Malaysian nasi lemak. Photo: iStock
We’re all familiar with fried rice and pad Thai, but here are 10 other ethnic dishes to try when in Asia.
fat rice, malaysia
Originally served as a farmer’s meal wrapped in banana leaves, nasi lemak is now ubiquitous, from McDonald’s version of the burger to five-star restaurant interpretations. Steamed rice with coconut milk is served with crispy anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, peanuts, cucumber slices and spicy sambal sauce. Richer versions come with chicken rendang or sambal prawns. It is primarily a breakfast dish, but it is also served at lunchtime. See malaysia.travel
AMBUYAT, Brunei
Photo: iStock
As ethnic cuisine goes, it’s a more challenging dish because of its tapioca-like, starchy consistency and its hot and sour accompaniment, a dipping sauce called cacah. Ambuyat – also common in Sabah and Sarawak – is made from the inside of the sago palm trunk, pepper and shrimp paste, and has a viscous, relatively bland texture. You wrap it on a bamboo skewer and eat it with vegetables, fish, shrimp or meat. See bruneitourism.com
Oman Shuwa
Photo: Alami
This dish is made for holidays and special occasions, but you can find it in fancy restaurants. Lamb (or sometimes other meat) is wrapped in banana leaves and woven palm baskets, then slow cooked for 24 hours in an underground pit with chilli and spices. The result is meat that falls off the bone and is fragrant. Shuwa is a convivial sharing dish served with rice. See tourismoman.com.au
breath, burma
Photo: Alami
There’s a good reason this bowl of creamy fish and rice noodles for breakfast is so popular: It’s filling, satisfying, and available everywhere. Stews are thickened with rice noodles and flavored with herbs and lemongrass; fish is sliced or mashed rather than chunks. Sprinkle your mohinga with a splash of fried anchovies, shallots, cilantro and a generous splash of lime juice. See tourismmyanmar.com.mm
Beshbarmak, Kazakhstan
Photo: iStock
Popular dishes in Kazakhstan have blunt names: kurt, plov, shalap. But the national dish is likely to be beshbarmak: boiled meat served on egg noodles or thin noodles in a savory, peppery onion sauce. Lamb or horse meat is traditionally used, but beef is becoming more common. It is served in a large communal dish, with various cuts and textures assigned according to seniority. See visitkazakhstan.kz
Buuz, Mongolia
Photo: Alami
For travelers, there is no more satisfying snack than dumplings, and you can find them almost anywhere in Mongolia. Steamed buuz dumplings are filled with lamb or goat (sometimes duck or beef in high-end restaurants) and seasoned with onion, garlic and caraway seeds. You can knock them back like this, or eat them in lamb broth, but either way they’re warm, cheap, fatty, and filling. See mongolia.travel
KOTTU ROTI, Sri Lanka
Photo: Alami
There are several types of curry that are hailed as the national dish of Sri Lanka, but here are some differences: the ubiquitous toast, chopped on a hot pan, mixed with spices, vegetables, and perhaps meat, seafood or eggs, prepared Into a delicious, aromatic snack favorite. Although kottu originated in the 1970s, it is now ubiquitous, with the clink of chopping vegetables heard in every street market. See srilanka.travel
AMOK, Cambodia
Photo: iStock
Take the fish, add lemongrass, kaffir lime, spices, eggs and coconut milk, wrap it in a banana leaf and steam it. Hey presto, a delicious light curry meal with a custard like texture, best served with rice and chilli paste. Vegetables or squid are sometimes added to the mix. Restaurants often serve the frenzy in a coconut shell, and offer modern versions with meat or tofu. See tourismcambodia.org
GHORMEH SABZI, IRAN
Photo: iStock
This rich Persian herb stew is made with beef or lamb, kidney beans, onions, cilantro, fenugreek, parsley, and chives. The stew’s almost black exterior doesn’t inspire, but the herbaceous flavors are delicious. Variations may have added spinach or leeks and take on a green color. You eat it with rice or tahdig, which is crunchy brown rice at the bottom of the pot. Yum. see visitiran.ir
Adobo, Philippines
Photo: Alami
Abodo is the name of a marinade of Spanish origin, although the cooking method may have originated in China. Adobo is usually made with pork or chicken braised in oil, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, ginger and garlic, and its rich, salty and slightly sour flavor is best offset with white rice. The cooking style works with anything from fish to vegetables, and there are many delicious variations. see philippines.travel
Brian Johnston has traveled courtesy of numerous tourist boards and tour companies.
