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Pork-Free Recipes from Around the World

Every dish here is naturally pork-free, no substitutions needed, and comes from a real culinary tradition somewhere on the map. Prefer to wander? On any recipe you can toggle pork-free and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional swaps.
1082 recipes
Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon & Olives
Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco · medium · 80 minSlow-braised chicken perfumed with saffron and ginger, brightened by salty preserved lemon and green olives.
Misir Wot (Spiced Red Lentil Stew)
Amhara, Ethiopia · easy · 60 minRed lentils melted into a deep, chili-red stew built on berbere spice and slow-caramelized onions.
Nigerian Jollof Rice
Lagos, Nigeria · medium · 65 minLong-grain rice simmered in a smoky, slightly spicy pepper-and-tomato base until every grain is stained red.
Thieboudienne (Senegalese Fish & Rice)
Dakar, Senegal · advanced · 110 minSenegal’s national dish: herb-stuffed fish braised with vegetables over deeply tomato-stained broken rice.
Ta'ameya (Egyptian Falafel)
Cairo, Egypt · medium · 40 minEgypt’s own falafel, made from split fava beans instead of chickpeas, packed with herbs for a vivid green centre and fried to a shattering crisp.
Koshari
Cairo, Egypt · easy · 60 minCairo’s carb-on-carb street food: lentils, rice, and pasta under spiced tomato sauce and crispy onions.
Nkatenkwan (Groundnut Soup)
Ashanti, Ghana · easy · 70 minA silky, gingery peanut soup simmered with chicken and chilies, eaten with soft rice balls.
Chakalaka & Pap
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa · easy · 50 minA punchy curried vegetable-and-bean relish beside smooth white maize porridge, braai-day essentials.
Shakshuka bel Harissa
Tunis, Tunisia · easy · 35 minEggs poached directly in a fiery, harissa-laced pepper and tomato sauce, eaten from the pan with bread.
Sukuma Wiki & Ugali
Nairobi, Kenya · easy · 40 minCollard greens braised with tomatoes and onion beside firm maize ugali, Kenya’s daily bread and greens.
Zanzibar Pilau
Zanzibar, Tanzania · medium · 70 minRice simmered with whole spices from the island’s own groves, cardamom, clove, cinnamon, with beef and a kachumbari salad.
Frango à Zambeziana
Maputo, Mozambique · medium · 65 minChicken marinated in lemon, garlic and piri-piri with coconut milk, then grilled slowly over calm coals and basted with more coconut until it is gold outside and soft within.
Frango Piri-Piri
Maputo, Mozambique · medium · 60 minButterflied chicken grilled under a lemon-garlic piri-piri baste, the original of a dish the world now queues for.
Friday Couscous with Seven Vegetables
Algiers, Algeria · medium · 75 minSteamed couscous under a saffron-tinted vegetable stew, the meal that gathers Algerian families every Friday.
Ugandan Rolex
Kampala, Uganda · easy · 40 minA fresh chapati rolled around a vegetable omelette, Kampala’s street breakfast, "rolled eggs" said fast.
Ndolé
Littoral (Douala), Cameroon · medium · 80 minCameroon’s national dish: bitterleaf greens simmered with ground peanuts, beef, and shrimp into a deep, satisfying stew.
Muriwo Unedovi (Greens in Peanut Butter)
Harare, Zimbabwe · easy · 35 minCollard greens folded into a creamy peanut-butter sauce, Zimbabwe’s everyday pairing for sadza.
Romazava
Analamanga (Antananarivo), Madagascar · easy · 75 minMadagascar’s national broth: zebu beef and mixed leafy greens with ginger and tomato, ladled over rice.
Doro Wat
Amhara, Ethiopia · medium · 115 minEthiopia’s celebration dish: chicken slow-stewed in a mountain of caramelized onions and berbere, with whole eggs.
Muamba de Galinha
Luanda, Angola · easy · 75 minAngola’s national dish: chicken stewed golden in palm oil with okra, garlic, and chili until the sauce turns silk.
Seswaa with Pap
Gaborone, Botswana · easy · 160 minBeef simmered for hours with little more than salt, then pounded into rich shreds, Botswana’s dish of weddings and state occasions.
Dholl Puri
Port Louis, Mauritius · medium · 70 minFeather-soft flatbreads with ground split peas hidden in the dough, folded around bean curry and chutney.
Ful Medames
Alexandria, Egypt · easy · 35 minSlow-cooked fava beans mashed with cumin, lemon, and olive oil, the breakfast that has powered Egypt for millennia.
Red Red
Greater Accra, Ghana · easy · 50 minBlack-eyed peas stewed in red palm oil beside caramelized fried plantains, named twice for its two shades of red.
Poulet Yassa
Casamance, Senegal · easy · 75 minChicken smothered in a mountain of lemon-and-mustard onions, grilled then braised, Casamance’s gift to West Africa.
Pondu (Saka Saka)
Kinshasa, DR Congo · easy · 80 minCassava leaves pounded and simmered with palm oil, eggplant, and smoked richness, the Congo’s daily green.
Lablabi
Tunis, Tunisia · easy · 35 minChickpeas in garlicky cumin broth ladled over torn bread, hit with harissa, lemon, and a soft egg, Tunisia’s working breakfast.
Egusi Soup
Enugu (Southeast), Nigeria · medium · 65 minGround melon seeds cooked into a rich, nubbly soup with greens and assorted meats, the pride of the Igbo southeast.
Shiro Wot
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia · easy · 30 minGround-chickpea flour whisked into a spiced, silky stew, the dish that feeds Ethiopia on fasting days and hard times alike.
Chicken Bastilla
Casablanca-Settat, Morocco · advanced · 105 minA sweet-savory pie of spiced shredded chicken and almonds in crackling pastry, dusted with sugar and cinnamon.
Bunny Chow
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa · medium · 80 minA hollowed half-loaf of bread filled with fiery Durban curry, the ultimate hand-held street meal.
Bariis Iskukaris
Mogadishu, Somalia · medium · 70 minFragrant basmati rice cooked with xawaash spice, caramelized onions, and raisins, Somalia’s festive celebration rice.
Suya
Kano (North), Nigeria · easy · 42 minThin beef skewers crusted in spicy, nutty yaji spice and grilled over coals, northern Nigeria’s legendary night-market snack.
Bobotie
Western Cape, South Africa · easy · 70 minCurried spiced mince baked under a golden savory custard, sweet with dried fruit and fragrant with bay, South Africa’s national comfort.
Bamia (Sudanese Okra Stew)
Khartoum, Sudan · easy · 70 minTender lamb and okra simmered in a garlicky tomato broth spiced with black lime, Sudan’s everyday comfort, scooped with kisra.
Molokhia
Cairo, Egypt · easy · 40 minFinely minced jute leaves cooked into a green, garlicky soup finished with a sizzling coriander-garlic ta’leya.
Kefta Mkaouara (Meatball Tagine)
Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco · easy · 55 minSpiced meatballs simmered in a cumin-scented tomato sauce with eggs cracked on top, a bubbling tagine eaten with bread.
Maafe
Bamako, Mali · easy · 95 minA rich West African groundnut stew of peanut butter, tomato, and root vegetables simmered around tender meat.
Isombe
Kigali, Rwanda · easy · 80 minPounded cassava leaves stewed with spinach, eggplant, and peanut into a soft, savory green.
Nshima with Ifisashi
Lusaka, Zambia · medium · 60 minStiff maize porridge served with greens simmered in a creamy ground-peanut sauce.
Zigni
Asmara, Eritrea · medium · 115 minA fiery Eritrean beef stew built on berbere spice and long-cooked onions, eaten with injera.
Pasta al Sugo e Berbere
Asmara, Eritrea · easy · 45 minSpaghetti tossed in silsi, the Eritrean tomato sauce spiked with berbere, the everyday pasta of Asmara.
Tibsi
Asmara, Eritrea · medium · 40 minCubes of beef seared hard with onion, green chili and berbere until the edges brown, an Eritrean celebration dish eaten with injera.
Amiwo
Cotonou, Benin · medium · 75 minCornmeal cooked directly in a spiced red tomato-and-pepper sauce, served with braised chicken.
Gboma Dessi
Lomé, Togo · easy · 75 minA rich Togolese spinach stew simmered with tomato, red palm oil, and beef or fish.
Cassava Leaf Stew
Freetown, Sierra Leone · medium · 100 minFinely pounded cassava leaves slow-cooked with palm oil, beef, and smoked fish over rice.
Skoudehkaris
Djibouti City, Djibouti · medium · 75 minDjibouti's national dish: spiced rice cooked with lamb, tomato, and cardamom in one pot.
Langouste à la Vanille
Moroni, Comoros · medium · 45 minSpiny lobster gently cooked in a fragrant sauce of vanilla, cream, and lime, the Comoros on a plate.
Poulet Nyembwe
Libreville, Gabon · easy · 80 minGabon's national dish: chicken simmered in a rich, tangy sauce of palm-nut pulp with chili and greens.
Riz Gras
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso · medium · 85 minBurkina Faso's "fat rice": rice simmered in a rich tomato-and-meat broth until every grain is stained red.
Ibiharage
Bujumbura, Burundi · easy · 75 minBurundi's fried kidney beans with onion, garlic, and chili, served with plantain or rice.
Kanda ti Nyma
Bangui, Central African Republic · medium · 70 minCentral African meatballs simmered in a nutty tomato-and-okra sauce thickened with ground pumpkin seeds.
Daraba
N'Djamena, Chad · easy · 60 minA silky Chadian okra-and-greens stew enriched with peanut butter and tomato, eaten with millet.
Liboke ya Mbisi
Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo · medium · 65 minWhole fish seasoned and steamed in banana or marantacea leaves until fragrant and flaking.
Pepesup
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea · easy · 50 minA fiery, clear fish pepper soup of Equatorial Guinea, sharp with chili, ginger, and lime.
Swazi Chicken Stew with Phutu
Mbabane, Eswatini · easy · 70 minA homey Eswatini chicken stew in tomato and onion, served with crumbly steamed maize phutu.
Superkanja
Banjul, The Gambia · medium · 80 minThe Gambia's rich okra stew with palm oil, smoked fish, and meat, spooned over rice.
Latchiri e Kossam
Conakry, Guinea · medium · 75 minHand-rolled maize couscous steamed fine and served with cool, tangy curdled milk, the Fula celebration dish of Guinea.
Caldo de Peixe
Bissau, Guinea-Bissau · easy · 65 minA Guinea-Bissau fish-and-rice pot simmered with palm oil, tomato, and greens in one dish.
Basotho Chicken Stew with Papa
Maseru, Lesotho · easy · 70 minA highland chicken stew served with papa, the stiff maize porridge of Lesotho.
Grilled Chambo with Nsima
Lilongwe, Malawi · easy · 45 minLake Malawi's prized chambo fish, grilled whole, with nsima and a tomato-onion relish.
Méchoui
Nouakchott, Mauritania · medium · 230 minWhole lamb (or a shoulder) slow-roasted with cumin and salt until falling off the bone, desert feast food.
Kapana
Windhoek, Namibia · easy · 30 minNamibia's open-fire street beef: thin strips grilled fast over coals and dusted with a spicy dry rub.
Dambou
Niamey, Niger · medium · 60 minSteamed grain tossed with moringa leaves, tomato, and oil, a light, nourishing dish of Niger.
Calulu de Peixe
São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe · medium · 85 minA layered island stew of fish and leafy greens with okra and tomato in red palm oil.
Peixe Grelhado
São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe · easy · 35 minWhole fish marinated in lime and garlic, grilled over charcoal and served with a fresh chili and herb molho de pimenta.
Arroz de Folha
São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe · medium · 70 minSeasoned rice bloomed in red palm oil, parcelled in banana leaves and steamed until the leaf perfumes the grain, a festive Santomean dish.
Seychellois Fish Curry
Victoria, Seychelles · easy · 50 minA fragrant Creole coconut fish curry brightened with lime, ginger, and fresh curry leaves.
Walwal
Juba, South Sudan · medium · 55 minThe Nilotic staple: sorghum or millet flour rolled by hand into couscous-like granules and boiled into a thick porridge, eaten with milk or thin yoghurt.
Couscous bel Hout
Tunis, Tunisia · medium · 90 minTunisian fish couscous: steamed semolina under a spicy tomato broth of fish and vegetables.
Kedjenou de Poulet
Abidjan (Lagunes), Côte d’Ivoire · easy · 90 minChicken slow-cooked sealed in a pot with peppers, tomato, and aromatics, with no added water, cooking in all its own juices.
Matoke with Groundnut Sauce
Kampala, Uganda · medium · 100 minSteamed green bananas (matoke) mashed soft, served with a rich purple groundnut sauce.
Bazin
Tripoli, Libya · medium · 90 minA firm barley-flour dome served in a spiced lamb-and-tomato sauce with a hard-boiled egg.
Baghrir
Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco · easy · 35 minSpongy "thousand-hole" semolina pancakes drenched in a warm honey-and-butter syrup.
Chechebsa
Amhara, Ethiopia · easy · 35 minShredded flatbread tossed in spiced niter kibbeh and berbere, a warm, savory Ethiopian breakfast.
Akara and Ogi
Lagos, Nigeria · medium · 45 minFluffy black-eyed pea fritters with ogi, a smooth fermented corn pap, a classic Nigerian breakfast pair.
Fondé
Dakar, Senegal · easy · 35 minA comforting Senegalese millet porridge cooked with milk, sugar, and a hint of orange-flower or nutmeg.
Hausa Koko and Koose
Ashanti, Ghana · medium · 45 minA spiced fermented millet porridge with koose, crisp black-eyed pea fritters, Ghana's classic Ghanaian breakfast.
Mieliepap with Amasi
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa · easy · 25 minSoft maize porridge served with amasi, tangy cultured milk, an everyday South African breakfast.
Uji
Nairobi, Kenya · easy · 25 minA smooth, slightly sour fermented millet-and-sorghum porridge, sipped warm to start the day.
Maandazi
Zanzibar, Tanzania · easy · 40 minLightly sweet East African fried dough triangles scented with cardamom and coconut.
Bouillie d'Arachide
Abidjan (Lagunes), Côte d’Ivoire · easy · 30 minA creamy Ivorian peanut-and-millet breakfast porridge sweetened and scented with nutmeg.
Badjias
Maputo, Mozambique · easy · 30 minCrisp Mozambican chickpea-flour fritters flecked with onion and served with fiery piri-piri.
Msemen
Algiers, Algeria · medium · 50 minFlaky square semolina flatbreads folded in layers and griddled, served with honey or jam.
Puff-Puff and Beans
Littoral (Douala), Cameroon · medium · 55 minSweet fried dough balls served with a savory stewed bean pot, a filling Cameroonian breakfast.
Bota
Harare, Zimbabwe · easy · 25 minA soft, thin maize-meal breakfast porridge enriched with peanut butter and a little sugar.
Mofo Gasy
Analamanga (Antananarivo), Madagascar · medium · 35 minSlightly sweet fermented rice-flour cakes griddled in round moulds, "Malagasy bread" for breakfast.
Pão de Milho
Luanda, Angola · medium · 60 minAngolan corn bread: a moist, golden cornmeal loaf, faintly sweet and rich with coconut, sliced for breakfast with butter and coffee.
Diphaphatha
Gaborone, Botswana · easy · 30 minSoft Botswana griddle breads: quick, dense little flatbread rounds cooked in a dry pan and split with butter or jam for breakfast.
Farata with Butter Bean Curry
Port Louis, Mauritius · medium · 55 minFlaky griddled flatbread (farata) served with a light butter-bean curry, a popular Mauritian breakfast.
Mikate
Kinshasa, DR Congo · easy · 40 minSweet Congolese fried dough balls, golden, pillowy, and dusted with sugar, for breakfast with tea.
Sfinz
Tripoli, Libya · medium · 40 minStretchy, lacy fried dough eaten warm with honey or date syrup, a Libyan weekend breakfast.
Canjeero
Mogadishu, Somalia · medium · 35 minA thin, spongy fermented pancake (laxoox) eaten with a drizzle of sesame oil, sugar, or stew.
Gurasa
Khartoum, Sudan · easy · 35 minA thick, soft Sudanese griddle pancake eaten with a stew or with sugar and ghee for breakfast.
Maasa
Bamako, Mali · medium · 40 minMalian pancake-doughnuts: lightly fermented rice-and-millet batter fried into golden puffs and dusted with sugar, sold hot from roadside pans.
Ibijumba n'Ikivuguto
Kigali, Rwanda · easy · 30 minThe classic Rwandan breakfast: warm boiled sweet potatoes served with ikivuguto, a tangy cultured fermented milk.
Vitumbuwa
Lusaka, Zambia · easy · 35 minLightly sweet Zambian rice-flour fritters, crisp outside and fluffy within, for breakfast with tea.
Cuscuz Doce
Santiago (Praia), Cape Verde · medium · 55 minA steamed cornmeal cake, faintly sweet, eaten warm with butter, honey, or milk for breakfast.
Kicha Fit-fit
Asmara, Eritrea · easy · 35 minShredded flatbread tossed with spiced clarified butter and berbere, a warming Eritrean breakfast.
Ablo
Cotonou, Benin · medium · 45 minSoft, slightly sweet steamed rice-and-corn cakes eaten plain or with a spicy sauce for breakfast.
Ayimolou
Lomé, Togo · easy · 60 minA one-pot of rice and beans cooked together and served with a spicy pepper sauce, Togo's breakfast.
Sierra Leonean Fry Fry
Freetown, Sierra Leone · easy · 40 minA plate of assorted fried things with a peppery gravy to dip them in, the Freetown street breakfast.
Lahoh
Djibouti City, Djibouti · medium · 35 minA soft, honeycombed fermented pancake eaten with ghee and honey or a spicy stew in Djibouti.
Mkatra Foutra
Moroni, Comoros · medium · 40 minSoft coconut-scented griddle breads from the Comoros, torn and eaten with tea or curry.
Bouillie de Banane
Libreville, Gabon · easy · 30 minA smooth Gabonese plantain porridge, gently sweet and spiced, to start a rainforest morning.
Massa
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso · medium · 35 minLittle fermented millet fritters, crisp and tangy, sold hot with a spicy or sweet topping in Burkina Faso.
Ibitoke n'Ibiharage
Bujumbura, Burundi · easy · 55 minBurundi's beans and plantains: red beans and green cooking bananas simmered together with onion and warm spice into a filling plate.
Beignets
Bangui, Central African Republic · easy · 40 minCentral African breakfast doughnuts: puffy, golden yeasted fritters fried fresh at dawn and dusted with sugar, eaten with sweet coffee.
Kisser
N'Djamena, Chad · medium · 35 minChadian sourdough crepes: thin, tangy fermented millet pancakes griddled soft and lacy, torn and dipped into sauce or eaten with sugar.
Beignets Congolais
Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo · medium · 105 minPuffy, faintly sweet fried dough balls sold hot on Brazzaville street corners and eaten with sweet coffee at daybreak.
Plátano Frito con Huevo
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea · easy · 17 minSweet ripe plantains fried till caramelized and topped with a fried egg, Spanish and African breakfast worlds on one plate.
Umncushu
Mbabane, Eswatini · easy · 135 minSwazi samp and beans: dried maize kernels and sugar beans slow-boiled together until soft and creamy, a homely Eswatini staple.
Tapalapa
Banjul, The Gambia · medium · 50 minThe Gambia's daily bread: a crusty, dense baton of mixed millet, maize, and wheat flours, baked in a clay oven and torn open for breakfast.
Lafidi
Conakry, Guinea · easy · 40 minA Guinean morning plate: okra and garden-egg eggplant mashed with chili and fermented locust bean, spooned over rice with a slick of red palm oil.
Fidjós
Bissau, Guinea-Bissau · easy · 30 minBissau breakfast fritters: a mashed-banana and flour batter fried into small golden puffs, sold in paper cones on the morning streets.
Makoenya
Maseru, Lesotho · easy · 40 minGolden Basotho fat cakes: crisp-edged deep-fried dough balls, soft and lightly sweet inside, sold hot from street stands for breakfast.
Liberian Rice Bread
Monrovia, Liberia · medium · 60 minA moist, tender quick bread of rice flour and mashed ripe banana, spiced and baked into a golden loaf for breakfast or tea.
Zitumbuwa
Lilongwe, Malawi · easy · 25 minMalawian banana fritters: very ripe bananas bound with a little cornmeal and deep-fried into sweet, golden, craggy morsels.
Lakh
Nouakchott, Mauritania · medium · 35 minSteamed millet couscous under cool sweetened curdled milk and fresh grated coconut, the Sahelian sweet Mauritania makes to mark the end of Ramadan.
Oshikwiila
Windhoek, Namibia · easy · 30 minNamibian mahangu pancakes: golden, slightly crisp pearl-millet flatcakes griddled fresh, the fuel that carries Owambo schoolchildren through the morning.
Fura da Nono
Niamey, Niger · medium · 40 minSpiced millet dough balls broken into cool soured milk and sweetened, the iconic Hausa-Fulani breakfast drink-meal of Niger.
Fruta-Pão Frita
São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe · easy · 25 minGolden fried breadfruit, crisp outside and fluffy within, eaten with strong island coffee on São Tomé mornings.
Ladob Banann
Victoria, Seychelles · easy · 30 minRipe plantains simmered soft in sweet, vanilla-and-nutmeg coconut milk, a Creole breakfast or dessert from the Seychelles.
Combo
Juba, South Sudan · easy · 40 minSouth Sudanese greens in peanut sauce: leafy greens simmered with tomato and groundnut paste into a rich, creamy relish, eaten with rice.
Ngai Ngai
Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo · easy · 50 minA tart roselle-leaf stew (ngai ngai means "sour sour") cooked down with onion, tomato, and red palm oil and served with fried fish and fufu, a Congolese staple.
Loubia
Casablanca-Settat, Morocco · easy · 105 minWhite beans slow-simmered in a garlicky tomato sauce with cumin and paprika, a humble everyday Moroccan lunch.
Chebakia
Fès-Meknès, Morocco · advanced · 90 minFlower-shaped fried dough drenched in orange-blossom honey and coated in sesame, the sweet of the Moroccan Ramadan table.
Tibs
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia · easy · 35 minSizzling sautéed beef or lamb with onions, chili, and rosemary, served on injera, a celebratory Ethiopian favorite.
Moi Moi
Lagos, Nigeria · medium · 90 minA savory steamed pudding of blended black-eyed peas, peppers, and onion, a versatile Nigerian staple.
Chin Chin
Lagos, Nigeria · easy · 45 minCrunchy little cubes of sweet fried dough with a hint of nutmeg, Nigeria's favorite anytime nibble.
Ndambé
Dakar, Senegal · easy · 75 minA spiced black-eyed pea stew served in a crusty baguette, Senegal's everyday street breakfast-lunch.
Thiakry
Dakar, Senegal · easy · 40 minSweetened steamed millet couscous folded through vanilla yogurt and cream with raisins, a cool West African pudding.
Hawawshi
Cairo, Egypt · easy · 45 minSpiced minced meat baked inside crisp flatbread until juicy and golden, an Egyptian street sandwich.
Om Ali
Cairo, Egypt · easy · 45 minA warm bread pudding of flaky pastry soaked in sweet spiced milk with nuts and coconut, Egypt's national dessert.
Waakye
Greater Accra, Ghana · easy · 75 minRice and beans cooked with sorghum leaves that tint it reddish-brown, the everyday one-pot lunch of Ghana.
Nkate Cake
Greater Accra, Ghana · easy · 25 minA crunchy peanut brittle bound in dark caramel, a popular Ghanaian street sweet sold in cut slabs.
Gatsby
Western Cape, South Africa · easy · 45 minA foot-long roll crammed with meat or masala fillings, hot chips, and peri-peri, Cape Town's legendary sharing sandwich.
Malva Pudding
Western Cape, South Africa · easy · 55 minA sticky apricot-jam sponge drenched in hot cream sauce, South Africa's best-known baked pudding.
Brik
Tunis, Tunisia · medium · 25 minA crisp fried pastry parcel with a runny egg, tuna, and herbs inside, the essential Tunisian starter-lunch.
Makroudh
Tunis, Tunisia · medium · 65 minDiamond-shaped semolina pastries filled with spiced date paste and soaked in honey, a Tunisian and Maghrebi classic.
Nyama Choma
Nairobi, Kenya · easy · 75 minSimply salted goat or beef slow-grilled over charcoal and eaten with kachumbari and ugali, Kenya's social feast.
Kaimati
Nairobi, Kenya · medium · 110 minCrisp cardamom-scented dumplings tossed in sugar syrup, a Swahili-coast sweet loved across Kenya.
Zanzibar Urojo
Zanzibar, Tanzania · medium · 60 minA tangy turmeric-and-mango broth piled with fritters, potato, and crunchy toppings, Zanzibar's famous mix.
Kashata
Zanzibar, Tanzania · easy · 30 minChewy-crisp coconut candy scented with cardamom, a sweet of the Swahili coast.
Attiéké Poisson
Abidjan (Lagunes), Côte d’Ivoire · easy · 45 minFermented cassava couscous served with grilled fish and a fresh onion-tomato relish, Côte d'Ivoire's national plate.
Matapa
Maputo, Mozambique · medium · 80 minCassava leaves stewed with peanuts, coconut, and prawns, one of Mozambique's most cherished national dishes.
Bolo Polana
Maputo, Mozambique · medium · 70 minA rich, moist cake of cashews and potato scented with citrus, named for an elegant Maputo neighborhood.
Chakhchoukha
Algiers, Algeria · medium · 120 minTorn flatbread bathed in a spiced lamb, chickpea, and tomato sauce, an Algerian dish for gatherings.
Kalb el Louz
Algiers, Algeria · medium · 65 minA syrup-soaked semolina cake with an almond heart, fragrant with orange blossom, a jewel of the Algerian Ramadan table.
Luwombo
Kampala, Uganda · medium · 115 minChicken or beef stewed in a rich groundnut sauce, steamed inside a banana leaf, a royal Ganda dish for celebrations.
Kabalagala
Kampala, Uganda · easy · 30 minSweet little pancakes of ripe banana and cassava flour fried until golden, a favorite Ugandan snack.
Poulet DG
Littoral (Douala), Cameroon · medium · 65 minFried chicken and sweet plantain simmered with peppers and vegetables in a rich tomato sauce, a Cameroonian celebration favorite.
Nyama ne Sadza
Harare, Zimbabwe · easy · 75 minBeef stewed with tomato and onion served with stiff maize sadza, the everyday heart of the Zimbabwean table.
Koba Akondro
Analamanga (Antananarivo), Madagascar · medium · 140 minA dense steamed cake of banana, ground peanuts, and rice flour wrapped in banana leaf, a Malagasy street sweet.
Mufete
Luanda, Angola · medium · 65 minGrilled fish with beans, cassava, and sweet potato under a tangy palm-oil and onion sauce, an Angolan coastal feast.
Cocada Amarela
Luanda, Angola · medium · 50 minA rich golden pudding of coconut and egg yolks scented with cloves, a Portuguese-influenced Angolan sweet.
Dikgobe
Gaborone, Botswana · easy · 135 minSamp and beans (or sorghum) slow-cooked soft together into a filling one-pot, a staple of the Botswana table.
Mine Frite
Port Louis, Mauritius · easy · 35 minWok-fried egg noodles tossed with chicken, prawns, and vegetables in a savory sauce, Mauritius's favorite street lunch.
Napolitaine
Port Louis, Mauritius · medium · 45 minTwo crumbly shortbread biscuits sandwiched with jam and coated in bright pink icing, a Mauritian bakery icon.
Madesu
Kinshasa, DR Congo · easy · 105 minWhite beans simmered in a savory palm-oil, onion, and tomato sauce, an everyday staple of the DR Congo table.
Macaroni Imbakbaka
Tripoli, Libya · easy · 60 minPasta simmered in a spiced lamb-and-tomato sauce until it absorbs it all, Libya's signature everyday pasta.
Ghraybah
Tripoli, Libya · easy · 38 minMelt-in-the-mouth buttery shortbread scented with a hint of cardamom, a Libyan and Maghrebi celebration cookie.
Suqaar
Mogadishu, Somalia · easy · 40 minSmall cubes of meat sautéed with potato, peppers, and Somali xawaash spice, a quick everyday dish.
Xalwo
Mogadishu, Somalia · advanced · 75 minA dense, glossy, cardamom-scented sweet set with cornstarch and ghee, the centerpiece of every Somali celebration.
Shaiyah
Khartoum, Sudan · easy · 35 minStrips of lamb quickly fried with onion, peppers, and spices, a popular Sudanese meat dish for gatherings.
Fakoye
Bamako, Mali · medium · 70 minA slippery jute-leaf sauce with meat and smoked fish, served over rice or with tô, a Malian and Sahelian favorite.
Rwandan Brochettes
Kigali, Rwanda · easy · 50 minMarinated goat skewers grilled over charcoal and served with grilled plantain, Rwanda's favorite social food.
Kapenta with Nshima
Lusaka, Zambia · easy · 45 minSmall dried fish fried with tomato and onion, served with stiff maize nshima, an everyday Zambian staple.
Pastel com Diabo Dentro
Santiago (Praia), Cape Verde · medium · 65 minA crisp corn-dough pastry with a spicy tuna filling, whose fiery name means 'pastry with the devil inside'.
Tô with Okra Sauce
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso · medium · 45 minA smooth, firm millet paste eaten with a slippery okra and tomato sauce, the daily staple lunch of Burkina Faso.
Ndagala
Bujumbura, Burundi · easy · 30 minTiny silver fish from Lake Tanganyika pan-fried crisp with onion and tomato, a lakeside lunch of Bujumbura.
Wassa-Wassa
Cotonou, Benin · medium · 55 minSteamed yam-flour couscous tossed with a spiced tomato and onion sauce, a northern Beninese lunch staple.
Gozo with Groundnut Sauce
Bangui, Central African Republic · medium · 50 minSmooth cassava fufu served with a rich, savory peanut sauce, an everyday plate across the Central African Republic.
Fumbwa
Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo · medium · 60 minWild forest greens simmered with groundnut paste, palm oil, and smoked fish into a deep, savory Congolese stew.
Fah-Fah
Djibouti City, Djibouti · medium · 95 minA fiery, aromatic goat and vegetable soup brightened with green chili and lime, Djibouti's favorite restorative lunch.
Tsebhi Birsen
Asmara, Eritrea · easy · 55 minRed lentils simmered with berbere, onion, and tomato into a warming spiced stew, scooped up with injera.
Poisson Braisé
Libreville, Gabon · easy · 45 minWhole fish marinated and grilled over coals, served with fried plantain and a fresh tomato-onion relish, Libreville's classic lunch.
Domoda
Banjul, The Gambia · medium · 80 minThe Gambian groundnut stew: meat simmered in a thick, tangy peanut sauce with tomato and pumpkin, served over rice.
Sauce Gombo
Conakry, Guinea · easy · 50 minOkra stewed with red palm oil and smoked fish into a glossy, savory sauce, spooned over rice in the Guinean style.
Pescado con Yuca
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea · easy · 45 minFish braised in a tomato and onion sofrito, served with boiled cassava, a Spanish-inflected coastal lunch of Malabo.
Chabéu
Bissau, Guinea-Bissau · medium · 50 minFish simmered in a thick red palm-nut sauce with onion, tomato, and chili, served over rice, a signature dish of Guinea-Bissau.
Mataba
Moroni, Comoros · medium · 65 minPounded cassava leaves slow-cooked in coconut milk with fish, a fragrant green stew that is Comoros' national dish.
Palm Butter Rice
Monrovia, Liberia · medium · 75 minChicken simmered in a rich palm-nut sauce with chili and greens, ladled over rice, one of Liberia's most cherished dishes.
Nyekoe
Maseru, Lesotho · easy · 105 minA filling one-pot of sorghum and beans simmered slow with pumpkin and onion, the warming everyday lunch of the Lesotho highlands.
Maru wa Lahmé
Nouakchott, Mauritania · medium · 90 minMeat and vegetables simmered in a mustard-scented broth, then rice cooked in that broth, the generous communal lunch of the Mauritanian table.
Mkhwani
Lilongwe, Malawi · easy · 30 minTender pumpkin leaves simmered with groundnut flour into a creamy green relish, eaten with nsima across Malawi.
Vetkoek with Mince
Windhoek, Namibia · medium · 120 minGolden fried dough buns split and stuffed with savory curried beef mince, a favorite Namibian street lunch.
Dan Wake
Niamey, Niger · medium · 40 minSoft bean-flour dumplings tossed with oil, spice, and onion, a popular Hausa street lunch of Niger.
Kari Zourit
Victoria, Seychelles · medium · 80 minOctopus simmered until tender in a fragrant coconut curry with ginger, garlic, and island masala, a Seychelles classic.
Krain Krain
Freetown, Sierra Leone · easy · 45 minChopped jute leaves stewed with red palm oil and smoked fish into a savory green sauce, served over rice.
Kajaik
Juba, South Sudan · easy · 45 minFresh Nile fish simmered in a light tomato and onion stew, a staple lunch along South Sudan's rivers.
Feijoada à Santomense
São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe · easy · 75 minIsland beans simmered with red palm oil, smoked fish, and greens, the São Toméan take on Portuguese-Creole feijoada.
Sidvudvu
Mbabane, Eswatini · easy · 40 minSweet pumpkin cooked down with maize meal into a smooth, comforting porridge, a traditional Eswatini favorite.
Nashif
N'Djamena, Chad · easy · 40 minGround beef sautéed with tomato, onion, and warm spices into a quick, savory dish eaten with bread or rice in N'Djamena.
Djenkoumé
Lomé, Togo · medium · 60 minA savory red maize-meal paste cooked with tomato and palm oil, served with grilled chicken, a Togolese celebration favorite.
Ladu
Moroni, Comoros · easy · 35 minToasted ground rice cooked in ghee and bound with sugar, cardamom, and a note of black pepper into fragrant sweet balls, a Comorian teatime treat.
Chakery
Banjul, The Gambia · easy · 35 minSteamed couscous folded through sweetened, vanilla-scented yogurt with raisins and pineapple, a cool Gambian celebration dessert.
Mbatata Cookies
Lilongwe, Malawi · easy · 35 minSoft, lightly spiced biscuits made from mashed sweet potato, a homey Malawian teatime treat.
Benne Cakes
Freetown, Sierra Leone · easy · 25 minToasted sesame seeds set in crisp caramel, a simple, ancient West African sweet from Sierra Leone.
Oshifima
Windhoek, Namibia · easy · 25 minNamibia's stiff pearl-millet porridge, beaten smooth, shaped into a mound, and eaten by hand with stews, greens, or soured milk.
Motoho
Maseru, Lesotho · easy · 45 minLesotho's fermented sorghum porridge, soured overnight with a tomoso starter and eaten warm by the bowl or thinned into a tangy drink.
Motogo
Gaborone, Botswana · easy · 25 minBotswana's soft morning sorghum porridge, stirred smooth over a low fire and eaten with sugar and a pour of milk or tangy madila.
Mgaiwa Phala
Lilongwe, Malawi · easy · 25 minMalawi's everyday breakfast porridge of whole-ground maize simmered with milk and finished generously with sugar.
Aseeda
Juba, South Sudan · medium · 30 minSouth Sudan's smooth sorghum dough dome, beaten glossy over the fire and eaten by hand from a shared bowl with mullah stew.
Chura Gerteh
Banjul, The Gambia · easy · 40 minThe Gambia's thick groundnut-and-rice porridge, faintly oily and nutty, served hot with yoghurt or condensed milk.
Incwancwa
Mbabane, Eswatini · easy · 30 minEswatini's sour fermented maize porridge, tangy from a day or two of natural souring and eaten spoonable or thinned to a drink.
Igikoma
Kigali, Rwanda · easy · 20 minRwanda's morning porridge of sorghum, maize, and soya flour, whisked smooth and drunk warm and sweet from a mug.
Igikoma cy'Uburo
Bujumbura, Burundi · easy · 20 minBurundi's warming finger-millet porridge, whisked thin and smooth, sweetened, and often enriched with a spoon of roasted groundnut flour.
Bouillie de Mil
N'Djamena, Chad · easy · 25 minChad's smooth millet breakfast porridge, simmered sweet and finished with a splash of milk, gentle enough for dawn and for small children.
Bouillie de Fonio
Conakry, Guinea · easy · 30 minA creamy Guinean breakfast porridge of tiny fonio grains simmered in water and milk, sweetened and warmed with gentle spice.
Bouillie de Manioc
Bangui, Central African Republic · easy · 20 minA silky Central African cassava porridge, whisked from the national staple flour and sweetened, often enriched with a spoon of peanut paste.
Papa de Arroz
Bissau, Guinea-Bissau · easy · 40 minGuinea-Bissau's gentle rice porridge, the national grain simmered soft and loose, sweetened and served with a pour of milk.
Papas de Milho
Luanda, Angola · easy · 25 minAngola's soft maize breakfast porridge of fine fuba cooked smooth, taken sweet with milk and sugar or savoury with a pinch of salt.
Moni
Bamako, Mali · easy · 40 minMali's millet porridge of tiny hand-rolled flour pearls simmered in tamarind-soured water and sweetened, eaten at breakfast and Ramadan.
Bourzwa Griye (Grilled Red Snapper)
Victoria, Seychelles · easy · 45 minA whole red snapper slashed and packed with a garlic, ginger, and chili paste, grilled over coals and served with a chunky Creole tomato sauce.
Salad Pwason Fime (Smoked Fish Salad)
Victoria, Seychelles · easy · 20 minFlaked smoked fish tossed raw with sour green mango, red onion, tomato, and chili in a bright lime and oil dressing.
Poulet Braisé (Cameroonian Grilled Chicken)
Littoral (Douala), Cameroon · medium · 65 minChicken marinated in garlic, ginger, and scotch bonnet, gently simmered tender, then charred over coals and basted with its spiced marinade.
Yemarina Yewotet Dabo (Honey and Milk Bread)
Amhara, Ethiopia · medium · 70 minA tender, lightly sweet loaf enriched with honey, milk and warm spices, Ethiopia's way of making the most of the honey it is famous for.
Gâteau Coco (Fried Coconut Cakes)
Abidjan (Lagunes), Côte d’Ivoire · easy · 35 minSmall diamonds of fresh coconut and flour fried until crisp at the edges and fragrant, an Abidjan street sweet.
Cameroonian Banana Cake
Littoral (Douala), Cameroon · easy · 60 minA moist, lightly spiced loaf built on very ripe bananas, the hawked teatime cake of coastal Cameroon.
Chikenduza (Candy Cakes)
Harare, Zimbabwe · medium · 55 minSoft, yeasted sweet cakes baked tall and finished with a bright pink glaze, a Zimbabwean bakery treat.
Kgojwa ya Moretlwa (Wild Berry and Milk Pudding)
Gaborone, Botswana · easy · 20 minPounded wild moretlwa berries steeped and whisked into cold sweet milk, a traditional Botswana after-meal sweet.
Ndizi wa Nazi (Plantains in Coconut Milk)
Kinshasa, DR Congo · easy · 30 minRipe plantains simmered gently in spiced coconut milk until soft and creamy, a sweet from the DR Congo table.
Basbousa (Semolina Cake in Syrup)
Khartoum, Sudan · easy · 55 minA tender semolina cake enriched with yogurt and coconut, soaked in lemon syrup, a much-loved Sudanese sweet.
Meni-Meniyong (Sesame and Honey Brittle)
Bamako, Mali · easy · 25 minToasted sesame seeds set in caramelised honey and cut into crunchy fingers, a sweet found in every Malian market.
Rwandan Mandazi
Kigali, Rwanda · easy · 35 minLightly sweet fried dough scented with cardamom and cinnamon and enriched with coconut milk, a Kigali street favourite.
Mabuyu (Sweet-Coated Baobab Seeds)
Lusaka, Zambia · easy · 25 minTangy baobab seeds tumbled in a bright sugar coating, the nostalgic street candy of Zambia.
Pudim de Leite (Milk Flan)
Santiago (Praia), Cape Verde · medium · 70 minA silky baked milk custard under a dark caramel, one of Cabo Verde's most popular desserts.
Himbasha (Celebration Bread)
Asmara, Eritrea · medium · 60 minA mildly sweet cardamom bread scored in a sunburst pattern and studded with raisins, Eritrea's festive loaf.
Yovo Doko (Sweet Fritters)
Cotonou, Benin · easy · 35 minLight, puffy sweet fried dough balls dusted with sugar, often called the national dessert of Benin.
Galidossi (Gari and Milk Dessert)
Lomé, Togo · easy · 15 minCrunchy cassava gari soaked in cold sweet milk with roasted peanuts, a refreshing Togolese street dessert.
Djiboutian Banana Fritters
Djibouti City, Djibouti · easy · 25 minLight little fritters of mashed ripe banana and flour scented with nutmeg, fried and dusted with sugar, a Djibouti favourite.
Bananes au Four Croustillantes (Crisp Baked Bananas)
Libreville, Gabon · easy · 30 minBananas rolled in breadcrumbs, fried crisp and baked, then dressed with brown sugar and cool cream, a Gabon classic.
Gapal (Millet and Milk Dessert)
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso · easy · 20 minFine millet blended with tangy yogurt, baobab and ginger into a thick, cool spooning dessert, a Fulani speciality.
Beignets de Banane (Banana Fritters)
Bangui, Central African Republic · easy · 25 minMashed ripe bananas fried in a light batter with a hint of lime, the sweet end to a Central African meal.
Le Ouaddaï (Fried Millet Fingers)
N'Djamena, Chad · easy · 35 minCrisp fried fingers of sweetened millet and wheat, a teatime sweet from the Ouaddaï region of Chad.
Makemba (Sweet Fried Plantain)
Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo · easy · 20 minVery ripe plantains fried until caramelised and dusted with cinnamon sugar, a simple Congolese sweet.
Akwadu (Baked Bananas with Coconut)
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea · easy · 30 minBananas baked in butter, citrus and honey under a blanket of coconut, a simple Equatoguinean sweet.
Koeksisters
Mbabane, Eswatini · medium · 60 minPlaited dough fried crisp and plunged into ice-cold spiced syrup, a sticky sweet loved across Eswatini.
Doce de Papaia (Papaya Sweet)
Bissau, Guinea-Bissau · easy · 60 minPapaya slowly cooked with sugar, lime and cinnamon until glossy and translucent, a Bissau-Guinean preserve-sweet.
Kanyah (Peanut and Rice Sweet)
Monrovia, Liberia · easy · 30 minGround roasted peanuts and toasted rice flour pressed with sugar into a dense, crumbly sweet, a Liberian classic.
Dates Stuffed with Butter
Nouakchott, Mauritania · easy · 15 minPlump dates split and filled with cardamom-scented butter, a Saharan sweet of Mauritanian hospitality.
Sweet Mahangu Porridge
Windhoek, Namibia · easy · 30 minNamibian pearl millet simmered soft in sweet vanilla cream and served with stewed fruit, a homely dessert.
Alkaki (Fried Wheat Sweet)
Niamey, Niger · medium · 60 minCrushed wheat kneaded with milk and butter, shaped, fried and soaked in tamarind sugar syrup, a Zinder speciality.
Sonhos de Banana (Banana Fritters)
São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe · easy · 25 minMashed banana fritters fried until crisp and rolled in cinnamon sugar, a Portuguese-island sweet of São Tomé.
Nouga Koko ek Bannann (Coconut and Banana Nougat)
Victoria, Seychelles · easy · 35 minFreshly grated coconut cooked with sugar and banana into a soft, chewy candy scented with vanilla and nutmeg.
Kuindiong (Semolina Pudding)
Juba, South Sudan · easy · 30 minA creamy semolina and yogurt pudding topped with miok, a nutty butter-and-sugar crumble, a Dinka sweet.
Konkoé (Smoked Catfish Stew)
Conakry, Guinea · medium · 65 minSmoked catfish simmered with eggplant, potato and okra in a spiced tomato and palm oil sauce, served over rice.
Moamba de Ginguba (Peanut Chicken Stew)
Luanda, Angola · medium · 75 minAn Angolan chicken stew built on ground peanuts, palm oil, tomato and okra, simmered until nutty and rich and ladled over funge or rice.
Serobe (Offal Stew)
Gaborone, Botswana · medium · 180 minA Botswana delicacy of well-cleaned tripe and intestines slow-simmered until tender, chopped fine, and served with stiff bogobe porridge.
Eru (Wild Greens with Waterleaf)
Littoral (Douala), Cameroon · medium · 75 minA rich, oily stew of finely shredded eru forest leaves and waterleaf cooked with palm oil, smoked fish and crayfish, eaten with garri or water fufu.
Jollof Rice
Greater Accra, Ghana · medium · 80 minLong-grain rice steamed in a reduced, deeply spiced tomato-and-pepper stew until every grain is stained red and the base lightly caramelises.
Ngalakh (Baobab & Peanut Millet Cream)
Dakar, Senegal · easy · 45 minSteamed millet couscous folded into a sweet, nutty peanut cream soured with baobab-fruit pulp, chilled and scented with orange-blossom and vanilla.
Potjiekos
Windhoek, Namibia · medium · 175 minMeat and root vegetables layered in a three-legged cast-iron pot and slow-cooked undisturbed over coals into a tender, richly spiced stew.
Mloukhia (Jute Leaf Beef Stew)
Tunis, Tunisia · medium · 260 minA dark, glossy Tunisian stew of powdered jute leaves slow-cooked with olive oil and beef until silky and almost black.
La Capitaine Sangha (Nile Perch in Red Sauce)
Bamako, Mali · medium · 60 minA signature Malian dish of Nile perch simmered in a spiced tomato sauce and served with fried plantains and rice.
Camarão Grelhado (Grilled LM Prawns)
Maputo, Mozambique · easy · 30 minLarge prawns grilled over charcoal and basted with a fiery, garlicky piri-piri butter, the star of the Mozambican coast.
Agatogo
Kigali, Rwanda · easy · 50 minA hearty Rwandan pot of green plantains simmered with tomato and greens and finished with crushed peanuts.
Maboké de Capitaine (Steamed Fish in Banana Leaf)
Bangui, Central African Republic · easy · 45 minWhite fish steamed in banana-leaf parcels on a bed of onion, garlic, tomato, and chilli, a classic of the Central African Republic.
Jarret de Boeuf au Gombo (Beef and Okra Stew)
N'Djamena, Chad · medium · 200 minSlow-cooked beef shank in a glossy okra sauce, a Chadian classic eaten with a ball of millet boule.
Umbidvo Wetintsanga (Pumpkin Leaves with Groundnuts)
Mbabane, Eswatini · easy · 40 minTender pumpkin leaves simmered with onion and tomato and made creamy with crushed groundnuts, a cherished Swazi dish.
Kansiyé de Poisson (Fish in Peanut Sauce)
Conakry, Guinea · easy · 60 minGuinea's version of the West African peanut stew: fish simmered in a tomato sauce thickened with peanut butter.
Caldo de Mancarra
Bissau, Guinea-Bissau · medium · 75 minGuinea-Bissau’s beloved peanut stew: chicken browned and simmered in a creamy groundnut and tomato broth with sweet potato and okra, ladled over white rice.
Kondowole with Greens Relish
Lilongwe, Malawi · medium · 45 minA sticky, elastic cassava-flour staple from northern Malawi, shaped into a smooth mound and served with a simple tomato-and-greens relish.
Vindaye Poisson
Port Louis, Mauritius · medium · 45 minFried firm fish folded into a tangy, mustardy pickle of turmeric, mustard seeds, garlic, ginger and vinegar with barely-cooked onions, eaten with fresh bread or rice.
Kisra with Mulah
Juba, South Sudan · medium · 80 minThin, tangy fermented sorghum flatbread torn to scoop up mulah, a rich okra and meat stew, the everyday staple pairing of South Sudan after asida.
Benachin
Banjul, The Gambia · medium · 90 minThe Gambian one-pot: rice simmered in a rich tomato broth with fish and chunks of cassava, sweet potato, carrot and cabbage until it soaks up every drop, served family-style.
Poulet à la Moambe
Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo · medium · 80 minChicken braised low in a glossy, rust-red palm-nut sauce until tender and richly savoury, the national dish of the Congo, served with rice, plantains or fufu.
Makayabu (Salted Fish in Tomato Sauce)
Kinshasa, DR Congo · easy · 60 minSalt cod soaked back to life and braised with onion, tomato and pepper, a pantry staple across the DR Congo table.
Poulet Bicyclette
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso · medium · 80 minLean free-range chicken parboiled with aromatics, then marinated in tomato, ginger and chili and grilled over charcoal until smoky.
Wagasi in Tomato Sauce
Cotonou, Benin · easy · 40 minGolden-fried Fulani cheese simmered in a spicy tomato and onion sauce, one of West Africa's rare traditional cheese dishes.
Chorba Frik
Algiers, Algeria · medium · 80 minThe Ramadan soup of Algeria: a spiced tomato broth with lamb, chickpeas and smoky green freekeh, thick enough to eat as a meal.
Githeri
Nairobi, Kenya · easy · 105 minBoiled maize and beans finished in a tomato and onion masala, one of the oldest and most dependable Kenyan home meals.
Dovi (Chicken Peanut Stew)
Harare, Zimbabwe · medium · 75 minChicken simmered in a velvety peanut butter and tomato sauce with greens, Zimbabwe's gentle, comforting Sunday stew.
Katogo
Kampala, Uganda · easy · 55 minGreen cooking bananas simmered in one pot with beans, tomato and onion, the everyday Ugandan breakfast.
Renga Renga
Bujumbura, Burundi · easy · 60 minSweet potato leaves simmered with red palm oil, onion, mint and smoked fish into a savoury Burundian greens stew.
Canja de Galinha
Santiago (Praia), Cape Verde · easy · 75 minA thick, comforting Cape Verdean chicken and rice soup with carrot, potato and a bright squeeze of lime.
Atkilt Alicha (Mild Cabbage Stew)
Asmara, Eritrea · easy · 45 minA gentle, turmeric-golden stew of cabbage, carrot and potato enriched with spiced butter, the mild counterpart to fiery zigni.
Pilao (Comorian Spiced Rice)
Moroni, Comoros · medium · 85 minFragrant basmati layered with tender beef and a warm island spice mix of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and cardamom.
Moroho
Maseru, Lesotho · easy · 30 minLeafy greens cooked down with onion and tomato, the everyday vegetable that Basotho eat with papa at almost every meal.
Dumboy and Pepper Soup
Monrovia, Liberia · medium · 90 minLiberia's national plate: a sticky pounded-cassava dumpling served in a fiery pepper soup of meat, shrimp and okra.
Sabayad
Djibouti City, Djibouti · easy · 40 minA folded, pan-fried flatbread with a crisp exterior and warm flaky layers, the Djiboutian answer to a flat croissant.
Pollo con Salsa de Cacahuete
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea · easy · 75 minChicken simmered in a rich peanut sauce with tomato, onion and garlic, a Central African groundnut stew from Equatorial Guinea.
Akoho sy Voanio (Coconut Chicken)
Analamanga (Antananarivo), Madagascar · easy · 70 minChicken simmered in a spiced coconut sauce with tomato, ginger and saffron, a Malagasy dish beloved at Christmas.
Miyan Kuka (Baobab Leaf Soup)
Niamey, Niger · medium · 75 minA dark, savoury soup thickened with powdered baobab leaves, meat and palm oil, eaten with a mound of tuwo.
Mullah Waika (Dried Okra Stew)
Khartoum, Sudan · easy · 70 minA silky, velvety stew of meat thickened with sun-dried okra powder, one of Sudan's most beloved traditional dishes.
Cambuulo
Mogadishu, Somalia · easy · 100 minSlow-cooked adzuki beans finished with butter and a little sugar, a comforting Somali evening dish.
Blá-Blá de Peixe
São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe · easy · 55 minA simple island stew of fresh or smoked fish simmered with tomato, onion and red palm oil, served with boiled banana or breadfruit.
Granat Stew (Groundnut Stew)
Freetown, Sierra Leone · easy · 70 minA rich Freetown peanut stew of meat in a smooth groundnut and tomato sauce, ladled generously over rice.
Mchuzi wa Samaki (Coconut Fish Curry)
Zanzibar, Tanzania · easy · 60 minA Swahili-coast fish curry in a coconut and tomato sauce, brightened with tamarind and warm Indian-influenced spices.
Kalembula
Lusaka, Zambia · easy · 40 minTender sweet potato leaves simmered with pounded groundnuts into a creamy Zambian relish for nshima.
Poisson à l'Odika
Libreville, Gabon · medium · 60 minFish stewed in odika, a dark paste of ground wild mango seeds with a chocolatey depth, one of Gabon's signature sauces.
Poisson Fumé aux Bananes Plantains
Libreville, Gabon · easy · 40 minSmoked fish simmered in a tomato, onion and chili sauce, served over golden fried ripe plantains, an easy Gabonese plate.
Mauritanian Couscous
Nouakchott, Mauritania · medium · 100 minSteamed semolina piled with lamb and Saharan vegetables in a spiced broth, Mauritania's share of the Maghreb couscous tradition.
Aïch (Millet Couscous in Chicken and Bean Broth)
Nouakchott, Mauritania · medium · 95 minCoarse hand-rolled millet couscous stirred into a paprika-stained chicken and bean broth until the grain drinks it up and thickens to a savoury porridge.
Koklo Meme
Lomé, Togo · easy · 60 minCharcoal-grilled chicken marinated with ginger, garlic and chili, Togo's most famous dish, served with a fiery tomato-pepper sauce.
Akume with Ademe Sauce
Lomé, Togo · medium · 60 minA smooth cornmeal swallow served with ademe, a slippery jute-leaf sauce cooked with smoked fish and palm oil.
Mukimo (Mashed Greens, Maize and Potatoes)
Nairobi, Kenya · easy · 50 minA soft, earthy Kikuyu mash of potatoes, green peas, maize and pumpkin leaves pounded into one bright green mound.
Mchicha wa Nazi (Greens in Coconut Milk)
Zanzibar, Tanzania · easy · 35 minAmaranth greens slow-wilted with onion, tomato and chili, then made silky with coconut milk in the Zanzibari style.
Sauce Graine (Palm Fruit Stew)
Abidjan (Lagunes), Côte d’Ivoire · medium · 90 minA rich, earthy Ivorian stew built on palm fruit pulp with meat and smoked fish, spooned over rice or foutou.
Sauce Gombo Ivoirienne (Okra Sauce)
Abidjan (Lagunes), Côte d’Ivoire · easy · 60 minA silky, faintly stringy Ivorian okra sauce with beef and smoked fish in a tomato and palm oil broth, eaten with foutou or rice.
Mahjouba (Mhadjeb Stuffed Semolina Flatbread)
Algiers, Algeria · medium · 65 minThin, hand-stretched semolina flatbreads folded around a jammy tomato, onion and harissa filling and griddled crisp.
Malakwang (Sour Greens in Groundnut Sauce)
Kampala, Uganda · easy · 45 minTangy malakwang leaves simmered until tender then folded into a smooth groundnut sauce, sweet, sour and nutty at once.
Nhopi (Pumpkin and Peanut Porridge)
Harare, Zimbabwe · easy · 50 minMashed pumpkin cooked into mealie-meal and enriched with peanut butter, a lightly sweet Shona comfort porridge.
Vary Amin'anana (Rice with Greens)
Analamanga (Antananarivo), Madagascar · easy · 40 minSoft, soupy rice cooked with leafy greens and ginger, the everyday restorative bowl of the Malagasy highlands.
Mbika (Pumpkin Seed Stew)
Kinshasa, DR Congo · easy · 50 minGround pumpkin seeds simmered into a thick, nutty-tasting stew with smoked fish, greens and red palm oil, a Congo Basin staple.
Rishda (Noodles in Onion and Chickpea Sauce)
Tripoli, Libya · medium · 70 minFresh hand-cut noodles steamed and dressed with busla, a sweet onion and chickpea sauce warm with cinnamon and cloves.
Mbatten (Stuffed Potato Fritters)
Tripoli, Libya · medium · 70 minPotato slices sandwiched around spiced minced meat, coated and fried until the outside is golden and the potato tender.
Baasto iyo Suugo (Somali Spaghetti)
Mogadishu, Somalia · easy · 55 minSpaghetti under a xawaash-spiced beef and tomato sauce, the Somali table always finished with a ripe banana on the side.
Sahan Ful (Sudanese Fava Beans)
Khartoum, Sudan · easy · 30 minSlow-cooked fava beans crushed with cumin and lifted with tomato, onion and olive oil, the Sudanese breakfast of beans and bread.
Nkuku (Village Chicken Stew)
Lusaka, Zambia · easy · 75 minFree-range village chicken browned in its own fat and simmered in a simple tomato and onion gravy, served with nshima.
Jagacida (Cape Verdean Rice and Beans)
Santiago (Praia), Cape Verde · easy · 45 minRice simmered with beans, onion, garlic and bay until glossy and tender, the everyday jag of the Cape Verde islands.
Hamli (Eritrean Spiced Greens)
Asmara, Eritrea · easy · 35 minCollard greens or chard wilted with onion, garlic, ginger and gentle spices, the everyday greens of the Eritrean platter.
Ata (Beninese Black-Eyed Pea Fritters)
Cotonou, Benin · medium · 50 minSkinned black-eyed peas whipped into an airy batter with onion and chili, then fried into crisp, fluffy golden fritters.
Okra Soup (Sierra Leonean)
Freetown, Sierra Leone · easy · 65 minFresh okra cooked down with beef and smoked fish in a red palm oil broth into a thick, silky Freetown Saturday soup.
Fasoolia (White Bean Stew)
Djibouti City, Djibouti · easy · 50 minWhite beans simmered soft in a spiced tomato and onion sauce warm with cumin and cinnamon, eaten with bread or rice.
M'tsolola (Fish, Plantain and Coconut Stew)
Moroni, Comoros · medium · 60 minFish poached with green plantain and cassava then finished in fresh coconut milk, the island stew of the Comoros.
Babenda (Greens, Grain and Groundnut Pot)
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso · easy · 55 minBitter greens and rice simmered with pounded groundnuts and pungent soumbala into a thick, nourishing one-pot meal.
Date and Banana Mix
Bujumbura, Burundi · easy · 50 minA warm baked cake layering sliced banana and chopped dates through a soft batter, finished with cinnamon sugar.
Pescado Frito con Plátanos Maduros
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea · easy · 45 minWhole fish marinated in lime and garlic and pan-fried until crisp, served with sweet caramelised fried plantains.
Likhobe (Sorghum and Bean Grain Stew)
Maseru, Lesotho · easy · 140 minSorghum, beans and cracked wheat simmered slowly into a thick, nutty mountain porridge, a hearty Basotho staple.
Potato Greens (Palava Sauce)
Monrovia, Liberia · easy · 50 minFinely chopped sweet potato leaves simmered in a seasoned red palm oil broth with smoked fish, served over rice.
Leksour (Lamb Stew on Pancakes)
Nouakchott, Mauritania · medium · 100 minA spiced lamb and vegetable stew spooned over thin millet-and-wheat pancakes, rolled and eaten by hand.
Miyan Taushe (Pumpkin and Groundnut Soup)
Niamey, Niger · easy · 65 minA creamy Hausa soup of mashed pumpkin and pounded groundnuts with meat and greens, thick, mildly sweet and savoury.
Omelete à Moda da Terra
São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe · easy · 25 minA simple island omelette of eggs beaten with local greens and onion, fried in palm oil and served with fried banana.
Punjabi Chole (Chickpea Masala)
Punjab, India · easy · 55 minChickpeas simmered dark and tangy with tea-infused water, ginger, and a toasted spice blend.
Pad Krapow Gai (Holy Basil Chicken)
Bangkok (Central), Thailand · easy · 25 minBangkok's favorite one-plate meal: fiery minced chicken and holy basil over rice with a crispy fried egg.
Imeruli Khachapuri (Cheese-Stuffed Bread)
Imereti, Georgia · medium · 45 minA golden, pan-baked flatbread sealed around a molten heart of tangy, salty cheese.
Phở Gà (Hanoi Chicken Pho)
Hanoi (Red River Delta), Vietnam · medium · 80 minA clear, star-anise-scented chicken broth over rice noodles, finished with herbs and lime at the table.
Bibimbap
Seoul (Gyeonggi), South Korea · medium · 55 minA bowl of rice crowned with seasoned vegetables, beef, and a fried egg, all mixed with gochujang at the table.
Mujadara
Beirut, Lebanon · easy · 55 minLentils and rice under a deep pile of slow-caramelized onions, the Levant’s humble masterpiece.
İmam Bayıldı (Swooning Imam’s Eggplant)
İzmir (Aegean), Turkey · easy · 70 minWhole eggplants braised in olive oil until silken, stuffed with sweet onions, tomato, and garlic. Served cool.
Nasi Goreng Kampung
Yogyakarta (Java), Indonesia · easy · 25 minVillage-style fried rice, smoky and sweet with kecap manis, crowned with a crisp-edged fried egg.
Chicken Adobo
Central Luzon, Philippines · easy · 55 minChicken braised glossy in vinegar, soy, garlic, and black pepper, the Philippines’ definitive dish.
Kerala Ishtu (Coconut Vegetable Stew)
Kerala, India · easy · 40 minA gentle, fragrant stew of potatoes and vegetables in coconut milk with ginger, green chili, and curry leaves.
Lahori Chicken Karahi
Lahore (Punjab), Pakistan · easy · 50 minChicken flash-cooked in a wok-like karahi with tomatoes, ginger, and black pepper, no onions, no shortcuts.
Yomari (Newari Sweet Rice Dumpling)
Kathmandu Valley, Nepal · medium · 60 minFig-shaped steamed rice-flour dumpling filled with chaku (jaggery molasses), toasted sesame, and coconut, made for Yomari Punhi.
Dal Bhat Tarkari
Kathmandu Valley, Nepal · easy · 60 minThe Himalayan daily plate: tempered black lentils, rice, and a turmeric-spiced vegetable curry.
Parippu & Pol Sambol
Southern Province, Sri Lanka · easy · 45 minCreamy coconut-milk red lentils with a fiery fresh coconut-chili relish, the twin pillars of a Lankan rice table.
Uzbek Plov
Tashkent, Uzbekistan · medium · 95 minSilk Road rice cooked in one kazan with lamb, mountains of carrots, cumin, and whole garlic heads.
Fish Amok
Siem Reap, Cambodia · medium · 55 minA silky steamed fish curry-custard in banana-leaf cups, built on pounded lemongrass kroeung and coconut cream.
Maqluba (Upside-Down Rice)
Amman, Jordan · advanced · 95 minLayers of chicken, fried eggplant, cauliflower, and spiced rice cooked in one pot, then flipped tableside.
Ghormeh Sabzi
Tehran, Iran · medium · 150 minIran’s beloved herb stew: mountains of sautéed greens, kidney beans, dried limes, and lamb over saffron rice.
Bhuna Khichuri
Dhaka, Bangladesh · easy · 55 minToasted rice and moong dal cooked rich with ghee, whole spices, and caramelized onion, monsoon comfort from Dhaka.
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup
Taipei, Taiwan · medium · 175 minChewy wheat noodles in a dark, star-anise beef broth with melting shank and pickled mustard greens.
Tam Mak Hoong (Lao Green Papaya Salad)
Luang Prabang, Laos · easy · 20 minShredded green papaya pounded in a mortar with padaek, lime, chili, garlic, and tomato, the dark, funky, fiery Lao papaya salad.
Pav Bhaji
Maharashtra (Mumbai), India · easy · 50 minMumbai’s beach-stall classic: a buttery mashed vegetable curry with toasted buns, lime, and raw onion.
Mohinga
Yangon, Myanmar · medium · 65 minMyanmar’s national breakfast: rice noodles in a lemongrass-catfish broth thickened with toasted chickpea flour.
Khuushuur (Fried Meat Pastry)
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia · medium · 65 minCrisp deep-fried half-moon pastries filled with minced mutton, onion, and garlic, the taste of the Naadam festival.
Tsuivan
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia · medium · 60 minSteppe-style fried noodles steamed over a mutton and vegetable braise, Mongolia’s one-pan answer to a cold night.
Beshbarmak
Almaty, Kazakhstan · medium · 150 min"Five fingers": boiled meat over wide noodle sheets with onion gravy, Kazakhstan’s dish of honor, eaten by hand.
Sundubu-jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew)
Gyeongsang (Busan), South Korea · easy · 35 minBubbling-hot soft tofu stew, brick-red with gochugaru, finished with an egg cracked in at the table.
Dapanji (Big Plate Chicken)
Xinjiang, China · medium · 65 minA heroic platter of chicken, potatoes, and peppers in a star-anise chili sauce, with wide noodles for the gravy.
Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani
Telangana (Hyderabad), India · advanced · 100 minThe dum method: marinated chicken and half-cooked saffron rice sealed together so the pot finishes the dish in steam.
Gado-Gado
Jakarta, Indonesia · easy · 45 minJakarta’s "mix-mix": blanched vegetables, tofu, tempeh, and egg under warm peanut sauce.
Lahmacun
Gaziantep, Turkey · medium · 50 minPaper-thin flatbread blistered under a spiced lamb, pepper, and parsley crust, rolled with lemon and herbs.
Hainanese Chicken Rice
Singapore, Singapore · medium · 80 minSilken poached chicken over rice cooked in its broth, with chili-ginger sauce, Singapore’s national obsession.
Khaman Dhokla
Gujarat, India · easy · 35 minCloud-light steamed chickpea-flour cakes, tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves, Gujarat’s teatime signature.
Khao Soi
Chiang Mai (North), Thailand · medium · 50 minChiang Mai’s coconut-curry noodles: soft egg noodles in golden broth, crowned with a crispy noodle nest.
Lobio
Racha, Georgia · easy · 55 minKidney beans simmered and half-crushed with walnuts, coriander, and Georgian spice, served in clay with cornbread.
Fish Ambul Thiyal (Sour Fish Curry)
Western Province (Colombo), Sri Lanka · medium · 50 minSri Lanka’s dry sour fish curry: firm fish coated in a jet-black paste of goraka and black pepper and cooked down until every piece wears a tangy, peppery crust.
Kottu Roti
Western Province (Colombo), Sri Lanka · easy · 35 minChopped flatbread stir-fried with curry, vegetables, and egg on a clanging griddle, Colombo’s midnight anthem.
Shuwa (Home-Oven Version)
Muscat, Oman · medium · 265 minLamb rubbed with date-dark Omani spices, wrapped in banana leaves, and roasted low until it falls apart, Eid on a platter.
Ema Datshi
Thimphu, Bhutan · easy · 30 minBhutan’s national dish: green chilies stewed as the vegetable, not the seasoning, in a silky cheese sauce.
Musakhan
West Bank, Palestine · easy · 75 minSumac-and-onion roasted chicken over olive-oil-soaked taboon bread, showered with toasted pine nuts, Palestine on a platter.
Iraqi Dolma
Baghdad, Iraq · advanced · 135 minVine leaves and vegetables stuffed with tomato-and-pomegranate rice, packed tight and steamed until sweet-sour and tender.
Ghapama (Stuffed Pumpkin)
Yerevan, Armenia · medium · 115 minA whole pumpkin packed with rice, dried apricots, walnuts, and honey, baked until the shell is a spoonable bowl.
Macher Jhol
West Bengal (Kolkata), India · easy · 40 minA light, mustard-scented fish curry with potatoes and nigella seeds, the everyday soul of a Kolkata table.
Oyakodon
Tokyo (Kanto), Japan · easy · 22 minChicken and softly-set egg simmered in sweet dashi soy, slid over hot rice, the tender "parent-and-child" bowl.
Bún Bò Huế
Huế (Central), Vietnam · medium · 145 minThe imperial city’s fierce beef-and-lemongrass noodle soup, spiked with chili oil and shrimp paste, bolder than pho.
Saltah
Sana’a, Yemen · medium · 65 minA bubbling stone-pot stew crowned with whipped fenugreek froth (hulba) and fiery green sahawiq, Yemen’s national dish.
Kabsa
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia · medium · 75 minSpiced rice cooked in aromatic broth with chicken, dried lime, and a whole-spice perfume, heaped high for sharing.
Massaman Curry
Southern Thailand, Thailand · medium · 95 minA mild, aromatic curry of beef, potatoes, and peanuts scented with cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise, Thailand’s gentlest, most fragrant curry.
Chicken Karaage
Kyushu (Fukuoka), Japan · easy · 40 minGinger-garlic-soy marinated chicken coated in potato starch and fried twice for a shatteringly light, juicy crunch.
Beef Rendang
West Sumatra, Indonesia · advanced · 240 minBeef simmered for hours in coconut milk and spice paste until the liquid vanishes and the meat turns dark, dry, and intense.
Balaleet
Dubai, United Arab Emirates · easy · 30 minSweet saffron-and-cardamom vermicelli topped with a thin savory omelette, the Gulf’s sweet-and-savory breakfast.
Chettinad Chicken
Tamil Nadu (Chennai), India · medium · 65 minChicken in a fiercely aromatic South Indian masala of roasted spices, black pepper, and coconut, Tamil Nadu’s boldest curry.
Kung Pao Chicken
Sichuan, China · easy · 30 minDiced chicken stir-fried with dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, and peanuts in a sweet-sour-savory sauce with real má-là kick.
Bulgogi
Seoul (Gyeonggi), South Korea · easy · 40 minThin beef marinated in soy, pear, sesame, and garlic, seared fast and sweet-savory, Korea’s beloved "fire meat."
Manti
Kayseri, Turkey · advanced · 90 minTiny hand-pinched meat dumplings under garlic yogurt and paprika-mint butter, Kayseri’s legendary labor of love.
Sabich
Tel Aviv, Israel · easy · 40 minPita stuffed with fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, hummus, salad, and a drizzle of tangy amba and tahini.
Lagman
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan · advanced · 80 minHand-pulled noodles topped with a stir-fried stew of beef, peppers, and tomatoes in a savory sauce.
Ambuyat
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei · medium · 30 minA glassy sago starch eaten with bamboo forks and dipped in a tart, pungent cacah sauce.
Mas Huni
Malé, Maldives · easy · 25 minShredded smoked tuna tossed with grated coconut, onion, chili, and lime, the Maldivian breakfast, with roshi flatbread.
Murabyan
Kuwait City, Kuwait · medium · 65 minSpiced Gulf shrimp folded through rice cooked in their fragrant broth, layered with dill and dried lime.
Muhammar
Manama, Bahrain · easy · 55 minBahrain's sweet brown rice scented with date syrup, saffron, and cardamom, traditionally served with fried fish.
Harees
Doha, Qatar · medium · 195 minWheat berries and meat pounded together over long cooking into a smooth, comforting porridge.
Qurutob
Dushanbe, Tajikistan · medium · 50 minTajikistan's national dish: flaky fatir bread torn into a tangy qurut yogurt sauce, topped with onions and herbs.
Dograma
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan · medium · 130 minHand-crumbled flatbread and boiled meat with onion, moistened with rich broth, Turkmenistan's dish of celebration.
Batar Da'an
Dili, Timor-Leste · easy · 90 minA humble Timorese stew of corn, mung beans, and pumpkin simmered soft in a light, comforting pot.
Pyongyang Naengmyeon
Pyongyang, North Korea · advanced · 160 minChewy buckwheat noodles in an icy, clear beef-and-radish broth, topped with pear, egg, and pickles.
Or Lam
Luang Prabang, Laos · medium · 75 minA Luang Prabang herb stew of meat and vegetables thickened with sticky rice and buzzed with peppery sakhan vine.
Kabuli Pulao
Kabul, Afghanistan · advanced · 120 minAfghanistan's national dish: steamed rice piled over lamb and crowned with candied carrots and raisins.
Burmese Chicken Curry
Yangon, Myanmar · medium · 75 minChicken slow-cooked in an oil-rich onion, garlic, ginger, and turmeric masala until deeply savory.
Kibbeh
Damascus, Syria · advanced · 70 minTorpedo-shaped bulgur shells stuffed with spiced meat and pine nuts, fried until crisp.
Emirati Salona
Dubai, United Arab Emirates · easy · 75 minA tangy Emirati stew of meat or fish and vegetables in a spiced tomato-and-dried-lime broth.
Piti
Baku, Azerbaijan · medium · 175 minA slow-baked crock stew of lamb, chickpeas, and chestnuts scented with saffron and dried plum.
Mas Riha
Malé, Maldives · easy · 50 minA Maldivian tuna curry in a fragrant coconut sauce with curry leaves, pandan, and dried chili.
Jerusalem Mixed Grill
Tel Aviv, Israel · easy · 40 minMeorav Yerushalmi: chicken and offal seared fast with onion, cumin, and turmeric, stuffed into laffa.
Tamago Kake Gohan
Osaka (Kansai), Japan · easy · 4 minHot rice topped with a raw egg and a splash of soy, Japan's fastest, most comforting breakfast.
Chvishtari (Cornmeal Cheese Bread)
Imereti, Georgia · easy · 30 minGriddled cornmeal cakes packed with young melting cheese, crisp outside and molten within, from the mountains of western Georgia.
Youtiao and Soy Milk
Sichuan, China · medium · 35 minCrisp, airy fried dough sticks dunked into a bowl of warm fresh soy milk, a classic Chinese breakfast.
Hobak-juk
Seoul (Gyeonggi), South Korea · easy · 45 minA silky, naturally sweet Korean pumpkin porridge thickened with glutinous rice.
Manakish Za'atar
Beirut, Lebanon · medium · 40 minFlatbread baked with a fragrant za'atar-and-olive-oil topping, the Levantine morning staple.
Menemen
İzmir (Aegean), Turkey · easy · 30 minSoft eggs scrambled into a simmered base of tomato, green pepper, and pul biber.
Bubur Sumsum
Yogyakarta (Java), Indonesia · easy · 30 minA soft rice-flour and coconut porridge pooled with dark palm-sugar syrup.
Champorado
Central Luzon, Philippines · easy · 35 minA sweet Filipino chocolate rice porridge, traditionally eaten with salty dried fish on the side.
Halwa Puri
Lahore (Punjab), Pakistan · medium · 70 minA festive Lahori breakfast of puffed fried puri, sweet semolina halwa, and spiced chickpeas.
Sel Roti
Kathmandu Valley, Nepal · medium · 50 minA ring-shaped, lightly sweet fermented rice bread, crisp outside and soft within.
Hoppers (Appa)
Southern Province, Sri Lanka · medium · 45 minBowl-shaped fermented rice-and-coconut pancakes, lacy at the edges and soft in the middle.
Katlama
Tashkent, Uzbekistan · medium · 45 minFlaky, layered pan-fried flatbread brushed with oil and folded, a Central Asian morning staple.
Fatteh
Amman, Jordan · easy · 30 minLayers of toasted bread, warm chickpeas, and garlicky yogurt topped with sizzled butter and pine nuts.
Adasi
Tehran, Iran · easy · 60 minA warming Persian lentil breakfast stew spiced with turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon.
Ruti with Aloo Bhaji
Dhaka, Bangladesh · easy · 45 minSoft whole-wheat flatbread with a lightly spiced potato-and-onion curry, the everyday Dhaka breakfast.
Nasi Lemak
Penang, Malaysia · medium · 55 minFragrant coconut rice with spicy sambal, fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber, and egg, Malaysia's national breakfast.
Dan Bing
Taipei, Taiwan · easy · 30 minA soft, chewy egg crepe rolled up and sliced, Taiwan's favorite hot breakfast off the griddle.
Khao Piak Sen
Luang Prabang, Laos · medium · 70 minA comforting Lao chicken noodle soup with soft, chewy hand-cut rice-tapioca noodles.
Khagina
Kabul, Afghanistan · easy · 25 minAfghan eggs cooked into a soft, spiced tomato base, a quick, warming Kabul breakfast.
Boortsog
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia · easy · 40 minSimple fried dough biscuits eaten with milky, lightly salted tea across the Mongolian steppe.
Baursak
Almaty, Kazakhstan · easy · 45 minFluffy yeasted fried dough puffs served warm with butter, jam, or honey and tea.
Balila
Damascus, Syria · easy · 15 minWarm chickpeas dressed with cumin, lemon, garlic, and olive oil, a simple Damascene breakfast.
Kaya Toast
Singapore, Singapore · easy · 20 minToasted bread spread with coconut-egg kaya jam and butter, with soft-cooked eggs and kopi.
Khur-le
Thimphu, Bhutan · easy · 30 minRustic buckwheat pancakes from the Bhutanese highlands, eaten with chili-cheese ezay.
Sakhana
Muscat, Oman · easy · 55 minA thick, sweet Omani wheat soup of dates, date molasses and milk, made through Ramadan and eaten after the fast.
Labneh with Za'atar
West Bank, Palestine · easy · 10 minThick strained yogurt swirled with olive oil and za'atar, scooped with warm taboon bread.
Kahi with Geymar
Baghdad, Iraq · medium · 50 minFlaky layered pastry baked crisp, soaked in syrup, and topped with rich clotted geymar cream.
Zhingyalov Hats
Yerevan, Armenia · medium · 50 minThin flatbread stuffed with a dozen or more chopped herbs and greens, griddled until blistered.
Masoub
Sana’a, Yemen · easy · 15 minMashed flatbread and ripe banana bound with honey and topped with cream, nuts, and dates.
Masabib
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia · easy · 35 minSoft, holey yeasted pancakes drenched in date syrup or honey, a Hejazi and Saudi breakfast.
Malawach
Tel Aviv, Israel · medium · 45 minA flaky, buttery Yemenite-Israeli pan-fried flatbread served with grated tomato and zhug.
Qutab
Baku, Azerbaijan · medium · 45 minThin, half-moon griddle breads stuffed with greens and herbs, folded and cooked until charred.
Kattama
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan · medium · 45 minA flaky, spiral pan-fried bread layered with onion, torn and eaten with tea or broth.
Katilapam
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei · easy · 40 minSoft steamed rice-flour cakes lightly spiced and faintly sweet, a Bruneian teatime and breakfast bite.
Khameer
Kuwait City, Kuwait · medium · 45 minSoft, lightly sweet date-and-cardamom yeast breads, griddled and eaten with cream or cheese.
Chebab
Manama, Bahrain · easy · 30 minSaffron-and-cardamom pancakes tinted gold, served with cheese or date syrup, a Gulf breakfast.
Khanfaroosh
Doha, Qatar · medium · 40 minLittle saffron-and-cardamom cakes, crisp outside and soft within, fried and dusted with sugar.
Shirchoy
Dushanbe, Tajikistan · easy · 20 minWarm milk tea poured over torn bread with a knob of butter, a simple Tajik mountain breakfast.
Chorek
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan · medium · 45 minRound tamdyr-baked bread with a crisp crust and soft crumb, torn warm with tea and butter.
Jagung Bose
Dili, Timor-Leste · easy · 90 minThe Timorese corn staple: dried corn and red beans slow-cooked until creamy in coconut milk, humble everyday nourishment.
Onban
Pyongyang, North Korea · medium · 65 minA Pyongyang bowl of warm rice in chicken broth topped with shredded chicken and a mung-bean pancake.
Dorayaki
Tokyo (Kanto), Japan · easy · 35 minTwo fluffy honey-scented pancakes sandwiching sweet red bean paste, a classic Japanese teatime treat.
Masala Dosa
Tamil Nadu (Chennai), India · medium · 50 minA crisp, golden fermented rice-and-lentil crepe wrapped around spiced potato, South India's iconic anytime meal.
Gulab Jamun
Punjab, India · medium · 45 minSoft milk-solid dumplings deep-fried and soaked in rose-and-cardamom syrup, the sweet of every Indian celebration.
Pad Thai
Bangkok (Central), Thailand · medium · 40 minStir-fried rice noodles in a sweet-sour tamarind sauce with tofu, shrimp, egg, and crushed peanuts, Thailand's global icon.
Mango Sticky Rice
Bangkok (Central), Thailand · easy · 55 minWarm coconut-sweetened glutinous rice with ripe mango and a salty-sweet coconut sauce, Thailand's favorite dessert.
Adjaruli Khachapuri
Adjara, Georgia · medium · 45 minGeorgia’s famous boat-shaped cheese bread from Adjara: a molten pool of cheese in a golden crust, finished with an egg and butter stirred in at the table.
Churchkhela
Racha, Georgia · medium · 60 minStrings of walnuts dipped repeatedly in thickened grape juice until candle-shaped, Georgia's ancient traveling sweet.
Chè Ba Màu
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam · medium · 75 minA layered sweet of red beans, mung beans, and green pandan jelly over ice with coconut cream, Vietnam's three-color dessert.
Tangyuan
Shanghai, China · medium · 45 minChewy glutinous rice balls with a sweet black sesame center in warm ginger syrup, a Chinese symbol of family reunion.
Hotteok
Seoul (Gyeonggi), South Korea · medium · 105 minChewy fried griddle pancakes oozing a molten brown-sugar, cinnamon, and nut filling, a Korean winter street treat.
Falafel
Beirut, Lebanon · medium · 45 minCrisp herb-flecked chickpea fritters tucked into pita with tahini, pickles, and salad, a Levantine street classic.
Knafeh
Beirut, Lebanon · medium · 60 minMolten sweet cheese under a crisp orange semolina or shredded-pastry crust, drenched in syrup, a Levantine breakfast-dessert.
Adana Kebap
Gaziantep, Turkey · medium · 45 minHand-minced spiced lamb pressed onto skewers and grilled over charcoal, served with flatbread and sumac onions.
Baklava
Gaziantep, Turkey · advanced · 90 minLayers of butter-brushed phyllo packed with pistachios and soaked in syrup, the crown jewel of Gaziantep pastry.
Soto Ayam
Jakarta, Indonesia · medium · 65 minA fragrant golden turmeric chicken soup with noodles, egg, and crisp shallots, Indonesia's everyday bowl of comfort.
Klepon
Yogyakarta (Java), Indonesia · medium · 45 minPandan-green rice balls with a molten palm-sugar center, rolled in fresh coconut, a favorite Indonesian sweet snack.
Pancit Bihon
Central Luzon, Philippines · easy · 40 minThin rice noodles stir-fried with chicken, shrimp, and vegetables in a savory soy sauce, a Filipino celebration staple.
Leche Flan
Central Luzon, Philippines · medium · 65 minA dense, silky egg-yolk custard under a dark caramel, steamed in a tin mold, the Philippines' richest celebration dessert.
Chapli Kabab
Lahore (Punjab), Pakistan · easy · 40 minFlat, spiced minced-beef patties studded with tomato and pomegranate, shallow-fried crisp, a Khyber specialty.
Kheer
Lahore (Punjab), Pakistan · easy · 70 minA slow-cooked rice pudding perfumed with cardamom and scattered with nuts, the comforting sweet of every occasion.
Momo
Kathmandu Valley, Nepal · medium · 65 minSteamed dumplings of spiced minced filling served with a tangy tomato-sesame achar, Nepal's everyday bite.
Juju Dhau
Kathmandu Valley, Nepal · easy · 45 minA rich, sweet set yogurt scented with cardamom, the King of Yogurts from the Newar city of Bhaktapur.
Watalappan
Southern Province, Sri Lanka · easy · 60 minA steamed coconut custard set with dark palm jaggery and warm spices, the festive pudding of Sri Lanka.
Samsa
Tashkent, Uzbekistan · medium · 70 minFlaky baked pastries filled with spiced lamb and onion, blistered golden in a tandoor, a Silk Road staple.
Chak-Chak
Tashkent, Uzbekistan · medium · 55 minCrisp fried dough pieces bound in warm honey syrup into a sticky golden mound, a Central Asian celebration sweet.
Nom Banh Chok
Siem Reap, Cambodia · medium · 60 minRice noodles under a fragrant green fish-and-lemongrass gravy, piled with raw vegetables, Cambodia's Khmer noodles.
Sankhya Lapov
Siem Reap, Cambodia · medium · 70 minA whole kabocha pumpkin steamed with a coconut-palm-sugar custard inside, a striking Cambodian dessert.
Mansaf
Amman, Jordan · medium · 150 minLamb cooked in a tangy fermented-yogurt sauce over rice and flatbread, Jordan's national dish of hospitality.
Mahalabia
Amman, Jordan · easy · 25 minA delicate milk pudding set with cornstarch and perfumed with rose or orange blossom, a light Levantine sweet.
Ash-e Reshteh
Tehran, Iran · medium · 150 minOne of Iran’s best-loved thick soups: legumes and a mountain of herbs simmered with reshteh noodles, finished with tangy kashk, sizzled mint, and caramelized onion.
Chelo Kabab Koobideh
Tehran, Iran · medium · 50 minGrilled skewers of seasoned minced meat with saffron buttered rice and grilled tomato, Iran's national dish.
Sholeh Zard
Tehran, Iran · easy · 75 minA fragrant saffron and rose rice pudding decorated with cinnamon, an Iranian dessert of celebration and charity.
Shorshe Ilish
Dhaka, Bangladesh · medium · 40 minHilsa fish in a pungent mustard-and-green-chili sauce, the prized national dish of Bengal, eaten with rice.
Roshogolla
Dhaka, Bangladesh · medium · 55 minSpongy cheese-curd balls simmered in light sugar syrup, the springy sweet of Bengal.
Penang Asam Laksa
Penang, Malaysia · medium · 70 minA tart, spicy mackerel-and-tamarind noodle soup topped with pineapple, mint, and ginger flower, Penang's iconic bowl.
Kuih Seri Muka
Penang, Malaysia · medium · 80 minA two-layer sweet of coconut sticky rice under a smooth pandan custard, a jewel of the Malaysian kuih table.
Pineapple Cake
Taipei, Taiwan · medium · 70 minA buttery shortbread pastry enclosing a chewy, tangy pineapple jam, Taiwan's most popular edible souvenir.
Khao Poon
Luang Prabang, Laos · medium · 70 minA spicy, herbal rice-vermicelli soup in a fragrant coconut-and-chili broth, the celebratory noodle bowl of Laos.
Khao Tom
Luang Prabang, Laos · easy · 75 minSweet coconut sticky rice wrapped around banana and steamed in banana leaf, a fragrant Lao treat.
Mantu
Kabul, Afghanistan · advanced · 90 minSteamed dumplings of spiced beef and onion topped with garlicky yogurt and a lentil-tomato sauce, an Afghan favorite.
Firni
Kabul, Afghanistan · easy · 35 minA silky ground-rice milk pudding scented with cardamom and rosewater, topped with pistachios, an Afghan celebration sweet.
Lahpet Thoke
Yangon, Myanmar · easy · 30 minA tea-leaf salad of fermented tea, crunchy fried beans, nuts, and seeds tossed with cabbage and lime, Myanmar's national treasure.
Sanwin Makin
Yangon, Myanmar · easy · 65 minA dense semolina and coconut cake topped with poppy seeds, a much-loved Burmese teatime sweet.
Buuz
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia · medium · 65 minJuicy steamed dumplings of minced mutton and onion, the dumpling Mongolia eats by the dozen, above all at Tsagaan Sar.
Kuyrdak
Almaty, Kazakhstan · easy · 55 minA hearty fry-up of meat, potato, and onion, the celebratory dish traditionally made when an animal is freshly butchered.
Chicken Shawarma
Damascus, Syria · medium · 55 minMarinated spiced chicken roasted and shaved into flatbread with garlic sauce and pickles, the Levant's great street lunch.
Halawet el Jibn
Damascus, Syria · advanced · 60 minSoft semolina-and-cheese dough rolled around clotted cream and drenched in syrup, a Damascene sweet-cheese specialty.
Pulut Hitam
Singapore, Singapore · easy · 70 minA warm porridge of black glutinous rice sweetened with palm sugar and finished with salty coconut cream, a Nyonya classic.
Jasha Maroo
Thimphu, Bhutan · easy · 45 minA soupy, spicy minced-chicken stew with tomato, ginger, and coriander, a warming everyday Bhutanese dish.
Khabzey
Thimphu, Bhutan · medium · 60 minCrisp, lightly sweet fried dough shaped into knots and butterflies, a festive Bhutanese biscuit for New Year and offerings.
Omani Machboos
Muscat, Oman · medium · 80 minFragrant spiced rice cooked with chicken, dried lime, and saffron, a cornerstone of the Omani and Gulf table.
Omani Halwa
Muscat, Oman · advanced · 75 minA dense, glossy, aromatic sweet of rosewater, saffron, and spices set with ghee and nuts, the pride of Omani hospitality.
Maftoul
West Bank, Palestine · medium · 85 minHand-rolled Palestinian couscous simmered with chicken and chickpeas in a warmly spiced broth, a warming village dish.
Qatayef
West Bank, Palestine · medium · 65 minLittle stuffed pancakes filled with sweet walnuts, fried or baked and soaked in syrup, the classic sweet of Ramadan.
Masgouf
Baghdad, Iraq · medium · 90 minButterflied river fish marinated and slow-grilled over open flame, Iraq's national dish and the pride of Baghdad.
Kleicha
Baghdad, Iraq · medium · 70 minSpiced pastry spirals filled with date paste and cardamom, Iraq's national cookie, made for every celebration.
Spas
Yerevan, Armenia · easy · 45 minA warming yogurt-and-wheat soup fragrant with mint and herbs, a soothing Armenian everyday bowl.
Mandi
Sana’a, Yemen · medium · 115 minSmoky spiced rice and tender meat traditionally cooked in an underground oven, a celebrated dish of Yemen and the Gulf.
Bint al-Sahn
Sana’a, Yemen · advanced · 75 minMany paper-thin layers of buttery dough baked and drenched in honey and scattered with nigella seeds, Yemen's honey cake.
Mutabbaq
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia · medium · 50 minA thin folded pastry stuffed with spiced minced meat and egg, griddled crisp, a favorite Saudi street snack.
Areeka
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia · easy · 25 minSoft bread mashed with dates, butter, and honey into a rich, comforting sweet of southern Saudi Arabia.
Emirati Thareed
Dubai, United Arab Emirates · medium · 100 minA spiced meat-and-vegetable stew ladled over thin crisp regag bread, a comforting Emirati dish, especially in Ramadan.
Luqaimat
Dubai, United Arab Emirates · medium · 110 minCrisp golden dumplings drenched in date syrup and scattered with sesame, the classic fried sweet of the Emirati Ramadan table.
Zhent
Almaty, Kazakhstan · easy · 30 minA sweet, crumbly pressed mixture of toasted millet, butter, and raisins, a traditional Kazakh treat of the steppe.
Hummus
Tel Aviv, Israel · easy · 75 minSilky-smooth chickpea and tahini puree pooled with olive oil, scooped up with warm pita, a Levantine lunch of devotion.
Rugelach
Tel Aviv, Israel · medium · 60 minLittle rolled pastry crescents filled with chocolate or cinnamon, a bakery staple of Israel and the Jewish diaspora.
Lavangi
Baku, Azerbaijan · medium · 105 minChicken stuffed with a tangy walnut, onion, and sour-plum paste and roasted, a specialty of Azerbaijan's Caspian south.
Şəkərbura
Baku, Azerbaijan · advanced · 85 minCrimped half-moon pastries filled with sweet ground nuts and cardamom, the pride of the Azerbaijani Novruz table.
Oromo
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan · medium · 90 minA rolled, spiraled steamed dumpling of thin dough layered with meat, potato, and pumpkin, a hearty Kyrgyz favorite.
Nasi Katok
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei · easy · 45 minA simple plate of rice, fried chicken, and fiery sambal, Brunei's famously cheap everyday meal.
Penyaram
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei · medium · 40 minA chewy fried cake of rice flour and palm sugar with lacy, crisp edges, a traditional Bruneian and Bornean sweet.
Garudhiya
Malé, Maldives · easy · 45 minA clear, fragrant tuna broth served over rice with lime, chili, and onion, the everyday heart of the Maldivian table.
Foni Boakibaa
Malé, Maldives · easy · 70 minA dense baked pudding-cake of rice, coconut, and rosewater, a sweet Maldivian favorite for Ramadan and celebrations.
Mutabbaq Samak
Kuwait City, Kuwait · medium · 70 minSpiced fish served over caramelized-onion rice with dried lime, a classic Kuwaiti and Gulf seafood dish.
Gers Ogaily
Kuwait City, Kuwait · easy · 55 minA fragrant saffron and cardamom sponge cake topped with sesame and nigella seeds, a Kuwaiti celebration classic.
Ghoozi
Manama, Bahrain · medium · 180 minSpiced rice crowned with tender roasted lamb, fried nuts, and raisins, a grand Bahraini and Gulf celebration platter.
Ranginak
Manama, Bahrain · easy · 35 minDates stuffed with walnuts under a blanket of toasted spiced flour and cinnamon, a rich Bahraini and Gulf sweet.
Madrouba
Doha, Qatar · easy · 90 minA soft, porridge-like rice and chicken dish beaten smooth with spices and dried lime, comforting Qatari Ramadan fare.
Assidat al-Boubar
Doha, Qatar · easy · 50 minA warm pumpkin pudding of toasted flour, date syrup, and cardamom, a warming Qatari Ramadan sweet.
Mastava
Dushanbe, Tajikistan · easy · 70 minA hearty rice soup with meat, chickpeas, and vegetables, brightened with herbs and a spoon of yogurt, a Tajik staple.
Ichlekli
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan · medium · 85 minA large baked pastry pie filled with spiced meat, onion, and potato, a rustic Turkmen specialty for gatherings.
Ikan Sabuko
Dili, Timor-Leste · easy · 40 minMackerel marinated in tamarind and lime, then grilled with basil and chili, the fresh coastal favourite of Timor-Leste.
Injo-gogi-bap
Pyongyang, North Korea · easy · 35 minSheets of soybean 'meat' stuffed with rice and topped with a spicy sauce, a resourceful North Korean street food.
Gangnaengi-tteok
Pyongyang, North Korea · easy · 50 minChewy steamed corn cakes lightly sweetened and often dotted with beans, a homely North Korean treat.
Turkmen Palaw
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan · medium · 85 minTurkmenistan's national rice pilaf: chicken browned with sweet julienned carrots and onion, then steamed under a mound of basmati until fluffy.
Turkmen Shashlyk (Çişlik)
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan · easy · 50 minCubes of lamb marinated overnight with onion and vinegar, threaded onto skewers, grilled over coals, and finished with a pour of melted butter.
Zereshk Polo ba Morgh (Barberry Rice with Chicken)
Tehran, Iran · medium · 100 minSaffron chicken simmered in a tomato sauce, served with fluffy basmati layered with tart-sweet barberries fried in butter.
Three-Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji)
Taipei, Taiwan · easy · 40 minBone-in chicken braised with heaps of ginger and garlic in a glossy sauce of sesame oil, soy, and rice wine, finished with a flurry of Thai basil.
Beef Lok Lak
Siem Reap, Cambodia · easy · 30 minCubes of marinated beef seared hard and shaken in the pan, piled on crisp lettuce and tomato with a tangy Kampot pepper and lime dipping sauce.
Khailmag (Caramelized Clotted Cream)
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia · easy · 25 minA rich Mongolian dessert of urum, clotted cream, cooked down slowly with sugar and a little flour into a thick, caramel-toned pudding eaten warm with a spoon.
Zhansak (Walnut and Honey Candy)
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan · easy · 20 minA traditional Kyrgyz tea candy of crushed walnuts bound with mountain honey and sary may, the local clarified butter, then set and dried into sweet pieces.
Nishallo (Whipped Ramadan Sweet)
Dushanbe, Tajikistan · medium · 25 minA glossy white Tajik whip of egg whites beaten into a hot sugar syrup and scented with vanilla, made for iftar in Ramadan and scooped up with warm bread.
Pishme (Turkmen Fried Dough Diamonds)
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan · medium · 110 minTurkmenistan's celebration sweet: little diamonds of light yeasted dough fried until puffed and golden, then dusted with sugar.
Babilak Ai-luka (Cassava and Coconut Balls)
Dili, Timor-Leste · easy · 35 minTimorese sweet fritters of grated cassava and fresh coconut bound with brown sugar and a little basil, rolled into balls and fried golden.
Chả Cá Lã Vọng
Hanoi (Red River Delta), Vietnam · medium · 50 minHanoi's turmeric fish, marinated golden with galangal, seared then finished in a sizzling pan under a cloud of dill and spring onion, served over rice noodles with peanuts.
Shish Taouk
Beirut, Lebanon · easy · 35 minLebanese chicken skewers marinated in garlic, lemon and yogurt with warm spices, grilled until charred and tender, and served with pillowy toum garlic sauce and pita.
Sayadieh
Beirut, Lebanon · medium · 70 minThe Lebanese fisherman's dish of spiced white fish over deeply caramelised onion rice, cooked in fish stock and crowned with toasted pine nuts.
Roti Canai
Penang, Malaysia · medium · 50 minA flaky, stretched-thin griddle flatbread from the mamak stall, crisp outside and soft in layers within, served with a bowl of dhal to dip.
Nasi Kandar
Penang, Malaysia · medium · 65 minFragrant rice with an aromatic chicken curry, dhal, and okra, flooded with mixed curry gravy the banjir way, Penang's Tamil-Muslim classic.
Cheese Bourekas
Tel Aviv, Israel · medium · 55 minFlaky puff-pastry triangles filled with tangy feta and ricotta, glazed with egg and scattered with sesame and nigella seeds.
Nihari
Lahore (Punjab), Pakistan · advanced · 270 minA dawn stew of beef shank and marrow slow-cooked in a dozen spices until the gravy turns silky, brightened with ginger, chilli and lemon.
Haleem
Lahore (Punjab), Pakistan · advanced · 240 minA thick, slow-pounded porridge of shredded beef, wheat, barley and lentils, crowned with crisp fried onions, ginger and lemon.
Aloo Tama Bodi (Potato, Bamboo Shoot and Black-Eyed Bean Curry)
Kathmandu Valley, Nepal · easy · 65 minA tangy Newari one-pot curry of potatoes, fermented bamboo shoots, and black-eyed beans, soured by the tama and tempered in mustard oil.
Samlor Korko (Khmer Stirring Soup)
Siem Reap, Cambodia · medium · 70 minA thick, rustic Khmer soup of many vegetables built on lemongrass kroeung, prahok, and toasted ground rice, often called Cambodia's national dish.
Guriltai Shul (Mutton Noodle Soup)
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia · medium · 105 minA hearty Mongolian soup of fatty mutton and thick hand-cut wheat noodles in a peppery broth with onion and root vegetables.
Shurpa (Lamb and Vegetable Soup)
Tashkent, Uzbekistan · easy · 140 minA slow-simmered Uzbek soup of bone-in lamb and large chunks of vegetables in a clear golden broth, finished with dill and cilantro.
Dimlama (Layered Steamed Stew)
Tashkent, Uzbekistan · easy · 210 minAn Uzbek one-pot stew of meat and vegetables layered in a sealed pot and cooked in their own steam and juices until everything is meltingly tender.
Galayet Bandora (Fried Tomatoes)
Amman, Jordan · easy · 50 minA simple Jordanian skillet of ripe tomatoes simmered down in plenty of olive oil with sliced garlic and green chilli until jammy, scooped up with warm pita.
Mujaddara (Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions)
Amman, Jordan · easy · 55 minA humble Levantine pilaf of brown lentils and rice cooked together and crowned with deeply caramelized onions, seasoned simply with cumin.
Kacchi Biryani (Dhaka-Style Mutton Biryani)
Dhaka, Bangladesh · advanced · 160 minA Dhaka celebration biryani in which raw yogurt-marinated goat meat and potatoes are layered under par-boiled rice and sealed to cook together on slow dum.
Chingri Malaikari (Prawn Coconut Curry)
Dhaka, Bangladesh · medium · 50 minLarge prawns gently simmered in a subtle, creamy coconut-milk gravy with onion paste, ginger, and warm spices, a festive Bengali treat served with rice.
Bolani (Stuffed Flatbread)
Kabul, Afghanistan · medium · 60 minA thin Afghan flatbread folded around a spiced mashed-potato and leek filling and pan-fried until crisp, served with a mint-yogurt dip.
Chapli Kebab (Spiced Flat Beef Patty)
Kabul, Afghanistan · medium · 50 minA flat, disc-shaped Pashtun patty of coarsely minced beef packed with coarsely crushed coriander, pomegranate seeds, chilli, and tomato, shallow-fried crisp at the edges.
Shan Noodles (Shan Khauk Swe)
Yangon, Myanmar · easy · 45 minSoft rice noodles tossed with a savoury tomato-chicken sauce and topped with crushed peanuts, pickled mustard greens, and herbs, from Myanmar's Shan State.
Ohn No Khauk Swe (Coconut Chicken Noodles)
Yangon, Myanmar · medium · 60 minWheat noodles in a pale, gently rich coconut-and-chicken broth thickened with chickpea flour, finished with egg, lime, and crisp fried noodles.
Jalebi
Punjab, India · medium · 50 minCrisp fermented-batter spirals deep-fried and soaked in warm saffron-cardamom syrup, the bright coils shared at Diwali and celebrations across North India.
Besan Ladoo
Punjab, India · medium · 35 minGram flour slow-roasted in ghee until nutty and golden, sweetened with cardamom sugar and rolled into melt-in-the-mouth balls, a quintessential Diwali mithai.
Nian Gao (New Year Rice Cake)
Shanghai, China · medium · 65 minA dense, chewy steamed cake of glutinous rice flour and dark brown sugar, studded with jujube and walnut, eaten at Lunar New Year because its name puns on rising higher each year.
Gujiya
Punjab, India · advanced · 75 minCrisp half-moon pastries of maida filled with khoya, coconut, nuts and cardamom, deep-fried and made above all for Holi, when they are prepared at home and gifted between families.
Malpua
West Bengal (Kolkata), India · medium · 45 minFried flour-and-milk pancakes with crisp lacy edges and a soft centre, soaked in cardamom sugar syrup, a festive sweet made across North and East India for Holi, Navratri and Diwali.
Puran Poli
Maharashtra (Mumbai), India · advanced · 70 minA soft wheat flatbread stuffed with a sweet, spiced chana dal and jaggery filling, griddled with ghee, made across Maharashtra for Holi and Gudi Padwa.
Lahmajoun
Yerevan, Armenia · medium · 52 minPaper-thin Armenian flatbread spread with a bright, spiced lamb and pepper paste, baked crisp and eaten with lemon.
Sini Manti
Yerevan, Armenia · advanced · 100 minTiny open Armenian dumplings baked crisp, then bathed in a tomato broth and topped with garlic yogurt and sumac.
Shah Plov
Baku, Azerbaijan · advanced · 115 minThe crown pilaf of Azerbaijan: saffron rice, meat and dried fruit sealed in a buttered lavash crust and baked golden.
Dovga
Baku, Azerbaijan · medium · 50 minA warm Azerbaijani yogurt soup thick with fresh herbs, rice and chickpeas, stirred constantly so it never splits.
Kewa Datshi
Thimphu, Bhutan · easy · 40 minBhutan comfort food: sliced potatoes simmered with green chilies and melted farmer cheese into a creamy stew.
Tepsi Baytinijan
Baghdad, Iraq · medium · 90 minAn Iraqi tray bake of fried eggplant, potato, tomato and spiced meatballs braised together in a tangy tomato sauce.
Iraqi Quzi
Baghdad, Iraq · advanced · 210 minThe Iraqi feast dish: spice-braised then roasted lamb piled on saffron rice and showered with toasted nuts and raisins.
Palestinian Maqluba
West Bank, Palestine · medium · 110 minThe Palestinian upside-down pot: spiced chicken, fried vegetables and rice layered, cooked, then flipped into a tower.
Sumagiyya
West Bank, Palestine · medium · 120 minThe signature Gazan stew: beef, chard and chickpeas thickened with sumac-steeped water and tahini, spiked with dill and chili.
Jareesh
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia · medium · 165 minA Najdi Saudi comfort dish of crushed wheat slow-cooked with meat and yogurt into a creamy, savoury porridge.
Saleeg
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia · medium · 95 minA Hijazi Saudi dish of short-grain rice cooked soft in milk and chicken broth to a creamy porridge, topped with roasted chicken.
Bahraini Machboos
Manama, Bahrain · medium · 90 minBahrain national dish: chicken braised in a baharat and dried-lime spiced tomato base, then rice cooked in that broth.
Bahraini Hammour with Daqqus
Manama, Bahrain · easy · 50 minWhole grouper baked Bahrain-style with turmeric and dried lime, served with daqqus, the Gulf spiced tomato sauce.
Kuwaiti Margoog
Kuwait City, Kuwait · medium · 105 minA hearty Kuwaiti one-pot of lamb and vegetables with sheets of hand-rolled dough torn straight into the spiced broth.
Gabout
Kuwait City, Kuwait · advanced · 105 minKuwaiti stuffed dough dumplings filled with spiced lamb, simmered in a golden saffron and dried-lime broth with vegetables.
Qatari Machboos
Doha, Qatar · medium · 90 minQatar national rice dish: chicken braised in a loomi and baharat spiced tomato base, then rice steamed in that broth.
Qatari Thareed
Doha, Qatar · medium · 100 minA Qatari lamb and vegetable stew ladled over torn regag bread so the thin flatbread soaks up the spiced broth.
Emirati Machboos
Dubai, United Arab Emirates · medium · 95 minEmirati spiced chicken and rice cooked in one pot with dried lime, bzar spices, saffron and a finishing touch of rosewater.
Emirati Harees
Dubai, United Arab Emirates · medium · 230 minAn Emirati dish of whole wheat and lamb simmered for hours and beaten to a smooth savoury porridge, finished with ghee.
Mishkak
Muscat, Oman · easy · 45 minOman favourite street food: cubes of meat in a tangy tamarind and spice marinade, skewered and grilled over charcoal.
Omani Harees
Muscat, Oman · medium · 200 minThe Omani wheat porridge: cracked wheat and chicken slow-simmered creamy, scented with saffron and a spiced Omani ghee.
Fahsa
Sana’a, Yemen · medium · 180 minA bubbling Yemeni lamb stew served in a hot stone pot and crowned with hilbeh, whipped fenugreek foam, with hawaij spice.
Zurbian
Sana’a, Yemen · advanced · 150 minA Yemeni celebration biryani: saffron rice layered with yogurt-marinated lamb and potatoes, finished over low heat.
Katong Laksa
Singapore, Singapore · advanced · 85 minSingapore Katong laksa: rice noodles cut short in a rich coconut and dried-shrimp gravy with prawns, tofu puffs and laksa leaf.
Chilli Crab
Singapore, Singapore · medium · 50 minSingapore unofficial national dish: mud crab wok-tossed in a sweet, spicy, savoury tomato-chili sauce laced with egg ribbons.
Fattoush
Damascus, Syria · easy · 30 minA bright Syrian chopped salad of crisp vegetables and toasted flatbread in a tangy sumac and pomegranate molasses dressing.
Shish Barak
Damascus, Syria · advanced · 105 minLittle Syrian meat dumplings baked then simmered in a warm, garlicky cooked-yogurt sauce, finished with fried garlic and pine nuts.
Kazakh Manti
Almaty, Kazakhstan · advanced · 105 minLarge Kazakh steamed dumplings filled with hand-chopped lamb, pumpkin and plenty of onion, served with sour cream.
Kazakh Plov
Almaty, Kazakhstan · medium · 95 minThe Kazakh celebration pilaf: rice cooked over lamb, sweet carrots and onion in a cauldron until every grain is separate and rich.
Ashlyanfu
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan · medium · 60 minA cold Kyrgyz noodle bowl of wheat noodles and springy starch jelly in a spicy, vinegary vegetable broth with egg ribbons.
Kuurdak
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan · easy · 55 minOne of Central Asia oldest dishes: chunks of meat fried in their own fat with onion and potato until browned and crisp.
Oshi Palav
Dushanbe, Tajikistan · medium · 100 minTajikistan national dish and king of meals: rice steamed over lamb, yellow carrots, chickpeas and cumin in a single pot.
Tajik Sambusa
Dushanbe, Tajikistan · medium · 70 minFlaky Tajik pastry triangles filled with spiced minced meat and onion, sprinkled with sesame and baked golden.
Kukulhu Riha
Malé, Maldives · easy · 60 minA gently spiced Maldivian chicken curry simmered in coconut milk with curry leaves, pandan and island spices.
Bis Keemiya
Malé, Maldives · medium · 60 minCrisp fried Maldivian pastry parcels filled with tuna, cabbage, onion and boiled egg, the islands favourite tea-time snack.
Pyongyang Manduguk
Pyongyang, North Korea · advanced · 150 minA clear northern Korean dumpling soup: hand-folded mandu of beef and tofu simmered in a light, restrained beef broth.
Bruneian Nasi Lemak
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei · medium · 65 minBrunei coconut rice plate: fragrant santan rice with a caramelised sambal, crisp anchovies, peanuts, egg and cucumber.
Bruneian Beef Rendang
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei · advanced · 210 minA Bruneian dry curry of beef slow-simmered in coconut milk and a lemongrass spice paste until dark, tender and richly reduced.
Tukir
Dili, Timor-Leste · medium · 140 minA festive Timorese stew of goat or lamb braised with tamarind, turmeric, lemongrass and mint, traditionally cooked in bamboo.
Caril de Galinha
Dili, Timor-Leste · easy · 65 minA mild Timorese chicken curry built on roasted red capsicum and coconut milk, gently spiced and subtly sweet.
Pasta alla Norma
Sicily, Italy · easy · 50 minFried eggplant, tomato, basil, and salted ricotta over pasta, Catania's tribute to its favorite opera.
Ratatouille Niçoise
Provence, France · medium · 90 minSummer vegetables stewed separately then united, Provence's answer to a garden at peak harvest.
Paella de Verduras (Valencian Vegetable Paella)
Valencia, Spain · medium · 60 minSaffron rice cooked wide and shallow until it forms the prized socarrat crust, loaded with market vegetables.
Pierogi Ruskie (Potato & Cheese Dumplings)
Lesser Poland, Poland · medium · 70 minTender dumplings stuffed with potato and farmer's cheese, finished in butter with golden onions.
Gemista (Stuffed Summer Vegetables)
Crete, Greece · medium · 105 minTomatoes and peppers baked slowly around an herbed rice filling, with potatoes roasting in the juices.
Käsespätzle
Swabia, Germany · medium · 50 minFresh egg noodles scraped into boiling water, layered with alpine cheese and buried in crispy onions.
Varenyky (Potato Dumplings)
Poltava, Ukraine · medium · 90 minHalf-moon dumplings of tender dough filled with mashed potato and fried onion, boiled and tossed in butter, served with fried onions and sour cream.
Borscht
Poltava, Ukraine · medium · 85 minThe famous beet soup, sweet-sour and garnet-red, ladled over beans and finished with dill and sour cream.
Spaghetti alle Vongole
Campania, Italy · medium · 35 minSpaghetti tossed with clams, garlic, white wine, and parsley, the Bay of Naples in eight ingredients.
Mămăligă cu Brânză și Smântână
Transylvania, Romania · easy · 40 minGolden polenta layered with salty sheep’s cheese and cool sour cream, Carpathian shepherd food, unchanged for centuries.
Carbonnade Flamande
Flanders, Belgium · easy · 170 minBeef braised in dark Belgian beer with onions and a mustard-slathered slice of bread, sweet-sour, deep, and made for frites.
Karjalanpiirakka (Karelian Pies)
North Karelia, Finland · medium · 90 minLittle rye-crusted boats filled with creamy rice porridge, brushed with butter and topped with egg butter.
Trofie al Pesto Genovese
Liguria, Italy · easy · 40 minHand-twisted pasta with true Genoese pesto, plus the potatoes and green beans that Liguria insists belong in the pot.
Moussaka
Attica (Athens), Greece · advanced · 120 minLayers of eggplant and cinnamon-scented lamb under a deep duvet of béchamel, baked bronze.
Tortilla Española
Madrid, Spain · medium · 50 minThe potato-and-egg omelette that anchors every Spanish bar, flipped whole, argued about forever.
Smørrebrød (Three Classics)
Zealand (Copenhagen), Denmark · easy · 45 minDenmark’s open-faced rye sandwiches, built in proper order: egg & tomato, potato & chive, and beet & apple.
Ćevapi
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina · easy · 40 minHand-rolled grilled beef fingers tucked into pillowy somun with raw onion and kajmak, Sarajevo’s pride.
Plokkfiskur
Reykjavík, Iceland · easy · 45 minIceland’s "plucked fish": cod and potatoes folded into a warm, oniony white sauce, served with dark rye and butter.
Risotto alla Milanese
Lombardy (Milan), Italy · medium · 40 minSaffron-gold risotto mounted with butter and Parmigiano until it flows like lava, Milan’s luminous classic.
Pastéis de Nata
Lisbon, Portugal · medium · 45 minBlistered puff-pastry cups filled with silky cinnamon-scented custard, Lisbon’s daily miracle, best warm.
Šaltibarščiai (Cold Beet Soup)
Vilnius, Lithuania · easy · 40 minA shocking-pink chilled soup of beets, kefir, cucumber, and dill, Lithuania’s summer in a bowl, with hot potatoes on the side.
Stuffat tal-Fenek (Rabbit Stew)
Valletta, Malta · medium · 145 minMalta’s national dish: slow-braised rabbit in red wine, tomato, and bay, the centerpiece of a village fenkata feast.
Brudet (Dalmatian Fish Stew)
Dalmatia, Croatia · medium · 70 minAn Adriatic stew of mixed fish simmered in a tomato, onion, garlic and white-wine base, traditionally served over soft polenta.
Tarator (Cold Yogurt and Cucumber Soup)
Sofia, Bulgaria · easy · 15 minA chilled Bulgarian summer soup of thinned yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, dill and walnuts, finished with a drizzle of oil.
Banitsa
Sofia, Bulgaria · medium · 65 minCoiled phyllo layered with tangy white cheese and egg, baked into a golden spiral, Bulgaria’s breakfast and New Year charm.
Spanakopita
Macedonia (Thessaloniki), Greece · medium · 75 minSpinach, herbs, and feta folded into shatteringly crisp phyllo, northern Greece’s classic greens pie.
Tavë Kosi
Tirana, Albania · medium · 80 minLamb and rice baked under a tangy, set yogurt-and-egg custard, Albania’s national comfort dish.
Cacio e Pepe
Lazio (Rome), Italy · medium · 20 minJust pasta, pecorino, and black pepper, emulsified into a glossy, peppery sauce with nothing but starchy water and technique.
Marmitako
Basque Country, Spain · easy · 60 minA Basque tuna and potato stew built on choricero pepper pulp, fishermen’s food, cooked on the boat between catches.
Tavče Gravče
Skopje, North Macedonia · easy · 95 minNorth Macedonia's national dish: white beans baked in a clay pan with paprika, peppers, and mint.
Ribollita
Tuscany, Italy · easy · 95 minA thick Tuscan "reboiled" soup of cannellini beans, cavolo nero, and day-old bread.
Pulpo a la Gallega
Galicia, Spain · medium · 75 minTender boiled octopus on soft potato, dusted with smoked paprika and coarse salt, Galicia's festival dish.
Beef Stroganoff
Moscow, Russia · medium · 45 minSeared strips of beef and mushrooms in a mustard-spiked sour cream sauce over noodles, 19th-century Moscow at its most elegant.
Mămăligă cu Brânză
Chișinău, Moldova · easy · 40 minThick cornmeal polenta layered with salty sheep's cheese and sour cream, the soul of Moldovan tables.
Kačamak
Cetinje, Montenegro · medium · 50 minWhipped cornmeal-and-potato mash beaten with young cheese and clotted kaymak until glossy and rich.
Flija
Pristina, Kosovo · advanced · 150 minA patient, many-layered pancake built up batter-by-batter under live coals, served with butter and cream.
Draniki
Minsk, Belarus · easy · 45 minCrisp-edged potato pancakes fried golden and served with a generous spoon of sour cream.
Käsknöpfle
Vaduz, Liechtenstein · medium · 50 minSoft little dumplings tossed with melting mountain cheese and crowned with sweet fried onions.
Bacalhau à Brás
Lisbon, Portugal · medium · 45 minShredded salt cod tangled with straw-thin fried potatoes and softly scrambled egg, dotted with olives.
Chicken Kyiv
Poltava, Ukraine · advanced · 60 minA breaded chicken cutlet rolled around herb-garlic butter that bursts out golden when you cut in.
Irish Stew
Munster, Ireland · easy · 140 minA gentle, honest stew of lamb, potato, and onion slow-simmered into pure comfort.
Fårikål
Vestland (Bergen), Norway · easy · 135 minNorway's national dish: lamb and cabbage layered with whole peppercorns and simmered until tender.
Swiss Cheese Fondue
Bern, Switzerland · medium · 35 minA communal pot of melted Gruyère and Emmental with white wine and garlic, for dipping bread.
Stocafi
Monaco, Monaco · medium · 100 minMonaco's stockfish stew, simmered in tomato, wine, olives, and herbs until rich and tender.
Granita con Brioche
Sicily, Italy · easy · 15 minIcy lemon (or coffee, almond) granita scooped into a soft brioche col tuppo, a Sicilian summer breakfast.
Pain Perdu
Provence, France · easy · 22 minThick slices of day-old baguette soaked in vanilla custard and fried golden in butter, the French original of French toast.
Churros con Chocolate
Valencia, Spain · medium · 30 minCrisp ridged fritters dusted with sugar, for dipping into a thick cup of hot chocolate.
Jajecznica
Lesser Poland, Poland · easy · 15 minSoft, buttery Polish scrambled eggs with chives, served with fresh bread.
Bougatsa
Crete, Greece · medium · 55 minCrisp phyllo pastry wrapped around a warm semolina custard, dusted with sugar and cinnamon.
Torrada com Galão
Minho, Portugal · easy · 10 minThick toasted bread drenched in butter, served with a tall glass of milky galão coffee.
Bundáskenyér
Great Hungarian Plain, Hungary · easy · 15 minHungarian "fur-coat bread", slices dipped in seasoned egg and milk and fried golden.
Syrniki
Poltava, Ukraine · easy · 30 minLittle pan-fried cottage-cheese pancakes, golden outside and tender within, served with sour cream and jam.
Havregröt
Skåne, Sweden · easy · 12 minWarm oat porridge topped with lingonberry or blueberry and a splash of cold milk.
Beans on Toast
Cornwall, United Kingdom · easy · 10 minSaucy baked beans piled onto hot buttered toast, the humble British comfort breakfast.
Wentelteefjes
Gelderland, Netherlands · easy · 22 minStale bread turned in cinnamon-sugar custard and fried in butter until golden, the classic Dutch way to use up an old loaf.
Koláče
Bohemia, Czechia · medium · 50 minSoft sweet buns with a dimple of fruit, poppy seed, or sweet cheese filling.
Omletă Țărănească
Transylvania, Romania · easy · 25 minA rustic Romanian peasant omelette with tomato, pepper, onion, and salty telemea cheese.
Norwegian Vafler (Heart Waffles)
Vestland (Bergen), Norway · easy · 30 minSoft, cardamom-scented waffles cooked in a heart-shaped iron, served warm with brown cheese, jam, or sour cream.
Wiener Frühstück
Vienna, Austria · easy · 14 minA Viennese breakfast of a crusty Kaisersemmel, soft-boiled egg, butter, jam, and a milky Melange.
Belgian Waffles
Flanders, Belgium · medium · 40 minDeep-pocketed waffles, crisp outside and fluffy within, dusted with sugar or topped with fruit.
Pannukakku (Finnish Oven Pancake)
North Karelia, Finland · easy · 35 minA single thick, custardy pancake baked in a hot buttered pan until puffed and golden, cut in squares and eaten with jam and berries.
Wienerbrød
Zealand (Copenhagen), Denmark · advanced · 60 minThe original "Danish": flaky laminated pastry with custard or jam, glazed and eaten with coffee.
Uštipci with Kajmak
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina · easy · 35 minLittle fried dough balls served warm with kajmak clotted cream and soft cheese.
Hafragrautur (Icelandic Oat Porridge)
Reykjavík, Iceland · easy · 17 minCreamy stovetop oat porridge simmered with a pinch of salt, served the Icelandic way with a spoon of skyr, brown sugar, and butter.
Varškės Blynai (Curd Cheese Pancakes)
Vilnius, Lithuania · easy · 30 minLittle pan-fried pancakes of fresh curd cheese, crisp and golden outside and tender inside, served with sour cream and jam.
Pastizzi
Valletta, Malta · medium · 55 minDiamond-shaped flaky pastries filled with ricotta or mushy peas, Malta's favorite savory bite.
Proja
Šumadija (Belgrade), Serbia · easy · 45 minA crumbly Serbian cornbread studded with white cheese, baked until golden and eaten with kajmak.
Palačinke
Dalmatia, Croatia · easy · 30 minThin crepes rolled around jam, walnut, or chocolate, a Croatian breakfast and dessert.
Petulla
Tirana, Albania · easy · 35 minSoft Albanian fried dough eaten warm with honey, jam, feta, or a dusting of sugar.
Burek
Skopje, North Macedonia · medium · 60 minCoiled flaky pastry filled with cheese, baked golden and eaten with a drinking yogurt.
Grechnevaya Kasha
Moscow, Russia · easy · 23 minToasted buckwheat simmered until fluffy and served with butter, the quintessential Russian porridge.
Kama
Tartu, Estonia · easy · 5 minToasted grain-and-pea flour stirred into kefir or buttermilk with a little honey, a uniquely Estonian breakfast.
Sklandrausis (Rye Carrot Tart)
Riga, Latvia · medium · 65 minLittle hand-raised rye pastry cases filled with potato and sweet spiced carrot purees, baked until set, an ancient Livonian specialty.
Plăcintă cu Brânză
Chișinău, Moldova · medium · 45 minPan-fried or baked flatbread pockets stuffed with salty cheese, a Moldovan morning favorite.
Priganice
Cetinje, Montenegro · easy · 35 minSmall, airy fried dough puffs served with honey, cheese, and jam, a Montenegrin breakfast treat.
Halloumi and Eggs
Nicosia, Cyprus · easy · 15 minSlices of grilled halloumi with fried eggs and fresh tomato, the classic Cypriot breakfast.
Kachkéis (Luxembourg Cooked Cheese)
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg · medium · 25 minAged curd melted down on the stove with butter and caraway into a glossy, tangy spreadable cheese, poured out to set and eaten on bread with mustard.
Pite me Spinaq
Pristina, Kosovo · medium · 65 minLayered thin-pastry pie filled with spinach and cheese, baked until crisp, a Kosovo staple.
Manna Kasha
Minsk, Belarus · easy · 15 minSmooth semolina milk porridge, lump-free and lightly sweet, topped with jam or butter.
Pa amb Tomàquet
Andorra la Vella, Andorra · easy · 8 minRustic bread rubbed with ripe tomato and garlic, drizzled with olive oil and salt.
Bircher Müesli
Vaduz, Liechtenstein · easy · 10 minOats soaked overnight in milk and yogurt with grated apple, nuts, and a squeeze of lemon.
Socca
Monaco, Monaco · easy · 22 minA thin, crisp-edged chickpea-flour pancake baked hot and eaten in torn pieces with black pepper.
Maritozzo con Panna
Vatican City, Vatican City · medium · 48 minA soft, sweet Roman bun split and filled with a thick cloud of whipped cream.
Pizza Margherita
Campania, Italy · medium · 45 minThe original Neapolitan pizza: a blistered, chewy base with tomato, mozzarella, and basil, the red, white, and green of Italy.
Tiramisù
Lombardy (Milan), Italy · easy · 30 minCoffee-soaked ladyfingers layered with airy mascarpone cream and dusted with cocoa, Italy's most famous dessert.
Crème Brûlée
Burgundy, France · medium · 65 minA silky vanilla custard under a brittle sheet of torched caramel, the crack of the spoon half the pleasure.
Bocadillo de Calamares
Madrid, Spain · easy · 30 minA crusty roll packed with rings of lightly battered fried squid and a squeeze of lemon, Madrid's improbable landlocked classic.
Tarta de Santiago
Galicia, Spain · easy · 50 minA dense, moist almond cake marked with the cross of Saint James and dusted with sugar, Galicia's pilgrim dessert.
Sernik
Lesser Poland, Poland · medium · 95 minA dense, rich baked cheesecake made from Polish twaróg curd cheese, a cornerstone of every celebration table.
Chicken Souvlaki
Attica (Athens), Greece · easy · 45 minSkewers of lemon-and-oregano marinated chicken grilled and wrapped in warm pita with tzatziki, Greece's favorite fast lunch.
Galaktoboureko
Attica (Athens), Greece · medium · 75 minA creamy semolina custard baked between crisp layers of phyllo and drenched in citrus syrup, a Greek pastry classic.
Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte
Swabia, Germany · advanced · 75 minLayers of chocolate sponge soaked in cherry kirsch, whipped cream, and morello cherries, the famous Black Forest gateau.
Lángos
Great Hungarian Plain, Hungary · medium · 105 minA plate-sized disc of deep-fried dough rubbed with garlic and heaped with sour cream and cheese, Hungary's market-day treat.
Dobos Torte
Great Hungarian Plain, Hungary · advanced · 90 minThin sponge layers stacked with chocolate buttercream under a crown of hard caramel, a jewel of Hungarian patisserie.
Nalysnyky
Poltava, Ukraine · medium · 50 minThin crepes rolled around sweet-savory curd cheese and baked in butter, a comforting Ukrainian home dish.
Kyiv Cake
Poltava, Ukraine · advanced · 160 minCrisp hazelnut meringue layers filled with a chestnut-scented buttercream, the famous cake of Ukraine's capital.
Boxty
Munster, Ireland · easy · 35 minA soft potato pancake made from both grated raw and mashed potato, griddled golden, an Irish comfort classic.
Barmbrack
Munster, Ireland · easy · 80 minA lightly spiced tea-soaked fruit loaf, tied to Halloween and its hidden fortune-telling charms.
Räksmörgås
Skåne, Sweden · easy · 30 minA lavish open sandwich piled high with cold peeled shrimp, egg, and dill mayonnaise, a Swedish lunch indulgence.
Kanelbullar
Skåne, Sweden · medium · 55 minCardamom-scented cinnamon buns crowned with pearl sugar, the heart of the Swedish coffee ritual of fika.
Fish and Chips
Cornwall, United Kingdom · medium · 45 minCrisp beer-battered white fish with thick-cut chips, salt, and vinegar, Britain's definitive seaside meal.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Cumbria (Lake District), United Kingdom · medium · 60 minA moist date sponge drowned in warm toffee sauce, the most comforting of British puddings, best with cream.
Stroopwafel
Gelderland, Netherlands · advanced · 70 minTwo thin waffle wafers pressed around a layer of warm caramel syrup, the Dutch treat meant to rest on your coffee cup.
Smažený Sýr
Bohemia, Czechia · easy · 25 minA thick slab of breaded, deep-fried cheese served with tartar sauce and potatoes, a Czech pub lunch.
Ovocné Knedlíky
Bohemia, Czechia · medium · 45 minSoft dumplings wrapped around whole plums or apricots, boiled and rolled in butter, curd, and sugar, a Czech summer treat.
Papanași
Transylvania, Romania · medium · 35 minFried curd-cheese doughnuts topped with sour cream and tart jam, a warm Romanian dessert.
Fiskekaker
Vestland (Bergen), Norway · easy · 35 minLight pan-fried fish cakes bound with milk and potato starch, a Norwegian everyday staple served with vegetables.
Skolebrød
Vestland (Bergen), Norway · medium · 55 minCardamom buns cradling a pool of vanilla custard, iced and edged with coconut, a Norwegian bakery favorite.
Frittatensuppe
Vienna, Austria · easy · 40 minClear beef broth poured over ribbons of sliced savory pancake, a classic Viennese starter and light lunch.
Sachertorte
Vienna, Austria · advanced · 85 minA dense chocolate sponge with a thin layer of apricot jam under a glossy dark chocolate glaze, Vienna's famous cake.
Moules-Frites
Flanders, Belgium · easy · 40 minA steaming pot of mussels cooked in white wine and shallots, served with a heap of crisp Belgian fries.
Speculoos
Flanders, Belgium · easy · 35 minThin, crisp caramelized spice biscuits traditionally baked for Saint Nicholas, the coffee companion of the Low Countries.
Lohikeitto
North Karelia, Finland · easy · 40 minA creamy salmon soup with potato, leek, and dill, the warming everyday bowl of the Finnish table.
Mustikkapiirakka
North Karelia, Finland · easy · 50 minA rustic blueberry pie on a soft cardamom base with a tangy quark topping, made from Finland's wild forest berries.
Älplermagronen
Bern, Switzerland · easy · 40 minAlpine macaroni baked with potato, cream, and cheese, topped with fried onions and served with applesauce.
Engadiner Nusstorte
Bern, Switzerland · medium · 80 minA buttery shortcrust tart filled with caramelized walnuts, the keeping cake of Switzerland's Engadine valley.
Risalamande
Zealand (Copenhagen), Denmark · easy · 60 minA cold almond rice pudding folded with whipped cream and cherry sauce, the Danish Christmas dessert with a hidden almond.
Begova Čorba
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina · medium · 70 minA rich, velvety chicken and okra soup finished with a sour cream and egg yolk liaison, the noble Bey's soup of Bosnian cuisine.
Tufahije
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina · medium · 55 minWhole apples poached in syrup and stuffed with sweet walnuts, topped with cream, an elegant Ottoman-Bosnian sweet.
Vínarterta
Reykjavík, Iceland · medium · 70 minA striped layer cake of thin cardamom shortbread and spiced prune filling, an Icelandic Christmas heirloom.
Kibinai
Vilnius, Lithuania · medium · 70 minGolden hand pies of flaky pastry stuffed with seasoned minced meat and onion, a Karaim specialty of Lithuania.
Tinginys
Vilnius, Lithuania · easy · 25 minA no-bake chocolate log of crushed biscuits set in a cocoa-butter mixture, sliced to reveal a mosaic, a Lithuanian classic.
Ftira
Valletta, Malta · easy · 15 minA crusty ring of Maltese bread filled with tuna, tomato, capers, and olives, the island's sun-soaked sandwich.
Imqaret
Valletta, Malta · medium · 45 minDiamond-shaped fried pastries filled with spiced date paste, a Maltese street sweet scented with aniseed and orange.
Zagorski Štrukli
Dalmatia, Croatia · medium · 75 minThin dough parcels of cottage cheese baked under cream until golden and bubbling, a comforting Croatian classic.
Fritule
Dalmatia, Croatia · easy · 40 minLittle rum-and-citrus doughnut balls studded with raisins and dusted with sugar, a Croatian festive fritter.
Shopska Salata
Sofia, Bulgaria · easy · 15 minDiced tomato, cucumber, and pepper under a snowy blanket of grated white cheese, Bulgaria's national salad.
Garash Torta
Sofia, Bulgaria · advanced · 70 minA flourless walnut cake layered with dark chocolate cream, a rich and elegant Bulgarian celebration torte.
Šúľance s Makom
Bratislava, Slovakia · medium · 45 minSoft little potato-dough rolls tossed in ground poppy seed, butter, and sugar, a nostalgic Slovak sweet.
Fërgesë
Tirana, Albania · easy · 45 minPeppers and tomato baked with soft white cheese into a rich, bubbling dish, the pride of Tirana's kitchen.
Trileçe
Tirana, Albania · medium · 60 minA sponge soaked in three milks and finished with a caramel glaze, Albania's much-loved milk cake.
Prekmurska Gibanica
Ljubljana, Slovenia · advanced · 120 minA grand layered pastry of poppy seed, walnut, apple, and cottage cheese, Slovenia's most celebrated cake.
Ravanija
Skopje, North Macedonia · easy · 50 minA moist semolina cake drenched in sweet syrup, a simple dessert across North Macedonia.
Medovik
Moscow, Russia · advanced · 100 minMany thin honey-baked layers stacked with a tangy sour-cream frosting, Russia's classic honey cake.
Kiluvõileib
Tartu, Estonia · easy · 25 minAn open rye sandwich of salty Baltic sprats with egg and onion, a classic Estonian and Baltic bite.
Kringel
Tartu, Estonia · medium · 65 minA twisted, braided sweet bread swirled with cinnamon, the celebratory loaf of the Estonian coffee table.
Rupjmaizes Kārtojums
Riga, Latvia · easy · 35 minA layered trifle of toasted rye breadcrumbs, tart cranberry, and whipped cream, a uniquely Latvian dessert.
Zeamă
Chișinău, Moldova · medium · 70 minA tangy chicken noodle soup soured with fermented bran brine and fragrant with lovage, Moldova's restorative bowl.
Cornulețe
Chișinău, Moldova · medium · 60 minTender sour-cream crescents rolled around a sweet walnut filling and dusted with sugar, a Moldovan holiday cookie.
Rožata
Cetinje, Montenegro · medium · 75 minA silky caramel custard scented with rose liqueur, the classic celebration dessert of the Montenegrin coast.
Loukoumades
Nicosia, Cyprus · medium · 110 minAiry fried dough puffs soaked in honey syrup and dusted with cinnamon, an ancient sweet loved across Cyprus.
Quetschentaart
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg · easy · 65 minA shortcrust tart of sharp quetsch plums under a cinnamon dusting, Luxembourg's classic late-summer bake.
Pasul
Pristina, Kosovo · easy · 105 minA slow-simmered white bean stew rich with paprika and onion, the everyday food of Kosovo.
Sheqerpare
Pristina, Kosovo · medium · 50 minSoft semolina cookies soaked in sugar syrup until melting, a popular sweet across Kosovo and the Balkans.
Kulaga
Minsk, Belarus · easy · 35 minA thick, warm berry and rye porridge sweetened to a jammy pudding, an old Belarusian forest-berry dessert.
Coca
Andorra la Vella, Andorra · medium · 65 minA sweet flatbread scented with anise and topped with sugar and candied fruit, an Andorran festival bake.
Apfelchüechli
Vaduz, Liechtenstein · easy · 30 minBattered apple rings fried golden and dusted with cinnamon sugar, a warm Alpine treat of Liechtenstein.
Pan Bagnat
Monaco, Monaco · easy · 30 minA round loaf soaked in olive oil and packed with a Niçoise salad of tuna, egg, and vegetables, a Riviera lunch.
Fougasse Monégasque
Monaco, Monaco · medium · 65 minA sweet anise-and-orange-blossom bread topped with nuts and tiny red-and-white sweets, Monaco's festive bake.
Cappelletti in Brodo
City of San Marino, San Marino · advanced · 120 minLittle hat-shaped filled pasta floating in a clear, rich broth, the festive first course of San Marino.
Torta Tre Monti
City of San Marino, San Marino · medium · 35 minCrisp wafer layers stacked with chocolate-hazelnut cream and glazed, the emblematic cake of San Marino's three towers.
Supplì
Vatican City, Vatican City · medium · 50 minFried risotto rice croquettes with a molten mozzarella centre, the Roman street snack found around the Vatican.
Crostata di Ricotta e Visciole
Vatican City, Vatican City · medium · 85 minA shortcrust tart of sweet ricotta and tart sour cherries, the classic Roman-Jewish dessert of the old Ghetto.
Pollo alla Cacciatora
Tuscany, Italy · easy · 75 minBone-in chicken browned and braised the hunter's way with rosemary, sage, red wine, a little tomato, and black olives.
Piri-Piri Chicken
Lisbon, Portugal · easy · 60 minA spatchcocked chicken marinated in a fiery bird's-eye chile, garlic, lemon, and paprika sauce, then charcoal-grilled and basted until charred.
Crni Rižot (Black Cuttlefish Risotto)
Dalmatia, Croatia · medium · 70 minA jet-black Adriatic risotto of cuttlefish braised with garlic, white wine, and its own ink, stirred glossy with rice and no cheese.
Lampuki Pie (Torta tal-Lampuki)
Valletta, Malta · medium · 90 minAn autumn fish pie of lampuki baked in pastry with spinach, cauliflower, olives, capers, and pine nuts in a rich tomato filling.
Scotch Broth
Scotland (Moray Coast), United Kingdom · easy · 140 minA thick Scottish one-pot soup of lamb on the bone, pearl barley, split peas, and winter root vegetables, simmered until a spoon can stand in it.
Irish Soda Bread
Munster, Ireland · easy · 55 minA dense, tangy four-ingredient loaf leavened with baking soda and buttermilk, no yeast and no kneading, baked with a deep cross cut into the top.
Gravlax (Gravad Lax)
Skåne, Sweden · easy · 20 minSalmon dry-cured for a couple of days in salt, sugar, dill and white pepper, sliced paper-thin and served with a sweet mustard-dill sauce.
Janssons Frestelse (Jansson’s Temptation)
Skåne, Sweden · easy · 80 minA creamy gratin of matchstick potatoes layered with sweet onions and Swedish spiced sprats, baked in cream and milk until golden.
Poffertjes
Gelderland, Netherlands · medium · 35 minSmall, puffy yeast-raised pancakes made with buckwheat and wheat flour, served hot in a heap under a knob of butter and a heavy dusting of icing sugar.
Kulajda
Bohemia, Czechia · medium · 55 minA creamy, sharply sour South Bohemian soup of potatoes and mushrooms thick with dill, finished with vinegar and topped with a poached egg.
Kjøttkaker i Brun Saus
Vestland (Bergen), Norway · medium · 65 minLarge, flat Norwegian beef meat cakes bound with potato flour and milk, browned and stewed in a glossy brown gravy, with boiled potatoes and lingonberry.
Rømmegrøt
Vestland (Bergen), Norway · medium · 30 minA rich Norwegian festive porridge made by cooking full-fat sour cream with flour until its butterfat separates, loosened with milk and served with cinnamon sugar.
Tafelspitz
Vienna, Austria · medium · 210 minViennese boiled beef gently simmered with root vegetables into a clear broth, sliced and served with apple-horseradish and chive sauces.
Kaiserschmarrn
Vienna, Austria · medium · 40 minA fluffy Austrian pancake lightened with beaten egg whites, torn into pieces and caramelised in butter and sugar, dusted with icing sugar and served with plum compote.
Gentse Waterzooi
Flanders, Belgium · medium · 90 minA creamy Flemish chicken stew from Ghent, thick with julienned root vegetables and potatoes, finished with an egg-yolk and cream liaison.
Inlagd Sill (Pickled Herring)
Skåne, Sweden · easy · 35 minSalt herring soaked and pickled in a sweet-sour 1-2-3 brine of vinegar, sugar and water with allspice, bay and red onion, the centrepiece of the Swedish Midsummer table alongside new potatoes and soured cream.
Färskpotatis med Dill (New Potatoes with Dill)
Skåne, Sweden · easy · 28 minYoung new potatoes boiled with dill and salt, then tossed in butter and fresh chopped dill, the essential Swedish Midsummer side whose arrival marks the start of summer.
Jordgubbstårta (Strawberry Cream Cake)
Skåne, Sweden · medium · 75 minThe signature Swedish Midsummer cake: an airy sponge layered with vanilla cream and fresh strawberries, covered in whipped cream and crowned with more berries in the red-and-white of the Swedish flag.
Brezn (Bavarian Soft Pretzel)
Bavaria (Munich), Germany · advanced · 55 minThe glossy dark-brown Bavarian soft pretzel, chewy-crusted and scattered with coarse salt, dipped in an alkaline bath before baking, carried by the armful at Oktoberfest.
Wiesn Hendl (Oktoberfest Roast Chicken)
Bavaria (Munich), Germany · easy · 75 minThe true Oktoberfest treat: a whole chicken rubbed with paprika butter and stuffed with parsley, roasted until the skin is deep golden and crisp, then served in halves.
Obatzda (Bavarian Cheese Spread)
Bavaria (Munich), Germany · easy · 15 minA rust-coloured beer-garden spread of ripe camembert mashed with butter, paprika, caraway and onion, scooped up with pretzels and radishes.
Bayerischer Kartoffelsalat (Bavarian Potato Salad)
Bavaria (Munich), Germany · easy · 40 minWarm sliced waxy potatoes dressed while hot with mustardy broth, vinegar, oil and onion (no mayonnaise), the light southern German potato salad served all through Oktoberfest.
Blaukraut (Bavarian Braised Red Cabbage)
Bavaria (Munich), Germany · easy · 75 minRed cabbage slowly braised sweet-and-sour with apple, vinegar, cloves and juniper until glossy and tender, the classic Bavarian side to roast pork knuckle and Oktoberfest roasts.
Zopf (Butterzopf)
Bern, Switzerland · medium · 65 minSwitzerland's glossy Sunday-morning braid: a soft milk-and-butter bread plaited and glazed to deep mahogany.
Rødgrød med Fløde
Zealand (Copenhagen), Denmark · easy · 50 minThe taste of a Danish summer: red summer berries cooked to a thick pudding and served cold under a pour of cream.
Bosanski Lonac
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina · easy · 240 minThe "Bosnian pot": chunks of beef and vegetables layered raw in a tall pot and slow-cooked for hours into a rich stew.
Sogan-dolma
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina · medium · 110 minA Sarajevo trademark: single onion layers wrapped around spiced minced beef and rice, braised soft and served with sour cream.
Kjötsúpa
Reykjavík, Iceland · easy · 95 minIceland's beloved lamb-and-root-vegetable soup: bony lamb simmered with potato, carrot, swede and cabbage.
Hangikjöt
Reykjavík, Iceland · medium · 165 minIceland's Christmas centerpiece: smoked lamb gently boiled and sliced, served with béchamel, potatoes, peas and pickled red cabbage.
Qifqi
Tirana, Albania · medium · 60 minGjirokastër's signature fried rice fritters bound with egg and white cheese and heavily scented with mint, served with yogurt.
Jani me Fasule
Tirana, Albania · easy · 165 minThe Albanian white-bean stew: creamy beans slow-simmered with onion, paprika, tomato and olive oil, brightened with mint.
Štruklji
Ljubljana, Slovenia · medium · 60 minOne of Slovenia's most iconic dishes: thin dough rolled around a cottage-cheese filling, boiled in a cloth and sliced.
Turli Tava
Skopje, North Macedonia · easy · 150 minA Macedonian clay-pot bake of mixed summer vegetables and meat, slow-roasted together until everything melts into one dish.
Rosolje
Tartu, Estonia · easy · 80 minEstonia's vivid pink festive salad of diced beetroot, potato, herring, egg and apple in a creamy mustard dressing.
Kleftiko
Nicosia, Cyprus · easy · 260 minCyprus's celebrated slow-roasted lamb: sealed with lemon, garlic, oregano, cinnamon and potatoes until it falls off the bone.
Louvi me Lahana
Nicosia, Cyprus · easy · 55 minA simple Cypriot Lenten staple: black-eyed beans simmered with chard and dressed warm with olive oil and lemon.
Gromperekichelcher
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg · easy · 40 minLuxembourg's funfair favorite: crisp grated-potato fritters with onion and parsley, fried golden and eaten with apple sauce.
Kholodnik
Minsk, Belarus · easy · 65 minA vivid magenta Belarusian summer soup: cold beets in kefir with cucumber, dill and egg, served with hot boiled potatoes.
Cunillo
Andorra la Vella, Andorra · medium · 120 minA Pyrenean rabbit stew simmered slowly in a herbed tomato and garlic sauce until fork-tender.
Tavë me Presh
Pristina, Kosovo · easy · 95 minA Kosovar leek bake: sweet caramelised leeks layered with paprika-spiced minced meat and slow-baked in one dish.
Speca të Mbushura
Pristina, Kosovo · medium · 105 minBell peppers stuffed with beef and rice, baked upright in tomato sauce until the skins slump and the rice plumps.
Bustrengo
City of San Marino, San Marino · easy · 80 minSan Marino's dense rustic cake of cornmeal, bread, apple and dried fruit sweetened with honey, a Christmas classic.
Ribel
Vaduz, Liechtenstein · easy · 35 minOne of Liechtenstein's most original dishes: cornmeal simmered in milk and water, then toasted in butter into golden crumbs.
Törkarebl
Vaduz, Liechtenstein · easy · 35 minThe gentle Unterland version of Liechtenstein's corn dish: grits scalded and soaked, then slowly toasted crumbly and eaten with elderberry jam.
Carciofi alla Romana
Vatican City, Vatican City · medium · 60 minWhole Roman artichokes stuffed with garlic and wild mint, then braised upright in olive oil and water until meltingly tender.
Pichade
Monaco, Monaco · medium · 120 minThe Riviera's answer to pizza: a bread-dough tart spread with slow-cooked tomato and onion, dotted with black olives and anchovy.
Shchi
Moscow, Russia · easy · 170 minOne of Russia's oldest soups: sauerkraut and cabbage simmered with beef into a tangy, comforting bowl finished with sour cream and dill.
Blini (Russian Thin Pancakes)
Moscow, Russia · easy · 40 minThin, lacy pancakes swirled paper-thin in the pan and rolled or folded around jam and sour cream, a cornerstone of the Russian table.
Soupe au Pistou
Monaco, Monaco · easy · 75 minA summer vegetable and white bean soup finished off the heat with pistou, a raw pounded paste of basil, garlic and cheese.
Jerk Chicken
Kingston (Surrey), Jamaica · medium · 65 minChicken marinated in scallion, thyme, allspice, and Scotch bonnet, grilled low and smoky.
Curry Goat
Kingston (Surrey), Jamaica · medium · 180 minBone-in goat marinated in Jamaican curry and green seasoning, then braised slow with allspice, thyme, and Scotch bonnet until it falls from the bone.
Escovitch Fish
Kingston (Surrey), Jamaica · easy · 45 minWhole snapper fried crisp, then drenched in a hot vinegar pickle of onion, carrot, Scotch bonnet, and pimento.
Lomo Saltado
Lima, Peru · easy · 35 minBeef flash-fried in a smoking wok with soy, vinegar, tomatoes, and fries, Lima's Chinese-Peruvian icon.
Moqueca Baiana (Bahian Fish Stew)
Bahia, Brazil · easy · 45 minFish simmered in coconut milk, dendê palm oil, peppers, and lime in a clay pot, the taste of the Bahian coast.
Arepas con Quesito & Hogao
Antioquia, Colombia · easy · 45 minGriddled corn cakes split and filled with fresh cheese, spooned over with a warm tomato-scallion sauce.
Empanadas Mendocinas
Mendoza, Argentina · medium · 70 minBaked empanadas the Mendoza way: a juicy beef and olive filling heavy on onion, sealed with a braided edge.
Poutine
Québec, Canada · easy · 55 minHot fries, squeaky cheese curds, and glossy pepper gravy, rural Québec’s gift to late nights everywhere.
Doubles
Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago · medium · 70 minTwo soft turmeric flatbreads folded around curried chickpeas, tamarind, and pepper sauce, Trinidad’s street-corner breakfast.
Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Puffs)
Minas Gerais, Brazil · easy · 40 minChewy-crisp little cheese breads made from tapioca starch, naturally gluten-free and dangerously poppable.
Ropa Vieja
Havana, Cuba · medium · 170 minBeef braised and shredded into a rich tomato-pepper sofrito, Cuba’s national dish, named "old clothes."
Moros y Cristianos
Havana, Cuba · easy · 90 minBlack beans and white rice cooked together in one pot with a cumin-scented sofrito until every grain turns dusky and savory, the everyday soul of the Cuban table.
Porotos Granados
Central Valley, Chile · easy · 60 minSummer stew of fresh beans, corn, squash, and basil, Chile’s pre-Columbian trinity in one pot.
Llapingachos
Pichincha (Andes), Ecuador · medium · 60 minGolden potato patties with melting cheese centers, griddled and served with peanut sauce and pickled onions.
Enfrijoladas
Oaxaca, Mexico · easy · 40 minCorn tortillas bathed in silky black-bean sauce, folded and finished with cheese, crema, and onion.
Cachapas con Queso
Caracas, Venezuela · easy · 35 minSweet fresh-corn pancakes griddled golden and folded over melting salty cheese, roadside Venezuela at its best.
Diri Kolé ak Pwa
Ouest (Port-au-Prince), Haiti · easy · 65 minHaiti’s national rice and beans: red beans cooked into coconut-scented rice with thyme, clove, and Scotch bonnet.
Pepián de Pollo
Sacatepéquez (Antigua), Guatemala · medium · 75 minChicken in a deep, toasty sauce of charred tomatoes, chiles, and ground seeds, Guatemala’s Mayan-rooted national stew.
Texas Chili con Carne
Texas, United States · medium · 175 minChunks of beef braised in a pure dried-chile sauce, no beans, no tomato, no apologies. Thickened with masa.
Birria
Jalisco, Mexico · medium · 210 minJalisco’s chile-marinated slow braise, served as a rich consomé with tortillas, or griddled into dripping quesabirria tacos.
Rocoto Relleno
Arequipa, Peru · medium · 75 minArequipa’s fiery rocoto peppers stuffed with spiced beef, olives, and raisins, capped with melting cheese.
Ajiaco Santafereño
Bogotá, Colombia · easy · 80 minBogotá’s three-potato chicken soup thickened by the potatoes themselves, perfumed with guascas, finished with cream and capers.
Empanadas Colombianas
Antioquia, Colombia · medium · 70 minCrisp golden corn-dough turnovers stuffed with shredded beef and potato, fried until they shatter and dipped in a bright cilantro ají.
Casado
San José, Costa Rica · easy · 60 minThe soda-counter plate that "marries" rice, black beans, sweet plantains, salad, and a griddled protein.
Ahi Poke
Hawai‘i, United States · easy · 20 minHawai‘i’s original fish salad: cubed raw ahi with soy, sesame oil, sweet onion, and limu, over warm rice.
Nanaimo Bars
British Columbia, Canada · easy · 30 minA no-bake three-layer bar: coconut-crumb base, custard-cream middle, chocolate top, named for a BC harbor town.
Pozole Verde
Guerrero, Mexico · medium · 85 minHominy and chicken in a bright green broth of tomatillos, pepitas, and herbs, Guerrero’s Thursday ritual bowl.
Pupusas con Curtido
San Salvador, El Salvador · medium · 50 minHand-patted masa cakes stuffed with cheese and beans, griddled until molten, served with tangy cabbage curtido.
Guyanese Pepperpot
Demerara (Georgetown), Guyana · medium · 170 minMeat slow-simmered in cassareep, cinnamon, and hot pepper until glossy black, the Amerindian-rooted Christmas classic.
Baleadas
San Pedro Sula, Honduras · easy · 45 minA thick flour tortilla folded over refried beans, salty cheese, and crema, Honduras’ perfect handheld meal.
Sancocho de Gallina
Panama City, Panama · easy · 95 minA restorative hen soup with yam, yuca, and a mountain of culantro, Panama’s cure for everything from hangovers to heartbreak.
Cou-Cou & Flying Fish
Bridgetown, Barbados · medium · 55 minSilky okra-studded cornmeal cou-cou beside flying fish steamed in a spicy Bajan tomato gravy, the national dish.
Cioppino
California (San Francisco), United States · medium · 60 minSan Francisco’s Italian-immigrant seafood stew, crab, clams, and fish in a garlicky tomato-wine broth, eaten with sourdough.
Brigadeiro
Minas Gerais, Brazil · easy · 25 minFudgy chocolate truffles of condensed milk cooked with cocoa and butter, rolled in sprinkles. No Brazilian party exists without them.
Belizean Stew Chicken
Belize City, Belize · easy · 80 minChicken marinated in recado rojo, browned in caramelized sugar, and stewed dark, served with rice and beans.
Philly Cheesesteak
Pennsylvania (Philadelphia), United States · easy · 30 minThin-shaved ribeye and melted cheese piled into a soft hoagie roll, Philadelphia's greatest sandwich.
Ceviche
Lima, Peru · easy · 25 minFresh white fish cured in lime "leche de tigre" with red onion, chili, and cilantro, Peru's national dish.
Pom
Paramaribo, Suriname · medium · 130 minA festive baked casserole of grated pomtajer root and citrus-marinated chicken, crisp on top and tangy within.
Keshi Yena
Willemstad, Curaçao · medium · 75 minA shell of Edam or Gouda cheese stuffed with spiced chicken, olives, capers, and raisins, then baked until molten.
Green Fig and Saltfish
Castries, Saint Lucia · easy · 50 minSaint Lucia's national breakfast: boiled green bananas tossed with sautéed salted cod, peppers, and herbs.
Goat Water
Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis · medium · 175 minA rich, spiced goat stew thickened with breadfruit or flour and scented with clove and rum, the Saturday pot.
Callaloo and Crab
Roseau, Dominica · medium · 80 minDasheen (taro) leaves simmered with coconut, aromatics, and land crab into a lush green one-pot.
Roast Breadfruit and Fried Jackfish
Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · medium · 75 minThe national dish of St. Vincent: fire-roasted breadfruit with seasoned fried jackfish and a tomato sauce.
Pelau
Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago · medium · 80 minA one-pot of caramel-browned chicken, rice, and pigeon peas cooked in coconut milk.
Silpancho
La Paz, Bolivia · medium · 55 minA Cochabamba plate of rice, potato, a thin breaded beef cutlet, and a fried egg over chopped salad.
Vaho
Managua, Nicaragua · medium · 150 minA steamed Nicaraguan feast of marinated beef, green and ripe plantains, and yuca layered in banana leaves.
La Bandera Dominicana
Cibao, Dominican Republic · easy · 75 minThe Dominican everyday plate: white rice, stewed red beans, and braised meat, often with fried plantain.
Pollo con Tajadas
San Pedro Sula, Honduras · easy · 50 minHonduran fried or grilled chicken over crisp green-plantain chips with cabbage slaw and sauces.
Bahamian Stew Fish
Nassau, Bahamas · easy · 60 minFish simmered in a dark browned-flour gravy with tomato, thyme, and lime, a Bahamian breakfast-to-dinner staple.
Codfish and Potatoes
Hamilton, Bermuda · easy · 60 minBermuda's traditional Sunday plate: salt cod and potatoes with egg, avocado, banana, and a tomato or egg sauce.
Cuscuz Nordestino
Bahia, Brazil · easy · 30 minA fluffy steamed cornmeal cake from Brazil's northeast, moistened and finished with butter or coconut, naturally gluten-free morning fuel.
Tortas Fritas
Mendoza, Argentina · easy · 35 minSimple fried dough discs, crisp-edged and dusted with sugar, that Argentines make on rainy mornings to eat with mate.
Sopaipillas
Central Valley, Chile · medium · 40 minGolden pumpkin-dough fritters, soft and faintly sweet, fried up on cold Chilean mornings and eaten with pebre or chancaca syrup.
Bolón de Verde
Pichincha (Andes), Ecuador · medium · 35 minA ball of mashed green plantain stuffed with cheese, pan-crisped golden, the filling coastal breakfast of Ecuador.
Arepas con Perico
Caracas, Venezuela · easy · 35 minGriddled corn arepas split and filled with perico, soft scrambled eggs cooked down with tomato, onion, and pepper.
Api con Pastel
La Paz, Bolivia · medium · 45 minA hot, spiced purple-corn drink thick with cinnamon and clove, served with a crisp fried cheese pastry dusted in sugar.
Sada Roti with Tomato Choka
Demerara (Georgetown), Guyana · medium · 40 minSoft griddled flatbread torn and dipped into smoky fire-roasted tomato choka sharpened with garlic and onion, a vegan Guyanese classic.
Bara
Paramaribo, Suriname · medium · 50 minLittle savory fried rings of ground urdi and flour, green with chopped tajer leaf and heavy with masala, eaten hot with chutney or sambal.
Arepa di Pampuna
Willemstad, Curaçao · easy · 30 minSweet Curaçaoan pumpkin pancakes, spiced with cinnamon and anise and fried until lacy-edged, a Dutch-Caribbean morning treat.
Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
New England (Massachusetts), United States · easy · 25 minTall, fluffy buttermilk pancakes studded with bursting blueberries and drowned in real maple syrup, the classic American weekend stack.
Ackee and Saltfish
Kingston (Surrey), Jamaica · medium · 35 minJamaica's national dish for breakfast: silky ackee sautéed with flaked salt cod, peppers, onion, and Scotch bonnet, eaten with fried dumplings.
Tostada Cubana con Café con Leche
Havana, Cuba · easy · 15 minButtered Cuban bread pressed flat and crisp, cut into batons for dunking into sweet, milky espresso, the quintessential Havana breakfast.
Espageti Ayisyen
Ouest (Port-au-Prince), Haiti · easy · 30 minHaiti's famous breakfast spaghetti tossed with smoky herring, onions, peppers, and a hit of epis and ketchup, savory morning comfort.
Desayuno Chapín
Sacatepéquez (Antigua), Guatemala · easy · 35 minThe full Guatemalan breakfast plate: eggs, soupy black beans, fried sweet plantain, fresh cream, and warm corn tortillas.
Chorreadas con Natilla
San José, Costa Rica · easy · 25 minSweet-savory fresh corn pancakes, crisp at the edges, served with a dollop of cool natilla (sour cream), a Costa Rican country breakfast.
Plátanos Fritos con Frijoles y Crema
San Salvador, El Salvador · easy · 30 minCaramelized fried plantains with thick refried beans and a swirl of crema, the humble Salvadoran típico breakfast.
Tortilla Panameña con Queso
Panama City, Panama · easy · 25 minA thick, crisp-fried corn cake, not a thin tortilla at all, split hot and stuffed with melting white cheese, a staple Panamanian breakfast.
Mallorca
San Juan, Puerto Rico · advanced · 135 minA soft, buttery coiled sweet bread, pressed warm and snowed with powdered sugar, the pride of Puerto Rican panaderías at breakfast.
Bajan Saltfish Cakes
Bridgetown, Barbados · easy · 30 minCrisp, fluffy fritters of salt cod, flour, and herbs fried golden and eaten hot with pepper sauce, a Bajan breakfast and street favorite.
Fry Jacks
Belize City, Belize · easy · 35 minPuffy, crisp triangles of fried dough eaten with refried beans, eggs, or jam, the golden centerpiece of a Belizean breakfast.
Boiled Fish and Johnny Cake
Nassau, Bahamas · medium · 45 minA light, limey grouper broth with potatoes and onion, served with a slab of sweet Bahamian johnny cake for dunking, a true island breakfast.
Cocoa Tea and Fried Bakes
St. George's, Grenada · medium · 40 minSpiced local cocoa simmered into a rich, cinnamon-scented "tea," served with hot fried bakes, breakfast on the Spice Isle.
Antiguan Fried Dumplings with Cheese
St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda · easy · 35 minGolden, slightly sweet fried dumplings split open around a wedge of sharp cheese, a simple, filling Antiguan breakfast.
Bermuda Banana Bread
Hamilton, Bermuda · easy · 75 minA dense, moist banana loaf, lightly spiced and buttery, that Bermudians bake for breakfast and afternoon tea alike.
Stewed Saltfish with Dumplings
Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis · medium · 50 minSalt cod stewed down with tomato, onion, and pepper, served with boiled dumplings and ground provisions, the national breakfast of St. Kitts.
Fried Bakes with Zaboca
Roseau, Dominica · easy · 35 minGolden fried bakes split and filled with seasoned mashed avocado (zaboca), a simple, satisfying vegan breakfast from the Nature Isle.
Fried Bakes and Saltfish
Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · medium · 40 minSautéed salt cod with onion, tomato, and pepper tucked into hot fried bakes, the everyday breakfast of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Ají de Gallina
Lima, Peru · medium · 60 minShredded chicken in a creamy, gently spicy sauce of aji amarillo, bread, and walnuts, a Lima lunchtime classic.
Suspiro a la Limeña
Lima, Peru · medium · 50 minA layer of thick caramel dulce de leche under a cloud of port-scented meringue, Lima's most romantic dessert.
Sancocho
Antioquia, Colombia · easy · 80 minA big-boned chicken broth with plantain, cassava, corn, and potato, Colombia's restorative weekend lunch.
Natilla Colombiana
Antioquia, Colombia · easy · 35 minA firm, sliceable cinnamon custard set with cornstarch and sweetened with raw-cane panela, Colombia's Christmas sweet.
Alfajores de Maicena
Mendoza, Argentina · medium · 42 minTwo tender cornstarch shortbreads sandwiching dulce de leche, edges rolled in coconut, Argentina's national cookie.
Leche Asada
Central Valley, Chile · easy · 55 minA rustic baked milk custard with a scorched, caramelised top, Chile's homelier cousin of crème caramel.
Encebollado
Pichincha (Andes), Ecuador · easy · 50 minA brothy tuna-and-cassava soup topped with a tangle of pickled red onion, Ecuador's midday cure-all.
Higos con Queso
Pichincha (Andes), Ecuador · easy · 105 minWhole figs slow-cooked in dark panela syrup and served with a slice of fresh cheese, an Ecuadorian classic.
Pabellón Criollo
Caracas, Venezuela · medium · 115 minShredded beef, black beans, white rice, and fried sweet plantain on one plate, Venezuela's national dish.
Quesillo
Caracas, Venezuela · easy · 75 minA dense caramel-topped custard set with whole eggs and condensed milk, the Venezuelan flan of every celebration.
Vori Vori
Asunción, Paraguay · medium · 70 minA golden chicken broth thick with little cornmeal-and-cheese dumplings, Paraguay's warming everyday soup.
Dulce de Mamón
Asunción, Paraguay · easy · 110 minGreen papaya slow-cooked in clove-and-cinnamon syrup until translucent and jammy, a Paraguayan pantry sweet.
Tarta Pascualina
Montevideo, Uruguay · medium · 75 minA flaky double-crust pie of chard and ricotta with whole eggs baked inside, an everyday River Plate lunch.
Chajá
Montevideo, Uruguay · medium · 65 minAiry sponge layered with whipped cream, peaches, and crushed meringue, Uruguay's cloud-light celebration cake.
Cook-up Rice
Demerara (Georgetown), Guyana · easy · 55 minA one-pot of rice and peas simmered in coconut milk with meat and herbs, Guyana's Saturday-night comfort dish.
Cassava Pone
Demerara (Georgetown), Guyana · easy · 95 minA dense, chewy bake of grated cassava, coconut, and warm spice, a much-loved Guyanese teatime slice.
Roti met Kip
Paramaribo, Suriname · medium · 80 minGriddled split-pea roti served with a curried chicken, potato, and long-bean masala, Suriname's signature plate.
Bojo Cake
Paramaribo, Suriname · medium · 100 minA dense, moist cake of cassava and coconut spiked with rum and raisins, Suriname's Creole celebration bake.
Capirotada
Jalisco, Mexico · easy · 50 minToasted bread soaked in a dark clove-and-cinnamon piloncillo syrup, layered with cheese, raisins, and nuts, Mexico's Lenten pudding.
Lobster Roll
New England (Massachusetts), United States · easy · 25 minSweet chunks of cold lobster in a light lemony mayonnaise, piled into a buttered, griddled split-top bun.
Apple Pie
Pennsylvania (Philadelphia), United States · medium · 95 minA double-crust pie of cinnamon-spiced apples in flaky butter pastry, the definitive American dessert.
Jamaican Beef Patty
Kingston (Surrey), Jamaica · medium · 70 minA golden turmeric-tinted pastry turnover filled with spiced, peppery ground beef, Jamaica's handheld lunch.
Sweet Potato Pudding
Kingston (Surrey), Jamaica · easy · 95 minA dense, spiced pudding of grated sweet potato and coconut, known for its soft top and firmer base.
Bake and Shark
Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago · medium · 50 minCrisp fried flatbread split and stuffed with seasoned fried fish and a riot of sauces and salads, a Maracas beach classic.
Kurma
Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago · easy · 45 minCrunchy fried sticks of ginger-spiced dough tumbled in a hard sugar glaze, a Trinidadian Indo-Caribbean sweet.
Pastelitos de Guayaba
Havana, Cuba · easy · 45 minFlaky puff-pastry parcels of sweet guava paste and cream cheese, glazed shiny, the classic Cuban bakery pastry.
Soup Joumou
Ouest (Port-au-Prince), Haiti · medium · 120 minA golden squash soup with beef, pasta, and root vegetables, Haiti's soup of freedom, eaten every New Year's Day.
Pen Patat
Ouest (Port-au-Prince), Haiti · easy · 90 minA dense baked pudding of sweet potato, banana, and coconut milk, warmly spiced, a Haitian Sunday sweet.
Tostadas Guatemaltecas
Sacatepéquez (Antigua), Guatemala · easy · 40 minCrisp fried tortillas topped three ways, with guacamole, tomato salsa, or black beans, a light Guatemalan street lunch.
Rellenitos de Plátano
Sacatepéquez (Antigua), Guatemala · medium · 50 minSweet fried plantain dumplings stuffed with spiced black bean paste, a Guatemalan treat.
Tres Leches
Managua, Nicaragua · medium · 60 minAn airy sponge soaked in three milks and crowned with meringue, the cake Nicaragua claims as its own.
Chicharrón de Pollo
Cibao, Dominican Republic · easy · 50 minMarinated chicken pieces dredged and fried crisp, a Dominican favorite from colmado counters and family lunches.
Habichuelas con Dulce
Cibao, Dominican Republic · easy · 70 minA sweet, creamy pudding of blended red beans, coconut, and sweet potato, a uniquely Dominican Lenten dessert.
Cajeta de Coco
San José, Costa Rica · medium · 55 minA dense coconut-and-milk fudge cooked down to chewy squares, a traditional Costa Rican homemade candy.
Panes con Pollo
San Salvador, El Salvador · medium · 90 minWarm baguette rolls stuffed with relajo-spiced chicken, salad, and a savory gravy, El Salvador's festive sandwich.
Quesadilla Salvadoreña
San Salvador, El Salvador · easy · 55 minA sweet, dense pound cake made with hard cheese and topped with sesame seeds, El Salvador's coffee-break classic.
Sopa de Caracol
San Pedro Sula, Honduras · medium · 65 minA rich conch soup in coconut broth with yuca, plantain, and corn, the Garifuna coastal dish Honduras made famous.
Rosquillas en Miel
San Pedro Sula, Honduras · medium · 55 minLittle corn-and-cheese rings simmered in a dark spiced sugar syrup, a Honduran and Central American sweet.
Ceviche Panameño
Panama City, Panama · easy · 25 minDiced corvina cured in lime with onion, celery, and habanero, the fish-market lunch sold in cups across Panama City.
Sopa Borracha
Panama City, Panama · medium · 55 minSponge cake drenched in a spiced rum-and-prune syrup, Panama's boozy celebration dessert, despite the 'soup' in its name.
Tembleque
San Juan, Puerto Rico · easy · 25 minA wobbling coconut pudding set with cornstarch and dusted with cinnamon, a light Puerto Rican holiday classic.
Macaroni Pie
Bridgetown, Barbados · easy · 55 minBaked macaroni bound in a sharp, mustardy cheese custard and cut into firm squares, the Bajan Sunday-lunch staple.
Conkies
Bridgetown, Barbados · medium · 90 minSpiced cornmeal, coconut, and pumpkin steamed in banana leaves, a Barbadian treat tied to Independence season.
Garnaches
Belize City, Belize · easy · 35 minCrisp fried tortillas topped with refried beans, cheese, and pickled cabbage, Belize's favorite street snack-lunch.
Belizean Bread Pudding
Belize City, Belize · easy · 80 minA dense, dark bread pudding rich with coconut, raisins, and rum, spiced and baked until firm, a Belizean classic.
Kadushi
Willemstad, Curaçao · medium · 70 minA thick, green cactus soup with salted fish and okra, a truly local Curaçaoan dish born of the arid island.
Bolo Pretu
Willemstad, Curaçao · advanced · 130 minA dark, dense fruitcake of rum-soaked fruit and browning, the celebration cake of Curaçao and the Dutch Antilles.
Grenadian Nutmeg Ice Cream
St. George's, Grenada · easy · 25 minA cool, creamy ice cream fragrant with fresh-grated nutmeg, showcasing the spice that defines the Isle of Spice.
Saint Lucian Pumpkin Rice
Castries, Saint Lucia · easy · 45 minRice simmered with sweet pumpkin, coconut, and island herbs into a soft, golden one-pot, an everyday Lucian lunch.
Antiguan Chop-Up
St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda · easy · 40 minSpinach, okra, and eggplant boiled and chopped smooth with saltfish, an Antiguan everyday plate often eaten with fungee.
Coconut Sugar Cake
Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis · easy · 35 minChewy pink-and-white coconut candy set in ginger sugar syrup, a nostalgic Saint Kitts and Nevis sweet.
Dominica Guava Cheese
Roseau, Dominica · medium · 60 minA firm, chewy guava paste cooked down and cut into sugared squares, a confection traditional to Dominica.
Duckanoo
Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · medium · 70 minSweet spiced cornmeal and coconut tied in banana leaves and boiled, a West African legacy sweet of Saint Vincent.
Bermuda Fish Sandwich
Hamilton, Bermuda · medium · 35 minA generous fried fish fillet piled with slaw and tartar sauce on sweet raisin bread, Bermuda's iconic weekend lunch.
Bahamian Conch Salad
Nassau, Bahamas · easy · 25 minFresh conch diced and cured at the table in lime and sour orange with sweet peppers, tomato, cucumber, and fiery goat pepper.
Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich
Québec, Canada · easy · 30 minHand-carved, spice-cured smoked beef brisket steamed until tender and piled high on rye with a swipe of yellow mustard.
Dominica Bouyon
Roseau, Dominica · medium · 90 minA thick one-pot of ground provisions, dumplings, dasheen leaves, and salt beef simmered with coconut and Caribbean herbs.
Grenadian Fish Broth
St. George's, Grenada · medium · 60 minA restorative Saturday soup of fresh fish, green figs, and provisions simmered with dumplings, coconut, and island spice.
Conch Souse
Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis · easy · 65 minTender boiled conch pickled in a cool, bright broth of lime, onion, cucumber, and scotch bonnet, a St Kitts weekend favorite.
Tri-Tri Cakes
Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · easy · 30 minTiny river fish folded into a herbed batter and fried into crisp golden fritters, a seasonal Saint Vincent delicacy.
Guava Duff
Nassau, Bahamas · medium · 105 minA boiled sweet dough rolled around ribbons of ripe guava, sliced into spirals and drowned in a warm rum-butter sauce.
Bermuda Rum Cake
Hamilton, Bermuda · medium · 80 minA dense, buttery cake soaked in dark Bermuda rum, the island's signature celebration dessert.
Coconut Turnover
Castries, Saint Lucia · medium · 65 minSoft sweet yeasted dough folded around spiced, sticky grated coconut, a Saint Lucian bakery treat.
Ducana
St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda · medium · 75 minSweet grated sweet potato and coconut spiced and steamed in banana leaves, a traditional Antiguan treat.
Kak'ik (Q'eqchi' Turkey Soup)
Sacatepéquez (Antigua), Guatemala · medium · 120 minA clear, deep-red Maya turkey soup built on a charred recado of tomato, tomatillo, and smoky cobanero chile, finished with mint and cilantro.
Tira de Asado con Chimichurri
Montevideo, Uruguay · medium · 140 minCross-cut beef short ribs salted and grilled slowly over wood embers until the fat renders, served with a sharp garlic and parsley chimichurri.
Arroz con Pollo a la Cubana
Havana, Cuba · easy · 70 minChicken browned and simmered into golden rice with a sofrito of onion, pepper, and garlic, tomato, dry wine, saffron, pimientos, and peas.
Guyanese Chicken Chow Mein
Demerara (Georgetown), Guyana · easy · 45 minSeasoned noodles tossed with cassareep-marinated chicken, bora beans, and crisp vegetables in a savoury five-spice and soy sauce.
Thayacha (Andean Frozen Oca)
La Paz, Bolivia · easy · 40 minAn ancient Bolivian altiplano treat: sweet oca tubers boiled with cinnamon, then frozen overnight into a natural ice, sold in the winter markets of La Paz and El Alto.
Metemgee
Demerara (Georgetown), Guyana · medium · 70 minGround provisions and plantain simmered in coconut milk until creamy, with fluffy steamed dumplings (duff) and fried fish on top.
Milanesa
Montevideo, Uruguay · easy · 40 minA thin beef cutlet dredged in flour, seasoned egg and breadcrumbs, then fried crisp and golden and served with lemon.
Pastel de Choclo (Corn and Beef Pie)
Central Valley, Chile · medium · 90 minA baked casserole of seasoned beef and chicken with egg, olives and raisins, under a thick, lightly sweet fresh-corn topping.
Empanadas de Pino
Central Valley, Chile · medium · 70 minBaked pastry turnovers filled with a seasoned beef-and-onion pino, a piece of hard-boiled egg, an olive and a few raisins.
Locro de Papa (Potato and Cheese Soup)
Pichincha (Andes), Ecuador · easy · 50 minA thick, golden Andean potato soup enriched with milk and fresh cheese, served with avocado and cilantro.
Seco de Pollo (Chicken Stew)
Pichincha (Andes), Ecuador · medium · 80 minChicken braised slowly in a sauce of tomato, onion, peppers, cilantro and beer until tender and glossy, served over rice.
Asado Negro (Black Roast)
Caracas, Venezuela · advanced · 200 minA lean beef roast seared in caramelised panela and braised for hours in wine and aromatics into a glossy, near-black gravy.
Pique a lo Macho
La Paz, Bolivia · medium · 55 minA big shared platter of seared beef and sausage over fries, with onion, tomato and fiery locoto, crowned with egg.
Pan de Muerto
Puebla, Mexico · medium · 70 minThe soft, orange-and-anise scented sweet bread of Dia de los Muertos, shaped with a skull and crossed bones of dough and dusted in sugar, baked to eat and to place on the ofrenda.
Calabaza en Tacha
Oaxaca, Mexico · easy · 75 minPumpkin simmered in dark piloncillo syrup with cinnamon, cloves and orange until deep amber and tender, a pre-Hispanic sweet that is a fixture of the Dia de los Muertos altar.
Antiguan Saltfish
St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda · easy · 50 minSalt cod soaked, flaked, and sauteed with onion, sweet pepper, tomato, garlic, and thyme; Antigua's savoury saltfish, the classic partner to fungie, chop-up, or ducana.
Antiguan Seasoned Rice
St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda · easy · 65 minA one-pot of rice and pigeon peas cooked down with seasoned chicken, tomato, sweet pepper, and thyme until every grain is savoury; Antigua's everyday cook-up rice.
Cracked Conch
Nassau, Bahamas · medium · 35 minConch pounded thin and tender, dredged in seasoned flour, and fried golden; the Bahamas' answer to fish and chips, served with lime and peas 'n' rice.
Bajan Fried Flying Fish
Bridgetown, Barbados · medium · 35 minFlying fish fillets marinated in Bajan green seasoning, coated in seasoned crumbs, and pan-fried golden; the everyday protein of Barbados and the star of the Oistins fish fry.
Belizean Rice and Beans
Belize City, Belize · easy · 55 minRed kidney beans and rice cooked together in coconut milk until fluffy and fragrant; the Sunday staple of Belize, quite distinct from stew beans served over rice.
Hudut
Belize City, Belize · medium · 60 minThe Garifuna signature of Belize: fish simmered in a coconut broth called sere, served with fu-fu, green and ripe plantains pounded into a soft, sticky mash.
Bermuda Cassava Pie
Hamilton, Bermuda · advanced · 190 minBermuda's essential Christmas dish: a sweet, spiced cake of grated cassava enclosing a savoury layer of chicken, baked slowly and basted with stock until set.
Pâté Chinois
Québec, Canada · easy · 65 minQuébec's beloved layered casserole: seasoned ground beef under a layer of creamed corn and a blanket of buttery mashed potato, baked golden.
Olla de Carne
San José, Costa Rica · medium · 180 minCosta Rica's weekend pot of meat: beef simmered with a rainbow of root vegetables, corn, chayote, and plantain into a rich, nourishing broth, served with rice.
Sopa Negra
San José, Costa Rica · easy · 55 minA silky Costa Rican black bean soup, seasoned with onion, sweet pepper, garlic, and cilantro and crowned with a poached egg, served with rice.
Stobá di Kabritu
Willemstad, Curaçao · medium · 180 minThe celebration stew of Curaçao: goat marinated in lime then slow-braised with onion, tomato, and Antillean spices until it falls from the bone.
Guiambo
Willemstad, Curaçao · medium · 75 minCuraçao's okra soup: a thick, green Antillean gumbo of okra cooked down with salt beef, fish, and shrimp, served with a scoop of funchi.
Titiwi Accra
Roseau, Dominica · easy · 30 minDominica's prized seasonal fritter: tiny translucent titiwi fish folded whole into a herby, peppery batter and fried into crisp golden accras.
Dominica Sancoche
Roseau, Dominica · easy · 50 minDominica's Creole-season saltfish sancoche: flaked salt cod simmered in a curried coconut milk sauce with seasoning peppers and okra, served with provisions.
Locrio de Pollo
Cibao, Dominican Republic · medium · 65 minThe Dominican one-pot rice and chicken: chicken seared in caramelized sugar for a deep colour, then rice cooked in the drippings with sofrito, olives, and capers.
Sopa de Pata
San Salvador, El Salvador · advanced · 210 minA hearty Salvadoran cow's-foot and tripe soup, tinted red with annatto and loaded with yuca, chayote, corn, and cabbage, finished with lime and cilantro.
Grenadian Curried Lambi
St. George's, Grenada · medium · 95 minLambi (conch) tenderized and simmered in a fragrant curried coconut sauce with onion, tomato, thyme, and scotch bonnet; a prized Grenadian seafood dish.
Grenadian Callaloo Soup
St. George's, Grenada · easy · 50 minA creamy Grenadian soup of callaloo (dasheen) leaves and okra simmered in coconut milk with thyme and a whole hot pepper, blended smooth.
Legim
Ouest (Port-au-Prince), Haiti · medium · 120 minA thick Haitian vegetable stew of eggplant, cabbage, chayote, and greens cooked down with epis-marinated beef and mashed into a rich, savoury sauce.
Tapado
San Pedro Sula, Honduras · medium · 75 minThe Garifuna coconut seafood stew of Honduras' Caribbean coast: fish and shrimp layered over green plantain and yuca and simmered in fresh coconut milk.
Enchiladas Hondureñas
San Pedro Sula, Honduras · easy · 50 minNot the Mexican kind: a crisp fried flat corn tortilla piled with seasoned ground beef, cabbage, tomato sauce, cheese, and a slice of boiled egg.
Nicaraguan Quesillo
Managua, Nicaragua · easy · 20 minA Nicaraguan roadside favourite: a warm corn tortilla wrapped around soft stringy cheese, vinegary pickled onions, and a generous pour of cream.
Ropa Vieja Panameña
Panama City, Panama · medium · 175 minPanama's shredded beef: flank steak simmered tender then stewed in a sofrito of tomato, peppers, and onion with olives, capers, and culantro, served over rice.
Arroz con Pollo Panameño
Panama City, Panama · easy · 70 minPanama's one-pot chicken and rice, tinted with achiote and studded with peas, carrots, and green olives; the family dish that feeds a crowd.
Pollo Guisado
San Juan, Puerto Rico · easy · 70 minPuerto Rican braised chicken stew: bone-in chicken simmered in a sofrito and tomato sauce with potatoes, carrots, and green olives, served over white rice.
Kittitian Pelau
Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis · medium · 80 minThe signature one-pot rice of St Kitts and Nevis: chicken caramelised in burnt sugar then cooked down with rice, pigeon peas, and coconut milk until golden.
Kittitian Chicken Bouillon
Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis · easy · 65 minA hearty Kittitian one-pot of chicken simmered with potatoes, carrots, and pumpkin in an aromatic, herb-scented broth; homely island comfort food.
Saint Lucian Saltfish Accras
Castries, Saint Lucia · easy · 35 minCrispy Saint Lucian salt cod fritters: flaked saltfish folded into a herby, peppery batter and fried golden, eaten as a snack or with bakes.
Saint Lucian Chicken Curry
Castries, Saint Lucia · easy · 60 minA homely Saint Lucian curry of marinated chicken and potatoes simmered in an aromatic Madras curry sauce, served over rice.
Trinidadian Curry Goat
Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago · medium · 120 minGoat marinated in green seasoning and slow-curried with Trinidad curry powder, geera, and masala until fork-tender; the special-occasion dish served with roti.
Trinidad Callaloo
Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago · medium · 70 minThe silky Sunday-lunch classic: dasheen leaves and okra cooked down with coconut milk, aromatics, and crab, then swizzled smooth into a thick green sauce.
Vincentian Fish Blaff
Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · easy · 40 minFirm white fish marinated in lime, garlic, and herbs then gently poached in its own aromatic broth; a Creole classic of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Saltfish Buljol
Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · easy · 35 minA bright Vincentian salt cod salad: flaked saltfish tossed raw with tomato, onion, sweet pepper, cucumber, and hot pepper, sharp with lime and eaten with bakes.
So'o Yosopy
Asunción, Paraguay · medium · 50 minA thick Guarani beef soup of finely ground meat and a little rice, stirred constantly into a smooth, savoury broth and served with cassava.
Chipa Guasú
Asunción, Paraguay · easy · 70 minA soft, savoury Paraguayan casserole of fresh sweet corn, eggs and fresh cheese, baked until golden, the juicier cousin of sopa paraguaya.
Pindasoep met Tom Tom
Paramaribo, Suriname · medium · 85 minA rich, gently spicy Surinamese peanut soup with chicken and a whole hot pepper, served over tom tom, soft dumplings of mashed green plantain.
Moksi Alesi
Paramaribo, Suriname · medium · 70 minSuriname's one-pot mixed rice, chicken and salted beef browned with tomato and allspice, then steamed with rice and coconut milk until every grain is savoury.
Kokoda (Fijian Coconut Ceviche)
Viti Levu, Fiji · easy · 30 minFresh fish "cooked" in lime, then mellowed in rich coconut cream with chili, onion, and tomato.
Palusami (Baked Coconut Taro Parcels)
Upolu, Samoa · easy · 80 minTaro leaves wrapped around rich coconut cream and onion, baked until silky, the crown of the umu feast.
Anzac Biscuits
Victoria, Australia · easy · 30 minGolden oat-and-coconut biscuits bound with golden syrup, chewy or snappy, a national argument.
Lū Pulu
Tongatapu, Tonga · easy · 110 minTaro-leaf parcels of seasoned beef and onion drowned in coconut cream, baked low until silken, Tonga’s Sunday centerpiece.
Queensland Pumpkin Scones
Queensland, Australia · easy · 35 minGolden, pillowy scones enriched with mashed pumpkin, a Queensland institution served warm with butter.
Pavlova
Canterbury, New Zealand · medium · 95 minA cloud of meringue, crisp shell, marshmallow heart, piled with cream and summer fruit. The dessert two nations claim.
Aussie Meat Pie
New South Wales (Sydney), Australia · medium · 90 minA hand-sized pie of rich, gravy-thick minced beef in flaky pastry, the sauce-topped icon of every footy match and servo.
Lap Lap
Efate (Port Vila), Vanuatu · medium · 130 minGrated root vegetables and coconut cream wrapped in banana leaf and baked in an earth oven, Vanuatu's national dish.
Ika Mata
Rarotonga, Cook Islands · easy · 25 minRaw fish cured in lime and bathed in fresh coconut cream with cucumber, tomato, and spring onion.
Demok
Ngerulmud, Palau · easy · 70 minA rich Palauan taro-leaf soup thickened with coconut cream and studded with crab or fish.
Babai with Coconut Fish
Tarawa, Kiribati · medium · 90 minGrated giant swamp taro (babai) steamed with coconut cream, served with reef fish poached in coconut.
Bwiro with Fish
Majuro, Marshall Islands · medium · 65 minPreserved-breadfruit dumplings in sweet coconut, served with grilled reef fish.
Coconut Crab with Taro
Palikir, Micronesia · medium · 60 minPrized coconut crab simmered in its own fat with coconut cream, served with steamed taro.
Coconut Fish
Yaren, Nauru · easy · 30 minNauru's national dish: freshly caught tuna diced raw and steeped in thick coconut cream with lime, served cool with rice.
Fish with Slippery Cabbage & Kumara
Honiara, Solomon Islands · easy · 55 minReef fish and kumara simmered in coconut cream with slippery cabbage (aibika) greens.
Pulaka with Coconut Fish
Funafuti, Tuvalu · medium · 75 minEarthy swamp-taro pulaka served with fish baked in coconut cream, the mainstay of atoll life.
Babakau
Viti Levu, Fiji · medium · 105 minPuffy, faintly sweet Fijian fried bread, crisp outside and pillowy within, torn and dunked in sweet milky tea for breakfast.
Koko Alaisa
Upolu, Samoa · easy · 35 minSamoan cocoa rice: short-grain rice simmered with rich local cocoa, coconut, and sugar into a warm, chocolatey porridge.
Mince on Toast
Waikato, New Zealand · easy · 35 minSavory, gravy-rich beef mince spooned over hot buttered toast, a nostalgic Kiwi breakfast and any-time comfort meal.
Vegemite on Toast
Victoria, Australia · easy · 5 minHot buttered toast under a thin, salty scrape of Vegemite, the deceptively simple, fiercely defended Australian breakfast.
Roasted Kaukau with Coconut
Highlands, Papua New Guinea · easy · 40 minKaukau (sweet potato) roasted in the embers and eaten with fresh grated coconut, an everyday Papua New Guinean breakfast.
Keke Isite
Tongatapu, Tonga · medium · 105 minTongan fried "yeast cakes", crisp-shelled, fluffy doughnuts eaten warm with tea, a Saturday-morning island tradition.
Cook Islands Poke
Rarotonga, Cook Islands · easy · 55 minCooked ripe banana bound with arrowroot and baked until translucent, drowned in thick coconut cream, eaten at breakfast, at teatime, or alongside the main meal.
Taro with Coconut Syrup
Ngerulmud, Palau · easy · 40 minSteamed taro drizzled with a warm caramel-like coconut syrup, a gently sweet Palauan breakfast built on the islands' staple root.
Kiribati Coconut Rice
Tarawa, Kiribati · easy · 30 minRice simmered in fresh coconut milk and sweetened with coconut toddy, a soft, fragrant breakfast from the atolls of Kiribati.
Marshallese Banana Pancakes
Majuro, Marshall Islands · easy · 25 minThick, sweet banana pancakes flecked with coconut, griddled golden, a modern Marshall Islands breakfast favorite.
Grilled Reef Fish with Rice
Palikir, Micronesia · easy · 30 minWhole reef fish grilled over coconut husks with lime and served over hot rice, a savory, protein-rich Micronesian morning plate.
Banana in Coconut Cream
Yaren, Nauru · easy · 15 minRipe bananas warmed in sweet coconut cream with a hint of lime, a soft, quick Nauruan breakfast from the Pacific's smallest republic.
Boiled Kumara with Fresh Coconut
Honiara, Solomon Islands · easy · 25 minTender boiled kumara (sweet potato) tossed with fresh grated coconut and a little salt, an honest, everyday Solomon Islands breakfast.
Fekei
Funafuti, Tuvalu · medium · 45 minA sweet Tuvaluan pudding of grated pulaka or banana cooked with coconut cream into a sticky, caramel-rich cake.
Vakalolo
Viti Levu, Fiji · easy · 65 minDense baked cassava under a dark coconut caramel, one of Fiji's oldest sweets, cut into sticky squares.
Fa'ausi
Upolu, Samoa · easy · 60 minWarm squares of grated-taro cake folded through a dark, salty-sweet coconut caramel, a Samoan Sunday favorite.
Saksak (Sago and Banana Dumplings)
Highlands, Papua New Guinea · easy · 35 minPearls of sago and sweet banana set in coconut cream, the pudding that turns up at feasts across Papua New Guinea.
Faikakai Topai
Tongatapu, Tonga · easy · 35 minSoft boiled dumplings drowned in a thick, dark coconut-sugar caramel, a Tongan after-feast sweet.
Fiji Roti Parcel
Viti Levu, Fiji · medium · 55 minA soft griddle roti wrapped around spiced potato-and-pea curry, the everyday one-handed lunch of Fiji's towns.
Whitebait Fritters
Southland, New Zealand · easy · 20 minWhole translucent whitebait bound in barely any egg and fried golden, a South Island seasonal delicacy on white bread.
Sausage Sizzle
New South Wales (Sydney), Australia · easy · 30 minA barbecued sausage on white bread with soft grilled onions and sauce, the fundraiser lunch of every Australian car park.
Aibika with Tinned Fish
Highlands, Papua New Guinea · easy · 30 minTender aibika greens simmered in coconut with tinned mackerel over rice, the honest everyday lunch of Papua New Guinea.
Kapisi Pulu
Tongatapu, Tonga · easy · 30 minCabbage stewed with tinned corned beef and onion in coconut cream, the quick weekday cousin of Tonga's Sunday lu pulu.
Simboro
Efate (Port Vila), Vanuatu · easy · 45 minGrated cassava rolled in island-cabbage leaves and simmered in coconut cream, Vanuatu's everyday take on laplap.
Curried Sausages
Rarotonga, Cook Islands · easy · 35 minBrowned sausages simmered in a mild curry-and-coconut gravy over rice, a Rarotongan family lunch.
Marshallese Macaroni Salad
Majuro, Marshall Islands · easy · 30 minA cool, creamy macaroni salad with tinned tuna and crisp vegetables, the potluck staple of the Marshall Islands.
Reef Fish with Breadfruit
Palikir, Micronesia · easy · 40 minReef fish gently poached in coconut cream with ginger and lime, served over roasted breadfruit, the everyday midday plate of the Pohnpei coast.
Kiribati Palu (Marinated Reef Fish)
Tarawa, Kiribati · easy · 25 minRaw reef fish cured in lime and salt, then folded through fresh coconut cream with onion and chili, a bright, no-cook lunch of the atolls.
Ulkoy
Ngerulmud, Palau · easy · 35 minGolden fritters of grated squash and small shrimp bound with a little flour and fried crisp, a favorite Palauan snack-lunch.
Nalot (Pounded Breadfruit with Coconut Cream)
Efate (Port Vila), Vanuatu · easy · 65 minRoasted breadfruit pounded to a smooth, heavy paste and served with a well of hot coconut cream poured into the middle.
Sweet Banana Laplap
Efate (Port Vila), Vanuatu · easy · 80 minThe sweet, dessert cousin of Vanuatu's savory national dish: grated cassava and ripe banana bound in coconut cream, wrapped in banana leaves and baked until dense and pudding-like.
Pawpaw Poke
Rarotonga, Cook Islands · easy · 55 minThe orange poke of Rarotonga: ripe pawpaw thickened with arrowroot, baked into a soft pudding and eaten on its own under sweet coconut cream.
Seboseb (Tapioca Coconut Pudding)
Ngerulmud, Palau · easy · 30 minA silky Palauan pudding of tapioca starch cooked slowly with sugar and coconut milk until glossy and chewy, served cool.
Buatoro (Pumpkin Coconut Cake)
Tarawa, Kiribati · easy · 80 minA moist Kiribati cake of grated pumpkin or swamp taro baked with coconut milk and kamaimai, the islands' dark coconut toddy syrup.
Benben in Mokmok (Arrowroot and Coconut Sap Dumplings)
Majuro, Marshall Islands · easy · 30 minMarshallese arrowroot simmered with sweet coconut sap into a soft jelly, shaped into little balls and rolled in fresh grated coconut.
Uht Sukusuk (Pounded Banana with Coconut Cream)
Palikir, Micronesia · easy · 25 minA Pohnpeian sweet of ripe bananas boiled and pounded to a smooth, sticky mass, crowned with a pour of fresh coconut cream.
Nauruan Chop Suey
Yaren, Nauru · easy · 25 minNauru's everyday plate: chicken stir-fried fast with cabbage, carrot and onion in a light soy sauce, a dish the island's Chinese kitchens made a staple.
Nauruan Coconut Mousse
Yaren, Nauru · easy · 25 minA light, cool Nauruan coconut mousse: coconut milk sweetened and set soft with agar and folded through whipped coconut cream, made for special days.
Chili Taiyo (Tinned Tuna Noodles)
Honiara, Solomon Islands · easy · 20 minThe Solomon Islands' favorite fast lunch: tinned Taiyo tuna tossed with noodles, fresh chili, tomato and onion into a quick, fiery plate.
Solomon Islands Cassava Pudding
Honiara, Solomon Islands · easy · 65 minA sticky, chewy Solomon Islands pudding of grated cassava baked with coconut cream and sugar, served at weddings and feast days.
Grilled Breadfruit with Miti
Funafuti, Tuvalu · easy · 55 minWhole breadfruit roasted over coals until smoky and tender, torn into pieces and dipped into miti, a fresh coconut cream sauce sharpened with onion, chili and lime.
Puleleti (Coconut and Coconut Syrup Sweet)
Funafuti, Tuvalu · easy · 25 minA chewy Tuvaluan coconut candy, fresh grated coconut cooked down with sweet coconut toddy syrup until thick, sticky and glossy.
Lamingtons
Queensland, Australia · medium · 65 minSquares of vanilla butter sponge dipped in thin chocolate icing and rolled in desiccated coconut.
Afghan Biscuits
Canterbury, New Zealand · easy · 35 minCrunchy cocoa biscuits studded with cornflakes, topped with chocolate icing and a walnut half.
Rēwena Parāoa (Māori Potato Bread)
Waikato, New Zealand · advanced · 80 minA traditional Māori sourdough raised with a fermented potato starter, baked into a soft, faintly sour loaf.
Fijian Chicken Curry
Viti Levu, Fiji · medium · 65 minBone-in chicken braised with Fiji curry powder, whole spices, tomato and a pounded ginger-garlic-chilli paste.
Rourou (Taro Leaves in Coconut Cream)
Viti Levu, Fiji · easy · 40 minYoung taro leaves simmered down in coconut cream with onion until silky, dark and rich.
Oka I'a (Samoan Raw Fish in Coconut Cream)
Upolu, Samoa · easy · 20 minFresh fish cured briefly in lemon or lime, then folded into thick coconut cream with onion, tomato and cucumber.
Panipopo (Samoan Coconut Buns)
Upolu, Samoa · medium · 60 minSoft sweet yeast buns baked sitting in a thick, sweetened coconut sauce until golden and sticky.
'Ota 'Ika (Tongan Raw Fish Salad)
Tongatapu, Tonga · easy · 25 minWhite fish marinated in lemon, then tossed with coconut cream and plenty of diced tomato, cucumber, capsicum and spring onion.
Lo'i Feke (Octopus in Coconut Cream)
Tongatapu, Tonga · medium · 55 minTender octopus simmered gently with onion in thick coconut cream, a simple three-part island dish.
Aelan Kabis (Island Cabbage in Coconut Milk)
Efate (Port Vila), Vanuatu · easy · 25 minIsland cabbage leaves simmered in coconut milk with onion, the everyday green of the Vanuatu table.
Rukau (Taro Leaves in Coconut Cream)
Rarotonga, Cook Islands · easy · 60 minYoung taro leaves slow-cooked with onion and coconut cream into a soft, silky green dish, the Cook Islands staple vegetable.
Eke Takare (Curried Octopus in Coconut Cream)
Rarotonga, Cook Islands · medium · 95 minTender octopus simmered in a lightly curried coconut cream sauce, a Cook Islands seafood favourite served with rice or taro.
Dia (Sago and Banana in Coconut Cream)
Highlands, Papua New Guinea · easy · 40 minRipe banana and sago wrapped in banana leaves and boiled, then served warm with thick coconut cream, a Central District delicacy.
Aigir (Tolai Coconut Chicken)
Highlands, Papua New Guinea · medium · 55 minChicken, kaukau and island greens cooked fast in fresh coconut cream brought to the boil with fire-heated stones, the signature dish of the Tolai people.
Poi (Pounded Taro)
Honiara, Solomon Islands · easy · 50 minCooked taro pounded to a smooth paste and often left to ferment slightly, the tangy staple side considered the national dish of the Solomon Islands.
Slippery Cabbage with Ngali Nut
Honiara, Solomon Islands · easy · 35 minSlippery cabbage greens cooked and coated with pounded ngali nut, featuring the sacred indigenous nut of the Solomon Islands.
Belsiich el Kukau (Pounded Taro)
Ngerulmud, Palau · medium · 90 minFreshly cooked taro pounded with coconut oil into a smooth, fluffy paste and steamed, the Palauan staple served with fish.
Reef Fish in Coconut Milk
Ngerulmud, Palau · easy · 35 minFresh reef fish gently simmered in coconut milk with onion, ginger and turmeric, a straightforward Palauan preparation of the day's catch.
Fafa (Kosraean Pounded Taro)
Palikir, Micronesia · medium · 60 minSoft taro pounded smooth with a stone tok and mixed with coconut milk, the signature ceremonial food of Kosrae.
Kon (Chuukese Pounded Breadfruit)
Palikir, Micronesia · medium · 60 minRipe breadfruit boiled and pounded hot with coconut milk into a creamy paste, a ceremonial food of Chuuk served with fish or chicken.
Chukuchuk (Coconut Rice Balls)
Majuro, Marshall Islands · easy · 35 minWarm sticky rice rolled by hand into balls and coated in freshly grated coconut, a Marshallese staple served with fish.
Talo Tokotokoi (Baked Taro with Coconut Cream)
Funafuti, Tuvalu · easy · 110 minBaked taro broken into chunks and coated in a thick, sweet coconut cream cooked down until glossy, a favourite at Tuvaluan feasts.
Barramundi in Banana Leaf
Majuro, Marshall Islands · easy · 50 minA whole reef fish seasoned simply, wrapped tight in banana leaves and baked until sweet and buttery, one of the national dishes of the Marshall Islands.
Crab in Lolo
Funafuti, Tuvalu · medium · 55 minCrab simmered in lolo, a rich coconut-cream sauce with onion and garlic, a celebration dish of Tuvalu where the prized coconut crab is reserved for feasts.
Te Taki (Breadfruit in Coconut Cream)
Tarawa, Kiribati · easy · 55 minChunks of starchy breadfruit slow-simmered in rich coconut cream until soft and silky, an everyday Kiribati way with the atoll's most reliable crop.
Te Bua Toro ni Baukin
Tarawa, Kiribati · easy · 75 minA hearty baked cake of grated pumpkin, shredded cabbage and tinned corned beef, a modern Kiribati staple born of the atoll shop shelf.
Dingon
Yaren, Nauru · easy · 50 minPounded breadfruit or banana worked with fresh coconut and fragrant pandanus, shaped into dense little patties and baked or pan-fried, a classic Nauruan savory food.
Fish Baked in Coconut and Pandanus
Yaren, Nauru · easy · 55 minFresh reef fish baked in coconut cream and wrapped with fragrant pandanus leaf, the everyday cooked counterpart to Nauru's raw coconut fish.
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