A journey to Asia is not only a linguistic and geographical adventure but a gastronomic one as well. Boasting budget rates for accommodation and plenty of cheap food, travellers can spend years touring in Asia. The diversity of Asian culinary treats speaks to the variety of cultural heritages. Each country has its national dish, and each dish is different from the last in taste, structure and history. This is a short outline of some of the most popular Asian delights we know.
Japan: The flagship dish is that seaweed rice roll of seafood that we know globally as sushi. It might surprise you to learn that sushi originated not in Japan, but Southeast Asia. It began as a sour-tasting roll of fish that was fermented by a chemical reaction with the rice. Today it is a fresh roll of seaweed, rice and fish that’s eaten directly. There’s more to learn at the Japanese Food Culture Association.
Vietnam: The Vietnamese rice noodle soup known as Pho is that country’s national food icon. It is brewed with basil, mint, lime and beef. Unlike neighboring cuisines, this dish originated in Hanoi in the 20th century as a way to satisfy both Vietnamese and French palettes.
Cambodia: Loc Lac is one of the most loved dishes, which actually comes from the Vietnamese version of the same. It consists of cubes of meat stir fried with red onions. It’s served over a delicate bed of lettuce tomatoes and cucumbers, and a lime juice is poured over it.
Indonesia: Goreng is a delicious dish that evolved out of China’s chow mein. It is similar in that it has thin yellow noodles that are fried together with garlic, shallots and meat, but it is different in that it does not use pork, reflection the country’s Muslim roots.
Thailand: Pad Thai, literally meaning “fried Thai style” has spread across the globe, bringing those succulent rice noodles to mouths everywhere. The dish has existed since antiquity, but the 1930s Thai Prime Minister Luang Phibunsongkhram made it popular through his rice education campaigns. It is made of rice noodles, egg, tamarind and fish sauce, and chili pepper. Often it is crowned with crushed peanuts.
Malaysia: Chinese and Malay culinary cultures melded and created for the world a delectable dish called Laksa. It is a spicy soup made of rice noodles that expresses itself in two principal ways; the more sour asam laksa fish soup, and the coconut curry laksa soup.
China: Peking Duck takes its name from Beijing’s once westernized pronunciation of Peking. If you enjoy roast duck, this is a Chinese dish that will have your mouth watering. The Peking duck is slaughtered, skinned, soaked in boiling water and glazed with maltose syrup. Then it is roasted until the skin is thin and crisp. The duck is normally served with sweet bean sauce.
Hong Kong: Popularized throughout the world, Hong Kong’s “dim sum” refers to the way a meal is served; in small portions oftentimes delivered around a restaurant on carts. The tradition stems from the needs of travelers along the Silk Road to relax with tea and food. Today, you’ll find food including meat, hot buns, dumplings and vegetables served as dim sum.
Korea: Perhaps what speaks more to your appetite is barbeque. Korea’s national dish is called bulgogi. It is a grilled meat, which can be beef, pork or chicken, which is marinated in a delicious sauce of soy, garlic, sesame oil and sugar. The dish has been around for centuries.
Philippines: The Philippines adores her Sinigang stew. It is a savory froth of fish sauce, onion, siling mahaba and tomato. The base of the stew is tamarind, and its flavor is more often than not beef. It has a sour twinge to it, which makes it unique and delicious. Any way you swing it in Asia, you’re going to taste things you’ve never tasted before, and you’ll love it.
- See our selection of Cambodia maps and travel guides
- See our selection of Indonesia maps and travel guides
- See our selection of Thailand maps and travel guides
- See our selection of Malaysia maps and travel guides
- See our selection of Hong Kong maps and travel guides
- See our selection of Korea maps and travel guides
- See our selection of Philippines maps and travel guides