Asian cuisine is known for its bold, amazing, and lip-smacking flavors. Those are created through delicious spices, herbs, and many other ingredients. The most important ones are ginger, garlic, and chili peppers. Asian cuisine contains a combination of sweet, sour, and salty. Dishes of Asian cuisine can be described in these two words ‘authentic’ and ‘traditional’.
A key element of Asian cuisine is the use of fresh, green, and leafy vegetables and herbs. These are used to prepare salads, soups, and other dishes which are healthy and delicious. Asian cuisine is also famous and demanding for the use of sauces which helps in adding a mouth-watering taste to the dishes like soy sauce, hoisine sauce, fish sauce, chilli sauce, etc. Street food plays a major role in Asian culinary traditions offering a large variety of affordable and scrumptious snacks and meals.
Asian cuisine: Must-try dishes with flavourful and appetizing tastes from across the region.
Biryani- India
Biryani is a delicious and aromatic dish. It’s a mix of long-grain basmati rice, tender chicken, or meat with spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves, and occasionally potatoes or boiled eggs. The taste is a great mixture of spicy, savory, and slightly sweet with layers of spices and herbs. The essence of the meat, spices, and herbs makes the dish more aromatic.
Sushi- Japan
Sushi is a popular Asian food with the essence of Japanese cuisine. Made up of vinegared rice with fresh ingredients combining raw seafood and vegetables. The flavor of sushi is filled with rich fish and crispy vegetables and rice seasoned with soy sauce and wasabi. Wasabi adds a punch of heatness while soy sauce gives saltiness. The presentation of sushi is outstanding.
Tandoori chicken- India
Tandoori chicken is a popular dish shining in crowded Asian food places, particularly in Indian and Pakistani cuisines. This legendary dish features marinated chicken which is cooked in tandoor, a traditional oven of India made from clay, like a large clay pit. It’s made by marinating chicken pieces in a mixture of yogurt, and spices including garlic, ginger, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala. Then, marinated chicken is cooked in tandoor, giving it a smoky flavor. Tandoori chicken is served with naan or rice.
Ramen- Japan
Ramen is a popular Japanese noodle soup dish in Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a succulent broth, flavored with soy sauce, miso, salt, or topped with various ingredients. The toppings can be seaweed, green onions, boiled eggs, corn, and bamboo shoots. The ramen noodles are thin and chewy providing a pleasurable texture that pairs great with the broth and toppings.
Shawarma- Middle East
Shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern dish that gained jaw-dropping popularity as an Asian food. Shawarma contains thinly sliced marinated meat ( chicken or lamb ) with a blend of spices such as cumin, coriander, garlic, turmeric, and paprika. Marinated meat with a blend of spices is wrapped in a flatbread such as pita or lavash with a variety of toppings and sauces.
Asian cuisine is authentic and traditional. Unique flavors make Asian cuisine more demanding and popular. The savory taste of Asian cuisine is a result of the blending of ingredients and cooking methods.
Article by Mahi Patel | Edited by Saumya Sharma