Why I love Georgia, the home of cheesy khachapuri and unique wine
Giorgi Mindiashvili, Georgian restaurateur and owner of soon to open DakaDaka in London, shares what makes the cuisine of his homeland so special
From cheesy khachapuri to hearty stews and unique local wines, Georgia has plenty to offer foodies. Restaurateur Giorgi Mindiashvili shares the things he loves the most about his homeland. Find out where he loves to eat and the best restaurants in Tbilisi here. After you've read our guide below, check out our guides to Turkey and Finland, then discover our Turkish recipes. Georgian food: 10 things we love Khachapuri We have endless varieties of khachapuri, each from a different region. From boat-shaped adjaruli, filled with mixture of imeruli and sulguni cheese, and topped with butter and egg yolk, to round imeruli stuffed with fresh curd cheese, and chakhragina, my personal favourite, filled with chard and salty cheese. Khinkali No Georgian table is complete without khinkali, our famous dumplings. The story goes that they travelled from the east centuries ago, carried by nomadic tribes crossing the Caucasus. Today they’re made in every region, each with its own touch – some with beef and pork, some with lamb, mushrooms or cheese curds. To eat one properly, pick it up by the twisted stalk (we call it the belly button), turn it upside down, take a bite, slurp the hot broth, then eat the rest. It’s a meal and a ritual in one. Spices Tbilisi’s position on the old Silk Road means centuries of spice passed through our kitchens. From Persian saffron to Syrian coriander and Indian flatbreads, everything found a way into Georgian cooking. The backbone of our flavour is khmeli suneli, a golden-green spice blend of blue fenugreek, marigold and coriander. It seasons our stews – kharcho and satsivi – and ties the country’s east and west together in one shared taste. Georgian wine Georgia is where wine was born. Archaeologists have found evidence of winemaking dating back to 8,000 BC. We still use qvevri – large clay vessels buried underground – to ferment and age the wine, allowing it to breathe naturally. It’s not a trend here, it’s ancestry. The soils, often chalky and mineral-rich, give our wines a saline edge. In the east, the region of Kakheti produces structured, powerful wines from grapes like saperavi, rkatsiteli, khikhvi and krakhuna. In the west, Imereti and Samegrelo give lighter, more aromatic expressions – tsitska, tsolikouri, ojaleshi, otskhanuri sapere. We distil the left-over grape must into fiery chacha (our grappa) and we make churchkhela, candle-shaped sweets of walnuts dipped in thickened grape juice. Walnuts – the sacred ingredient Almost every Georgian household has a walnut tree in its garden. We use walnuts in everything: as the base for sauces and spreads, for thickening stews and in countless versions of pkhali – finely ground walnuts mixed with spinach, aubergine or the wild mountain herb ekala. It’s one ingredient that defines the Georgian palate: earthy, nutty, nourishing and beautifully versatile. Supra and sharing-style menus If you really want to understand Georgia, start with a supra. These traditional feasts used to take place outdoors. There would be catfish in coriander-vinegar sauce, crispy suckling pig, whole chicken, tomato and cucumber salads, bundles of herbs, spring onions and radishes, bowls of pkhali – vibrant walnut and vegetable spreads – and still-warm shoti bread fresh from the clay oven. Every supra has a tamada, the toastmaster, who leads the table in toasts – to love, to peace, to the future – often accompanied by polyphonic singing. These days supras are mostly for celebrations and holidays but their spirit lives on in sharing-style dining in Georgian households and restaurants. Festive feasting Before Orthodox Christmas (7 January) many Georgians observe a 40-day plant-based fast. When the fast breaks it’s not just a meal, it’s renewal. Families gather, bringing dishes from their own homes: satsivi (chicken in walnut-garlic sauce), Rachan ham, aubergine pkhali, crispy roast pork and gozinaki, walnut and honey sweets. Candles glow in the window, a special cloth covers the table and the house fills with warmth. Rachan ham In the Racha mountains, people make a cured ham called lori. The pig is slaughtered in October, the hams hung, smoked and left to dry for months in the cold air. In winter, thin slices are added to lobio – a claypot stew of red beans, walnuts and spices – then sealed under a layer of cornbread and slow cooked over fire. The flavour is smoky, nutty and deep, like Georgia’s answer to cassoulet. Shkmeruli Named after the highland village of Shkmeri, this dish is the essence of Georgian comfort food. A spatchcock chicken is pan-fried until crisp, then cooked with garlic in its own juices. In the city people began to whisk the pan juices with a little cream, creating a silky emulsion not unlike a Basque pil pil. Traditionally it’s cooked in cast iron with a heavy stone on top for the perfect crust. Once served it’s drenched in its own hot garlicky sauce – simple, humble, extraordinary. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/2/2024/04/GettyImages-1314856610-85f3a0e.jpg" width="594" height="396" alt="Shkmeruli, is a traditional Georgian dish of chicken in garlic sauce. Both sides of the chicken are fried and then is cooked over low heat for 20–25 minutes in the covered pan. When the chicken is done, it is placed in a plate and a little oil from the pan is added; garlic and nuts are simmered along with water in the remaining oil. After 5 minutes, the chicken is added to this mixture and heated before serving. Almaty, Kazakhstan. (Photo by: Kushamanov Didar/Majority World/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)" title="Shkmeruli, is a traditional Georgian dish of chicken in garlic sauce." /> Hearty stews Comforting stews slow cooking for hours over a stove are a staple in Georgian households. These include kharcho (beef, tomatoes, herbs and ghomi, our version of grits), workers’ favourite ostri (spicy beef with chilli and deep umami), chicken chahhokhbili braised with tomatoes, herbs and fiery ajika paste, and bright spring chakapuli with lamb, tarragon and sour plums. Perhaps the most beloved of all is satsivi, made of cold chicken bathed in thick walnut sauce, finished with saffron oil. 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Northern Thai food: how to cook like a local
Northern Thai cuisine is a masterclass in bringing communities together around the table, with dishes infused with the vibrant, aromatic flavours of the landscape
Want to learn about Northern Thai food? Looking for Thai recipes? Read Chariya Khatitiyot's guide, then check out the guide to Basque cuisine and North Mexican food. Recipes extracted from Lanna by Chariya Khatitiyot (£22, Ryland Peters & Small). Recipes are sent by the publisher and not retested by us. Northern Thai cuisine It’s no surprise that Northern Thailand’s cuisine is as layered and vibrant as the region itself – a misty, mountainous landscape bordering Burma and Laos, shaped by forested hills, cool air and centuries of Lanna tradition. Here food is built around earthy, herbal and fermented flavours. Meals begin with warm sticky rice, the region’s staple, rolled by hand and dipped into bold chilli relishes. One of the most beloved is nam prik ong, a fragrant pork and tomato relish, served with crisp vegetables and crunchy pork crackling – a contrast of textures that defines the northern table. Curry here is slower, deeper. Gaeng hung lay is a rich pork belly stew spiced with tamarind, ginger and garlic – mellow, warming and influenced by Burmese cooking. Grilled meat plays a big role too. Northern-style pork barbecue, marinated in herbs and grilled over charcoal, is eaten with sticky rice, green papaya and dipping sauce. The colours are earthy – turmeric golds, banana leaf greens and chilli reds. Ingredients like lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves and fermented soybeans appear in everything from soups to sausages. Eating in Northern Thailand is communal. In villages, meals are served on low circular trays called khantoke, with dishes placed in the middle for everyone to share. Food is often cooked over wood or charcoal fires, and the air is filled with the scent of herbs, smoke and spice. The cuisine is humble yet refined, shaped by nature, memory and instinct – a living tradition that brings people together, whether in a street market, a temple fair or a quiet family home. Northern Thai recipes Thai pumpkin curry (gaeng fak thong) This always takes me back to the days when we had pumpkin plants growing in the backyard. The leaves were so big, I remember thinking they were larger than my head. The pumpkins were green on the outside but bright orange on the inside. Now, living away from home, I tweak the recipe to use butternut squash, which is easier to find but still tastes just as good. My mum told me this was my grandma’s favourite dish. I was too young to remember her since she passed away when I was little but every time I cook it I imagine sharing it with her, hoping she would have loved it as much as I do. Larb muang (Thai chopped pork salad) This was the dish my family loved to cook every Sunday, our special gathering day. It reminds me of how families here come together for Sunday lunch. We’d prepare this dish, serving half of it raw for the adults and the other half cooked for the children. I always stuck with the cooked version, I never dared to try the raw one. After lunch the whole family would gather around our small TV watching boxing matches. It wasn’t just about the food, it was about spending time with family and sharing simple joys. Crying tiger beef salad (yum nua seua rong hai) Crying tiger beef salad is a dish as intriguing as its name. It is beloved for celebrations and special occasions, partly because steak is considered a luxury in Thailand, making it a rare and meaningful treat. The tender grilled beef paired with bold, spicy and tangy flavours turns every bite into something extraordinary. Its rarity makes it even more special and it’s a dish everyone loves to share when marking life’s big moments.
Galle, Sri Lanka, foodie guide: where to eat, drink and stay
An insider’s guide to old favourites and exciting newcomers in Sri Lanka’s tropical fort city
Looking for Galle restaurants? Here are our favourite restaurants in the Sri Lankan coastal town, plus where to get the best ice cream, spices and street food. With its balmy ocean breezes, timeworn ramparts and sun-bleached colonial architecture, Galle Fort is one of the world’s most atmospheric food destinations. In this former trading port on Sri Lanka’s south-west coast, you’ll find ice cream churned with buffalo milk, spicy Middle Eastern plates and cocktails mixed in candlelit courtyards. From humble bars to polished bistros, here’s where I’ve been eating, sipping and staying in and around Galle Fort. Isle of Gelato Best place to cool down If there’s a place that defines the sweet side of Galle, it’s this inventive stylish little gelateria on Pedlar Street. Isle of Gelato takes local ingredients like buffalo curd, passionfruit and jaggery and spins them into creamy, Italian-style gelato with intense flavour. The textures are velvet-smooth, the service is warm and the flavours are always evolving — but lemon curd, mango-passionfruit and pistachio come highly recommended. Everything is made in small batches with surprising seasonal specials (try the pineapple-chilli) and plenty of vegan options, too. Grab a scoop and stroll the ramparts as the sun sets. @isleofgelato The Tuna & The Crab Big flavours in a historic setting This slick seafood-meets-Japanese spot by chef Dharshan Munidasa sits inside the Dutch Hospital — a colonial building turned upscale dining enclave. Expect local crab in miso-rich ramen, delicate tuna sashimi and beautifully plated teppanyaki grills. It’s a polished, special occasion dinner where fusion Sri Lankan seafood is the highlight — and the bento lunch sets are a steal. Tables spill into an open-air courtyard and the menu nods to the chef’s heritage with precision and balance. For a theatrical touch, order the sizzling hotplate prawns and watch heads turn. tunaandthecrab.com Sugar Bistro Easy-going brunch, Galle style With locations in Colombo and now Galle, Sugar Bistro is where you’ll find comforting all-day food — think prawn and avocado toast, coconut pancakes and club sandwiches done right. The vibe is low-key and breezy, with reliable coffee and cool drinks that make it perfect for a mid-morning pitstop between sightseeing. Dishes lean crowd-pleasing and familiar, but they’re executed with flair — grilled chicken burgers, tamarind-glazed wings and mango smoothies are always on point. The kind of place that welcomes flip-flops, laptops and long lunches in equal measure. @sugarbistro.galle Church Street Social Where cocktails and curry meet cool comfort Part of the Fort Bazaar hotel (more on that later), this candlelit spot manages to be both stylish and soul-soothing. Church Street Social serves up refined Sri Lankan dishes (kale mallung, black pork curry, fragrant dhal) alongside grilled meats, thali-style bowls and an inventive cocktail list. Bonus: it’s one of the very few Galle Fort restaurants with air-conditioning, making it a sanctuary come midday heat. The interiors are a study in elegance – tiled floors, low lighting, vintage fans – and the kitchen doesn’t shy away from spice. The cocktails are sharp, the staff switched on and the atmosphere pure calm. teardrop-hotels.com/fort-bazaar/restaurant AQUA Pizza Neapolitan-style with a Sri Lankan attitude Don’t underestimate the joy of a perfect pizza – especially when it’s thin, charred in all the right places and topped with burrata or spicy nduja. AQUA nails the crust, keeps toppings high quality and serves it all in a minimalist space where the drinks flow and the service sings. A real contender for best pizza in town. Try the chorizo and roasted pepper combo with a negroni, or sit at the counter and chat to the team while your dough bubbles in the wood-fired oven. MARU Fresh, bright and very addictive Tucked into a corner of the Fort, this light-filled poke bar offers a welcome hit of freshness — heaped bowls of sushi rice, sesame-crusted tuna, pickled veg, and spicy mayo. It’s cool, casual and hits the spot when you’re craving crunch and zing rather than spice and smoke. The bowls are generously sized, the ingredients colourful and crisp, and the menu includes some excellent Asian-fusion snacks too — think gyoza, edamame and seaweed salad. Great for a lighter lunch or dinner. Sydney Hotel An honest corner of old Galle This 100-year-old local bar has barely changed in decades – in the best way. Think ice-cold Lion lagers, Formica tables, fans spinning overhead and a fried rice menu that’s moreish in the extreme. Regulars gather for spicy devilled chicken, crispy egg hoppers, good conversation and the unbeatable colonial-era vibes. It’s as authentic a slice of old Galle as you’ll find. Ropewalk A small bar with big character This lively little cocktail bar makes the most of its intimate setting and clever drinks list. You’ll find crisp mojitos, cardamom-tinged gin fizzes and occasional live music. Arrive early to snag one of the best stools and watch the Fort nightlife come alive around you. It’s part hidden gem, part social club — with dim lighting, exposed brick and bartenders who know their way around a muddler. Charlie’s Bar & Bistro Ideal for a laid-back dinner Modern bistro food with a relaxed vibe, Charlie’s blends local ingredients with international flair. The cocktails are creative (try the lemongrass negroni), the small plates smartly executed and the service unfussy and warm. Think seared tuna with sesame dressing, truffle fries and tropical fruit desserts. A friendly option for a casual dinner with proper kitchen chops. Chambers Restaurant Always satisfying, always busy This Middle Eastern restaurant with its Moroccan tilework and sultry lighting delivers mezze, lamb kofta, spiced couscous and hummus platters worthy of your best holiday appetite. A nice break from rice and curry — and no less flavour-packed. The harissa is bold, the baba ganoush smoky, and the falafel crisp and hot. It’s cosy, candlelit, and consistently well-reviewed for a reason. The Pasta Factory Comfort food, Italian-style Don’t let the casual look fool you — this is some of the best handmade pasta you’ll find in southern Sri Lanka. Plates of creamy mushroom tagliatelle, truffle oil rigatoni and fresh basil pesto linguine come generously portioned and perfectly cooked. Run by Italian expats, the menu is small but carefully curated and portions are hearty enough to refuel after a hot day in the Fort. @thepastafactorygalle The Hideout, Unawatuna A quintessential barefoot lunch spot Just a tuk tuk ride away in Unawatuna, The Hideout is a lush little retreat for grilled seafood, spicy sambols and cool beach cocktails. A must if you’re exploring beyond the Fort – or simply want a barefoot lunch beneath the palms. The grilled prawns are smoky and perfectly charred, while the cocktails lean tropical and punchy. Good tunes and a leafy garden make it a go-to for sundowners. thehideoutunawatuna.com Where to stay in Galle Fort Bazaar Set inside a restored 17th-century merchant’s house, Fort Bazaar is a serene 18-bedroom boutique hotel that delivers on every front: rich fabrics, shady courtyards, rooftop swimming pool, spa treatments with cinnamon and clove and a standout restaurant (Church Street Social) downstairs. It’s a cool oasis in the heart of the Fort and the perfect base for your Galle eating adventure. Rooms blend colonial charm with sleek modern touches, while the breakfast spread is worth waking up early for. teardrop-hotels.com/fort-bazaar
Azeri cuisine fills the table with variety. Try Anna Ansari’s creamy yogurt soup with a zesty pomegranate tomato salad – perfect for sharing
Want to learn about Azeri food? Looking for Azeri recipes? Read Anna Ansari's guide, then check out the guide to Armenian food or Napolese food. Recipes extracted from <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silk-Roads-Flavour-Odyssey-Recipes/dp/024169437X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1OSVMHO27H7MG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Q3p2dC1IdebRSxRIRp6Emmz5mkAhdTspk2c1GtfVA2DGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.y4wybWcSNw915H2PWiLFyvMGWRsorbTjFiOU-XdIuXg&dib_tag=se&keywords=silk+roads+anna+ansari&qid=1756390075&sprefix=silk+roads+anna+%2Caps%2C231&sr=8-1&tag=olivemag-21&ascsubtag=olivemagazine-271085" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">Silk Roads: A Flavour Odyssey with Recipes from Baku to Beijing by Anna Ansari, out 9 October (£27, DK RED). Recipes are sent by the publisher and not retested by us. Azeri cuisine You could forgive a first-time visitor to Azerbaijan, fresh off the plane in Baku (psst – it’s an easy five-hour direct flight from London), for mistakenly thinking they’d stumbled into a celebration when they sit down for their first in-country meal. Whether at a local’s home or in a restaurant, meals in Azerbaijan are no paltry affairs. You’re likely to find, even for a simple afternoon tea break, tables heavy with multiple plates. For breakfast or brunch this will likely mean pomidor yumurta (eggs with tomato), spinach chigirtma and/or narnumru (eggs and pomegranate), a platter of cheeses, a dish heaped with raw herbs, cucumber and tomatoes, a few bowls of yogurt, possibly a tomato salad (that’s my family’s move), probably honey and some jams, perhaps some olives – and definitely some fresh-from-the-tendir flatbread. And tea, of course. Always. Lunch and dinner are similarly, if not far more, bountiful than the Azeri morning repast. Alongside the omnipresent herbs, tomato and cucumber platter, yogurt and cheeses, and fresh flatbread, you’re bound to find at least one wrapped or stuffed offering (I’m a particular fan of the diminutive pip dolma – morsels of spiced minced lamb wrapped in laurel leaves), a rice or noodle dish (or two), a raw tomato or grilled aubergine salad (or three), pickles, a few plates of fresh, seasonally appropriate fruit (don’t sleep on Azerbaijan’s wild spring strawberries) and at least one each of soup, fish and meat. When it comes to soups, I’m partial to dovga, a yogurty, herby version served in spring, summer and at wedding celebrations, as well as piti, a chestnut and lamb stew from the northern town of Sheki. I also love fish or chicken lavangi, a preparation native to the country’s southern Lankaran region that involves a rich and flavourful pomegranate and walnut stuffing, as well as minced beef or lamb lula kebab, and a chicken and egg combo known as chicken chigirtma. Luckily Baku’s best restaurants (and homes) feature not only the capital city’s specialities (Baku’s take on dumplings, gurza, are delicately braided beauties that shouldn’t be missed) but also regional delights, which is a boon if your only stop in the Land of Eternal Fire is the Paris of the East. You’re likely going to be eating these feasts overlooking the glittering Caspian Sea and boulevards lined with intricate Italianate mansions built by 20th-century oil magnates, or in restored Silk Roads trading caravanserai. A magical, extraordinary cuisine in a magical, extraordinary country – or now, happily, in your kitchen. Azeri recipes Azeri tomato salad Azeris love walnuts. And I love this salad which has walnuts in it. The sweet juices of the tomatoes mix with pomegranate juice, walnuts, flat-leaf parsley, red onion and nothing else. No oil. No vinegar. A salad of pure alchemy, pure harmony. A surprise. A revelation. Dovga Azeri (warm yogurt soup) This Azeri yogurt soup also happens to be a wedding soup. How’s that for refined and special? And, while it can be and sometimes is eaten cold, dovga’s default temperature is warm. You read that correctly. This is a warm yogurt soup. And it’s weird and wonderful, and kind of a game-changer. Spinach chigirtma (Azeri spinach and eggs) While scholarship has stumbled over the precise date and means of spinach’s transmission from West to East, it is generally accepted that the so-called “chieftain of leafy greens” (as spinach was dubbed by the 12th-century Arab-Andalusian agriculturalist Ibn al-’Awwãm) arrived in China, in seed form, from Iran via Nepal in the middle of the 7th century CE. Special and rare enough to be sent as tribute from the Nepalese king to the Tang Court in Chang’an, spinach is now a mainstay on tables across the world.
Armenian cuisine: how to cook like a local
Discover the vibrant flavours of Armenia with recipes by Caroline Eden for lamb with plums, summer tolma and sweet-salty gata – perfect for summer gatherings
Want to learn about the cuisine of Armenia? Discover what makes this unique cuisine special, plus three recipes to try, from Hisham Assaad. For more global recipes, check out our guides to Venetian food and Vietnamese food. Recipes extracted from <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Green-Mountains-Walking-Caucasus-Recipes/dp/1787138518/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1XDIK32OLV9IO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.bFCeGU9G5ZNupr3Tt0xxpeP2yu7Ko1Fgt5992jEdN5DPlJe8S__A_pBe4YO4tHkDKdq0i6w8449nk0MZNH5Se46tJNpEOi_oU98VBC9xUwre9M120SZkgrGSgm3JOKEVlvqvzsPBt4dvgJE4lTZwrvTJm9qMJ8Nbp5K6un8Y4bO33eI76ictbVUJbJPmvWccEjvLTGIgxY3foIyhuFRRrz9K_q4xxf_Hh5OJf0ODG5s.EHHvmsjY2gE03DUttJN6T6Gp3EOUECsGL6LlInrCXbs&dib_tag=se&keywords=green+mountains&qid=1754049640&sprefix=green+mountains%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-1&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.95fd378e-6299-4723-b1f1-3952ffba15af&tag=olivemag-21&ascsubtag=olivemagazine-269294" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">Green Mountains by Caroline Eden (£28, Quadrille Publishing). Photographs: Ola O Smit. Recipes are sent by the publisher and not retested by us. Armenian cuisine It’s no wonder when you look at the geography of mountainous Armenia, bordering Turkey, Georgia, Iran and Azerbaijan, with its abundant forests and vineyards that the country’s food would mirror its enticing landscape. In Armenia a restaurant might serve tolma (rice and herbs wrapped in a grape leaf), bean-based patês, cold and slightly sour thick matsoon yogurt, big glass bottles of ice-cold Jermuk mineral water, chargrilled beef, salads of citrus, and grapes and tarragon, eetch (a wonderfully refreshing dish similar to tabbouleh), roast peppers or perhaps trout wrapped in paper-thin lavash bread. Lavash, forming the backbone of Armenia’s diet, is guaranteed to be on the table during mealtimes and usually it is served blistered and hot from the oven. But there are more breads to know, too. Jingalov hats (hats means bread in Armenian) is a must-try and when this stuffed bread arrives to you in a café, often warm and in the shape of a deflated rugby ball, it is sometimes served with three bowls containing salt, cumin and paprika. Ingredients for the green filling varies, depending on what herbs are available, but it tends to include dill, coriander, greens (maybe spinach or sorrel) and spring onions. If the ingredients are super fresh and flavoursome, little more is needed. Like neighbouring Georgia the weather and terroir of Armenia means it too offers stupendous wines, ready to be more widely discovered. The grape to start with is the dark and complex Areni grape, known to everyone as Areni noir. For sweet things, gata is a dense almost bread-like cake which certainly deserves to be better known. In Armenia, it is especially linked to Geghard Monastery, where vendors have displayed and sold gata for as long as anyone can remember. It pairs excellently with a cup of coffee. And then there are the almost indescribable apricots: dozens of varieties grow in Armenia and 6,000-year-old apricot stones have been dug up from the country’s soil. Prunus armeniaca is the fruit’s Latin name, hinting at its native origins. Do not leave the country in summer without trying them. Caroline's recipes from Armenia Lamb with plums, green beans and cinnamon This fine-spirited meal-in-one showcases fruit in a savoury dish – ideal for late spring or summer when nature’s gates are thrown open, providing an abundance of garden herbs, fresh vegetables and fruit. Summer tolma with barberries A little fiddly but worth it and much easier with practice. Think of tolma as a beginning and call on whatever is in the fridge to make simple textured dishes to go alongside a meze set-up – perhaps feta crumbled over a herby tomato salad, aubergines grilled with za’atar, or a crunchy cabbage and carrot salad. Gata with apricots and nuts Gata is a bread-like cake and it is for you if you like, say, half and half popcorn, because it is as salty as it is sweet. In Armenia it is especially linked to Geghard Monastery where vendors have displayed and sold gata for as long as anyone can remember. For this gata I used a variety of seeds – any mixture of the following works well: pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and brown linseed.
Why I love Sri Lanka, the home of hoppers and diverse curries
Eroshan Meewella, co-founder of Kolamba in London’s Soho, tells us what makes the food of his homeland so special
Want to learn about Sri Lankan cuisine? Take a virtual trip to this South Asian country with Eroshan Meewella, co-founder of Kolamba in London’s Soho. Try Kolamba's parippu recipe here, then read our review of Kolamba. For more like this, check out our guides to the cuisine of the South Tyrol, Oaxaca or Puerto Rico. Jump to: 10 things I love about Sri Lankan cuisine What to eat in Sri Lanka Where to eat in Sri Lanka Where to stay in Sri Lanka Spice-based, coconut-driven, sometimes searingly hot and, at other times, extremely mild. Sri Lankan cuisine is heavily influenced by regions and availability. There is a whole palate of flavours that make Sri Lankan food what it is, starting with the spices. The use of coconut cream and lime juice is another twist that makes the island’s curries unique and different to its Indian neighbour. Familiar dishes and condiments include hoppers, goat and pork curry, coconut sambal, tamarind chutney, egg curry and just about any fruit and vegetable curry you can think of, including beetroot curry, mango curry and even pineapple curry. Street-food tea shops are just as popular for a quick bite. Known as ‘short eats’, customers choose from plates of lentil vadai, egg rolls, mutton rolls and tuna cutlets, all drunk with a hot cup of tea. The country is very multicultural, so all the influences over the generations have combined into one national cuisine. As a former colony of Portugal, the Netherlands and Britain, and a close cousin of southern India, Sri Lanka has taken on the best flavours of each culture and absorbed them into its cuisine. In other words, Sri Lankan food is unique, diverse and delicious. 10 things I love about Sri Lankan cuisine Food that speaks of home When guests arrive I like to welcome them with something that evokes the comfort and welcome of a Sri Lankan home — roast paan still warm from the bakery, a punchy pol sambol and, if we’re by the coast, lagoon crab. Seafood is part of who we are Being an island, fish is a cornerstone of our cuisine. Around Negombo, tuna, crab and prawns aren’t luxuries, they’re everyday fare. The market is noisy, chaotic and absolutely beautiful. What you buy that morning will be your lunch by noon. We don’t do one-plate meals Even an average lunch might involve five or six curries, pickles, sambols and something like red rice or pittu to bring it together. It’s this variety — vegetables, lentils, seafood, spices — that defines our food culture. Balanced, bold and generous. Hoppers are everyday art Hoppers are more than a breakfast staple, they’re a culinary craft. The batter takes a day to ferment and the cooking technique is one of intuition and practice. There’s the classic bowl-shaped hopper, the egg hopper, the sweet version finished with thick coconut milk and string hoppers – a biryani version of which is available in our restaurant, Kolamba East in Spitalfields. Lamprais Lamprais is a parcel of rice layered with meat or vegetables and slowbaked in banana leaf, with origins in the Dutch Burgher community. You’ll find it in homes and a few select cafés in Galle. Done well, it’s a quiet masterpiece. Small snacks, big flavours You’ll find short eats in every bakery and tea kiosk: cutlets, vadai, stuffed buns. Having them as part of a picnic, up in the tea estates, is something special. They’re the ideal travel food: portable, spiced and always satisfying. Pittu and black pork curry Some nights all I want is pittu with fiery black pork curry and sambols. Pittu is made from steamed cylinders of rice flour and coconut. It’s soft, slightly crumbly and perfect for soaking up sauce. It’s what we turn to when we want something deeply comforting. Village cooking Go inland and you’ll see how food is still made over wood fires with ingredients grown a few metres from the stove. A market trip followed by a fireside cook-up is the rhythm of daily life for many. Tea is a way of life In the hill country tea isn’t just an export, it’s part of our daily rhythm. The estates around Ella still do things the old way. Visiting a factory, tasting the brews, understanding the work behind each cup makes you respect that 4pm mug even more. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/2/2021/07/GettyImages2171108924-copy-d5b6382.jpg" width="5464" height="3640" alt="Aerial view - Tamil women plucking tea leaves near Haputale, Sri Lanka ( Ceylon ). Sri Lanka is the world's fourth largest producer of tea and the industry is one of the country's main sources of foreign exchange and a significant source of income for laborers." title="Tamil women plucking tea leaves on plantation, Ceylon" /> Arrack is Sri Lanka’s whisky Arrack is the island’s iconic spirit distilled from the fermented sap of coconut flowers, known as toddy. Harvested by skilled toddy tappers who climb tall palms to collect the sweet nectar, this traditional liquor has bold, earthy notes. We enjoy arrack neat, on ice or as a punchy base in tropical cocktails. What to eat in Sri Lanka: Eroshan Meewella's guide Hoppers The famous crispy pancake. These savoury bowl-shaped pancakes are usually eaten for breakfast. They come plain, with an egg cracked into the centre (we love ours runny rather than hard) or even sweet with coconut milk and treacle. They are messy – rip and dip – enjoyed with traditional curries (such as chicken), and are also immensely tricky to make. Don’t be fooled by the ready-made mixes, there is an age-old process to making these small crispy delights, starting with sifting and pounding the rice to make it into rice flour. Iced coffee It’s 30C and constantly humid in the tropics, and this drink is a decadence in a glass – sweet condensed milk flavoured with coffee and a splash of rum (we are a tropical island after all!) makes the best afternoon pick-me-up. Look out for those that use local coffee brand Tusker. Vegetable curries These range from gotu kola (aka centella, a round-leaved leafy green common in Sri Lanka), bitter gourd and snake gourd to mango curry. The Sri Lankan diet is heavily vegetarian (and often naturally vegan) as that’s just how we eat, given we are a predominantly Buddhist island nation and most people either can’t afford meat or don’t eat it. We often eat them with accharru, a pickled mix of fruit and vegetables with chilli. Thambili King coconuts, a variety native to Sri Lanka with a yellow-orange exterior that are freshly harvested, cut open at the top, and served with a straw. Trips to local beach clubs are not complete without one of these, and they are sold from roadside stalls. String hoppers Not be confused with hoppers, a lot of people don’t know about these but they are an absolute favourite of ours. A delicate rice-flour noodle piped into lacy discs and steamed. They offer a lighter alternative to rice and the other carbs we eat, and are perfect to pair with any curry. Jambu These wax apples are a childhood favourite and grow on trees everywhere. Like apples they have a shiny skin and come in a range of colours, from white to varying shades of red. But they are nothing like apples and have a high water content which makes them very refreshing – perfect eaten with salt and chilli. Cutlets I don’t think any aunty’s house is quite right without an offering of cutlets. These are arancini-style balls of spiced potato and fish (usually), breadcrumbed and deep-fried until golden. They appear at afternoon teas, on birthday party tables or are eaten as a ‘just come home from school’ treat. Milk toffee This is like a kind of fudge, again made with condensed milk and often flavoured with cashew nuts. Loved by kids and adults alike, and gifted particularly during Sinhala and Tamil new year. Parippu (dahl) We make ours with red split lentils cooked in coconut milk with a range of spices and curry leaves – a good dahl is a life-changing experience. So easy to make but so difficult to get right. Try Kolamba's parippu recipe here. Pol sambol This is our soul sprinkled on everything! It is sunshine on a plate and Lankans eat it for all three meals if given a chance. It is a muddle of freshly ground coconut, ground red chilli, salt and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Where to eat and drink in Sri Lanka Club Ceylon, Negombo An elegant riverside restaurant in Negombo, Club Ceylon is owned by London-trained head chef Liz Norris. Every morning she goes to the nearby seafood market to select boat-fresh fish for her contemporary Sri Lankan cooking. With its creative cocktails and live music it’s a top pick for both romantic dinners and leisurely lunches, with views of Sri Lanka’s western coast. @clubceylon Smoke & Bitters, Hiriketiya Ranked among Asia’s 50 Best Bars, Smoke & Bitters is nestled in the surfy enclave of Hiriketiya. It’s known for smoky island-inspired cocktails and dishes that fuse local ingredients with global techniques. The open-air setting, moody lighting and expertly crafted drinks make this an essential sundown stop for foodies and cocktail lovers seeking a unique coastal experience. smokeandbitters.com Palmyrah, Colombo Located in the Renuka Hotel, Palmyrah is a long-standing favourite for authentic Sri Lankan fare, especially Jaffna-style cuisine. From aromatic crab curries to rich mutton poriyal and spicy sambols, every dish honours Tamil culinary traditions. The understated, comfortable setting allows the bold, heritage-rich flavours to shine – ideal for those wanting a deeper dive into the island’s diverse food culture. renukacityhotel.com Sugar Bistro at Heritage, Galle Tucked inside Galle Fort’s storied walls, Sugar Bistro at Heritage is a charming nod to the past with a modern culinary twist. Built around an ancient bakery, the menu celebrates local produce and global flavours, from spicy Sri Lankan curries to citrussy ceviches, pizzas and burgers. A must-order is kothu – a riot of stir-fried chopped rotis with eggs and vegetables, topped with plump prawns. heritagecafeandbistro.com Raa, Hiriketiya Tucked into the palm-lined surf hub of Hiriketiya, Raa is a laid-back bar and restaurant that blends a rustic-chic aesthetic with a menu of tropical cocktails, fresh seafood and flavourful small plates ideal for sharing. Perfect after a swim or surf session, Raa delivers relaxed vibes, live music nights and breezy alfresco dining just steps from the ocean. @raa.hiriketiya Where to stay in Sri Lanka Teardrop Hotels Comprising nine properties across Sri Lanka, this is a passion project turned hotel collection started by a group of friends who restored a series of colonial era buildings across the island. What began as a creative way to bring history back to life has grown into a set of boutique properties, each with its own story to tell. The rooms across the group are cosy and characterful – think four-poster beds, vintage floor tiles and open verandas made for sipping tea. The food is fresh with a Sri Lankan twist, whether you’re tucking into crab curry or mutton rolls and hoppers served under the stars. Take a foodie tour around the island, starting in coastal Negombo, staying at Wallawwa, a laid-back spa retreat just a quick hop from the airport. Head inland to the cooler climes of Ella to Nine Skies, a hillside hideaway with sweeping views, tea-scented air and slow mornings wrapped in mist. At UNESCO heritage town Galle, Teardrop’s Fort Bazaar is a stylish heritage retreat, blending colonial architecture with modern luxury. Each room is adorned with contemporary art, rich textiles and high ceilings. A standout feature is the indulgent champagne button in every room – press it and a chilled glass of bubbly promptly arrives. Famous architect Geoffrey Bawa’s estate, Lunuganga, spans 15 acres in Bentota. Ten bedrooms infused with his warm, artistic style are dotted around the estate, some with luxurious features such as private pools and hilltop verandas overlooking the garden, some with more unique offerings – The Glass House has 360 degrees of floor-to-ceiling windows to make the most of the view. Stays offer more than just a bedroom with options for garden tours, puppet shows, cooking classes and 5pm drinks. The estate is particularly dedicated to creating a culinary experience. It’s about more than food, it’s more like a conversation between garden and plate. Many ingredients – including giant jackfruits – are grown on site and the fish is caught nearby. The setting overlooking Dedduwa Lake lends everything a quiet grace. teardrop-hotels.com The Wallawwa, Colombo Soak up the soothing vibes at this beautiful airport hotel (it’s 15 minutes’ drive from Sri Lanka’s main international airport, Bandaranaike), dipping in the jungle swimming pool and enjoying a bowl of delicate cardamom ice cream. Stay at the Wallawwa and you can pepper day trips to the country’s capital (Colombo is 40 minutes’ drive) with time spent wallowing in the hotel’s elegant guest rooms, gardens, spa and restaurant. In contrast to the traffic- and fume-filled frenzy of Colombo, the hotel oozes calm, tropical langour. All is serene and still with a large verandah framed by graceful stone columns and guest rooms leading off from courtyards set around shallow pools. Wander through beautifully kept gardens, dip in the velvety shade of a jungle swimming pool, pick up a croquet mallet on the lawn, borrow a book – or a board game – from the library and let the hours drift by. The hotel is knitted together with an Instagram-worthy colour palette that sets off creamy white walls with powder blue window frames and scarlet parasols. Whether you choose a standard double or twin, one of two larger family suites, a garden suite (these have their own private gardens) or, grandest of all, the Mountbatten Suite (Lord Mountbatten was based at the property, along with his troops, during WWII), all come with high, wooden ceilings, terrazzo floors and retro black telephones. Being close to the airport means that the Wallawwa’s restaurant, The Verandah, hosts a real diversity of guests and it caters, commendably, for all. If you hunger after European holiday stalwarts such as pasta, burgers or salads you’ll find pretty decent versions of them on offer here. It’s the local dishes that really shine, however, especially at dinner when the more casual lunchtime menu gives way to more sophisticated cooking. Highlights included a prawn salad, black pork and a side of loofah, a marrow-like vegetable served in a mildly spiced, creamy, coconut sauce that tastes so moreish you’ll be licking the bowl. For breakfast, choose from continental classics or Sri Lankan dishes such as hoppers and coconutty milk rice. Doubles from £260, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com More cuisine guides Emilia Romagna: 10 things we love Grenada cuisine: 10 things we love Finland cuisine: 10 things we love Northern Ireland: 10 things we love Isle of Skye cuisine: 10 things we love Cork cuisine: 10 things we love Food in Fez: 10 things we love
Best restaurants in Kuala Lumpur: where a local eats in the Malaysian capital
Taste fiery sambal prawns and pickled snake fruit in the traditional Malay village of Kampung Baru; or hand-pulled noodles and rare fermented rice wine in Petaling Street, the capital’s historic Chinatown
Looking for the best places to eat and drink in Kuala Lumpur? Supper club host and recipe writer Ranie Saidi, who is from the Malaysian capital, shares his favourite spots in Kuala Lumpur for lunch, dinner and snacks. Kuala Lumpur is an ever-evolving melting pot of culture and cuisine. Growing up in this part of Malaysia, food for Ranie has always been more than a meal: it’s memory, identity and connection. Looking for Malaysian recipes? Read Mandy Yin's guide to Malaysian cuisine and Malaysian street food, then learn about Singaporean food and Omani food in our guides. Where to eat and drink in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur Tucked in the middle of Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle, Kampung Baru is a living Malay village where traditional wooden houses stand quietly against the city’s towering skyscrapers. This village is home to a close-knit Malay community, offering a rare glimpse into a preserved culture, with restaurants and cafés serving beloved Malay dishes from across the country. It stands firm in its right to exist, unbothered by the city’s rush toward modernisation. Nasi Lemak Wanjo, Kg Baru It makes sense to start your day with nasi lemak, Malaysia’s national dish. Traditionally, it was a humble farmer’s meal, made with fragrant coconut rice, spicy sambal, crispy anchovies, toasted peanuts and boiled egg to provide energy for a long day’s work. Over time, it became a culinary icon representing the heart of Malay heritage. Here, people queue day and night at Nasi Lemak Wanjo, where you can try crispy Malay fried chicken and fiery sambal prawns. facebook.com/nasilemakwanjoofficial Malay street snacks Walking around, you’ll always find stalls selling Malay street-snacks such as fried banana, prawn fritters, keropok lekor (fish sausage) and refreshing coconut water. These snacks are more than just bites – they’re woven into daily life and are often enjoyed during teatime or as quick pick-me-ups. Keropok lekor, a traditional snack from the east coast of Malaysia, is usually served with a sweet and spicy chilli dip, while prawn fritters often come with vinegary sauces or sambal. These bold, flavourful dips take the snacking game to new levels. instagram.com/pisanggorengburn.official Briyani Gam An-Nur Malay cooking is rich and diverse, shaped over centuries by all kinds of global influences (thanks to Malacca, which used to be a busy spice port attracting traders from all over the world). One dish that carries this legacy is briyani johor, from the southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia. At Briyani Gam An-Nur restaurant, rice and spiced meat are cooked together in one pot, sealed using a ‘gam’ technique (flour and water acting like glue to trap steam, letting the flavours fully absorb into the rice). It’s served with dhal curry and acar buah (spiced fruit pickles). Pair it with local iced tea or rose syrup. wasep.me/annur-briyani-muor-kampung-baru Cendol Durian Kampung Baru Cendol, an iced dessert, offers the perfect cool refreshment. Made with pandan flavoured rice jelly, red beans, sweetcorn, palm sugar syrup and slightly salty coconut milk, it gets an extra boost when paired with the king of fruits: durian. The refreshing coolness of cendol combined with durian’s bold, creamy flavour creates a contrast that’s surprisingly addictive (to some). It’s the kind of combination that you try once out of curiosity and remember for a lifetime. instagram.com/cendol_durian_kampung_baru Asam Jeruk Pickles! Jars and jars of vibrant Malay pickles made from local fruits such as buah kedondong (ambarella), mangga (mango) and buah salak (snake fruit), as well as asam asin (salted sour plum). Made with either a sweet and sour base or a spicy, chilli-laced sauce, these tangy snacks make a uniquely Malaysian souvenir – bold, flavoursome and addictive. Where to eat and drink in Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur In striking contrast to Kampung Baru and just two MRT stops away lies Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur’s historic Chinatown. Once home to Chinese miners and traders, it became one of Malaya’s earliest Chinese settlements. Today, its preserved shophouses and bustling alleys are filled with vibrant street food vendors, serving rich flavours that define this side of the city. KafeiDian – Jalan Panggong This kopitiam, housed in a restored heritage building, was a post office until 1911. Back then, people queued for long-awaited letters from overseas. The queue’s still here, but now it’s for breakfast. Step inside and it still feels like pre-colonial Malaya. Try kaya toast on charcoal-grilled bread; self-timed half-boiled eggs; Kuala Lumpur coffee tarik (coffee with condensed milk); or the butter peanut bun toast (crunchy salted-peanut brittles with half-melted sugar and butter). instagram.com/kafeidian_petalingstreet Mee Tarik I love watching fresh hand-pulled noodles being made at this restaurant – the rhythm, the stretch, the snap. There are more than 20 types of noodle dishes available, from cold noodles to classic soups. Sit outside, pavement-side, on low plastic chairs, and just take in the everyday scenes. An occasional breeze stirs the hot air, and the unlimited chilli oil on every table is all part of the charm. While waiting, snack on dumplings, shredded cold potato, or seaweed green bean salad. A cup of chilled chrysanthemum tea cuts through it all, floral and subtle. One of the best halal spots around, with a separate broth just for vegetarians. instagram.com/meetarikjalansultan Chocha Foodstore This is the real deal. The aesthetic is on point: a thoughtfully preserved space layered with tropical greens and playful natural light. Upstairs a gallery showcases local artists, adding a vibrant creative pulse to the space. The food? Sexy. Local kampung ingredients turned into something special. The cincalok fried chicken is a must – cincalok, a fermented shrimp condiment from Malacca, brings a punch of saltiness that pairs beautifully with the crispy batter. Then there’s the soft and nostalgic bahulu, Malaysia’s answer to madeleines. The menu shifts with the seasons, always keeping things fresh. chochafoodstore.com Kim Soya Bean The main attraction of Petaling Street is its bustling market. From local fruits to everyday goods and street food stalls run by vendors who’ve been here for years, it’s where locals pause – whether on their way home from work or seeking shelter from a sudden tropical downpour. One must-try is Kim Soya Bean’s comforting tau foo faa, a silky, smooth soy bean pudding served chilled with fragrant gula melaka/palm sugar syrup. Alongside it, fresh soy bean drinks refresh and revive. Interaction here is minimal but genuine, exchanged with knowing nods and quick smiles, as the rhythm of daily life hums quietly beneath the market’s lively buzz. The Attic Bar This speakeasy rooftop bar is one of Petaling Street’s best-kept secrets for sunset views. From first-class vistas of Malaysia’s tallest buildings to some of Kuala Lumpur’s best vantage points, it’s the perfect spot to catch up with friends and unwind with live music. Tuak – a traditional fermented rice wine, sweet and slightly tangy – is a distinctive part of Malaysia’s drinks culture, cherished for its unique flavour and heritage. It’s a rare find, so ordering it here is a must. atticbarkl.com Photography credit: Chin Eng More cuisine guides Fez cuisine: 10 things we love Puglian cuisine: 10 things we love Andalusian cuisine: 10 things we love Jamaican cuisine: 10 things we love Georgian cuisine: 10 things we love Colombian cuisine: 10 things we love The Algarve's cuisine: 10 things we love Thai cuisine: 10 things we love South Korean cuisine: 10 things we love Nashville cuisine: 10 things we love Norwegian cuisine: 10 things we love Tuscan cuisine: 10 things we love Cork cuisine: 10 things we love Northern Ireland cuisine: 10 things we love Finland cuisine: 10 things we love
20 food experiences around the world that every food lover should try
From summer crayfish banquets in Malmö to Quebec's snow-taffy celebrations, check out Gurdeep Loyal's favourite foodie experiences from across the globe
Looking to add memorable foodie experiences to your bucket list? We asked food and drink trends specialist Gurdeep Loyal for 20 recommendations from around the world. For more from Gurd, check out his favourite homeware brands and products to discover, Gurdeep Loyal's culinary hotspots and Gurdeep Loyal's trend-led recipes. Gurdeep's favourite foodie experiences around the world 1. London, UK – Eat pie and mash in an iconic East End pie house Pie, mash and liquor (parsley sauce) is a culinary icon, upheld today by a handful of East End family eateries. G Kelly on Roman Road Market (in the Mile End neighbourhood) has been serving pies, mash, liquor and jellied eels since 1939. Its classic beef mince pie has a perfectly burnished pastry crust and is served with a puddle of flavourful green liquor and creamy mash. S&R Kelly & Sons in Bethnal Green is another East End institution – it’s been making traditional handmade mince meat pies since 1915. 2. Malmö, Sweden – Welcome August like a Scandi at a crayfish party August in Sweden is all about kräftskiva: outdoor parties centred around music, drinking and vats of freshly caught crayfish boiled in briny liquid (sometimes with a splash of ale), served cold with a crown of fresh dill. Malmö on the southwestern coast of Sweden is one of the best places to experience one. The Malmö Festival takes over Stortorget Square every August with long banquet tables (they stretch for more than 1km) piled high with boiled crayfish. 3. Mumbai, India – Do a sunset chaat street-snack crawl at Juhu Chowpatty Beach Juhu Chowpatty Beach in Mumbai is famous for its long sandy beach, sunset views and some of the best – and most colourful – street food stands in all of India. Visit Shree Ram Pav Bhaji for its paneer pav bhaji served with a buttery roll, masala pilou and Indo-Chinese hakka noodles. Sharma Chaat Bhandar is known for crunchy pani puri and papdi chaat, while Juhu Sealand specialises in technicolour falooda milkshakes and creamy pistachio-cashew kulfis. 4. Primorska, Slovenia – Visit a biodynamic orange winery Slovenia’s orange wines (made from white grapes where the skin and seeds are left in the macerations to impart an orange tint and tannins) are some of the best in the world. They’re known for their bold and complex flavours, with notes of floral herbs and rich honey. The north-western Primorska region, which stretches along the Adriatic Sea, is where Slovenia’s most prominent orange wineries can be found. Guerilla, a biodynamic winery in the Vipava Valley, is famous for its deep golden-coloured wines with notes of chamomile; and Movia wine estate in the village of Ceglo makes wines with intense bouquets of citrus, peaches, liquorice, vanilla and nutmeg. 5. Penang, Malaysia – Take in the nighttime delights of Kimberly Street Night Market One of the most vibrant places to eat after dark in Penang is Kimberley Street Night Market in George Town’s Chinatown. Here you can try everything from laksa and oyster omelettes to char kway teow fried noodles and sweet si koh soup. Kimberley Street Duck Kway Chap is known for its rich braised duck flat-rice noodle soup. Tina’s Kitchen is a family-run spot that sells five-spiced Chinese sausage rolls, nasi ulum salted fish rice, and purple yam with tapioca jelly. And Tua Pui Curry Mee serves thick, aromatic curry soups with chicken, squid or cuttlefish. 6. Quebec, Canada – Head to a sugar shack for maple syrup snow-taffy celebrations Maple syrup taffy celebrations mark the Canadian culinary calendar every March and April. The highlight is when freshly tapped maple syrup is boiled, drizzled over clean white snow, then wound and twisted onto popsicle sticks into a sticky, chewy taffy. The area surrounding Montreal is famous for its cabanes à sucre (sugar shacks), which are traditional Quebec establishments where the new season’s maple syrup is celebrated in all its culinary guises. Érablière du Cap has been celebrating maple syrup since 1983 and offers a unique sugar shack menu and maple snow taffy experience. The Le Relais des Pins sugar shack experience includes visits to the maple sugar refinery and sleigh rides in the snow. 7. Houston and Louisiana, USA – Put on a bib and dive into a Viet-Cajun seafood boil Vietnamese immigrants have been thriving in the USA since the 1970s, particularly in Houston and Louisiana, which has resulted in a unique Viet-Cajun fusion cuisine. The most famous dish to come from this is Viet-Cajun seafood boil (traditional Cajun boil meets Southeast Asian aromatics). Crawfish & Noodles in Houston from James Beard Award-nominated chef Trong Nguyen specialises in Viet-Cajun crayfish, flavoured with a special spice blend (featuring lemongrass, ginger, garlic and cayenne) and served with Asian honey garlic wings on the side. Big EZ in Louisiana serves its Viet-Cajun boil Saigon-style: with kumquat, lemongrass and Cajun spices. 8. San Sebastián, Spain – Hop from bar to bar for pintxos and txakoli Basque-style tapas (pintxos) are typically served on long cocktail skewers or on top of toasted bread. San Sebastián, with is long sandy beach and characterful cobbled old town, is famous for its numerous pintxos bars, where hopping from one place to another is very much the done thing. Try the ‘igueldo’ at Antonio Bar: roasted tomato, tuna belly, Basque green peppers and salted anchovy on bread. Then head to Bar Txepetxa for fried calamari, gambas, vinegared anchovies and gilda, eaten alongside the region’s famous sparkling dry white wine, txakoli. Finish at La Espiga for thinly sliced jamón, oozy Spanish tortilla and stuffed piquillo peppers. Check out our full guide to the best restaurants in San Sebastian for more inspiration. 9. Oaxaca City, Mexico – Try freshly steamed street-side tamales Mexico’s Oaxaca City is all about tamales: steamed masa corn parcels filled with richly flavoured fillings, wrapped in banana leaves or corn husks, then freshly steamed. The rich, intensely savoury mole tamales at Mercado Sánchez Pascuas are some of the best in the city. Or head to Tamales de Tia Tila just outside of the city for black mole and salsa verde filled tamales, along with sweet tamales with cinnamon and tropical fruits. See our full guide to Oaxaca for more, including where to stay. We've also got a recipe for Mexican chicken mole rojo, to recreate at home. 10. Lagos, Nigeria – Enjoy barbecued suya skewers with yaji spice Nigeria’s famous suya skewers are strips of beef or goat, marinated in a yaji spice blend of chilli, ginger, garlic, peanuts and sometimes fermented locust beans and crushed bouillon. These are barbecued on skewers and served with more yaji spice sprinkled on top. The roads of Lagos are awash with suya carts and stalls. Glover Court Suya is one of the most loved spots, serving up beef and mixed grill skewers using its own unique spice blend. Locals favour Belton Suya Spot and Akerele Super Suya for their flavourful suya skewers. Discover more about Nigerian cuisine. 10. Nice, France – Take a fire-baked socca and pissaladière to the beach The regional cooking in Nice combines seasonal Provençal ingredients with Italian influences, as is best illustrated by socca and pissaladière. Socca (chickpea flour pancakes) are cooked in large iron pans over fire until scorched, then hand-cut into craggy pieces before being piled onto paper plates and served with sachets of salt and pepper. Pissaladière is a savoury Niçois pizza-tart with a thick layer of caramelised onions, anchovies and olives on top. Chez Rene Socca situated on a bustling corner of old town has queues for their piping hot socca and generously topped pissaladière at all hours. Chez Teresa, which also pops up in the old town market, is known for its crispy and moreish socca, perfect for taking to the beach with a cold bottle of French beer. Check out our round up of the best French food trips for more France travel inspiration. 11. Chicago, USA – Indulge in Chicago’s deep-dish and ultra-thin tavern-style pizzas Although Chicago deep-dish has attracted global fame, there are in fact two pizza styles that reign supreme in the windy city: buttery crusted cast-iron deep-dish, and ultra-thin crispy square-cut tavern style. For deep-dish, head to cult Chicago institution Piquods in Lincoln Park for ‘caramelised edge’ cheese-crusts, oozy layered inverted fillings and high-quality ingredients. For square-cut tavern style, visit Italian-owned Pat's Pizzeria, where the ‘cracker crust’ pizzas have been a hit with locals since 1950. 12. Singapore – Dive into some saucy Singaporean chilli crab Singaporean chilli crab is traditionally made with mud crabs that are cooked in an intensely flavoured sauce, rich with chilli, garlic, ginger, shallots, tomato paste and sometimes lemongrass, fermented soybean paste, sesame oil, or Shaoxing wine. Roland Restaurant is often cited as the birthplace of the dish and its recipe (invented by Madam Cher Yam Tian) has an intense chilli heat and deep flavour. The Michelin-recognised Keng Eng Kee Seafood at Alexandra Village is equally renowned for its own take on chilli crab, with a slick sweet and sour style sauce that’s thickened with egg. Try making it at home with our Singapore chilli crab recipe. 13. Tokyo, Japan – Try whisky highballs and drinking snacks in the alleyways of Golden Gai Golden Gai is a district of Kabukicho in Shinjuku where there are more than 250 tiny drinking dens across a handful of streets. Dongara-Gassyan specialises in Osaka-style fried meat and vegetable skewers, and Japanese karage-fried chicken with a tare glaze. Albatros bar with its kitsch chandeliers and chintzy interiors is famous for cocktails infused with ingredients such as spicy pepper and prickly pear. And Totobar is known for its sake, served up with small plates of grilled fish and sashimi. 14. Brussels, Belgium – Feast on shrimp bechamel croquettes and Belgian craft beer Belgium’s famous garnaalkroketten are deep-fried bechamel croquettes filled with flavoursome grey shrimp – expect a crisp, bread coating and creamy, velvety middle. Most traditional restaurants in Brussels have them on the menu, but the best place to try them is at Noordzee Mer Du Nord situated in a picturesque square in the historic old town, overlooking the gothic Église Sainte-Catherine. They’re freshly fried to order and are served with a rich mayonnaise and thick wedges of lemon – perfect for eating on outdoor tables that dot the square, with a craft Belgian beer to hand. Mare in the hip Wolf Food Hall also serves classic shrimp and old brugge cheese croquettes with homemade tartar. 15. St John’s, Antigua – Try the national dish of pepperpot and fungee Pepperpot is a one-pot stew that’s cooked long and slow with everything from beef to salted pork, spinach, yams, scotch bonnet peppers, thyme and all-spice. It’s served with fungee – a cornmeal and okra-based bread ball. Suga Beez is a road-side eatery with a daily changing menu of local specialities that serves up some of the most flavoursome pepperpot in St John’s. And Joe Mikes restaurant, which is attached to a casino, is a buffet-canteen style eatery that serves pillowy soft and delicate fungee alongside long-cooked pepperpot in a rich, meaty broth. 16. Crete, Greece – Eat traditional antikristo at a Cretan tavern Antikristo, which means ‘over fire’, is a traditional Cretan method of roasting salted lamb or goat on large skewers for several hours over open flames, then letting the meat cook in its own juices to give it a deep, intensely smoky flavour. Taverna Arhaia Lappa is an ancient tavern in the village of Rethymno that’s famous for its antikristo lamb. In Heraklion, Petousis is known for its traditional Greek barbecued lamb, cooked with the skewers in a circular formation for up to six hours until tender and deliciously charred. 17. Hong Kong – Dine at an old-school dim sum trolley-cart institution These unique establishments that serve freshly steamed dim sum on old-school trolley carts are treasured in Hong Kong. Lin Heung Lau Tea Room is one of the oldest, known for its steamed barbecued buns and har gau, pan-fried radish cake and deep-fried sesame balls. Luk On Kui is another traditional push-cart dim sum eatery that harks back to the 1970s with its décor and old world charms. Maxims Palace is one of Hong Kong’s most adored dim sum cart institutions, complete with white table clothes, crystal chandeliers and an almost endless selection of dim sum to select from trolleys that circle through the restaurant every lunchtime. 18. Turin, Italy – Try gianduja hazelnut chocolates in all their guises Gianduja – a rich chocolate and hazelnut confection – is the culinary symbol of Turin and Piedmont in northern Italy, showcasing the regions intensely flavoured buttery hazelnuts. It’s often turned into chocolate bars, sold as a spreadable paste, or even made into gianduiotto chocolate nuggets. Guido Gobino is a 50-year-old Turin institution with a historic headquarters on Cagliari Street. Its gianduja combines 45% tonda gentile trilobata hazelnuts, Italian sugar and vanilla bean. Contemporary chocolatier Guido Castagna sells unique tear-drop shaped gianduiotto, made with chuao cocoa from Venezuela. 20. Hanoi, Vietnam – Tackle a deep-filled bánh mì at a street-side stall in the city The bustling motorbike-flooded streets of Hanoi are the best places in the country for Vietnamese bánh mì sandwiches (French-style baguettes filled with the likes of lemongrass-marinated barbecued meats, pickled carrots and radishes, whole red chillies and fresh coriander). Bánh Mì Bà Dần in Hanoi’s old quarter is known for its crispy-soft breads and generous fillings, while Banh Mi Lan Ong offers Vietnamese sausage and fried egg fillings, plus signature sauces and duck pâté. Check out our rainbow banh mí recipe to make your own at home. 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Malaysian cuisine: how to cook like a local
Explore the diverse flavours of this Southeast Asian country, from chilli-spiked fish to freshly fried fritters
Want to learn about the cuisine of Malaysia? Discover what makes it special, plus three recipes to try from Sugen Gopal. For more global recipes, check out our guides to Venetian cuisine or Vietnamese cuisine. Recipes extracted from Roti King by Sugen Gopal (£18.99, Quadrille). Photographs: Sam Folan. Recipes are sent by the publisher and not retested by us. Malaysian cuisine Malaysian cuisine is vibrant and flavoursome, and has been greatly influenced – in terms of ingredients, flavour combinations and cooking techniques – by neighbouring countries including Thailand, Indonesia and beyond. Malaysia is made up of a diverse demographic, with just over half of the population being Malay, around a quarter Chinese and many Indian. Immigration, historic trading routes and colonisation have all influenced the variety of ingredients and methods of cooking that make Malaysian cuisine what it is. Street food is an intrinsic part of life for many in Malaysia, whether you want a hot meal, a savoury or sweet snack, or a reviving drink, whatever time of day, there is a huge variety available. Roadside street vendors and hawker market stalls sell a mixture of fried, steamed and boiled meat and fish, flavoured with an abundance of vegetables, herbs, spices and aromatics. There are rice and noodle dishes that are cooked quickly in front of you using fresh ingredients, as well as curries that have been made from scratch. Malaysian cuisine makes use of the diverse fresh ingredients and spices that are so readily available across the country. Sugen's recipes from Malaysia Ikan masak cili kering (dried chilli ginger fish) This recipe was inspired by a chicken dish that Sugen first tried in Ipoh, in a restaurant that, sadly, has since closed down. When he came to the UK he wanted to try to make a version using cod, which is much more readily available here than in Malaysia. The meaty texture of the fish stands up well to the sweet, spicy sauce. Ayam masak merah (red chicken) In Malaysia, this is a special-occasion dish, something often eaten at weddings and other celebrations. If you don't want to cut the chicken up yourself, you can buy cuts of your choice, such as legs or thighs. Just be sure to buy skin-on and bone-in, as these add so much flavour. Ensure the pieces of chicken are similar sizes so they cook consistently. Cekodok pisang (banana fritters with cinnamon sugar) This is a popular street food snack in Malaysia and a good way of using up very ripe bananas. The cinnamon sugar is a delicious addition to these vegan treats. These fritters are best eaten on the day they’re made and, better yet, while still warm.
Bahrain cuisine: how to cook like a local
Want to learn about the cuisine of Bahrain? Discover what makes this unique cuisine special, plus three recipes to try, from Noor Murad.
Want to learn about the cuisine of Bahrain? Discover what makes this unique cuisine special, plus three recipes to try, from Noor Murad. For more global recipes, check out our guides to Hokkaido cuisine or Macedonian food. Recipes extracted from Lugma (£28, Quadrille). Photographs: Matt Russell, Matt Wardle. Bahrain cuisine Bahrain is an archipelago of low-lying islands in the heart of the Persian Gulf. Historically, Bahrain stood as an important seaport and centre of trade. For this reason its unique cuisine draws from different cultural influences, with a combination of Arabic, Persian and Indian flavours. The foods are wholesome and comforting, heavy on herbs and spices, and filled with bold, punchy flavours with ingredients such as rice, wheat, dates, lamb and legumes featuring heavily. Big rice platters and slow cooked stews often appear at the centre of the table, like fega’ata (also called masly), a glorious dish of upside-down chicken, vegetables and fragrant rice that is inverted when serving. These dishes are often served in a rustic, family-style fashion where everyone digs in and helps themselves to whatever is on the table, a testament to the generosity and abundance of Arab culture. Bahrainis are also big on their seafood, with locally caught fish often coated in a mixture of spices and pan-fried, served with fresh lemon and chilli. The street food scene is also not to be missed, with grilled meat called tikka skewered and marinated in ground black lime, its earthy, bitter flavour a crucial ingredient to most local dishes. Other popular street foods include samosas stuffed with spicy potatoes or mung beans, local cheesy tanour bread from the clay oven, and bowls of steaming hot chickpeas or fava beans. Perhaps one of the most iconic meals, however, is breakfast, where you’ll be served several small plates of spiced scrambled eggs, beans, sweet noodles, cheese, meat and warm tanour bread. For this you’ll need to visit the souq, where you’ll find locals scattered around drinking chai or gahwa (Arabic coffee), always surrounded by their loved ones and plenty of food to share. Be sure to come with an appetite. Noor's recipes from Bahrain Halloumi with spicy olives and walnuts This halloumi with spicy olives and walnuts pairs really well with soft-boiled eggs for a Middle Eastern-inspired brunch or light lunch. Fega’ata (bottom of the pot chicken and rice) In this traditional Bahraini dish, meat (or fish or vegetables) is gently steamed without any liquid, while the rice is piled on top, absorbing all the flavours. It’s a bit more effort to prepare, but with eight servings, it’s sure to impress as the main dish at your next dinner party. Samboosa tikka with green yogurt The flavours of Bahraini tikka – meat marinated in ground black lime and lemon – have been used for the filling of these samboosas, which make a great dish to share with friends.
Hokkaido cuisine: how to cook like a local
Experience the varied cuisine of Japan’s northernmost island with three recipes from Tim Anderson
Want to learn about hokkaido cuisine? Looking for recipes from Japan? Read Tim Anderson's guide to hokkaido cuisine then discover our guides to Vietnam and Singapore, then discover our Japanese recipes. Recipes extracted from Hokkaido by Tim Anderson (£28, Hardie Grant). Photographs: Laura Edwards Hokkaido cuisine Local food is celebrated throughout all of Japan but perhaps nowhere more so than in Hokkaido. The country’s northernmost island is well known not only in Japan but also internationally for the quality of its seafood, dairy products, fruit and ramen, among countless other superlative local specialities. Hokkaido’s unique food culture is a direct result of its unique history. Hokkaido was not officially part of Japan until 1869, when it was annexed by the Meiji government in order to fortify the country’s borders against encroachment by the Russian Empire. Hokkaido’s flatter terrain and colder climate made it difficult to grow rice and other typical Japanese staples, so Japan employed agricultural scientists from the USA and Europe to help establish Western-style farms there. This resulted in what would become many of Hokkaido’s most iconic local foods, including butter, cheese, lamb, beer and bread. The development of Hokkaido also resulted in the dispossession of the indigenous Ainu, through official policies modelled on the USA’s westward expansion and colonisation of Native American territories. The Meiji government requisitioned Ainu land and banned many of their cultural practices but, despite decades of oppression, the Ainu preserved their traditions in homes and communities. Today, after many years of activism, the Ainu are experiencing a cultural revival and there are a growing number of venues in Hokkaido where you can taste and learn about their cooking, including the recently opened National Ainu Museum in Shiraoi. The phrase ‘shizen no megumi’ – blessings of nature – is often found on food packaging and advertising in Hokkaido. The idea that the land and waters of Hokkaido provide a bounty of excellent food, requiring very little human intervention to be delicious, is an ethos shared by both Ainu and Japanese culinary traditions. Indeed, some of Hokkaido’s most delicious food is its simplest, such as crab grilled in its shell, raw sea urchin or super-sweet melon. But more complex Hokkaido dishes also rely on local produce. For example, a bowl of Sapporo miso ramen could use miso made from barley and soy beans, noodles from wheat, pork bones, dried seafood, corn and butter – all of which come from Hokkaido. Tim Anderson's hokkaido recipes Chīzu imomochi (potato cheese dumpling) In potato-packed Hokkaido, there is a type of mochi that uses mashed potato and starch in place of glutinous rice. They are aptly called imomochi – potato mochi. The basic version is quite plain but I have seen many variations on them including cheese, honey, soy sauce and butter. This recipe uses all of the above. Obihiro Butadon (grilled pork bowl) Butadon is an Obihiro speciality which is an instance of pork acting as a substitute protein. Apparently, the founder of local restaurant Panchō, Shūji Abe, wanted to serve unagi (eel) but it was difficult to procure in Hokkaido. He tried the same dish – same tare, same technique – with local pork instead and found it to be a delicious success. They even hung a banner outside boasting, “Better than unagi-don!”. The tare can be used on most meat and fatty fish. If you like, you can infuse it with aromatics such as garlic or ginger, or umami-rich ingredients like kombu or katsuobushi. The recipe that follows is for a single serving – just scale up as needed. Because the dish is so simple, ingredients and technique are of utmost importance. Which is to say: you must cook this over charcoal and use the best quality pork you can buy. Chāmen (stir fried noodles with a very thick sauce) Chāmen is a Wakkanai speciality. While the name chāmen – which just means ‘stir-fried noodles’ – does appear on restaurant menus in other parts of the country, such as the Chinatowns of Yokohama and Nagasaki, this particular version is unique to Wakkanai. Its appeal is irresistible in such a windswept, snowy climate: the incredibly thick sauce (ankake) insulates the veg, noodles and shellfish beneath, like a heavy duvet. The generous portion size is a big selling point as well.
Vietnamese food: how to cook like a local
Explore the vibrant flavours and contrasting textures of this Southeast Asian cuisine with Uyen Luu's recipes
Want to learn about Vietnamese cooking? Looking for recipes from Vietnam? Read Uyen Luu's guide to Vietnamese cuisine then discover our guides to Singaporean food and Malaysian food and then try our Vietnamese recipes. Recipes extracted from <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quick-Easy-Vietnamese-Everyday-Recipes/dp/1784886998/ref=sr_1_1?crid=22NUH4TO4PC9U&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.6xwFltyq_jQMnuxvPlSTg7QrTuF828U977-GgVBFZ21nKvlDdKjUQAZ9H9HqGmxSl1ZNOXb5C1DrtVJmLQ_-1fHXq6K93mbff7LXpMZrFjdFIAvhiGPT6A2_6RSU7Cm198L25y6QZtFGY9JlAHlJEBZKBeptvNqhZ_QKN-h95ZOCLPgQQboMUd0yNKlmWBbfvmXQty4SRA1RxF1xYXV-wO_N3nxFO0JMNfjMugVcE38.eMBDg9h8518KhBBRr--lKchxwm5imGbq-z1EftMfJeE&dib_tag=se&keywords=Quick+%26+Easy+Vietnamese&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1736339219&s=books&sprefix=quick+%26+easy+vietnamese%2Cstripbooks%2C100&sr=1-1&tag=olivemag-21&ascsubtag=olivemagazine-245648" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">Quick & Easy Vietnamese by Uyen Luu (£25, Hardie Grant). Photographs by Uyen Luu. Recipes are sent by the publisher and not retested by us. Vietnamese cuisine Sài Gòn is a sweltering mayhem of organised chaos with colonies of Hondas alerting their approach with a continuous sing song of beeps in all directions. Along the pavements towered by high phoenix and flowering mimosa trees seat tightly parked bikes slanted among street vendors peering in shade, fanning sweet treacle lemongrass meat skewers over a smoky charcoal grill. Everyone stops for a bit of self-care within the balanced bowls of cold noodle salads served with a sweet, sour, hot and umami nuoc mam. Food culture is ripe along the streets with dominoes of vendors selling their season’s harvest, pre-steamed sweet snacks wrapped in banana leaf, bánh mì specialities, air-conditioned noodle soup restaurants and cafés where everything slows down for a blast of caffeine, slowly dripping robusta bean coffee scenting the heat-filled air with bitter and sweet aromas of pandan cake. ‘Have you eaten yet?’ This phrase echoes around the walls from outside and bounces within homes and doorways. Answers will vary depending on how well or poorly they are feeling. Feeders gather a large tray of rice, homemade soup, ferments and braised or fried fish to display their kindness, love and affection. The food chatter of eating and working, eating and sleeping, eating and selling, eating and looking after kids, eating and playing, and so on, often leads to ‘eating for fun’ – a daily ritual to be with someone and snack with them. Everyday life includes an enjoyment of living to eat and frequenting vendors and cafés that sell chè, soupy desserts resembling bubble tea with all sorts of toppings from grass jelly to lychees, mung bean paste and seaweed, to cool you down, cheer you up and fix any ailments. In the cooler early mornings, the orange sun rises to a hungry population who gather, slurp and hunch on low plastic chairs over bowls of steaming hot fragrant pho, various other noodle soups or a crispy bánh mì dipped in chicken curry soup and glasses of beautiful coffee. Then it all starts again, eating and living. Uyen Luu's Vietnamese recipes Lemongrass meat skewers I often crave this street food treat. The whole city of Sài Gòn is filled with the smoky vapours of lemongrass chicken or pork skewers sizzling and hissing over charcoal fires. I love their sultry, velvety texture served with vermicelli noodles, fresh leaves and zingy pickles. To me this represents so much of what Vietnamese food is all about. It is heaven and earth, yin and yang, a balance of opposites. Rice flour and coconut vegetable pancakes Similar to Korean jeon pancakes or Japanese okonomiyaki but even crispier, these gorgeous pancakes are filled with the kinds of vegetables I always have in the refrigerator. You can use any veg you like but be mindful that vegetables with a higher water content, like mushrooms or courgettes, can make your pancake less crispy. Coconut, jelly and fruit cocktail bubble tea This is a great dessert to serve after a feast as it can be made in advance and left in a punch bowl for everyone to help themselves. Or it can be a lovely and simple thing to make using as much or as little of whatever you have around. I love making agar jelly because it sets really quickly. I get this going first and then get on with creating a whole meal. By the end, the jelly is ready to add to the tea. If you want to add matcha powder to the tea, use 1 tsp of matcha powder mixed with 1 tbsp of water. Feel free to mix and match with fresh ingredients, and whatever you have in the pantry. Sometimes I use just mango, or I add bananas in with the tapioca.
Singaporean food: how to cook like a local
Diverse influences make the cuisine of this island nation excitingly cosmopolitan. Shu Han Lee shares three key recipes from Singapore
Want to learn about Singaporean food? Looking for recipes from Singapore? Read Shu Han Lee's guide to Singaporean cuisine, then discover our guides to Malaysia and Bangladesh. Recipes extracted from Agak Agak: Everyday Recipes from Singapore by Shu Han Lee (£26, Hardie Grant). Photographs by Ola Smit. Singaporean recipes Chilli crab spaghetti Chilli crab is one of the most iconic dishes of Singapore. The original dish consists of whole mud crabs stir-fried in a sweet, spicy and savoury tomato sauce, then served with deep-fried mantou (Chinese steamed buns). But this dish has continued to evolve, beyond its first invention back in the 1950s. Young chefs have turned this explosive dish into a pasta sauce and you’ll find it served in many modern bistros. Here is my version, using cooked crab meat for ease. I use both white and brown meat – the latter adds a rich seafood depth to the sauce, akin to shrimp paste. Eight-hour ox cheek rendang A rendang is a dry curry. You might be tempted to stop the process too soon – not least because it smells incredibly delicious even halfway through – but be patient! The hours of simmering turn the cooking process from boiling to frying. As the liquid evaporates, the meat ends up caramelising in its own fat and the fat that separates from the coconut milk. This gives the rendang its glorious deep colour and intense, rich flavours. Raspberry, lime and coconut potong ice cream This is one sweet treat that instantly takes me back to my childhood in Singapore. The ice cream man came around not in a singing Mr Whippy van but a freezer cart and giant umbrella set on wheels. Rather than soft serves or Cornettos, you had a choice of ice cream sandwiches, slabs of ice cream cut from a bigger block and stuffed into a slice of soft white bread, or potong ice cream – coconut ice lollies. I loved the latter. I would skimp at lunch breaks, saving up my coins instead for these cold treats. Potong ice cream came in a dizzying array of colours and flavours, made using local ingredients – sweetened red bean, purple yam or yellow sweetcorn. Here I’ve used raspberries and lime to create a zesty, fruity, bright pink potong ice cream.
Malaysian recipes: how to cook like a local
Explore the balance of sweet, sour, salty and bitter flavours of this Southeast Asian country
Want to learn about Malaysian food? Looking for Malaysian recipes? Read Mandy Yin's guide to Malaysian cuisine and Malaysian street food, then learn about Singaporean food and Omani food in our local guides. What is Malaysian food? The food of Malaysia is the result of the merging over centuries of indigenous ingredients and cooking methods with external influences, adapting ingredients and techniques from countries such as China, India, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and Britain. Then there are also influences from Thailand and Indonesia. Malaysian dishes are food for the soul and offer full-on, in-your-face, satisfying flavours. Many dishes delicately balance sweetness, sourness and saltiness, often marrying chilli heat and a hint of bitterness. Key ingredients include coconut milk, chillies, pandan leaves, belacan (fermented shrimp paste), tamarind, lemongrass and makrut lime leaf. Malaysians are a nation of avid snackers – it is normal to eat five or six times a day. At any get-together it is normal to see a variety of stir-fries, curries and stews served with a large cooker full of rice, kuih muih (sweet and savoury snacks, cakes and fried titbits), fried or braised noodles contrasted with refreshing salads, pickles and sambals, all served at once. National dishes include nasi lemak (coconut rice with accompaniments), roti canai (a flaky flatbread served with a curry), satay, rendang, Hainanese chicken rice, popiah (spring rolls) and noodle dishes such as curry laksa, assam laksa, char kway teow (fried flat rice noodles), wonton mee (springy noodles with dumplings) and prawn noodle soup. Malaysian recipes Recipes adapted from Sambal Shiok: The Malaysian Cookbook by Mandy Yin (£25, Quadrille). Prawn sambal This dish is redolent with shrimp paste, lime leaf and lemongrass – the sauce is stupendous and pairs incredibly well with the hard-boiled eggs served on the side. Spicy herbal salad This vibrant salad of vegetables and herbs is dressed with a fiery sambal, shrimp paste and lime to bring everything together. Fried rice vermicelli This fried mee hoon rice vermicelli is a popular addition to any meal, and from a busy parent’s perspective a godsend as it provides a quick, no-fuss, one-pot meal. More Malaysian recipes Malaysian prawn and pineapple curry with crispy onions Try this easy prawn curry, it takes under an hour for four people. Pineapples are abundant in Malaysia, and add sweet and sour notes to this savoury curry. Asam boi sour This Malaysian preserved plum cocktail from Med Salleh in London looks sophisticated and is surprisingly easy to make. Hainan chicken rice Make the condiments while the chicken cooks, and this recipe from Malaysian street food restaurant Med Salleh will be quicker than it first appears. Beef shin rendang Enjoy this aromatic, slow-cooked beef curry with friends as it serves 12. No need to worry about waste as the remainder can be frozen and whipped out later.
From garlicky yogurt eggs to melt-in-the mouth shortbreads – explore the varied flavours of this fascinating country.
Want to learn about Turkish food? Looking for Turkish recipes? Read Özlem Warren's guide below, then check out our Turkish recipes. We also have guides to Iran and Oman. Next discover 10 things to love about Georgian cuisine. Words and recipes extracted from Özlem's book <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sebze-Vegetarian-Recipes-Turkish-Kitchen/dp/1784886483/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.r_auMdC6X7uBlCLy09bAEKev_WzI7sn9auhkXS0PdRoXbGMRt_V_4UW8X03bd5C3.jkPiFaPM9fTfkmjhFbdlqwBurOXuiyljHIjUf1da6j8&dib_tag=se&qid=1710944974&refinements=p_27%3A%C3%96zlem+Warren&s=books&sr=1-1&text=%C3%96zlem+Warren&tag=olivemag-21&ascsubtag=olivemagazine-231129" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">Sebze: Vegetarian Recipes from My Turkish Kitchen (£28, Hardie Grant). Photography: Sam A Harris. Recipes are sent by the publisher and not retested by us. My homeland Türkiye is a melting pot of diverse flavours with thousands of years of culinary heritage. Surrounded by the Aegean, Black Sea and the Mediterranean, it has varying climates, fertile soil and many ethnic communities that contributed to regional cuisines. Bountiful, seasonal produce is consumed throughout the country and excess produce is pickled and turned into paste to be used out of season. The Marmara region carries the legacy of the Ottoman palace kitchens and its ethnic communities. Meze, vegetables cooked in olive oil, pickles and a variety of desserts are a legacy from the Ottoman period. You can also find fine examples of regional flavours in Istanbul, as the city is made up of migrants from across the region. Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Greek, Armenian and Kurdish residents of the city all contributed to the local cuisine. Mainland Anatolia cuisine is largely based on wheat, legumes, savoury pastries and mutton. Eastern and southern Anatolian cuisine is rich in bulgur-based dishes, kebabs and flavourful condiments such as pomegranate molasses and pepper paste. The Black Sea region produces the nation’s tea leaves, hazelnuts, corn and collard greens, along with the much-loved anchovies. The milder climate in the Aegean and the Mediterranean lends itself to seasonal fruit and vegetables, olives, herbs and wild greens. There is a variety of seafood and wines from this region. Hospitality and getting together to enjoy food is an important aspect of Turkish culture. The Turkish saying ‘Başımın üstünde yerin var’, meaning ‘I place you at the top of my head’, for me sums up Turkish hospitality perfectly. We Turks put guests first and foremost in our thoughts, and always welcome them with generous hospitality. Turkish recipes Çilbir (Turkish-style poached eggs in garlicky yogurt) This is one of my favourite ways to enjoy eggs. It was part of Ottoman palace banquets and a favourite of Mehmed the Conqueror. At home, çılbır is generally enjoyed as a hot meze. I also like serving it as part of a leisurely weekend breakfast, lunch or a light midweek supper – it’s a versatile dish. Öcce (spring onion fritters) These delightful, herby fritters are a popular speciality, especially in the Gaziantep, Kilis and Hatay regions. Locals make them with lots of spring onions, herbs and fresh garlic, when in season. There are many variations throughout the country, where, for instance, grated courgettes can be added, as in our popular kabak mücveri. In the south, locals use a special öcce pan with hollows. A non-stick, wide pan will work just as well. Serve with a garlicky yogurt dip. Fistikli un kurabiyesi (pistachio shortbread cookies) These delicious, crumbly shortbread cookies are a national favourite. My mother would make them for her afternoon tea gatherings and special occasions when I was a child, and now my children adore these, too. You will find them in Turkish pastanes (patisseries), either plain or with nuts or dried fruits.
Learn about Holi, the Hindu festival of colours, love and spring, through recipes from Indian chef and food writer Maunika Gowardhan
Looking for recipes and foods to try to celebrate Holi? Read our guide from Indian food writer Maunika Gowardhan then check out more Indian recipes and Maunika's podcast about how to perfect Indian cooking. Recipes extracted from Thali: A Joyful Celebration of Indian Home Cooking by Maunika Gowardhan (Hardie Grant, £22) and photography by Sam A. Harris and Tandoori Home Cooking by Maunika Gowardhan (Hardie Grant, £25), photography by Issy Croker. What is Holi? Holi, the Indian festival of colours, is celebrated to mark the arrival of spring and the passing of winter. Celebrated on 14 March this year, it always falls on a full moon. Indian mythology signifies Holi as a festival of letting go of the old and bringing in the new; a time to forget the mistakes of the past and begin with renewed hope and strength to create meaningful relations with friends and family. How is Holi celebrated? The night before the festival is marked with bonfires, with coconut, corn and chickpeas thrown into the flames as offerings of gratitude. Pujas (ceremonial worship and prayers) are held on the occasion. The day is filled with fun, joy, and most definitely indulging in good food and drink. As a young girl, throwing gulal (coloured powders) and water balloons with family and friends had to be the best part of this holiday for me. Just remember to wear white or lighter colours as the gulal can stain. The festival transcends religion and caste, and bridges gaps in society, bringing people together. Holi food to celebrate the occasion Sweet and savoury snacks are a big part of Holi. There isn’t a specific meal, although lots of variety is served throughout the day. From samosas, chaat and mirchi vadas to the most wonderful vegetarian curries and plenty of sweets, including jalebis, barfi and malpuas. Karanji One of my favourite foods to celebrate Holi has to be gujiya or karanji, a crispy pastry filled with coconut. These were my favourite snacks when I was growing up and something I still make at home. Try my Maharashtrian karanji recipe. Thandai Karanji are best eaten while still warm, followed by a chilled glass of thandai – an almond-infused drink with fennel, cardamom and rose petals that is traditionally served during Holi. Punjabi matar paneer Renowned for its vegetarian cuisine, the Indian subcontinent has a massive population that relies purely on a meat-free diet. Matar paneer is a delicious recipe that hails from the north of India and is an all-time favourite. This simple dish starts with a tomato base and basic spices, including turmeric, coriander and cumin powder. Try my Punjabi matar paneer recipe. Barfi An Indian milk-based sweet fudge made using ground cardamom and nuts. Barfi come in a variety of flavours including mango, ground pistachio, saffron and even chocolate. Another version of this is kalakand, made with milk solids, cardamom and almonds. Try Gurdeep Loyal's kaju katli cashew burfi. Regional curries I love to cook a variety of curries for the occasion, including Rajasthani laal maas (lamb curry), pork balchao and creamy chicken curry.
Experience the diverse cuisine of this Middle Eastern country, from tangy beef tikka to refreshing rose-flavoured drinks
Want to learn about Omani food? Looking for Omani recipes? Read Dina Macki's guide below, then check out our Middle-Eastern mezze recipes. We also have guides to Tunisia and Iran. Words and recipes extracted from Bahari: Recipes From an Omani Kitchen and Beyond by Dina Macki (£26, DK). Photographs Patricia Niven. Located on the south-east of the Arabian Peninsula, Oman is nestled in between Iran, India, Pakistan and the East African coast. Being surrounded by such culturally diverse countries and looking out onto the Indian Ocean, Oman’s maritime history has brought us the warm spices of India, such as chillies, cinnamon, turmeric and ginger. Migration from Iran has brought us the essence of colour, as well as sweet and tart flavours from saffron, roses, pomegranates and figs. Oman’s home-grown ingredients are dried limes, also known as black limes or loomi, and dates. Much of our cooking incorporates dried limes, as the practice of drying ingredients to preserve in hot and arid conditions is vital. Dried limes mostly play a role in slow cooking and in dishes where they have time to release their pungent citrus notes, which you get in dishes such as machboos. It’s never overwhelming, but just the perfect amount of acidity, and something you appreciate the next day from the same meal. We also use dried lime to tenderise and bring us an instant acidic gratification, like in Bahraini tikka, a beef recipe brought over by the communities who were from old Muscat and have origins in Bahrain. As much as our ingredients make up the migration of Omanis through the centuries, the culture and traditions of food also came with them. Having such diverse communities in Oman which have heritage from all these places means that food is always the foundation of conversations and bringing us together. Eating for us is never about a quick meal but a chance for us to join one another, share stories, devour each spoonful, appreciate the flavours and make sure everyone is left full and content. From old to young, nobody ever eats alone, hospitality is at the forefront of our food and drinking culture, and an Omani’s front door is always open for someone to join in. Omani recipes Machboos (Omani chicken one-pot rice) Across most of the Gulf and in a few other Arab countries, this dish is known as machboos, meaning ‘to compress’, as the ingredients are cooked in one pot, with the meat compressed beneath the rice. In Saudi Arabia, it’s also known as kabsa, deriving from the root word kabs, which is the act of putting rice on the meat once it’s cooked. My mum has always been fond of making this dish. The traditional method takes much longer, as you would normally fry each element separately, but my mum also loves to make cooking quick and easy, so she taught me a simplified version that still yields the same taste. Bahraini tikka Both my mother’s and father’s families have ancestry from Bahrain. In Oman, people with this lineage are known as Bahranis or Baharnas. Having such a small and close community means we are all familiar with each family’s characteristics and cuisines, and so Bahraini tikka is well known and loved among our community in Muscat. There is only one place in Muscat that does a good one – the shop mainly makes shawarmas, and is called Antalya after the city in Turkey, but nestled in the back is a man who makes excellent tikka: succulent, chargrilled skewers with a tender tang. It is essential that you eat this meat with bread, as the dried lime comes in very sharp if eaten on its own. Serve with flatbreads, hummus, raw onions, salad and sliced oranges. Sherbati (rose, chia and almond milkshake) Sherbati is a drink we make during Muharram, the first month of the Islamic new year. A big batch is made, bottled up and donated to little kids in Zanzibar. It’s essentially a rose-flavoured milkshake. The traditional version was made much sweeter with condensed milk and basil seeds, which bloom and become gelatinous, like chia seeds. My auntie Rayhana, a very good family friend who was born in Uganda to a Gujarati family, also used to have this as a child. Since she started making it here in the UK, she has found that it tastes much better with almond milk. The most important tip for this is to make sure it’s super-cold when serving, just like a milkshake.
Rosa’s Thai co-founder, Saiphin Moore, shares her favourite things about the food and culture of her homeland
Want to learn more about Thai cuisine? Looking for Thai dishes to try? Read our guide below then check out our guides to South Korean food and Taiwanese food and then try our Thai recipes and Asian street food recipes. Thai food: 10 things we love Roti Crispy, golden and sweet, Thai roti are stuffed with different fruits such as bananas, coconut, raisins and even corn. Once golden and buttery, they are served with little pots of sugar and condensed milk for dipping – you can find these sugary snacks on many roadsides and markets, great to satisfy a sudden sweet craving. Hot and sour soup Tom yum soup is probably the most famous Thai soup. A common theme throughout Thai cuisine is that of a balance of hot, sweet, sour and salty, and this soup is very characteristic of those. Different versions include prawns or chicken but all have the base flavours of fragrant lemongrass and Makrut lime leaves, and fiery bird’s-eye chillies. Often served at our family and friends get-togethers, it is served as a main dish, and rice on the side is a must. Durian fruit Banned from public transport in lots of Southeast Asia due to its pungent smell – but if you can get past that, the custardy flesh you find inside is like Marmite. You either love it or you hate it, and the taste is something akin to overripe bananas and vanilla. The Thai kind is slightly subtler in scent than others, so it is the perfect place if you were feeling adventurous enough to try this famous fruit. Tamarind There are two different types of tamarind, sweet and sour, but the taste varies on when the fruit is picked as to how sweet or sour it is – the older it is, the sweeter it will be. It’s ubiquitous throughout Thai cuisine and is one of the main ingredients in the beloved export, pad Thai. They can be eaten straight from the pod and, if you are lucky enough to get them at the right time, they can be the perfect balance between sweet and sour. However, they are also a natural laxative, so be careful of eating too many. Larb Made from minced meat, larb is a great accompaniment to a som tam salad and some sticky rice. Originating in northern Thailand, it is fragrant with lots of aromatic herbs, spring onions and limes. It can be quite scorching depending on how many chillies have been added, but if you haven’t quite built up your chilli tolerance, a plate of raw crunchy vegetables is usually served alongside, to tame a bit of the heat. Pad Thai Created in the 1940s, with a heavy Chinese influence, pad Thai is a great introduction into the rich and vast food of Thailand. One of the most famous Thai dishes, this street food is available everywhere from small roadside stalls to upmarket restaurants. Spiked with small, dried prawns, packing a savoury punch and rich with the sweet and sour taste of tamarind, there’s a reason this is a British favourite. Stink beans Similar in looks to an edamame bean, stink beans are also known as bitter beans or cluster beans. Nutritious and delicious, they are often served stir-fried and paired with strongly flavoured foods. Their name comes from the effects they give the eater, and any eliminations tend to smell sulphuric – however, it is worth it. Green papaya salad Som tam salad, filled with crunchy, fresh shredded papaya, is a taste I grew up with. Packed with fiery chillies, it is traditionally made using a large pestle and mortar. Exact ingredients vary according to the different regions of Thailand but the perfect balance of sweet, sour, hot and salty flavours remain – ask for as many chillies as you dare. Deep-fried whole fish In my home region of Phetchabun, in northern Thailand, this dish is made with the freshwater catch of the day. Covered with Thai basil and fiery bird’s-eye chillies, it is a magnificent sight to behold but it is actually quick and easy to throw together. The fish is deep-fried whole until crispy on the outside and still tender on the inside, then smothered in the sauce. Lip-smackingly spicy, make sure you have a cold beer to wash it down with. Thai fish cakes Flavoured with spicy red curry paste and Makrut lime leaves, these deeply browned fish cakes are a traditional Thai classic. Served either as a snack, starter or family style, alongside other dishes, and paired with a sweet chilli dipping sauce. Held together using blitzed white fish and egg yolks. More cuisine guides Fez cuisine: 10 things we love Istria cuisine: 10 things we love Andalusian cuisine: 10 things we love Jamaican cuisine: 10 things we love Georgian cuisine: 10 things we love Colombian cuisine: 10 things we love The Algarve's cuisine: 10 things we love South Korean cuisine: 10 things we love Nashville cuisine: 10 things we love Norwegian cuisine: 10 things we love Tuscan cuisine: 10 things we love Isle of Skye cuisine: 10 things we love Northern Ireland cuisine: 10 things we love Finland cuisine: 10 things we love Cork cuisine: 10 things we love
Bangladeshi food: how to cook like a local
Celebrate the rich flavours of this South Asian country, from creamy braised chicken to fragrant rice pulao
Want to learn about Bangladeshi food? Looking for Bangladeshi recipes? Read Dina Begum's guide below, then check out these Indian recipes. We also have our cook like a local guides to Indonesia, Pakistan and Oman. Now find out how to celebrate Holi. Words and recipes extracted from Made in Bangladesh: Recipes and Stories from a Home Kitchen, by Dina Begum (£28, Hardie). Bangladeshi cuisine is vast and varied, influenced by Persian, Moghul and Southeast Asian flavours. Core ingredients include mustard oil, panch phoron (Bengali five spice), date molasses, coconut and dried and fermented fish. There is a focus on locally grown and seasonal produce, which makes Bangladeshi cuisine rich in vegetarian and vegan dishes. While rice is a staple in everyday meals, often featuring in every meal, fish comes a close second. Fish is fried, steamed in banana leaf and cooked into light stews and rich curries. Bhorta, a mash made of mainly vegetables and also fish and meat, is integral to everyday eating, mixed and eaten with plain rice. These make for a simple lunch or first course to a multi-course meal. Bangladeshi food is traditionally eaten in courses, unlike other countries in the subcontinent, starting with vegetarian dishes, then fish, meat and ending with something sweet. Bangladeshis have an affinity with sweets, and no get-together or celebration is complete without an assortment. The flora and fauna of the country manifests itself in the many festivals that take place, and can be seen in the artistic motifs of pastries: fish-shaped shondesh (milky sweetmeats) and birds cut into rice dough to make nokshi pitha – intricately decorated pastries. Pitha are rice-based sweets and savouries, which includes crêpes, steamed dumplings, fried pastries and puddings, made with new rice and served during special occasions such as Eid, Pujo or weddings. Dining out in Bangladesh – especially in the cities such as Dhaka and Sylhet – food options are many, from classic, traditional fare to modern and fusion cuisines. Popular street food offerings include chotpoti (spicy chickpeas and potatoes topped with cucumber, tomatoes, egg and pastry) and puchka, pastry shells stuffed with potatoes and chickpeas in tamarind sauce. Bangladeshi recipes Whole braised chicken in a rich gravy (duruj kura) This showstopper of a dish originates from the Chittagong district, and is traditionally served to welcome a new groom into the bride’s family. Mellow, lightly spiced and creamy, the skinless chicken is melt-in-your-mouth and flavoursome throughout, thanks to slow-cooking and bhagar, or tempering of golden fried onions. Serve it with shada pulao for the ultimate meal. Fragrant rice with ghee and whole spices (shada pulao) The scent of onions caramelising in fat is universally regarded as wonderful – and, in this case, it’s made even more so with a generous amount of ghee coating each grain of rice with its nutty aroma. When I was growing up, pulao meant one thing: dawats, or feasts, with aunties and cousins dressed in their finery. Cooked using the absorption method of one part rice to two parts water, this recipe can be quickly rustled up when you’re entertaining, or feel like treating yourself to something to accompany a curry or stew. Any leftovers make a great brunch dish with a fried egg on top. Ground rice pudding with cardamom (firni) If you haven’t tasted firni, you are in for a treat. This refined cousin of rice pudding makes appearances at weddings, Eids and other special celebrations. Scented with cardamom and pandan extract, firni is served chilled, scattered with rose petals and pistachios, either in individual portions or in a large sharing dish. I make various versions of this pudding, but this is my favourite when entertaining, as it can be prepared ahead of time and needs to be chilled overnight. The perfume of pandan is matched with the citrussy floral notes of cardamom, and both are delicious with the milk and rice.
With years of experience navigating street food markets, family-run restaurants and rural temples, Back Kimyung, shares what makes the food culture of his homeland so special
Want to learn more about South Korean cuisine? Looking for Korean dishes to try? Read our guide below then check out our guides to Taiwanese food and Thai food and then try our Korean recipes and gochujang recipes. Back Kimyung is one of Intrepid Travel’s food-obsessed, experienced tour guides. Join a South Korea Real Food Adventure for eight days immersed in the country’s markets, local restaurants and eclectic food culture. South Korean food: 10 things we love Gochujang Each province has its own version of umami-rich gochujang. Mountainous Sunchang is known to produce the best due to its clean air and water, and high-quality chillies. The fiery paste is made using fermented soybeans, ground sticky rice, dried chillies, barley syrup and sea salt. We use it to make classic dishes such as rice cake comfort food tteok-bokki, jjigae soup and galbijjim braised short ribs. Mandu (Korean dumplings) There are many different flavours and varieties of dumplings, including pork, kimchi, pumpkin and sweet potato, often steamed but also fried. Korean New Year is celebrated on 21 January over four days, when we eat tteokguk rice cake and dumpling soup. During this period, we greet each other with the phrase, “Have you eaten your rice cake and dumpling soup?”. This is a way of marking the completion of another year. Discover recipes for dumplings from around the world here. Korean street food South Korea’s markets are vibrant places to buy fresh produce, dried goods and seafood. In the evenings covered bars are set up on the surrounding streets for locals to enjoy street food dishes such as mung bean pancakes, comforting tteok-bokki and sweet hotteok pancakes paired with soju (a smooth, clear Korean spirit). Hanjeongsik banquets On special occasions such as Christmas Eve, we visit traditional restaurants to enjoy a banquet. We sit on the floor round a low table laid out with individual bowls of rice and soup plus a selection of small dishes to share. These can include crab, skate in spring onion sauce, mung bean jelly, kimchi and plenty of pickles – mushrooms, lotus flower and seaweed to name a few. Korean BBQ and bulgogi There is a vast variety of KBBQ but it’s most traditionally centred around meat, whether that’s galbi shortribs, thinly sliced bulgogi or dwaeji pork bulgogi. The meat is marinated and cooked by diners on grills set into the table. We wrap the crisp, charred meat in lettuce or perilla leaves, along with garnishes and banchan side dishes including dried omelette, kimchi and crunchy cabbage. Temple food There are thousands of Buddhist temples in South Korea, with many offering stay experiences. Religious practices encourage a simple vegan diet using mountain herbs and homegrown or local veg. Examples of dishes prepared by the monks include spiced aubergine, mushroom and tofu soup, chilli pickled cucumber and sesame-laced spinach. Kimchi Kimchi is part of our culture and something we can’t live without. When we travel we take our own kimchi with us, and there’s always a selection on the table at a restaurant. There are more than 200 kinds, including white radish cubes (chonggak) and crunchy mountain cabbage with varying levels of sweet and spiciness. The traditional sauce is made using ginger, spring onion, garlic, onions and dried chillies, with sticky rice to thicken, plus fish or shrimp sauce and sesame seeds. Making kimchi is also about family reunions, where, once a year, usually in autumn, we get together to make a large batch, then keep in a separate kimchi fridge to maintain the taste for the whole year. Korean fried chicken Korean fried chicken is a ritual – we eat it with friends after work, to cure a broken heart, while watching football, on many occasions, often paired with Cass Fresh lager to refresh our mouths. It’s extra crunchy with a succulent centre, and flavoured with various seasonings including spicy gochujang, honey glaze and garlic and soy. Persimmons During autumn, the whole country comes alive with the sweet fragrance of persimmons. Many of us have our own persimmon trees. Around November time the fruit becomes soft and almost jelly-like (we call this ‘hongsi’). We freeze to eat like an ice cream or dry for winter and wrap around walnuts to make a traditional dessert, gotgamssam. Seafood and haenyeo divers Jagalchi market in Busan is the largest fish market in South Korea. Here, women sell fresh and dried seafood from long, delicate cutlass fish to dried salty anchovies and octopus. Female haenyeo divers use special breathing techniques to harvest seaweed, sea cucumbers and prized abalone off the shores of volcanic Jeju Island to sell on the mainland. More cuisine guides Fez cuisine: 10 things we love Istria cuisine: 10 things we love Andalusian cuisine: 10 things we love Jamaican cuisine: 10 things we love Georgian cuisine: 10 things we love Colombian cuisine: 10 things we love The Algarve's cuisine: 10 things we love Thai cuisine: 10 things we love Nashville cuisine: 10 things we love Norwegian cuisine: 10 things we love Tuscan cuisine: 10 things we love Cork cuisine: 10 things we love Photographs by Alex Crossley
Pakistani food: how to cook like a local
Discover the aromatic flavours of this diverse South Asian country
Want to learn about Pakistani food? Looking for Pakistani recipes? Read Sumayya Usmani's guide below. After check out the olive podcast, where we discuss the 10 things you need to know about Pakistani food and cooking. Now discover Bangladeshi food: how to cook like a local, our guide to Omani food and how to celebrate Holi. Pakistan is a land of diverse ethnicities and climates, and its cuisine is influenced by invasion, migration and its borders. From Arab, Mongol and Turkish invasions, to the borders of China, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Iran and India – this is a cuisine best described as a confluence of South Asia. Days begin with rich breakfasts of halwa puri, nihari stew and spicy eggs, lunch is usually lighter, with dinner mostly eaten late. Eating out is a favourite pastime. Cuisine drives religious festivals such as Eid, and in Ramadan restaurants are closed during the day, opening at ‘Iftar’ (breaking fast), when streets are lined with pakora and samosa stalls. There are marked provincial differences: Punjabi food is hearty and aromatic, infused with cardamom, saffron and cloves. Lahore, famous for street food with sizzling meat dishes and markets filled with spices. In southern coastal Sindh, Arab influences of barbecue and seafood are found. Western Balochistan is arid and barren land, and most eat spit-roasted meat and bejewelled rice in carcasses. Little spice is used, and meats are dusted with salt and pepper, as it is in northern Pakistan, with Central Asian dumplings and noodle soups, with Chinese influences of stir-frying, too. Cities and village streets are alive with tandoor smoke and chaat snack stalls. In cities, people enjoy eating out – chicken tikkas, boti kebabs and other specialities such as kata-kat (offal chopped up with spices and tomatoes). Food is the life blood of all Pakistanis, both the sharing and the eating of it. Sumayya Usmani's Pakistani recipes Bundoo Khan-style chicken boti tikka Sumayya's Pakistani chicken tikka is the real deal – thread marinated chicken onto bamboo skewers and serve with tamarind chutney. Prawn karahi Plenty of spice, fresh prawns and ripe tomatoes are key to this authentic Pakistani prawn curry, finished with green chilli and ginger. Street-side kulfi This Pakistani dessert combines cardamom, sweetened condensed milk, ricotta and saffron – roll in ground pistachios for an extra flourish.
Luu Meng, head chef of Malis restaurant in Phnom Penh, tells us what makes the food of his homeland so special
Want to learn about Cambodian food? Take a virtual trip to this southeast Asian nation with Luu Meng, head chef of Malis restaurant in Phnom Penh. Check out Luu's recipe for Samlor prahal here. Next discover 10 things we love about Thai cuisine. Luu says, "When I was a boy, I helped my mother in her noodle shop in Phnom Penh. That’s where I learnt about noodles, flavourings and how to make a broth. She and my grandmother, a chef in the royal palace, gave me my love of cooking. I went to cookery school in Thailand before working in Singapore and Malaysia, but I was drawn back to my roots. I travelled Cambodia, exploring regional dishes and lost recipes. I wanted to revive and refine traditional Khmer cuisine. Modern Cambodian food is a combination of native Khmer traditions infused with French, Indian and Chinese influences." Cambodian food: Luu Meng's guide Fish amok Amok, a steamed curry with fish or seafood, is Cambodia’s national dish. Our cuisine has been influenced by India and China but it is not as hot and spicy, or as sweet as our neighbours’ (when you add a lot of chillies you need to add sugar). We steam the curry wrapped in a banana leaf with local herbs. In Kep on the south coast, the local speciality is crab amok, in other areas it’s scallops. We eat a lot of fish and shellfish in Cambodia, from baby crabs found in the rice fields to the wild freshwater tonguefish or river sole which has a really creamy flavour and yellow flesh. When you marinate the fish with coconut and kroeung – a fresh lemongrass and herb paste – then steam the dish, the flavours all come together. It’s a mild and creamy curry, not too spicy, and very tasty. Samlor prahal Samlor means soup and in Cambodia we eat a lot of soup dishes. This recipe is very healthy, cooked with freshwater fish, fresh herbs and lots of vegetables such as winter melon (you can swap in courgette). It puts you in a good mood, and is a traditional hangover cure! Everyone loves it, children and adults. The base is chicken or fish stock and lemongrass. It’s cooked slowly, the shallots fried with dry shrimp powder, coconut palm hearts and a herb called om, which tastes like wild asparagus (which is different from farm-grown asparagus). You can make it with kroeung or a clear version. People from the mountains and coast cook this dish with kroeung but those near rivers prefer to eat it clear, with less lemongrass. It has a sweet, natural taste from the fresh fish and vegetables. Check out Luu's recipe for Samlor prahal here. Keiv teav Phnom Penh In Cambodia people eat noodles every day from 5am-11am – this is a traditional breakfast from a street food stall – and then again from 3pm-7pm. It’s not a dish you’d make at home as it takes around six to seven hours to make. Slow cooking is very characteristic of Cambodian cuisine. The broth is simmered overnight with a pork bone, dried shrimp, squid, onions and spices. The noodle soup is then served with slices of pork, minced pork and liver, shrimps, bean sprouts, coriander and a slice of lime. Kroeung Kroeung is a fresh spice and herb paste, and the base of many Cambodian dishes. There are three basic kroeung pastes: green (the main ingredient is lemongrass), yellow (turmeric) and red (chillies) but the combination of spices will vary around the country, and depending on what you are cooking. Around the Mekong River we cook a lot of freshwater fish, so the kroeung is lighter than that used in the mountains, where they cook more meat. Kroeung is made with a pestle and mortar, with fresh ingredients, never dry – young lemongrass, shallots, garlic, turmeric, ginger, galangal and chilli. Coconut The best coconuts come from Kampot. The estuary is brackish, seawater mixing with the fresh water from the river adding a lot of minerals to the soil. This gives the coconuts a totally different taste to those from other areas of Cambodia. They are naturally organic. We use a lot of coconut and have the luxury of fresh coconut cream when making desserts. When you grate the coconut, add water, then squeeze it. The first squeeze is the cream, the second coconut milk. We always add a tiny bit of salt to the coconut to bring out the flavour. Pomelo The pomelo from the island of Koh Trong in Kratie has been awarded Protected Geographical Indication status. The citrus fruit looks like a large grapefruit and is harvested twice a year, around October and November, and also March to April. It has a distinct flavour – different to pomelos from other areas – it’s sweeter and has less pips, and is delicious in a seafood salad with shrimp, lime, chilli and peanuts. Salads In the markets in Cambodia, the stalls are usually laid out with herbs on one level for soups, and vegetables for stews on another. Cambodian herbs are very acidic when blended, but if you use them whole or sliced then the flavour is milder. We eat a lot of salad, which is down to the French influence. But our dressings are different. We eat salad three ways – with a chilli or tamarind dressing or a European-style vinaigrette. A seafood salad works well with a tamarind (with garlic, chilli and salt) dressing as it adds sourness. Kampot pepper Kampot pepper has Protected Geographical Indicatio status and has been grown in the south of the country around Kampot since the 13th century. The pepper plantations between the mountains and the sea have a moist climate and rich soil, producing a pepper with a very mineral taste. It’s aromatic, fragrant – different from any other pepper in the world. The plantations produce fresh green, white, red and black pepper. Raw green pepper is very good with seafood or beef – it’s juicy, so works well in a marinade. White pepper has a mild taste, so we use it with chicken, fish, pork or veal. Red is good with desserts, while black pepper is stronger and often paired with red meat and used in marinades for lamb and beef. Coffee culture/Mondulkiri coffee Coffee was introduced to Cambodia by the French. In the morning we drink iced coffee from street stalls – sometimes with condensed milk. Cambodian coffee is not that well known because most of the beans grown are robusta, because of the low altitudes. However, recently a number of small plantations in the Mondulkiri province in the north-east of the country, near Laos, have been producing high-quality arabica beans. The climate is cooler in this mountainous region and it has a fertile red soil. The beans are slowly dried in the sun, giving them a real sweetness. Pchum Ben/festival food Pchum Ben is like Cambodia’s Halloween. It’s a 15-day festival in honour of the dead. Families come together and cook chicken curry eaten with rice noodles, rice or bread. Hungry ghosts are believed to roam the land at this time and so we go to the temples to pray and give offerings of food to the monks who pass the food on to the spirits. ‘Ben’ means ball or portion of rice and ‘bay ben’ are sticky rice balls with sesame – both are thrown into the air or fields for the spirits. Interview conducted by Lucy Gillmore Audley Travel offers tailor-made itineraries to Cambodia and can arrange cooking classes with some of the country's top chefs including Luu Meng audleytravel.com/cambodia More cuisine guides Fez cuisine: 10 things we love Puglian cuisine: 10 things we love Andalusian cuisine: 10 things we love Jamaican cuisine: 10 things we love Georgian cuisine: 10 things we love Colombian cuisine: 10 things we love The Algarve's cuisine: 10 things we love Thai cuisine: 10 things we love South Korean cuisine: 10 things we love Nashville cuisine: 10 things we love Norwegian cuisine: 10 things we love Tuscan cuisine: 10 things we love Cork cuisine: 10 things we love Trentino cuisine: 10 things we love Austrian cuisine: 10 things we love
Lee Johnson, co-founder of Bong Bong’s Manila Kanteen, tells us what makes the food of the Philippines so special
Want to learn about the best Filipino recipes? Take a virtual trip to this South East Asian archipelago with Lee Johnson, co-founder of Bong Bong’s Manila Kanteen, then try Lee's version of a popular Filipino recipe, chicken adobo. Bong Bong’s Manila Kanteen is the latest Filipino food venture from Lee Johnson and his partner Sinead Campbell. They started with the food truck BBQ Dreamz in 2014, winning BBC Two’s My Million Pound Menu. Based in Kerb’s indoor market in Covent Garden, Bong Bong’s has a menu based on the founding flavours of Filipino cuisine. Listen to our podcast chat with Lee and Sinead (when they had their original street food business BBQ Dreamz) about Filipino family traditions and why Lee’s Mum’s chicken adobo will always be his favourite dish. View oEmbed on the source website Filipino food: Lee Johnson's guide Ube This purple Filipino sweet potato is slightly sweeter and nuttier than the ones we’re familiar with in the UK. It’s used in all different types of Filipino desserts and sweets, from ice creams and cakes, to jams, doughnuts and pastries. Despite its predominant use in sweet foods, ube has been found to have very high nutritional value, good carb content and flavonoids, meaning that it’s high in antioxidants. What more could you want in your dessert? Dinuguan This won’t be to everyone’s taste but it’s honestly so, so good, we have it whenever we see it on a menu. Dinuguan is what we would describe as a blood pudding stew – it’s made from cooking pork and pork offal in vinegar, garlic, onion and pig’s blood. It may not sound it but it’s honestly amazing. Calamansi This is the most predominant citrus fruit used in the Philippines. It’s kind of like a mix between a lime and a kumquat. It’s used all over the Philippines in cooking, sauces, drinks, desserts and jams. It’s sour and tangy, with a sweet rind. La Paz batchoy A noodle soup dish originating from La Paz in Iloilo, near to where my family comes from. It’s made with beef or chicken stock, pork offal, sliced pork and shrimp paste, and topped with chicharrón, spring onion, crispy garlic and an egg. It’s basically a Filipino version of a ramen, but the best you’ll ever have. Sawsawan Basically a vinegar dip, and you can dip everything into it. Our favourite version is made with coconut vinegar, shallots, bird’s-eye chillies, peppercorns, garlic, soy sauce and a squeeze of calamansi. Longganisa sausages Also spelled longaniza, these sausages are like a sweet, garlicky chorizo. There are many variations in the Philippines but generally they’re made with pork, garlic, vinegar, pepper, salt and brown sugar, then coloured red with annatto, a red seed from the achiote tree. Filipinos eat them for breakfast with garlic fried rice, fried eggs and sawsawan in a dish called longsilog. Laing Also known as pinangat, laing is a dish made by cooking down taro leaves in a rich broth of coconut milk, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, chilli and ginger. It originates from Bicol, which is at the southern end of Luzon island. It can be made with shrimp paste, fish or meat but we like ours without any of these bits, as it makes an excellent vegan side dish – think creamed coconut spinach but better. Bananacue We think this is one of the simplest but greatest creations ever. Sold all over Filipino food markets, these are sticky, caramelised saba bananas on a skewer. The way they’re made is a little bit wild: the bananas are deep-fried in oil, then brown sugar is poured directly into the oil to caramelise. Filipino chicken adobo This is a family staple that reminds me of my childhood – and it was the first Filipino dish that Sinead tried. It’s known as the unofficial national dish but every single Filipino family has their own recipe, so there are hundreds of variations. Our favourite is the wet version made with coconut vinegar, light soy sauce, onion, plenty of garlic and bay. Try my chicken adobo recipe. Crispy pata This is one of our all-time favourites. Crispy pata is made by simmering a whole pork knuckle or hock with garlic, bay, peppercorns, star anise, water and vinegar until tender. Once cooked, the pork is removed, dried and deep-fried until crisp. It’s served whole with dips and rice, and everyone digs in. We serve it with pancakes, pickles and sauces, a bit like a crispy duck pancake, but with Filipino flavours. More cuisine guides Fez cuisine: 10 things we love Puglian cuisine: 10 things we love Andalusian cuisine: 10 things we love Jamaican cuisine: 10 things we love Georgian cuisine: 10 things we love Colombian cuisine: 10 things we love The Algarve's cuisine: 10 things we love Thai cuisine: 10 things we love South Korean cuisine: 10 things we love Nashville cuisine: 10 things we love Norwegian cuisine: 10 things we love Tuscan cuisine: 10 things we love Cork cuisine: 10 things we love Trentino cuisine: 10 things we love Austrian cuisine: 10 things we love
Rajiv KC, head chef and owner of Rajiv’s Kitchen, a pop-up restaurant supper club in London, was born and raised in Nepal. He explains what makes the food of this country so special
Want to learn more about Nepalese food? Looking for Nepalese dishes to try? Read Rajiv KC's guide below, then check out Rajiv's recipe for Nepalese potato and cucumber pickle salad. Nepal, a landlocked South Asian nation, is usually known for its Himalayan mountains, especially Mount Everest, and as the birth place of Buddha. It is also a nation of 126 ethnic groups with 123 languages, so for a country that is culturally rich and diverse, Nepalese cuisine can’t be put into one box. The unique culture of Nepal can be reflected in the food it has to offer. What it lacks in geographical size, it makes up for with its bold, big, beautiful flavours. Follow Rajiv on Instagram @rajivskitchen. Nepalese cuisine: Rajiv KC's guide Daal-bhaat Daal-bhaat (lentils and rice) is a staple in Nepal cuisine. Nepalis eat it for lunch, dinner and sometimes for breakfast, too. It usually comes as lentils and rice with seasonal greens, tarkaari (a vegetable dish) and achaar (a pickle condiment, usually tomato-based). The dish varies region to region but using knives and forks is frowned upon, so you have to enjoy this dish with your hands. Chyang Nepalese drink In bhattis (small local bars) you will find chyang on the menu. An alcoholic beverage, it’s home-brewed and made of fermented rice. Traditionally served in a tall brass mug and local to Kathmandu valley and its neighbouring villages, it is also widely drunk in the mountain regions to keep oneself warm. Khasi ko maasu (Nepalese goat curry) Arguably the most famous curry to come out of Nepal. Khasi ko maasu is a goat curry. In Nepali, there is no word for curry, so if it is a vegetable curry, it’s called ‘tarkaari’ and if it’s meat curry, it’s called ‘maasu’. In reverse translation, tarkaari means ‘any vegetable’ and maasu means ‘any meat’. Goat is one of the most expensive meats in Nepal and is sought after at festivals. Ghongi Ghongi is a snail dish and more famous in the terai (plain) part of Nepal. With Nepal being a landlocked country and hence deprived of seashores and oceans, Nepalis rely on freshwater fish and shellfish. Ghongi is popular due to how its prepared. You get snails from the fields during monsoon season and they are cooked in lots of garlic and in a broth-like curry sauce including heaps of spring onions. Make sure to dive into a deep broth of ghongi with your bare hands as cutlery is a big no. Tongba Another home-brewed alcohol drink that locals adore because of the depth of flavour from fermented millet grain. Very popular in Kathmandu valley and in mountain regions, it’s traditionally served in a bamboo cup. It is usually drunk in the winter as you top it up with hot water. Dhedo Dhedo is another staple of Nepal. Made with millet grain with a polenta-like consistency, it’s eaten with daal or a side of achaar (pickle). It is also a great source of fibre. Ju ju dhau Ju ju dhau means ‘king of yogurt’ in Nepali. Mainly produced in Bhaktapur town (part of Kathmandu valley), ju ju dhau is very creamy in texture with a subtle sweetness, and is a must-have at festivals and gatherings. Think of rich creamy panna cotta but freshly made and sold in big clay bowls. Momos (Nepalese dumplings) These dumplings are the unofficial national dish of Nepal. They say there are more momos pasal (little shops) in Kathmandu alone than all the McDonald’s combined in North America. Usually served with a spicy tomato dipping sauce, buff momos (made of water buffalo meat) are very popular. Momos take centre stage at Indo-Chinese restaurant Fatt Pundit (fattpundit.co.uk) and head chef Huzefa Sajawal’s take stays true to their roots. “Momos were historically eaten by farmers trekking the Himalayan region,” he explains. “They’re made using a simple dough of flour and water, rolled into small discs and filled with meat (buffalo, chicken, lamb) or vegetables (cabbage, carrots, potatoes). Once filled, they are then folded into different shapes with pleats, and either steamed or fried.” The spicing is what sets Fatt Pundit’s dumplings apart, as Huzefa elaborates: “Instead of using a typical spice mixture for all our momos, we have different mixtures to match our fillings.” Thakali thaali Thakali is one of the ethnic groups of Nepal, known for its delicious food. Thakali cuisine has grown very popular, with many restaurants appearing in Kathmandu valley. One of my favourites is dhedo/rice, daal, thakali tarkaari, pickle condiment and greens. Thakali differs from region to region. Gundruk and sinki Gundruk and sinki are made by fermenting the green leaves of a vegetable (normally spinach). They are made by storing in a hole in the ground, covering and leaving to ferment for two to three months at the end of summer, ready for winter. They have a sour note and are used as a tarkari (vegetable curry). Both gundruk and sinki are mostly cooked with bhatmaas (soya beans) for extra flavour. They are mostly made in the mountain regions of Nepal. More cuisine guides Fez cuisine: 10 things we love Puglian cuisine: 10 things we love Andalusian cuisine: 10 things we love Jamaican cuisine: 10 things we love Georgian cuisine: 10 things we love Colombian cuisine: 10 things we love The Algarve's cuisine: 10 things we love Thai cuisine: 10 things we love South Korean cuisine: 10 things we love Nashville cuisine: 10 things we love Norwegian cuisine: 10 things we love Tuscan cuisine: 10 things we love Cork cuisine: 10 things we love Trentino cuisine: 10 things we love Austrian cuisine: 10 things we love
Erchen Chang, co-founder of BAO restaurants in London, tells us what makes the food of her homeland so special
Want to learn about Taiwanese cuisine? Take a virtual trip to this East Asian country with Erchen Chang, co-founder of BAO restaurants in London. Check out Erchen's recipe for Taiwanese beef stir-fry here. After, check out our Chinese New Year guide. Erchen Chang is creative director and co-creator of cult London restaurants BAO. Born in Taiwan, she moved to the UK as a teenager and now celebrates Taiwanese cuisine in her cooking, and many credit her with popularising bao buns in the UK. Taiwanese food: Erchen Chang's guide Hot pot I always look forward to hot pot – sitting around a table with friends with a pot of simmering broth in the middle. Food comes to the table – marbled meat slices, freshly made prawn balls, double-fried breadsticks – ready to be cooked in the broth, then dipped in your own sauce. It’s super fun. Convenience stores I love a convenience store – 7-Elevens and Family Marts are everywhere. Imagine an off-licence in the UK but with more connectivity. Not only can you buy food, snacks, drinks and your daily necessities but you can also pay bills, receive parcels and even buy concert tickets. It’s crazy how convenient it is. Every time I go home, I go to different convenience stores to check out the latest snacks. They’re full of surprises and crazy new stuff. Beef noodles Considered a national dish in Taiwan, beef noodle soup is so popular that there are annual competitions dedicated to it. A traditional beef noodle is a wheat noodle, either in a light or heavily spiced broth, with beef shin, fermented greens and coriander. Everyone has their idea of the best beef noodles – ask any taxi driver and they will take you to their favourites. Taiwanese breakfast From traditional soy milk and youtiao (fried dough sticks), to congee with its endless side dishes, Western-style sandwiches and milk tea, we love it all. The best place for breakfast is Fu Hung Soy Milk, a family-run business located in the first floor of a wet market in Taipei. It opens at 5am and there’s a queue from then on. Order the dan bing, an egg omelette with a soft, chewy pastry, and a savoury soy milk, which you flavour with soy sauce, chilli oil and vinegar. Taiwanese tea Taiwan is famous for oolong tea, as it has the perfect growing conditions to produce exceptional quality tea. High mountain tea is delicate and delicious, and often some of the best teas are snapped up as soon as they’re released in spring or autumn. Our love of tea ranges from bubble tea to traditional tea ceremonies. I love the seriousness with which we approach tea, in order to enjoy it in every way possible. Family meals One of my biggest food inspirations is my grandma’s cooking. She’s amazing at whipping up dish after dish for my family. We’d never start eating until our grandpa had sat down. There would be Taiwanese sausage, cold-cut goose, turia gourd braised with ginger, wild chicken with clam soup, stir-fried vermicelli chao mi fen, and more. I love having a meal with my family, as well as going to visit friends and eating home-cooked food with other families. Shaved ice In my opinion, you just can’t live without shaved ice in Taiwan. It’s a gloriously cold saviour during the hot, humid summers. Shaved ice comes with a variety of toppings, from fresh tropical fruits and condensed milk, to braised beans, bubbles and various syrups. My all-time favourite has to be mango shaved ice when it’s in season. Mango is the king of all fruits. Quick-fry restaurants Recently, I’ve fallen in love with Taiwan’s quick-fry restaurants. Taiwan is an island surrounded by sea, so there’s plenty of great seafood available. Quick-fry restaurants usually have a display of fresh fish on ice, and you can point to what you want and ask the chef to prepare it for you. It’s very seasonal, and the chefs recommend different ways to eat the daily catch. Street food Taiwan is famous for its street food culture. I have fond memories of going to the night markets with friends and family, popping out for a quick xiao chi (small eats), and making a whole night of going from one street food vendor to the next. Some of my favourites are oyster noodles, stinky tofu, Taiwanese fried chicken – there are so many choices. Kissaten A kissaten is a tea-drinking shop and coffee house. They’re a mid-century relic, and were popular up until the 1980s – kissaten are distinct from cafés, in that they don’t serve alcohol and are a quiet place to drink tea and chat. It’s the type of place that’s disappearing fast, but a new wave of nostalgia is growing. Bolero, the first (and now oldest) Western-style coffee house in Taiwan, has so much history to it. There, it feels as though time has been frozen. I love the décor, waiters and old-fashioned menu. More cuisine guides Fez cuisine: 10 things we love Puglian cuisine: 10 things we love Andalusian cuisine: 10 things we love Jamaican cuisine: 10 things we love Georgian cuisine: 10 things we love Colombian cuisine: 10 things we love The Algarve's cuisine: 10 things we love Thai cuisine: 10 things we love South Korean cuisine: 10 things we love Nashville cuisine: 10 things we love Norwegian cuisine: 10 things we love Tuscan cuisine: 10 things we love Cork cuisine: 10 things we love Trentino cuisine: 10 things we love Austrian cuisine: 10 things we love