Favorite Ethnic Foods?

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liftingandlipstick
liftingandlipstick Posts: 1,857 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So my cultural food base is pretty well limited to mexican and "asian"- that is, Americanized versions of Chinese and Japanese dishes. I'd really love to branch out and start experimenting with other spices, flavors, world cuisines in general, but it's hard to even start looking! What are your favorite food-cultures, and what are some of the basic/popular dishes I might find recipes for on Pinterest?

I have no dietary restrictions, the only thing I'm really not fond of is onion, and have or am able to purchase most spices.

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  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
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    I am not sure about creating your own from Pinterest recipes in all of these cases but I LOVE...

    Vietnamese - banh mi
    Vietnamese - pho
    Korean - bibimbap
    Korean - seafood pancake (has a name but I don't know what it is, sorry)
    Mediterranean/Greek/Indian/Moroccan dishes...lumping it all together here so I am sure I'll give someone a heart attack but falafel, gyros, tzatziki sauce, tabouleh, naan, curries, chapati, lamb in Middle Eastern style, stuffed grape leaves, hummus, and some sort of Iranian rice-and-meat thing that I've had a lot with about 9 different names for it...

    I am sure there's way more. I know a lot of that is Asian...I also love Thai food. I make a tasty healthy salad LOOSELY based off something I've had in a Thai restaurant, it's just mixed greens, diced carrots, and crab meat with Thai chili sauce (found in ethnic markets for cheap) and fresh basil leaves. It's one of my favorite lunch staples.
  • Zerodette
    Zerodette Posts: 200 Member
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    Thai- panang curry

    It's everything.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    shepherd's pie from british isles is good

    most russian, german and polish food is good as well
  • iggyboo93
    iggyboo93 Posts: 524 Member
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    I'm half Korean - I make my own kimchi and love all the Korean foods especially the types my mom made: bibimbap, bulgogi, japchae, myukguk, mandu and dukguk. www.maangchi.com is a great website for Korean cooking.

    I'm married to a German national and learned how to cook good German food from my mother-in-law. This cuisine is so underrated. It's beyond beer and brats. The desserts are amazing - a lot of fruit, not a lot of sugar and made with real whipping cream.

    Thai food is wonderful but the noodles kill me with the carbs. Someone here posted this recipe a long time ago http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2012/11/12/lightened-up-pad-thai-for-two/ This recipe is awesome!

    Central American foods particularly from El Salvador and Costa Rica are amazing. I haven't found a good plato tipico since I moved from Maryland.

    There is so much more to gastronomy than Mexican , Chinese and sushi. I've had some luck with this website for a variety of international food ideas - http://www.whats4eats.com/recipes
  • Forty6and2
    Forty6and2 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    Mediterranean/Greek/Indian/Moroccan dishes...lumping it all together here so I am sure I'll give someone a heart attack but falafel, gyros, tzatziki sauce, tabouleh, naan, curries, chapati, lamb in Middle Eastern style, stuffed grape leaves, hummus, and some sort of Iranian rice-and-meat thing that I've had a lot with about 9 different names for it...

    I was coming in here to suggest Indian and Middle Eastern food. I could eat curry for the rest of my life and be a very happy person! Falafel is fantastic, but it's best when it's super, super fresh and homemade garlic hummus is to die for!
  • Anxieux
    Anxieux Posts: 275 Member
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    My favorite Mexican food would have to be Picaditas! I could eat atleast 10 if I didn't hold myself back! but alas I do and only eat 4 when I do.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
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    I'm half Korean - I make my own kimchi and love all the Korean foods especially the types my mom made: bibimbap, bulgogi, japchae, myukguk, mandu and dukguk. www.maangchi.com is a great website for Korean cooking.

    I'm gonna need you to come to my house once or twice a week and make dinner. I'll buy the wine.

    Please??? ;-)
  • PrizePopple
    PrizePopple Posts: 3,133 Member
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    I'm part Greek, so proper gyros and tzatziki are soul food to me. I will base an entire restaurant on it. Let me just say in all my time only 2 have passed muster. I also make baklava at home and harshly judge that. Falafel is one of DH's favorite things, and he's as picky about that as I am gyros.

    Indian ... curry in damn near any form. naan. pakora. samosa.

    Thai ... Tom kah gai, pad thai

    We're partial to pho here as well, and DH has been getting banh mi every week to have on his long day for lunch and dinner.
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
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    I'm in Greece right now for a month and have been eating very well!!!!
    Moussaka
    Pastichio
    Goat kokkinisto (red sauce)
    Marithaki (tiny fried fish)
    All kinds of fresh fish char grilled
    Fava dip
    Skordalia (garlic dip)
    Fish roe dip
    Amazing fresh fruits
    Eggplant salad
    Greek salad
    Roast pork
    Amazing pastries
    Hummus
    Gyros with roast pork, red onion, yogurt cucumber sauce

    The list goes in and on!

    I'm in food heaven!

    Haven't weighed for over 2 weeks but hey! It's our 40th anniversary once in a lifetime trip to the
    home country. Lots of swimming and walking.
  • Hell_Flower
    Hell_Flower Posts: 348 Member
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    Indian food and Nepalese food.

    Always has been, always will be. Plus, it's easy to cook in bulk, add veggies to, cream for a treat, tomatoes for a healthier option, can switch up to naan bread instead of rice.

    If I ever get stuck for ideas, I just take a trip to my local Nepalese restaurant for dinner and while I'm there I pick their brains as they are always happy for a chat and are so, so friendly. Maybe I'm lucky though in where I live.

    Goddamnit, now I want some curry.

    Edited to add! - Screw Pinterest, the BBC Good Food website is AMAZING for recipes, as well as giving nutrition info http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/curry
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Mediterranean/Greek/Indian/Moroccan dishes...lumping it all together here so I am sure I'll give someone a heart attack but falafel, gyros, tzatziki sauce, tabouleh, naan, curries, chapati, lamb in Middle Eastern style, stuffed grape leaves, hummus, and some sort of Iranian rice-and-meat thing that I've had a lot with about 9 different names for it...

    this.

    Pretty much this- and I tend to mentally lump them together too- because that's what I really enjoy.

    I do eat a fair bit of mexican- but otherwise that's it.

    Oh Brazillian steak houses- I'll eat there- Picania is the best thing to happen to my mouth EVER. (that and the drugs to get rid of herpes)




    LOL just kidding.

    And Argentinian wine.

    I really REALLY like Argentinian wine.
  • sally_jeffswife
    sally_jeffswife Posts: 766 Member
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    Arroz Con Pollo (or any portuguese food for that matter), Coq Au Vin (French),Bulgogi (Korean),Rolo Kima (Greek) or most greek foods are awesome......I love alot of ethnic foods from many different cultures. My fav is prob Portuguese food though, I like their Port Wine the best also
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    Soul Food.... Barbeque, smothered, fried meats, baked macaroni and cheese, Candied yams, Collard greens... so nom.

    4096494903_da8a9b2d92.jpg
  • The_Raspberry
    The_Raspberry Posts: 84 Member
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    Ethiopian food is sooo good. Probably hard to do at home, but injeera with varios sauces and stuff! Yum!
  • lmgbebe254
    lmgbebe254 Posts: 5
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    Anyone have any healthy ethnic recipes to share that aren't too hard. I like to keep things simple...it is easier to put in my food journal that way. I am open to most foods. Thanks!!! :) Feel free to add me if you like!!!
  • liftingandlipstick
    liftingandlipstick Posts: 1,857 Member
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    Just to update everyone- first of all, thanks a ton! I'll definitely make my way through the whole list, but I started with Indian. I tried my hand at homemade naan, dal and beef curry tonight and it was phenomenal! The naan was way easier to make than I would have thought, and it's hands down the most scrumptious bread I've ever made. It's dangerous, because now I have 7 more in the house that I have to try not to eat all at once :) The dal was okay, but a bit bland. Probably my fault for underspicing. The beef curry was also super simple- sliced steak, spinach, peppers and a sauce made from Greek yogurt and curry powder. For a beginner, I'm pretty pleased. Thanks again for all the suggestions!
  • Nicole_BGA
    Nicole_BGA Posts: 45 Member
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    Ghanaian food. (High calories though cos it's a lot of frying! If only I could get my husband to use the grill) Lebanese food and I love this and Indian. I eat more foreign food than home grown food. The hotter the better!
  • amwoidyla
    amwoidyla Posts: 257 Member
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    I just went to an Oktoberfest celebration today and ate some delicious German food! I had knoephla, kraut, and sausage and the boyfriend had fleischkuekle and knoephla soup and each a kuchen for dessert!
    It's absolutely delicious, but I find it has to be almost a special treat for me because what I like is usually a pretty heavy meal.

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