Starters, Snacks & Sides from Around the World, Page 2

Not every great dish is the main event. These are the soups, small plates, street snacks and sides that open or round out a meal somewhere on the map: 466 authentic recipes, each with its cultural story, ingredients, and step by step method.
466 recipes · showing 49 to 96
Humarsúpa (Icelandic Langoustine Soup)Reykjavík, Iceland · medium · 2 hA deep coral-coloured soup made from a stock of roasted langoustine shells, tomato and onion, enriched with cream and a hint of curry, with the sweet tails added at the end, served with bread.
İmam Bayıldı (Swooning Imam’s Eggplant)İzmir (Aegean), Turkey · easy · 1 h 10 minWhole eggplants braised in olive oil until silken, stuffed with sweet onions, tomato, and garlic. Served cool.
Inlagd Sill (Pickled Herring)Skåne, Sweden · easy · 1.5 daysSalt 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.
Irish Seafood ChowderMunster, Ireland · medium · 55 minA creamy chowder of smoked haddock, salmon, white fish and mussels with diced potato, leek and dill, the bowl every Irish coastal pub serves with brown bread.
Kashk-e Bademjan (Persian Eggplant and Kashk Dip)Tehran, Iran · medium · 1 h 50 minFried eggplant mashed with golden onions, garlic and turmeric, enriched with tangy kashk and walnuts, and finished with fried onion, sizzled dried mint and swirls of kashk.
Kesme (Kyrgyz Hand-Cut Noodle Soup)Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan · medium · 2 h 30 minA lamb broth with strips of meat fried in tomato paste, radish, carrot, sweet pepper and onion, and thin egg noodles cut by hand, finished with raw garlic and chives.
Kiwi Seafood ChowderCanterbury, New Zealand · medium · 55 minA thick, creamy New Zealand chowder of green-lipped mussels, white fish, prawns and scallops with kūmara, onion, celery and thyme, served with crusty bread.
Kokoda (Fijian Coconut Ceviche)Viti Levu, Fiji · easy · 2 h 30 minFresh fish "cooked" in lime, then mellowed in rich coconut cream with chili, onion, and tomato.
Kopto (Nigerien Moringa Leaf Salad)Niamey, Niger · easy · 30 minTender boiled moringa leaves tossed with peanut paste or crumbled kuli-kuli, tomato, onion, cucumber, chili and lemon, eaten cool as a starter.
Kubbat Halab (Iraqi Rice-Crust Kubba)Baghdad, Iraq · advanced · 3 hPointed golden croquettes with a crisp shell of turmeric rice, filled with minced beef or lamb, onion, parsley and baharat, deep-fried and eaten hot with pickles.
Kueh Pie Tee (Crispy Nyonya Top Hats)Singapore, Singapore · advanced · 2 h 45 minPaper-thin, crisp fried pastry cups shaped on a brass mould, filled at the last moment with braised shredded jicama, carrot and prawn, topped with omelette strips, coriander, fried shallots and chili sauce.
KulajdaBohemia, 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.
Lasopy (Malagasy Puréed Vegetable Soup)Analamanga (Antananarivo), Madagascar · easy · 2 h 5 minCarrots, turnip, green beans, tomato and spring onions simmered in a broth made from veal or beef bones, then puréed into a smooth, thick soup and served hot with a little sakay chilli paste.
Lengua a la Vinagreta (Uruguayan Beef Tongue in Vinaigrette)Montevideo, Uruguay · medium · 6 h 30 minBeef tongue simmered for hours until meltingly tender, peeled, sliced thin and chilled under a sharp vinaigrette of garlic, parsley, pepper, onion and chopped egg, a cold starter of the Christmas table.
Liptauer (Viennese Paprika Cheese Spread)Vienna, Austria · easy · 1 h 15 minCreamy Topfen beaten with soft butter, sweet paprika, caraway, capers, onion and gherkin into a rosy spread for dark bread, the standing order at every Viennese Heuriger.
Lumpiang Shanghai (Filipino Pork Spring Rolls)Central Luzon, Philippines · medium · 1 h 5 minPencil-thin spring rolls of seasoned ground pork, carrot, onion and garlic, deep-fried until they shatter and served hot with sweet chili sauce or banana ketchup.
Machas a la Parmesana (Chilean Baked Clams with Parmesan)Central Valley, Chile · easy · 35 minChilean surf clams opened onto their half shells, splashed with white wine and lemon, dotted with butter, blanketed with Parmesan and baked until golden and bubbling.
Matbucha (Cooked Tomato and Pepper Salad)Tel Aviv, Israel · easy · 2 h 20 minCharred, peeled tomatoes and red peppers cooked slowly in olive oil with garlic and hot chili for an hour and a half until thick and jammy, served cool with bread among the first-course salads.
Mbatten (Stuffed Potato Fritters)Tripoli, Libya · medium · 1 h 10 minPotato slices sandwiched around spiced minced meat, coated and fried until the outside is golden and the potato tender.
Moreia Frita (Cape Verdean Fried Moray Eel)Santiago (Praia), Cape Verde · medium · 2 h 40 minPieces of moray eel seasoned with garlic, bay leaf, pepper and hot sauce, dipped in egg and flour and fried until the skin is crisp, served with lemon as a petisco.
MuhammaraDamascus, Syria · easy · 35 minThe crimson mezze of roasted red peppers, walnuts, and pomegranate molasses, smoky, sweet, and gently fierce.
Mutabbal (Jordanian Smoky Eggplant and Tahini Dip)Amman, Jordan · easy · 1 hEggplant charred whole over a flame until the flesh is soft and smoky, then mashed with tahini, garlic, lemon and a spoonful of yogurt, finished with olive oil and pomegranate seeds.
Nakládaný Hermelín (Czech Pickled Hermelín Cheese)Bohemia, Czechia · easy · 5 daysSoft white-rind hermelín cheeses split, spread with garlic, chilli and paprika paste, layered with onion, bay and peppers in a jar of oil and left to ripen, the Czech pub snack for beer.
Nam Khao (Lao Crispy Rice Salad)Luang Prabang, Laos · medium · 1 h 30 minBalls of rice seasoned with red curry paste, coconut and lime leaf, fried until crackling, then broken up and tossed with sour pork sausage, peanuts, herbs, lime and fish sauce, eaten wrapped in lettuce.
New England Clam ChowderNew England (Massachusetts), United States · easy · 55 minCreamy, briny chowder of clams, potatoes, and salt pork, the thick white bowl the Northeast defends fiercely.
Oysters KilpatrickNew South Wales (Sydney), Australia · easy · 23 minFreshly opened oysters on the half shell, splashed with Worcestershire sauce, topped with finely diced bacon and grilled until the bacon crisps, served hot with lemon.
Pai Huang Gua (Smashed Cucumber Salad)Sichuan, China · easy · 30 minCucumbers smacked with a cleaver until they crack, salted, then tossed with raw garlic, black vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and a spoon of chili oil.
Paneer Tikka (Spiced Grilled Paneer)Punjab, India · easy · 1 h 34 minCubes of paneer, onion and pepper coated in a yogurt marinade with chilli, garam masala and dried fenugreek, then grilled hot until charred at the edges and served with green chutney and lemon.
Papa a la Huancaína (Potatoes in Spicy Cheese Sauce)Lima, Peru · easy · 45 minCold slices of boiled yellow potato on lettuce, blanketed in a smooth sauce of ají amarillo, queso fresco and evaporated milk, garnished with egg and black olives.
Paplou (Omani Tuna and Lime Fish Soup)Muscat, Oman · easy · 55 minA light, sharp broth of turmeric, garlic, ginger, tomato and dried lime, with chunks of fresh tuna poached gently at the end and finished with fresh lime and coriander.
Passatelli in Brodo (Breadcrumb and Parmesan Noodles in Broth)City of San Marino, San Marino · easy · 40 minA soft dough of breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, egg, lemon zest and nutmeg pressed into thick strands straight into simmering meat broth, a warming first course from the Romagna hills.
Pastels (Senegalese Fish Turnovers)Dakar, Senegal · medium · 2 h 35 minSmall half-moon turnovers of soft pastry filled with poached white fish and a garlicky parsley and chili rof, fried golden and dipped into a peppery onion and tomato sauce.
Pidan Doufu (Taiwanese Century Egg Tofu)Taipei, Taiwan · easy · 10 minA chilled block of silken tofu topped with diced century egg, spring onion and bonito flakes, dressed at the table with lightly sweetened soy sauce and a few drops of sesame oil.
Pindžur (Macedonian Roasted Pepper, Eggplant and Tomato Spread)Skopje, North Macedonia · medium · 1 h 40 minRoasted red peppers, eggplant and tomatoes chopped coarsely and simmered briefly in oil with garlic and onion into a chunky, orange-red spread, served as meze with bread and white cheese.
Pitche-Patche (Bissau-Guinean Oyster and Rice Soup)Bissau, Guinea-Bissau · medium · 1 h 15 minOysters poached in a light tomato broth thickened with a little broken rice, finished with lemon juice and a touch of piri-piri.
Pohnpeian Tuna SashimiPalikir, Micronesia · easy · 15 minThick slices of just-caught yellowfin tuna served raw and cold, with soy sauce, lime and fiery local hot pepper, and a little grated ginger or wasabi.
Prežganka (Slovenian Toasted Flour Soup)Ljubljana, Slovenia · easy · 30 minFlour browned slowly in butter or lard with caraway, whisked into water and simmered, then finished with ribbons of beaten egg and crisp bread croutons.
Provoleta (Argentine Grilled Provolone)Mendoza, Argentina · easy · 30 minA thick disc of provolone seared on the grill or in a hot cast-iron pan until crusted outside and molten within, sprinkled with oregano and chili flakes and eaten with bread.
QifqiTirana, Albania · medium · 1 hGjirokastër's signature fried rice fritters bound with egg and white cheese and heavily scented with mint, served with yogurt.
Rieslingspaschtéit (Luxembourg Riesling Pork Pie)Luxembourg City, Luxembourg · advanced · 1.5 daysA loaf of crisp buttery pastry around a coarse pork filling seasoned with Riesling, leek, parsley and nutmeg, filled after baking with Riesling jelly through holes in the top and served cold in thick slices.
Rissóis de Camarão (Mozambican Shrimp Turnovers)Maputo, Mozambique · medium · 2 hHalf-moon turnovers of soft cooked dough filled with prawns in a creamy lemon and parsley sauce, crumbed and fried golden, a fixture of Mozambican petisco menus.
RosoljeTartu, Estonia · easy · 3 h 20 minEstonia's vivid pink festive salad of diced beetroot, potato, herring, egg and apple in a creamy mustard dressing.
Rosolli (Finnish Beetroot and Herring Salad)North Karelia, Finland · easy · 2 h 20 minDiced beetroot, potato, carrot, gherkin, apple and onion layered with pickled herring and egg, served cold with a pink dressing of whipped cream tinted with beetroot vinegar, from the Finnish Christmas table.
Saheena (Trinidadian Split Pea and Dasheen Leaf Fritters)Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago · medium · 2 h 20 minA spiced split pea and flour batter packed with shredded young dasheen or spinach leaves, dropped by the spoonful into hot oil and fried golden, served with green mango chutney.
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.
Salade Ourite (Mauritian Octopus Salad)Port Louis, Mauritius · easy · 1 h 5 minTender boiled octopus cut into pieces and tossed with sliced onion, tomato, lemon juice and oil, sharpened with green chili and coriander, served warm or cold with bread.
Salade Togolaise (Togolese Spaghetti Salad)Lomé, Togo · easy · 1 h 10 minCrisp lettuce piled with cooked spaghetti, carrots, green beans, beetroot, cucumber, tomato, hard-boiled egg and sardines, all dressed in a creamy mustard and mayonnaise vinaigrette.
Salat Olivye (Olivier Salad)Moscow, Russia · easy · 1 h 35 minFinely diced boiled potato, carrot, egg, dill pickle, green peas and doctor’s sausage folded through mayonnaise, the salad that crowns every Russian New Year table.
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