The Best Food in South East Asia

Yummy Malaysian vegetable and dhall curry

After 3 months, 6 countries (with 2 more to go!) and 154 meals (a rough guess), we have tried our fair share of South East Asian food. Despite many mishaps and dashes to the loo(!), the whole experience of trying new dishes, getting out of our comfort zones, and finding great recipes we will be taking home with us has been one of the highlights of our adventure away from home. As most people who have visited to Asia will agree, eating in this part of the world is not only enjoyable but also an experience. It’s where different cultures, climates, customs and histories all come together, and sometimes eating at a street-side vendor is just as insightful as spending the day visiting the different sights and tourist attractions. Food is taken very seriously over here with most streets lined with street vendours. In Thailand the very common greeting; “have you eaten rice yet?” sometimes replaces the usual “hello”.

As we are soon to be leaving Asia for our new adventure in Australia I thought I’d share with you some of the best food we have eaten on this trip.

Pad Thai (Thailand)

Our very own Pad Thai creations during our Chiang Mai cooking class

In my opinion Thailand has the best street food in South East Asia, with Bangkok taking the culinary crown. Okay, so most people who have visited Thailand rattle on about Pad Thai and how amazing it is to the point where it almost puts you off the dish. However, at 30Baht a go it was our main meal of choice and tastes the best when purchased from one of the street vendours rather than a restaurant. We were lucky enough to have a go at making this ourselves during our cooking class in Chiang Mai. For something so simple to cook, it seems wrong that it should taste so good. When you’re on a budget as well, the eggy noodles are the best way to fill you up on the cheap. I’ll definitely be taking the recipe back home with me to England.

Pho (Vietnam)

A steaming bowl of Pho

On a 38 degree day, after walking the city streets for hours, the last thing I felt like eating was a steaming soup of noodles in a sweaty restaurant. But amazingly, a big bowl of noodle soup with wierd bits of beef, and a plate piled high with extras to add as you wish (limes, chillies, mint and a strange-looking assortment of weed-like plants) it quickly became my all-time favourite Asian dish. When I get home I will try (and no doubt fail) to recreate it but it definitely won’t be the same as from a Vietnamese street vendour lady.

Fish Amok (Cambodia)

Source: eattheplate.wordpress.com

Amok is Cambodia’s culinary oyster and you’ll come across it on almost all restaurant menus. The national dish (or so it seems) consists of a savoury coconut curry, sometimes served within banana leaf. It’s rich, creamy and very very tasty.

Tandoori Chicken (Malaysia)

Jim enjoying his Tandoori chicken

The minute you set your foot on the ground in Malaysia, you notice how the food is heavily influenced by Indian culture. During our stay at Penang, the ‘pearl’ of Asian cuisine, we made the most of the Indian influences and ate our favourite dishes every night. One of the highlights was the Tandoori chicken ‘set’ which includes a naan of your choice (cheese obviously), a peice of heavily marinated Tandoori chicken, onions and lime, and vaiorus sauces for dipping. At roughly RM9, this is by far the best bargain you can get in Malaysia!

5 Weird Foods From Around The World

Everyone has different tastes and as they say – one man’s meat is another man’s poison Here’s my top 5 weird foods from around the world. Like that old saying goes: every man to his taste. Warning: the content of this blog post is not for those of a weak constitution.

Source: Georama

Deep Fried Tarantula, Cambodia When most sane people are confronted with a large, hairy and venomous tarantula the one thing on their mind is to run away fast. However, in Cambodia many choose to eat it and the fried tarantula is a common and much appreciated delicacy (crazy huh?). The spiders – usually the size of a human hand – are tossed in garlic and salt before being deep fried until nice and crispy. Most people only eat the upper body flesh and legs (dipping them into sauce for extra flavour), but the very bravest choose to also eat the abdomen which contains a brown, runny paste, and sometimes even the eggs. Yummy!

Source: souschef

Century Eggs, China Speaking of eggs, no eggs in the world can top that of China’s infamous Century Eggs. Century Eggs have many names – millennium eggs, thousand-year-old eggs or pidan, but are essentially quail, duck or chicken eggs preserved in a mixture of ashes, clay and salt for several months. During this bizarre process, the egg’s white turns into a jelly-like brown mixture, while the yolk takes a mouldy greenish hue. Century eggs emit a powerful smell of sulphur and ammonia, and its taste is what the polite would say strong and interesting. Definitely not for those with a weak stomach.

Source: 0assf

Casu Marzu, Italy Oh cheese, glorious cheese! Who doesn’t enjoy a good slice of cheese? But if you actually took time to think about it, cheese is pretty weird – essentially just fermented milk, full of germs and all sorts of bacteria. But we can stomach this fact as cheese just tastes so good. However, the Casu Marzu goes way beyond simple fermentation to the point of actual decomposition. This Italian sheep milk cheese is crawling with live fly larvae (AKA maggots to the normal person), and not by accident but on purpose. At the end of the making process, the crust is cut open in order to let flies lay their eggs in the cheese. Once those eggs hatch, the little larvae make their home within the cheese. Some people love to eat their casu marzu with the larvae still alive and wriggling, not-so-brave others prefer to suffocate them with a paper bag prior to tucking in. Live Cobra Heart, Vietnam The act of eating live cobra hearts cannot be considered common place in Vietnam, but some people do eat them. As is the case for most things like this, eating a cobra heart is entirely down to superstition – many people believe that by eating a snake live, they will inherit a part of its power and enhance their strength. The ritual consists of the following: a lucky live cobra is picked out by the customer (the meaner, the better), its head is then unceremoniously cut-off and it’s still beating heart is ripped out and placed on a saucer, and finally garnished with a little blood. The heroic eater is then supposed to tilt their head back and swallow the heart whole. This type of dining is certainly not for the faint hearted.

Source: streetgormetla

Escamoles, Mexico

A word of warning – please be careful next time you’re in Mexico and are ordering food. Next time you tuck into Mexico’s famous bean selection, those charming little white ones might just as well be escamoles. Escamoles, also known as giant black Lipometum ants’ eggs, are considered an ‘insect caviar’ and apparently have a nice buttery taste. A good way of detecting these ‘bad eggs’ is to keep in mind that they have a consistency very similar to cottage cheese. No need to thank me!

5 of the World’s Wackiest Restaurants

Source: DailyNews

Magic Restroom Café, Los Angeles

The idea of sitting on a toilet in public is a horrifying concept for some, but not for those dining at the Magic Restroom, where loos are the focus of the new restaurant in LA. Inspired by God knows what, Magic Restroom owner YoYo Li has introduced toilets as seats and a mix of yummy Asian and western food – like zha jiang mian, named ‘constipation’ on the menu and braised port over rice, (‘smells-like-poop’). If you really feel like treating yourself why not try one of the sundaes, choose from chocolate ‘black poop’ or the vanilla-strawberry sundae ‘bloody number two’, all served in miniature toilet bowls (of course!). Revolting and hysterical in equal measure.

Source: The Guardian

Twin Stars Diner, Moscow

Just as the name suggests, at the Twin Stars diner all the staff – from waiters to bartenders and even the chefs – are identically-dressed twins. The almost fetish concept was brought to life by Alexei Khodorkovsky who says it’s been hard to find suitably qualified twins but the concept is paying off and is a hit with the locals. Plus if you’re a twin living in Moscow you know where to go for a part-time job.

Source: DailyNews

Barbie restaurant, Taipei, Tawain

The Far East’s love of all things cute and fluffy is a well-known fact, so Taipei’s popular Barbie restaurant comes as no surprise. It is staffed by waitresses in sickly bright pink tops, tutus and tiaras, and there’s enough pink food to make you think someone has slipped something funny in your drink.

Source: The Age

Draculas and Witches in Britches, Melbourne, Australia

Due to the Twilight phenomenon and the current obsession with vampires, horror-themed theatre restaurants have become popular haunts of the city. Dracluas offers a camp cabaret during a three-course dinner that begins with drinks in the Graveyard cocktail lounge and a ghost-train ride.

Alternatively, if 40-year-old witches float your boat head to Witches in Britches for a kitschy interactive pop show and a five-course meal that starts with pumpkin soup ladled from a cauldron.

Source: The Telegraph

The Heart Attack Grill, Las Vegas

It’s a common cliché that Americans love big portions, and to embrace this head to the Heart Attack Grill in Vegas (obviously!) for a serving of obscenely huge burgers with sides of fries deep-fried in lard. For purely comical purposes, diners are given hospital style gowns before tucking into a towering heart attack on a plate made with four beef burgers and 20 slices of bacon. However, there is no need to worry that your health is in danger, waitresses dressed as nurses are on stand-by to help you out of the restaurant in a wheelchair if necessary.

10 of the best foods from around the world

1. Fish and Chips, England

As a Brit this is definitely going to be my food of choice. Over the years fish and chips have become an iconic British food staple. It is the perfect treat to accompany your day at the English seaside, and is best served with mushy peas and lots and lots of salt and vinegar.

2. Peking Duck, China

I don’t mean the foil-wrapped kind you can get from your local Chinese takeaway, I mean the real deal. If you are lucky enough to visit China, this classic roast duck with it’s garlicky sweet crispy skin  is the thing to try. Even ordering it will be a delight as you watch the duck being carved in front of your eyes, and served with steamed pancakes, spring onions and hoisin sauce. Finger licking stuff.

3. Escargots, France

Don’t be fooled by the fancy name, these little gems are none other then the slimy snails you can find in your back garden. Considered a delicacy in France, while you may not fancy them as a treat, they are definitely something you should ‘try before you die’. Thankfully they are usually smothered in garlic butter. This helps you forget what you are actually eating. Well, kind of.

4. Moussaka, Greece

The national casserole in Greece is a must-try if you are visiting the country. The Greek answer to the Italian lasagna  this dish is made of a layer of ingredients such as eggplant, beef or lamb, and artichoke. Have with a good glass of Greek wine and a shot of Ouzo to finish.

5. Hot dog, New York

Some say no trip to New York is complete without a famous street vendor hot dog. This iconic fast food staple has been refined over the years and now caters to a variety of different taste. Some of the different toppings include gherkins, cheeses, mustard and caramelized onions. The possibilities are endless. Buy and enjoy one as you walk around central park.

5. Green curry, Thailand

Though many of us are already avid lovers of this sweet curry, nothing beats tasting it in it’s native country. Famous for it’s green color  this curry consists of coconut milk, eggplant, pea aubergine, sugar, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves and Thai basil leaves. Not as spicy as it’s sister the ‘red curry’, this native dish instead has a refreshing and original taste to it. Traditionally served in a bowl with white rice on the side, enjoy while on the beach watching the fire dancers in Ko Samet.

6. Goulash, Hungary

A personal favorite  this Eastern European dish is perfect to warm the cockles of your heart on a cold and wintry night in Budapest. Goulash is essentially a soup or stew of meat (normally beef), noodles, potatoes and vegetables, and seasoned with paprika and other spices. Indeed, it is the paprika which gives this dish it’s spice and what it is most famous for. Originating in Hungary, you can also find goulash soup throughout the eastern region of Europe. Perfect accompanied with crusty bread.

7. Jerk chicken, Jamaica

Without a doubt, wherever you go in the Caribbean, be it Jamaica or another beautiful island, you will surely come across the dish of Jerk chicken. That is if you are adventurous enough to leave the compound of your hotel and experience the lives of the locals. There are several ingredients which give this dish it’s intense flavor. One is the scotch bonnet pepper, one of the hottest chilies in the world. Jerk’s other iconic flavor is allspice, called pimento in Jamaica, where it grows wild. Traditionally, Jerk meat is slowly roasted over a fire made from pimento wood. It is best served with the traditional rice and beans.

8. Pasta bolognese, Italy

How can I make a list of the top ten best foods around the world and not include the country of Italy? Of course the classic Pasta Bolognese would be on the list, and no bolognese dish tastes as good as the one you get from it’s home town of Bologna. Bologna’s signature dish, the thick, rich sauce contains ground chuck, ground veal, and pancetta. Plus onions, carrots, tomatoes, red wine and cream. So this is not a dish to try if you are on a diet. If you are visiting the region of Bologna any time soon, enjoy a night of good music, good wine, and good pasta bolognese. It would be sacrilege not to.

9. Pierogies, Poland

The ultimate comfort food, pierogies are made from dumpling dough, and are traditionally stuffed with a potato-and-cheese filling. Normally served with sauerkraut  and on a cold winters day, this is comfort food at its best. A great alternative is to make sweet pierogies, using cream cheese, sugar and berries to fill them. These are good, trust me I know, my Grandma used to make them.

10. Baklava, Turkey

Last but not least, to finish up why don’t you try something a little sweeter? Turkish baklava is a desert that combines filo pastry, walnuts, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and a honey-lemon syrup. This is a great dish for any one with a sweet tooth who wants to try traditional Turkish cuisine  Why not enjoy with a hot Turkish apple tea? Or if your feeling a little more adventurous  why not try Turkey’s tipple of choice, Raki. This boozy aniseed beverage will have you in the mood for a party in no time.

Bon Appetite!