portugal but can be found in many former Portuguese colonies, including Macau, Mozambique, and Angola. A stew of black beans with mixed beef and pork cuts, seasoned with garlic, onions and bay leaves, interestingly this dish is traditionally eaten on Saturdays (it’s so heavy that it can induce a food coma, so pace yourself!).
21. Pljeskavica
SERBIA
Serbia’s national dish is a spiced meat patty, prepared from a mix of beef, pork, and lamb. Served as a main course – usually with onions, milk cream, relish, and a spicy cheese salad, you’ll find this in many fast food stands across the country.
22. Haggis
SCOTLAND
Haggis has a texture a bit like coarse crumbled sausage, with a delightfully peppery taste. But it is what’s actually in the national dish of Scotland that puts some people off trying it.
The people of Scotland often quip that Haggis is actually a small four-legged animal that lives in the Highlands, with two legs shorter than the others so that it can run around mountains more easily.
