4 MUST-TRY
NATIONAL DISHES Vincent Granville
ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT TRAVELING IS TRYING NEW FOOD. Food is a commonality among all nations, but how each culture decides to use ingredients and spices is what makes a dish so special. While you typically can find a restaurant that specializes in ethnic cuisine, nothing beats the taste of a national dish cooked in its home country. If you find yourself in any of the following countries, you must venture out to try one of these amazing national dishes.
CHINA- PEEKING DUCK Peeking Duck is a national dish that dates back to over 700 hundred years and sat on the dinner tables of emperors. Back then, the dish was only eaten by royalty, but now it is enjoyed by everyone. The dish can take about three days to prepare, but it is well worth the wait. Air pumped under the skin of the duck so that the skin is separated from the fat, the duck is then dried and covered in maltose syrup. The duck is then hung in an oven to be roasted.
BELGIUM- MOULES FRITES In Belgium, you can walk into almost any eatery and find Moules Fritesmussels and french fries. Mussels in Belgium are both cheap and plentiful and have been a popular dish on their own since the late 1700s. Similar to mussels, potatoes offer the same benefits. Considering both of these foods were so economically friendly, they merged together to form a delicious duo. The brine of the mussels combined with the saltiness of the potato makes this dish one to seek out the next time you are in Belgium.
VIETNAM- PHO Pho is a dish that has become incredibly trendy in the United States in recent years- and for good reason. Originally hailing from Vietnam, Pho is a rich comfort food. The broth is made after hours of boiling down bone marrow, spices, ginger, and onions. Rice noodles are typically added, following thing cuts of beef. Lastly, the dish is topped with fresh bean sprouts, basil, and lime. This dish is abundant in Vietnam. You can walk down nearly any street and see multiple street vendors and shops urging you to come in and try.
INDONESIA- NASI GORENG A favorite breakfast food among the people of Indonesia is Nasi Goreng- fried rice. Nasi Goreng is similar to Chinese fried rice since it is flavored with soy sauce but its flavor profile is much more complex. It has a smokier and aromatic flavor mostly due to additional ingredients like shrimp paste, tamarind, and chili.