Ca Kho To: Vietnamese Braised Fish

Ca Kho To is a Vietnamese caramelized fish stew cooked in a clay pot to perfection

Say what you want about Vietnamese food, but it’s hard to deny its uniqueness and special appeal. Even in a dish like ca kho to, which is a fairly everyday dish from the South, what you see (and what you get) is a diversity of ingredients exquisitely cooked in unpretentious, simple but really effective ways. … Read more

Encebollado: Ecuadorian Tuna & Onion Soup

This is Encebollado, a spicy tuna and onion stew, widely regarded as the national dish of Ecuador

Every once in a while, you come across a dish that is really special. It’s hard to explain the what and particularly hard to explain the why, but certain dishes seem to symbolize something more than just the sum of their ingredients. There’s true symbolism nestled into each and every bite. As integral as anything else … Read more

Chili Crab: Singaporean Shellfish in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Chili Crab: Singaporean Shellfish in Spicy Tomato Sauce

It’s funny how a dish can, in effect, go “viral” and gain massive popularity… almost like a YouTube video or the next hot meme. And yet, that’s exactly what happened to Singapore’s now-signature dish: the chili crab. Take one delicious recipe, the ever-powerful word of mouth and some entrepreneurial savviness from its creator, and you … Read more

Mohinga: Burmese Fish Soup

Mohinga: Burmese Fish Soup

For some nations, the national dish offers nothing more than hollow symbolism for the cuisine as a whole. For others, however, the national dish holds a far greater significance and lends a far deeper meaning to the overall national identity. The country of Myanmar (formerly Burma) falls into this latter category. For a once proud nation … Read more

Bougna: Kanak Yam and Seafood Curry

New Caledonian Bougna, a Kanak dish, featuring prawns and yams

This recipe is made with full shrimp (head on and not shelled) – combined with some yam, tomatoes, and onions simmering in some full fat coconut milk and topped with shredded coconut, served on optional banana leaves.

Caril de Caranguejo: Mozambican Crab Curry

The final plated dish of Mozambique Caril de Caranguejo - Crab Curry

There are some culinary mixes that simply work better than others. It could be a complementary set of flavor profiles or that one cuisine’s cooking method merges seamlessly with another’s ingredients. In these cases, two is definitely better than one. Mozambican cuisine, and caril de caranguejo in particular, is one such fortuitous mix. Drawing on strong … Read more