Top 10 Must Have Asian Cuisines
Afghani Cuisine
Be it kebabs, pulao, korma or even naans, Afghani food is a must eat for most non vegetarians out there. With meat that often features prominently and onions that play a part in pretty much everything, Afghani food packs quite a punch. The national dish of Afghanistan is the Qabili Palau, which has tender lamb meat under rice that’s mixed with lentils, raisins and carrots. Afghani food is generally prepared according to the Islamic Dietary Laws and is known for the use of high quality pomegranates, grapes and nuts. Some of the popular Afghani Dishes include Lamb Grilled Kebab, Tandoori Chicken, Komra Sabzi, Shorba.
Chinese Cuisine
Chinese food is one of the most prevalent Asian Cuisine with prominent styles of cooking found in America, India, Indonesia, Malaysia etc. While these styles are often labelled as non-authentic Chinese, in reality Chinese cuisine has eight culinary cuisine which includes Anhui, Cantonese, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Szechuan, and Zhejiang, all different due to the availability of resources, climate, geography, history, etc. The staple food items include Rice, Noodles, and Soybeans etc. Some of the major dishes in China include Sweet and Sour Pork, Chicken Chow mein, Crab Rangoon, Egg Rolls, Wonton Soup, Kung Pao Chicken, Dumplings etc.
Japanese Cuisine
The traditional food of Japan is based on mostly based on rice with the special miso soup, which consists of a stock and many other ingredients (Depending on Region and Season) along with many other side dishes consisting of pickled vegetables, fish and meat(Traditionally meat was shunned, but the late 1860’s saw meat based dishes become common). Tempura (Fish deep fried in light batter), ramen (Noodles in a soup) (Oil isn’t used much in most dishes, making deep-fried dishes such as tempura a rarity), Sushi (Vinegared rice with other ingredients, seafood and vegetables), Sashimi (Raw meat/ Fish sliced into thin pieces) and Wagashi (Japanese Sweets) are just some of the delicacies in Japan
Korean Cuisine
Korean Cuisine is mostly based on rice, vegetables and meat. Mostly Korean Cuisine includes Steamed Rice with a number of side dishes (called banchan) with the traditional Kimchi (Spicy and Sour dish that consists of fermented vegetables with seasoning). Korean Cusine is specialy known for its medicinal foods. Some of the famous Korean dishes include Soft Tofu Stew, Ox Bone Soup, Sweet Syrup Pancake, Seasoned Fried Chicken, Stir Fry Noodles and Mixed Rice
Malay Cuisine
Malay Cuisine is known for its generous use of spices and coconut milk, with rice as one of their main dishes. The national dish of Malaysia is the Nasi lemak, which has rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. It is usually served with peanuts, boiled eggs, lamb curry and traditional chilli paste and is a main breakfast item. Other famous food items include Nasi Dagang, Bakuteh(Meat, Bone, Tea), chicken curry, Satay, Oyster Omlet, Nasi Goreng, Won Ton mee, Chilli Crab and Black Pepper Crab.
Thai Cuisine
Thai food emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong spicy components. It is known for its complex interplay with at least four – five fundamental taste sense in each dish or overall meal. Thai cuisine is divided into four regional cuisines Central Thai, NorthEastern Thai, Northern Thai and Southern Thai. Tom Yam Goong, Pad Thai, Chicken Chashew nuts, green curry chicken, Chicken and rice, Massaman Curry and Fried Rice are some of the tasty dishes off the Thai cuisine.
Lebanese Cuisine
The Lebanese cuisine is known for its grilled, baked or sautéed food with copious amounts of garlic, olive oil, herbs, seasoned by lemon juice. The Baklava or sweet pastry is an internationally famous dish with sweet pastry made of layers of Filo (unleavened dough) with chopped nuts and honey/syrup. The Lebanese Cuisine is also known for its Meze, which is a selection of small dishes served to accompany alcoholic drinks as appetizers. Lebanese cuisine is also identified with a beautiful style of serving food. The most sought after Lebanese food items include Hummus, potato kibbeh, Falafel, Shawarma, Beit Mery (pumpkin flavor meat), Kafta (bbq), Mellas Family Lamb, Fattoush etc.
Tibetan Cuisine
Dumplings, Noodles, Soups with an indispensable addition of Meat and Dairy products make up for a large part of the Tibetan Cuisine. Barley is the staple food item with low amounts of fruits and vegetables. Yak cheese, butter and yoghurt are crucial items, with a well-made yoghurt a sign of prestige in Tibet. Thukpa (Noodle Soup), Sha Phaley (Snack Item), Momo, Dre-si (Rice sweet Dish), Butter Tea (National Beverage of Tibetans) are just some of the sought off Tibetan Cuisine
Indonesian Cuisine
With intense flavor and vibrant food, Indonesian cuisine is known for its rich use of rice, wheat, yam, sweet potato and leaf vegetables such as spinach, cassava, papaya and kangkung etc. chicken, duck and fish is also widely used. The use of coconut milk is a characteristic feature of Indonesian Cuisine. Indonesian Satay (Meat Skewers), Fried rice, Nasi Udak (National dish of Indonesia) (Steamed rice cooked in coconut milk), Sweet Martabak, Mie goreng, Mie Ayam, Sate are some of the delicious Indonesian Cuisine
Indian Cuisine
Indian Cuisine is one of the most diverse cuisines in Asia with widespread practice of vegetarianism by its society. Just some of the Cuisines in India include Awadhi cuisine, Punjabi cuisine, Rajasthani cuisine, Mughlai cuisine, Kerala cuisine, Tamil cuisine, Andhra cuisine, Cuisine of Karnataka, Hyderabadi cuisine, Bengali cuisine, Sikkimese cuisine, Assamese cuisine, Tripuri cuisine, Naga cuisine, Goan cuisine, Gujarati cuisine, Maharashtrian cuisine, Rajasthani cuisine, Sindhi cuisine, Chettinad cuisine.