Exotic conjures up different things for different people, but when it comes to applying the word to food, you’re more often than not bombarded with images of worm stew this and snake wine that, which is really more Fear Factor than culinary delight in my mind. A few years ago, CNN took it upon themselves to discover the World’s 50 Best Foods, and while the obvious dishes like pizza, chocolate, sushi and hamburgers made the top 10, it’s a few of the dishes further down the list that truly inspire one to explore the exotic and unknown.
Tom yum goong, Thailand
This hearty, hot and sour soup, originally from Thailand but now popular throughout the world, combines a host of favourite Thai tastes. Flavour-packed with shrimp, mushrooms, tomatoes, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves; the soup is rounded off with coconut milk and cream.
Penangassam laksa, Malaysia
One of Malaysia’s most popular dishes, part Malay and part Chinese in origin, it is a delicious spicy-sour fish broth that contains poached, flaked mackerel, tamarind, chili, mint, lemongrass, onion, pineapple and noodles.
Rendang, Indonesia
A spicy meat dish most often served at ceremonial occasions, the beef is slowly simmered with coconut milk and a mixture of lemongrass, galangal, garlic, turmeric, ginger and chilies, and then left to stew for a few hours until the meat is flavourful and deliciously tender.
Kalua pig, United States
Kālua is a traditional Hawaiian cooking method that uses a type of underground oven. A dish commonly served at luau feasts, the whole pig is roasted underground in the sand pit for six to seven hours. When eventually ready the smoky, aromatic pork is shredded so that the melted fat can mix with the meat to keep the consistency in flavour.
Ohmi-gyu beef steak, Japan
Recognised by the Imperial Palace of Japan as one of the best beef stocks to be raised in 400 years, and called the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of beef (along with a similarly hefty price tag), this marbled and tender meat is apparently best served sashimi style drizzled with kaffir lime and green tea sea salt.
French toast, Hong Kong
Ending off our list of tantalising dishes with something sweet, don’t be fooled into thinking ‘French toast, what can be unusual in that?’, because the Hong Kongese don’t serve French toast the way we do. Eaten any time of the day or night, it is typically two pieces of toast slathered with peanut butter, jam or custard, soaked in egg batter, deep fried in butter, and then topped with either more butter, syrup or condensed milk - definitely not for the faint-hearted or those watching their calorie intake.
And if you were wondering which dish topped the list as the World’s Best Food, it was Massaman curry from Thailand. Thanks to its Muslim roots, this dish is traditionally made with Halaal certified meat; and the spicy, coconutty, sweet and savoury dish is considered to be the king of all curries.
Hungry yet?
