This Is How Food Can Unite People from Different Cultures [Part 1]
Food can be the language that unites people and cultures. Our partners, owners of a popular dating website, found out that many people get puzzled after having an interracial match. The problem is that, when people come from different cultures, they have different customs and habits, and they are even used to different food. Today, we suggest you explore the diversity of the world’s dishes and understand the taste of other cultures better.
Tempura, Japan
Japan is famous for many tasty dishes made of seafood, however, tempura is probably the best one. Tempura can include not only shrimps. It can be made of fish, squid, vegetables, and tofu. The ingredients are battered and quickly deep-fried, which prevents a loss of nutrition while cooking. In Japan, tempura is served alone or with pasta and rice.
Yakitori, Japan
Yakitori is the best meal served with beer, this is what the Japanese say. Yakitori is grilled chicken, which can come in 20 variations, depending on the part of the chicken, spices, and sauces. Though Yakitori is quite cheap, it is a very popular food in Japan.
Boeuf Bourguignon, France
This delicious beef stew is a traditional French dish cooked almost in every region. It is prepared with wine, onions, mushrooms, and bacon. The recipe originated in poor peasant families, for whom the slow way of cooking was the main one. In 1903, the dish was transformed from a peasant meal into the restaurant dish we know today.
Croque Madame, France
This snack is similar to Croque Monsieur. Actually, it is not that much different from a grilled ham and cheese, but with a delicious béchamel sauce on top. The Madame version also has a fried egg. The egg symbolizes a woman’s hat, hence the snack got its name.
Caprese Chicken, Italy
Caprese chicken recipes are so delicious because of gooey cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and balsamic sauce. The dish is baked which means that all the nutrients are still inside and the taste is just incredible.
Pizzette, Italy
Pizzette is exactly what you probably think – it is a small pizza. This finger-small dish is ideal for a party with friends. All the ingredients are the same: dough, tomatoes, cheese, parmesan, basil, and olive oil.
Haggis, Scotland
The most well-known representative of Scottish cuisine is the haggis. This dish is made of meat, oatmeal, onion, salt, and spices; everything is cooked in a sheep’s stomach, which makes haggis a special dish. It is usually served with turnips, potatoes, and whisky.
Black pudding, Scotland
This dish is either to love or to hate from the first spoon. The pudding is made of pork and beef blood mixed with oatmeal, oat groats, or barley groats. This traditional dish is often served in butcheries and restaurants.
Brunost, Norway
Brunost has no equivalents in the world, so if you want to try something special in Norway, your choice should be brunost. This is a traditional Norwegian cheese made of cow’s or goat’s milk or cream. Milk is boiled until all water evaporates, and cheese becomes caramelized. That is why Brunost has a specific sweet taste.
Chicago-style pizza, USA
Though this is not the first pizza (of course, the idea belongs to Italy), Chicago pizza is the most nourishing. The idea was to make pizza a complete dish, with more filling. Chicago pizza looks more like a pie.
Nachos, USA and Mexico
This nice dish is made of tortilla chips (totopos) that are covered with a cheese sauce, meats, vegetables, and other sauces (salsa and sour cream). Nachos is more a snack than a dish that will make you full for the whole evening, but, as an appetizer, it is very good.
Kjøttkaker, Norway
Traditional meatballs made with spices (pepper, ginger, and nutmeg) deserve a place on this list as well. Meatballs are so popular in Norway that they are cooked literally in every family.
Kimchi, Korea
Kimchi is a popular dish in Korea that can be found on almost every table. It is made of cabbage, which is salted and fermented with pepper, garlic, and scallion. One more variation of the dish is ggakdugi, which is cooked with chopped radish kimchi.
Bibim nengmyun, Korea
These cold buckwheat noodles are a very spicy dish for real adventurers. The meal is served in a steel bowl with a cold broth, cucumbers, sliced Korean pear, boiled eggs, and sliced cold-boiled beef. The noodles are served long, not cut as a symbol of a long life.
Dolmades, Greece
Dolmades is an extremely popular dish in Greece, though you will probably fail to find two same options in different regions. The dish is cooked of classic vine leaf parcels, which are stuffed with meat and rice and baked in the oven. The traditional recipe also includes spices, such as thyme, fennel, and oregano.
Moussake, Greece
This oven-backed dish is made of layers of fried aubergine, minced lamb, potato, fried tomatoes, onion, garlic, and spices. The creamy topping is made of cheese and bechamel sauce. This dish is a true diamond of Mediterranean cuisine.