Introduction: Hot and sour soup hails from Sichuan and neighbouring provinces, balancing the tang of vinegar against the warmth of white pepper, thickened with cornstarch and threaded with silky egg ribbons, popular as a warming starter especially in cooler months. Cultural Background: Hot and sour soup hails from Sichuan and neighbouring provinces, balancing the tang […]
Introduction: Mapo Tofu is a fiery, numbing Sichuan classic said to have originated with a pockmarked (ma) grandmother (po) who ran a small restaurant in Chengdu, combining silken tofu, minced beef and a fermented chilli bean paste for one of Sichuan's most iconic dishes. Cultural Background: Mapo Tofu is a fiery, numbing Sichuan classic said […]
Introduction: Kung Pao Chicken originates from Sichuan and is named after a Qing dynasty official's title (Gong Bao), combining diced chicken, roasted peanuts and dried chillies in a sweet-savoury-spicy sauce that has become one of China's most globally recognised dishes. Cultural Background: Kung Pao Chicken originates from Sichuan and is named after a Qing dynasty […]
Introduction: Cazuela is the quintessential Chilean home-cooked soup, a clear broth built around a large piece of beef and whole vegetables, traditionally served as a full meal in itself. Cultural Background: Cazuela is the quintessential Chilean home-cooked soup, a clear broth built around a large piece of beef and whole vegetables, traditionally served as a […]
Introduction: Charquicán traces back to Indigenous Andean cooking, originally made with charqui (dried, salted llama or beef) pounded and simmered with squash and potatoes. Cultural Background: Charquicán traces back to Indigenous Andean cooking, originally made with charqui (dried, salted llama or beef) pounded and simmered with squash and potatoes. Today it's a beloved everyday lunch […]
Introduction: Perhaps Chile's most beloved main dish, pastel de choclo layers a savory beef and chicken pino filling beneath a sweet, custard-like topping of fresh ground corn, baked until golden — a dish eaten from family Sunday lunches to national celebrations. Cultural Background: Perhaps Chile's most beloved main dish, pastel de choclo layers a savory […]
Introduction: One of the great dishes of the Chilean summer, porotos granados uses fresh shelling beans (not dried) harvested alongside sweet corn and squash — the three sisters of Andean agriculture — reflecting the country's long Indigenous Mapuche and pre-Columbian farming heritage. Cultural Background: One of the great dishes of the Chilean summer, porotos granados […]
Introduction: Grilled corn on the cob is a simple, widely loved street snack found at markets and roadside stalls throughout the Central African Republic, brushed with a savoury chilli-butter mixture and charred over open flame. Cultural Background: Grilled corn on the cob is a simple, widely loved street snack found at markets and roadside stalls […]
Introduction: These simple corn flatbreads, made from ground maize and pan-cooked until lightly charred, are a quick and versatile bread served alongside stews or eaten on their own as a snack throughout the country. Cultural Background: These simple corn flatbreads, made from ground maize and pan-cooked until lightly charred, are a quick and versatile bread […]
Introduction: Butter tarts, small pastry shells filled with a gooey mixture of butter, sugar and egg, are considered one of Canada's few genuinely native desserts, with recipes appearing in Ontario cookbooks as early as the 1900s. Cultural Background: Butter tarts, small pastry shells filled with a gooey mixture of butter, sugar and egg, are considered […]