Recipes by Cuisine

Cuba | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 2 hr 30 min | Total: 2 hr 50 min | Serves: 6 About Ropa Vieja Ropa Vieja is Cuba's national dish, and the name — which means 'old clothes' in Spanish — refers to the dish's most distinctive quality: the beef is shredded into long, colourful strands that resemble rags. The dish arrived in Cuba with Spanish colonisers from the Canary Islands and transformed over centuries into something unmistakably Cuban: flank steak braised until it falls apart, th

Description Ackee, the national fruit of Jamaica, is native to West Africa and arrived with enslaved people in the 18th century — its buttery, egg-like flesh turns golden when cooked and absorbs the surrounding flavours while maintaining a soft, yielding texture. Contry of Origin: Jamaica Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Total time: 45 minutes Servings: 4 servings Ingredients 300g salt cod (salted pollock or cod), soaked overnight in cold water (change water 2–3 ti

Description A light, tangy salad made from tender pads of prickly pear cactus (nopales). Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 35 minutes Servings: 6 servings Country of Origin: Morocco Presentation & How It's Eaten Served cold or at room temperature as a refreshing salad side dish, spooned over crisp tostadas, or served alongside grilled meats and refried beans. Ingredients For the lamb: 1.5 kg bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into large pieces 1 large onion grat

Description Originating in the Antioquia region around Medellín, it is the meal that fuelled generations of coffee farmers: a single plate piled with red beans in sofrito, white rice, seasoned ground beef, chicharrón, a fried egg, sweet fried plantain, creamy avocado, and a white arepa. Prep time: 45 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes Total time: 2 hours 15 minutes Servings: 4 servings Contry of Origin: Columbia Presentation & How It's Eaten oienfonkfmslkmosndo Ingredients

Description Ceviche is Peru's national dish, a preparation of raw fish cured in fresh lime juice — the acid cooking the flesh without heat — and one of the world's great raw fish preparations. Prep: 30 min Cook: 0 min (acid-cured) Total: 30 min Serves: 4 Country of Origin: Peru Presentation & How It's Eaten Served cold or at room temperature as a refreshing salad side dish, spooned over crisp tostadas, or served alongside grilled meats and refried beans. Ingredients For the c

Iran | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 2 hr 30 min | Total: 3 hr | Serves: 6 About Ghormeh Sabzi Ghormeh Sabzi is Iran's most beloved stew, and arguably one of the most complex flavour profiles of any dish in the world. A foundation of three fresh herbs — fenugreek, parsley, and dried fenugreek leaves — is slow-fried until dark and caramelised, then braised for hours with lamb, kidney beans, and dried Persian limes (limu omani), which contribute an extraordinary sour, slightly bitter de

Georgia | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 20 min | Total: 50 min (plus 1 hr dough rest) | Serves: 4 About Khachapuri Khachapuri is Georgia's most iconic food, and the Adjarian version — a golden, boat-shaped bread cradling a pool of melted cheese, a raw egg cracked on top, and a knob of butter — is its most theatrical form. The bread is pulled apart at the table and used to stir the egg and butter into the molten cheese until everything becomes a rich, glossy, irresistible dip. Georgia

Germany | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 3 hr | Total: 3 hr 30 min (plus 3–5 days marinating) | Serves: 6

Jordan | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 2 hr 30 min | Total: 3 hr | Serves: 8 About Mansaf Mansaf is the national dish of Jordan and the centerpiece of Jordanian hospitality. Whole pieces of lamb are slow-cooked in jameed — a fermented, dried yogurt made from goat or sheep milk — until the meat is fall-apart tender and the broth turns a rich, tangy gold. Served over a bed of flatbread and saffron rice, drenched in the jameed broth and topped with toasted almonds and pine nuts, mansaf i

Spain | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 45 min | Total: 1 hr 15 min | Serves: 6 About Paella Valenciana Paella Valenciana is Spain's most internationally recognised dish, but the version the world thinks it knows — laden with seafood — is a distant relative of the original. The authentic Valencian paella uses chicken, rabbit, flat green beans, white butter beans, saffron, and smoked paprika, cooked in a wide, shallow pan until the rice forms the legendary socarrat — a crispy, caramelise

Myanmar | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 45 min | Total: 1 hr 15 min | Serves: 6 About Mohinga Mohinga is Myanmar's national dish, eaten for breakfast across the country from steaming street carts. The broth is a deeply savoury, lemongrass-perfumed catfish base thickened with toasted chickpea flour and rice flour — an unusual technique that gives it a silky, almost bisque-like body. Poured over thin rice noodles and topped with crispy split-pea fritters, boiled eggs, and shredded banan

Lebanon | Prep: 45 min | Cook: 25 min | Total: 1 hr 10 min | Makes about 20 pieces About Kibbeh Kibbeh is Lebanon's most celebrated dish, existing in dozens of forms across the Levant. The fried torpedo (kibbeh mekleyeh) is perhaps the most iconic: an outer shell of fine bulgur wheat and raw minced lamb formed around a filling of spiced cooked meat and toasted pine nuts, then fried to a shattering, golden crust. The contrast between the crispy exterior and the fragrant, yield

Sri Lanka | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 20 min | Total: 40 min | Serves: 4 About Kottu Roti Kottu Roti is Sri Lanka's most beloved street food, and you can hear it before you see it. The rhythmic, metallic clatter of two steel blades chopping and folding roti strips on a screaming hot iron griddle is the unmistakable soundtrack of the Sri Lankan night. Shredded godamba roti — a thin, layered flatbread — is stir-fried with egg, vegetables, curry sauce, and your choice of protein unti

Indonesia | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 15 min | Total: 30 min | Serves: 4 About Nasi Goreng Nasi Goreng is Indonesia's national dish and one of the most beloved fried rice preparations in the world. What separates it from other fried rice is kecap manis — sweet, thick Indonesian soy sauce — and the depth of a sambal base. The result is a caramelised, slightly smoky rice with a rich, sweet-savoury profile unlike any Chinese or Thai fried rice. Eaten at all hours in Indonesia, from r

Bangladesh | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 25 min | Total: 45 min | Serves: 4 About Ilish Macher Jhol The hilsa (ilish) is Bangladesh's national fish, and Ilish Macher Jhol — a gentle, mustard-scented curry — is one of the country's most beloved dishes. The hilsa is prized for its rich, oily flesh and extraordinary flavour, so the preparation is intentionally simple: a sharp mustard paste, bright turmeric, and whole green chilies are all it takes to honour what is already exceptional.

Philippines | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 50 min | Total: 1 hr 5 min | Serves: 6 About Adobo Adobo is the Philippines' most iconic dish. The word comes from the Spanish for marinade, but the Filipino version predates Spanish colonisation — indigenous cooks preserved meat in vinegar long before the 16th century. The combination of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper creates a braise that is deeply savoury, slightly sour, and strikingly glossy. No two Filipino fam

Thailand | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 20 min | Total: 40 min | Serves: 4 About Tom Yum Goong Tom Yum Goong is Thailand's most globally recognised dish, and one of the most exciting soups in the world. A clear, intensely aromatic broth of lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and fish sauce delivers a simultaneous hit of sour, spicy, and savoury that is unlike anything in Western cooking. The name means 'boiled' (tom) 'mixed' (yum) 'prawns' (goong), and the dish encapsulates the

India | Prep: 40 min | Cook: 50 min | Total: 1 hr 30 min | Serves: 6 About Chicken Biryani India's most celebrated rice dish, Chicken Biryani is an aromatic masterpiece of basmati layered with spiced marinated chicken, golden fried onions, and saffron milk. The dum method — sealing the pot so steam perfumes every grain — produces rice that is simultaneously fluffy, tender, and deeply fragrant. Each region of India has its own biryani tradition, from Hyderabadi to Lucknowi, bu

Vietnam | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 4 hr | Total: 4 hr 30 min | Serves: 6 About Phở Bò Vietnam's most globally beloved dish, Phở Bò is a study in controlled complexity. A clear, deeply aromatic broth built from beef bones slow-simmered for hours and perfumed with star anise, cinnamon, and charred ginger achieves something rare: a broth that is simultaneously light and profound. Originating in northern Vietnam in the early 20th century, phở spread south with the 1954 partition and

Malaysia | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 30 min | Total: 1 hr | Serves: 4 About Nasi Lemak Nasi Lemak is Malaysia's national dish, a plate so beloved it transcends meal times — eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late at night from roadside stalls. At its heart is rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan until each grain is fluffy and fragrant, served with a fiery sambal paste, crispy dried anchovies, a halved boiled egg, fresh cucumber, and roasted peanuts. Together, the components

Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Total time: 50 minutes Servings: 6 servings (makes 12-15 sambos) Country of Origin Madagascar Description Crispy, triangular fried pastries stuffed with spiced ground beef, garlic, scallions, and warm aromatic spices. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served hot as popular street snacks or appetizers alongside lemon wedges and fiery sakay hot sauce. Ingredients 1 lb lean ground beef 1 yellow onion, finely diced 4 green onions, finely ch

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 2 hours 15 minutes Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin Madagascar Description Slow-braised beef roast seasoned simply with salt and garlic, pulled into delicate strands and pan-fried until crisped. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served hot over plain boiled rice alongside a small bowl of spicy tomato-ginger relish. Ingredients 2 lbs beef chuck roast or brisket 5 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tbsp vegetable oil or la

Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes Total time: 2 hours Servings: 8 servings Country of Origin Madagascar Description A dense, sweet traditional street treat made from mashed bananas, ground roasted peanuts, and rice flour wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. Presentation & How It's Eaten Unwrapped from banana leaves, sliced into thick rounds, and eaten warm or at room temperature as a snack or dessert. Ingredients 4 ripe bananas, thoroughly mashed 1.5 cups ro

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus 2 hours marinade time) Cook time: 10 minutes Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin: Madagascar Description Street-food beef skewers marinated in garlic, ginger, and citrus before being grilled over open charcoal flames. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served piping hot on wooden skewers as street food or appetizers, served alongside spicy achard or tomato relish. Ingredients 1.5 lbs beef flank or sirloin, cut into 3/4-

Prep time: 15 minutes (plus 8 hours ferment time) Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 8 hours 30 minutes Servings: 6 servings Country of Origin Madagascar Description Sweet, yeasted rice flour cakes cooked in a specialized griddle until golden crisp on the outside and spongy on the inside. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served hot for breakfast, usually paired with a hot cup of Malagasy coffee or sweet tea. Ingredients 2 cups rice flour 1/2 cup sweet condensed milk or coconut mi

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 0 minutes Total time: 15 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin Madagascar Description A crisp, zesty uncooked salad condiment made from diced ripe tomatoes, onions, scallions, and fresh lime juice. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served cold or at room temperature as an essential side accompaniment to virtually every Malagasy rice dish or grilled meat. Ingredients 4 large ripe Roma tomatoes, finely diced 1 small red or white onion, fine

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 35 minutes Total time: 50 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin Madagascar Description A fragrant home-style chicken stew dominated by warm, pungent fresh ginger, crushed garlic, and sweet tomatoes. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served hot family-style in a bowl alongside sticky or steamed white rice and fresh cucumber slices. Ingredients 2 lbs chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone-in 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned 4 cl

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 1 hour Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes Servings: 6 servings Country of Origin Madagascar Description The national dish of Madagascar, featuring tender stewed beef and pork combined with indigenous leafy greens (anamalaho) that impart a unique, mild numbing sensation. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served hot in deep bowls over a large mound of plain white rice, accompanied by spicy sakay chili paste on the side. Ingredients 1.5 lbs beef chuck, cu

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Total time: 25 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin Japan Description Crispy deep-fried blocks of potato-starch-dusted firm tofu served floating in a warm, umami-rich tsuyu broth. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served immediately in individual shallow bowls with hot broth poured around base, topped with grated ginger and chopped green onions. Ingredients 1 block (14 oz) firm or medium-firm tofu 1/2 cup potato starch (or cor

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Total time: 25 minutes Servings: 2 servings Country of Origin Japan Description Crispy-skinned, flaky salmon fillets seasoned heavily with sea salt to draw out natural moisture and intensify seafood flavor. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served hot alongside a mound of grated daikon radish drizzled with soy sauce, served with steamed rice and miso soup. Ingredients 2 skin-on salmon fillets (about 6 oz each) 1 tsp coarse sea salt 1/2

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin Japan Description A silky, delicate, steamed egg custard flavored with dashi, soy sauce, and mirin, containing hidden treasures of chicken, shrimp, and mushrooms. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served hot or warm in individual covered teacups or ramekins, eaten delicately with a small spoon. Ingredients 3 large eggs 1.5 cups dashi stock (cooled) 1 tsp light soy sauce 1 tsp

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Servings: 2 servings Country of Origin Japan Description A customizable savory cabbage pancake bound with egg batter, pan-fried, and smothered in rich okonomiyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served hot off the griddle on a flat plate, cut into wedges using a spatula, and eaten with chopsticks. Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup dashi stock 2 large eggs 3 cups cabbage,

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin Japan Description Bite-sized pieces of tender chicken thigh skewered with green onions and grilled over high heat with a rich tare glazing sauce. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served piping hot directly on bamboo skewers as izakaya-style tapas or bar snacks alongside cold beverages. Ingredients 1 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces 4 green onions, cut into

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 12 minutes Total time: 22 minutes Servings: 2 servings Country of Origin Japan Description Thinly sliced beef and sweet onions simmered together in a savory-sweet dashi, soy sauce, and mirin broth over rice. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served hot in a deep ceramic bowl over a heap of steamed short-grain rice, topped with red pickled ginger. Ingredients 1/2 lb thinly sliced beef ribeye or belly 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced 1/2 cup dashi st

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 35 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin Japan Description Assorted fresh seasonal vegetables coated in an ultra-light, icy batter and flash-fried to delicate, crisp perfection. Presentation & How It's Eaten Arranged on paper-lined plates and eaten immediately while piping hot, dipped in tentsuyu sauce or sprinkled with matcha salt. Ingredients 1 sweet potato, thinly sliced 1 small kabocha squash, sliced into th

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Total time: 15 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin Japan Description A savory traditional Japanese soup made from dashi stock whisked with fermented soybean paste, silken tofu, and wakame seaweed. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served hot in small lacquer bowls as an essential side dish alongside a traditional Japanese breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Ingredients 4 cups dashi stock (kelp and bonito stock) 3 tbsp yellow or red m

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 25 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin Japan Description Pan-seared chicken thighs with crispy skin, glazed in a classic glossy sauce made of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. Presentation & How It's Eaten Sliced into strips and served warm over steamed short-grain white rice, accompanied by shredded cabbage and steamed vegetables. Ingredients 4 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp mirin 2

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin: Vatican City Description Created for Pope Pius XII: a refined papal variation of Carbonara replacing guanciale with delicate prosciutto, adding sautéed butter onions and cream. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served piping hot in warm pasta bowls topped with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Ingredients 1 lb fresh egg fettuccine 5 oz prosciutto crudo (or cooked ha

Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes Total time: 2 hours Servings: 6 servings Country of Origin: United Kingdom Description A traditional British Sunday meal consisting of tender roast beef, crispy puffed Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, and rich beef gravy. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served hot family-style on dinner plates with beef slices, Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, and steamed vegetables smothered in gravy. Ingredients Roast Beef: 3 lbs prime b

Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes Servings: 8 servings Country of Origin: Ukraine Description Ukraine's iconic deep red soup made from beets, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and beef simmered in a rich broth, served with garlic pampushky rolls. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served hot in bowls with a large dollop of sour cream (smetana) and chopped fresh dill, accompanied by garlic bread rolls. Ingredients 1 lb beef chuck or pork rib

Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes Total time: 1 hour 05 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin: Turkey Description Whole pan-fried eggplants split open and stuffed with a savory filling of ground lamb or beef, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and parsley, then baked. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served hot accompanied by Turkish white rice pilaf (sehriyeli pilav) and cold garlic yogurt (cacık). Ingredients 4 medium eggplants (peeled in zebra stripes) 1/2 lb ground

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin: Switzerland Description A melted Swiss cheese dish featuring aged Gruyère and Vacherin Fribourgeois melted with dry white wine, garlic, and cherry brandy (Kirsch). Presentation & How It's Eaten Served bubbling hot in a communal ceramic pot (caquelon) set over a small burner, eaten by dipping cubed crusty bread on long forks into cheese. Ingredients 2 cups (8 oz) Gruyère

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Total time: 40 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin: Sweden Description Tender Swedish meatballs made from a mix of beef and pork seasoned with allspice and nutmeg, smothered in a smooth brown cream gravy. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served hot with buttery potato puree, lingonberry jam, and pickled cucumber slices. Ingredients Meatballs: 1/2 lb ground beef, 1/2 lb ground pork, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup milk, 1 egg, 1

Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes Total time: 1 hour 05 minutes Servings: 6 servings Country of Origin: Spain Description The authentic original Spanish rice dish from Valencia made with short-grain rice, chicken, rabbit, green flat beans, butter beans, and saffron. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served directly in the wide shallow paella pan family-style, eaten with wooden spoons starting from outside edges inward. Ingredients 2 cups Bomba or Calasparra short-grain

Prep time: 40 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes Servings: 6 servings Country of Origin: Slovenia Description A traditional Slovenian rolled pastry made of thin stretched dough filled with cottage cheese, cream, and fresh tarragon, steamed or boiled. Presentation & How It's Eaten Sliced into thick swirl pinwheels, served hot as a side dish or sweet dessert topped with toasted buttered breadcrumbs. Ingredients Dough: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 egg, 1/

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 35 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin: Slovakia Description Slovakia's national dish: soft grated potato dumplings tossed hot with tangy bryndza sheep's milk cheese and topped with crispy bacon lardons. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served piping hot in bowls, traditionally paired with a mug of sour milk or buttermilk. Ingredients 4 large Russet potatoes, peeled 1.5 cups all-purpose flour 1 egg 1 tsp salt 7 o

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus overnight chilling) Cook time: 12 minutes Total time: 12 hours 32 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin: Serbia Description A giant Balkan grilled spiced meat patty made from a mix of ground beef and pork, stuffed with urnebes or kajmak cheese. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served tucked inside lepinja flatbread with kajmak cheese, diced raw onions, and ajvar pepper relish. Ingredients 1 lb ground beef 1/2 lb ground pork 2 cloves garlic, c

Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Total time: 55 minutes Servings: 6 servings Country of Origin: San Marino Description Baked pasta rolls ("swallow's nests") made of fresh pasta sheets stuffed with cooked ham, melted cheese, spinach, and béchamel sauce. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served hot directly from a baking dish, presenting as individual spiral rolls cut open to show swirling layers. Ingredients 12 sheets fresh egg pasta lasagna sheets 8 oz cooked ham, slic

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Total time: 35 minutes Servings: 4 servings Country of Origin: Russia Description Tender strips of beef beef sirloin sautéed with mushrooms and onions in a rich, tangy sour cream and mustard sauce. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served hot over buttered egg noodles, rice, or crisp straw potatoes. Ingredients 1.5 lbs beef tenderloin or sirloin, cut into thin strips 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced 2 c

Prep time: 45 minutes Cook time: 2 hours 30 minutes Total time: 3 hours 15 minutes Servings: 8 servings (approx. 24 rolls) Country of Origin: Romania Description Romania's national dish: sour cabbage rolls stuffed with seasoned ground pork, beef, rice, and smoked bacon cooked in a clay pot. Presentation & How It's Eaten Served piping hot with warm mămăligă (polenta), a dollop of sour cream, and hot green peppers. Ingredients 1 large head fermented sour cabbage (sauerkraut who