Around the World for Dinner

Egypt

Ful Medames

"The rich man's breakfast, the shopkeeper's lunch, the poor man's supper." This traditional Arabic saying describes the Egyptian dish. This dish of cooked and mashed fava beans served with olive oil, chopped parsley, onion, garlic, and lemon juice. A staple meal in Egypt.

Phillipines

Lumpia Rolls

These tasty treats are popular both in their native country and in Filipino communities around the world. In American cities with large Filipino populations, such as San Francisco and Los Angeles, street carts serving Lumpia and restaurants specializing in the rolls have numerous fans. Lumpia are pastries of Chinese origin similar to spring rolls popular in Indonesia and the Philippines.


India

Masala Dosas

Is a fermented crepe or pancake made from rice batter and black lentils. It is indigenous to and is a staple dish in the southern Indian states. It is common as breakfast or dinner and is rich in carbohydrates and protein.

South Africa

Boboties

A custard-topped meat casserole that's considered South Africa's national dish. Bobotie is a dish consisting of spiced minced meat baked with an egg-based topping. It is also made with curry powder leaving it with a slight "tang."


Greece

Lamb and Eggplant Moussaka

Moussaka is a casserole made by layering eggplant with a spiced meat filling then topping it off with a creamy bechamel sauce that is baked to golden perfection. It is perhaps the most widely recognized of all Greek dishes

Italy

Pasta Bolognese

A signature dish of the Emilia-Romagna region, the thick, rich sauce contains ground chuck, ground veal, ground pork, and pancetta, plus onions, carrots, tomatoes, red wine, and cream.

Japan

Tempura Shrimp and Vegetables

Is a Japanese dish of seafood or vegetables that has been battered and deep fried.

Israel

Falafel

A ball or patty made from ground chickpeas or fava beans. Falafel is usually served in a pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flat bread known as lafa.

Turkey

Baklava

A dessert that combines phyllo pastry, walnuts, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and a honey-lemon syrup. It is very rich and very sweet.

Mexico

Red Snapper Veracruzana

The fish fillets are baked with a tomato salsa with capers, olives, and raisins, then topped with pickled peppers. Overall a healthy dish.

France

Bouillabaisse

A hearty fisherman's stew from Marseille that contains fish and shellfish, olive oil, onions, tomatoes, garlic, parsley, saffron, fennel, thyme, bay leaf, and orange peel. Spiny lobsters and crabs are used, as are mussels in the Parisian version of the dish. All the ingredients must be quickly boiled together. Rouille, a paste of garlic, red pepper, bread crumbs, and fish stock, is added at table as a condiment to heighten the flavor. Bouillabaisse has inspired literary praise in verse and prose.