World Cuisines To Discover

Tired of cooking the same meals over and over again? Take a trip around your Metro’s grocery aisles and try flavours and traditions from around the world. Often, all you need to do to make exotic and ethnic-inspired dishes is play with a few ingredients you already have on hand. Here’s how.

1Philippine Cuisine

Dominant flavours:

The perfect combination of salty, sweet and sour flavours!

Star ingredients:

Chicken, fish and meat are the stars on the Filipino plate. You’ll also find sauces and condiments that are the hallmark of Asian cuisine, such as soy sauce, fish sauce and coconut milk. Tofu, guava, mango, durian, plantain and tamarillo work perfectly with the menu and are usually served with rice.

Cooking method:

Stew the pork and chicken with cider vinegar, garlic and coconut milk. Then sear the meat in a hot frying pan to create a dish similar to adobo, the national dish of the Philippines.

See the recipe Chicken wings with adobo sauce

2Indian Cuisine

Dominant flavours:

Masalas are local spice blends that are sometimes spicy and always savoury.

Star ingredients:

Curry, fennel, turmeric, cardamom, ginger, cumin, cloves… the list of typical spices is long and inspiring. Beyond these glorious herbs of India, there are also cashews, pistachios, coconut, almonds, pomegranates, peppers, potatoes, and of course, rice.

Cooking method:

Grill the chicken over high heat and add chickpeas, peanut sauce and a dash of curry for an instant Indian twist.

See the recipe Chicken Curry with Peanuts and Chickpeas

3Middle Eastern Cuisine

Dominant flavours:

Spices, herbs and condiments bring the main ingredients to life.

Star ingredients:

Fresh herbs, such as mint, coriander and parsley as well as cardamom, cinnamon and cumin. There are lots of chickpeas, lentils, peas and beans. Among the variations of meats, there’s lamb, chicken and beef, but not pork.

Cooking method:

Make your own tajine by browning chicken and vegetables, then roasting them in the oven for approximately one hour. Use saffron, lemon confit, olives and raisins for an exotic touch.

See the recipe Falafel

4Brazilian Cuisine

Dominant flavours:

Sweet and fruity Brazilian cuisine is deliciously creative!

Star ingredients:

Fish, seafood and offal are the mainstays of this cuisine. Fruits like acai berries and star fruit add a sweet note to the dishes. Manioc, also known as cassava or yucca, is a root vegetable that is popular in South America.

Cooking method:

Add black beans, salted pork and chorizo to traditional stew to make Brazil’s national dish, feijoada!

See the recipe Brazilian Marinade

5Creole Cuisine

Dominant flavours:

Lemony and oh-so-spicy, Haitian food is rife with hot peppers, like the Scotch Bonnet, habanero or Tabasco varietals.

Star ingredients:

Plantain, papaya, okra, yams, chicken, shrimp, pork, red and black beans are part of the essential list to make a Creole feast. Rich in meat, poultry, fish and vegetables, Haitian dishes are also full of rice, no matter how they’re served.