Travelling is one of the best leisure activities one can be privilaged of, because there is a never-ending list of things to tickle the five senses.  Breath-taking scenery to behold our sights, fresh air and the smell of green grass in the meadows to please our noses, the sounds of people bustling down the street and crowds cheering on festive occasions, the feel of quality garments and jewelry which are not available on our shores.  But, of course, being Malaysians who are commonly but jokingly known as the kind to “live to eat” instead of “eat to live”, most of us would have foreign cuisine-tasting sessions at the top of our to-do list.  And why not?  Afterall, there is an endless variety of food in every country which is unique to its own.

To make sure you don’t kick yourself for not trying out these delectable dishes, here’s a list of food not to be missed, according to the country in which it was made famous from.

Spain:

Ah yes, the tall, dark, handsome, and romantic male species.  But they’re not the only ones worth drooling over.  A must-try is the famous Spanish Paella dish, which is easily accepted by us Malaysians, as it is basically a rice dish cooked using oil with an assortment of ingredients, most commonly seafood and vegetables.  The word “paella” itself means frying pan, which sums up most of the dish as it is cooked in a frying pan, akin to the fried rice we are accustomed to.  Many people prefer their Paella to be slightly crispy (or burnt, as some call it) at the bottom, as this adds a more unique flavour to it.  Do take notice, however, before you order, as the recipe for this dish differs largely, so the ingredients which go into the pan might not be what you expect sometimes, such as rabbit meat in this one from CocinaMundial.

France:

French cusine is no stranger to us.  Though some of us may claim that we are not well-heeled enough to afford such gastronomical delights, we actually eat more French food that we think.  French bread is perhaps the most common food to travel out of its country, a good example being the baguette or better known as French loaf.  Some of the best desserts also originate from this country, like everyone’s favorite chocolate mousse; there is also the Crema Brulee, which is a rich custard base topped with a layer of burnt sugar forming caramel, the ever popular fruit tarts, as well as eclairs.  But if you travel as far as to France, you wouldn’t want to settle for such dishes which can be easily found in our own country.  Perhaps one which not everyone is familar with is the quiche- made with eggs and milk or cream in a pastry crust, and added with additional ingredients such as cheese, meat or chopped vegetables.  The basic form of this dish is similar to that of a pie’s, but trust us, it is a completely different experience from eating an average pie.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

 For something more unique, try their foie gras, a rich, buttery dish of fattened goose or duck liver.

Picture courtesy of gourmetfood.about.com

Scotland:

If the thought of eating rabbit’s meat makes you whince, then you should probably skip this dish.  But for the more adventurous, and those travelling to Scotland, ask around for their traditional Haggis.  Word has it that the common joke amongst the natives is that Haggis is a little creature running around mountains, but that is not close to the truth even the least bit.  This dish is actually a concoction of a sheep’s innards, like its heart, liver and lungs, stuffed into its stomach together with other condiments such as onions, oatmeal and various spices, and boiled for hours.  Your stomach may be churning now at the thought of scoffing down such a dish, but considering it has been a tradition in its native country even until now, it may not taste as bad as it sounds.

Picture of Haggis from Jupiter Images

Belgium:

We know you may be exclaiming “chocolates!” or “waffles!” right now, but did you know Belgium is also known for its variety of stews?  The more popular one appears to be beef stew (Carbonnade) , but fish and chicken stew are available as well.  Stew may not be as uncommon in Malaysia as the other cuisine described above, but stew from another region has to be given a try.

Morocco:

In most of Asia, our staple diet consists of rice, but in Morocco, it is replaced by couscous.  This is a type of fine grain produced from wheat called semolina, consumed similar to the way we eat rice- with meat and vegetables.  It is not restricted to Morocco alone, as it is also eaten by people from other parts of the world including Algeria, Tunisia, Africa, Isreali and even France, though preparation methods may differ.

 A spoonful of couscous, photo courtesy of crispywaffle.com

Brazil:

Yes, they do take time out from football celebrations to cook up a storm, resulting in a national dish called feijoada, a thick stew of black beans with various parts of pork and beef, which is also popular in Portugal.   It is cooked over a slow fire in a claypot, and the resulting taste is strong, moderately salty but not spicy.  What better to accompany this dish with than rice and vegetables, making it sound rather similar to our local Bak Kut Teh.  Since it takes quite a long time to prepare, this dish is usually served for more special occasions.

Photo courtesy of brazilmax

These are but a fraction of the options available worldwide when it comes to famous and delicious food, get more information from this website.  The most important thing to bear in mind about food-tasting is to not judge a dish by its name or looks, because you will never know when you will be surprised.  Go ahead, give sheep stomach a try!

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