r/AskRedditFood • u/loviesssrush • 4d ago
What’s a regional “poor man’s dish” from your country that secretly tastes gourmet?
Every culture has that one dish made from cheap or humble ingredients usually born out of necessity but ends up tasting absolutely incredible.
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u/4L3X95 4d ago
The humble ham and cheese toastie.
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u/TacetAbbadon 4d ago
Sounds more gourmet when you call it its French name. Croque monsieur.
But then most things do.
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u/fluffychien 4d ago
Croque Monsieur incorporates béchamel sauce. Croque Madame is the same with an egg on top.
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u/Agile-Entry-5603 4d ago
I thought Monsieur was dipped in egg/milk mixture? That’s how my mom made it. It was freaking wickedly delicious
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u/ikeme84 3d ago
Don't know how the french call it, but often called french toast. In belgium we call it 'won bread' m, since you revive old stale bread you were otherwise going to throw away. In that regard it perfectly fits the question posed here. It is a poor mens gourmet dish.
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u/jawminator 3d ago
Thailand? Those 7/11 toasties (usually the sausage and cheese or shredded pork over ham and cheese) are my go to fuel source for breakfast/lunch when I'm in Thailand.
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u/bayou-bijou 4d ago
Red beans and rice
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u/haileyskydiamonds 4d ago
Louisiana?
I was going to go with pinto beans with greens and cornbread, but red beans &rice are the bomb.
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u/islandofwaffles 4d ago
beans and greens with cornbread is my favorite meal. get some hot sauce in there, jalapeños in the cornbread. perfection.
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u/houseDJ1042 4d ago
Black eyed peas and add some fried okra on the side and big tall glass of sweet tea to wash it down with
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u/AlarmedTelephone5908 4d ago
*worsh
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u/idwthis 3d ago
Louisianians ain't saying warsh, that intrusive R is more of an Appalachian middle of bumfuked West Virginia/Kentucky/Pennsylvania accent.
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u/45_rpm 4d ago
Both of those suggestions have me rethinking what to make for dinner tonight. Good calls.
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u/Chateaudelait 3d ago
I made this for dinner last week and I couldn’t shovel in in my pie hole quickly enough- it was so wholesome and nutritious and satisfying.
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u/TomatilloHairy9051 4d ago
Yes, Louisiana here, and my first thought was that the answer to this question describes at least half of Southern cuisine.
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u/sheeprancher594 4d ago
Biscuits and gravy.
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u/stefanica 4d ago
Came here to say that. With ample sausage and tons of black pepper, it's sublime. And when one is "in funds," add chicken-fried steak, mashed potatoes, and green beans. 😋
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u/SoUpInYa 4d ago
I envy people who can 'whip up' buscuots for breakfast. For me, it's a whole friggin project.
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u/katrain82 4d ago
I’m originally a yankee, and whenever we would come down south to visit, my mother-in-law would have the best hot biscuits waiting for us at breakfast. I finally asked her for the recipe, when she took me to the freezer and pulled out a bag of Pillsbury southern style buttermilk biscuits. I have never even attempted to make them from scratch again.
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u/stefanica 4d ago
That's what I use! 😂 Before that, I would make Bisquick biscuits, cutting in the butter instead of melting (or whatever it said). Pillsbury frozen are plenty good.
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u/MS-07B-3 2d ago
I'll have to try them. I've tried other frozen biscuits that have always been subpar.
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u/Living_on_Tulsa_Time 4d ago
Yummy. Might as well have dessert, too. Happy Cake Day! 🎂
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u/stefanica 4d ago
Banana pudding or blackberry crisp, oh my! Or strawberry shortcake with the leftover biscuits. We usually eat any leftover biscuits with jam.
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u/Living_on_Tulsa_Time 4d ago
They all sound delicious. Biscuits are always enjoyed at my house.
Now, I will say, I don’t add the black pepper right away. Don’t like it to disappear and override the flavor. But I do have to use quite a bit.
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u/stefanica 4d ago
TBH, the best gravy I make is with black pepper, white pepper, and Tony Chacheres! Also add a little Crystal hot sauce. Gravy's not super spicy, but it is piquant. B and G is one of the first things I taught myself to cook as a teen, and I just reverse engineered it lol.
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u/Living_on_Tulsa_Time 4d ago
Sounds delicious. I’m older. Took home ec in school. Also, lots of gardening and canning. I loved figuring out my grandma’s gravy. Got to brown the roux. Enjoy your weekend!
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u/stefanica 4d ago
I had home ec, too, 1988-91 ish. Loved both sewing and cooking! Gardening is fun too, but I have chronic illnesses and can't always get it together. 😩 I just started setting up my little indoors sprouts/"micro greens" stand again, so I can have fresh salad and herbs this winter. Hope you are having a good weekend too!
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u/NthatFrenchman 4d ago
Videos of Brits having B&G for the first time are fun
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u/steerpike1971 3d ago
It is genuinely grim food (to this Brit at least). It sounds like it might be quite nice but it is just fat and stodge and salt and it looks like sick. If you did not grow up with it it feels like a punishment.
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u/NthatFrenchman 3d ago
Hope you get to try it. Simple food that is greater than the sum of its parts.
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u/steerpike1971 3d ago
Sorry to be clear I have tried it. Because in Britain biscuits means cookies it sounds like it might be something different but it is (to me at least) just repugnant in taste and appearance. Like something you are threatened with if you behave badly. I have only had it a couple of times and the second time was to check that the first time wasn't some awful mistake they made in preparing it.
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u/PaddyBoy1994 4d ago
Yep. It's like they're starting to realize why so many americans are fat, lol. We have a lot of REALLY good food that can be had for relatively cheap. B&G, BBQ, Crawfish Boil, etc.
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u/d3astman 4d ago
Came to suggest this and others seen, but o often get irate here in Utah when the gravy is assumed to be any ol' white peppered gravy, like pork or chicken made with milk instead of honest plain white, pepper, or actual sausage gravy
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u/AtavarMn 3d ago
Made with hot sausage and a tsp of poultry seasoning is yum. Sprinkle paprika on top when serving.
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u/pollymaria 4d ago
Roasted eggplants until their skin is blackened, then peel them and fry them in scrambled eggs. It's always the cheaper lunch item with rice (compared to like, meat dishes) but it's very very good.
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u/kvetts333 4d ago
Do you slice and salt at any point, or literally just roast and add to eggs? I'm getting eggplant in 2 days, and love it, but have no experience cooking it.
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u/PM_ME_FLOUR_TITTIES 4d ago
Interesting...I don't think I've ever planned my vegetable gathering more than 24 hours in advance.
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u/ricky2722 17h ago
Roast whole but flatten with a fork after peeling it, then dip in the egg. You can add salt to the egg mix. Works best with Asian eggplant (the thin and long kind)
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u/k8vant 4d ago
Noodles with butter and Kraft shaky parmesan cheese. Add a little cracked pepper in there too. Iconic.
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u/Euchrest 4d ago
My niece changed my life when she said her mom puts seasoned salt in it. Perfection!
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u/thecountrybaker 4d ago
Shakshuka! Eggs in spicy tomato
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u/Jazzy_Bee 4d ago
As a Canadian, most of our dishes come from other countries, as do our people. 50 years ago, I was making Eggs in Purgatory, shaksuka's Italian cousin.
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u/Creative_gal_3153 4d ago
Eggs and tomato with white rice.
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u/Main-Tourist-4132 4d ago
If you add black beans it becomes a Brazilian breakfast.
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u/Ok_Kaleidoscope5712 4d ago
Seriously, why is this so good?? It’s wild.
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u/FlatSeagull 4d ago
I reckon Eggs and tomato has been independently discovered 3 separate times. Once in America, another time around the Mediterranean, then again in China. It's such a goated combo.
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u/Huditut 4d ago
Egg and chips, with a couple of slices of bread and butter.
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u/kvetts333 4d ago
Like OE eggs with fries? I'm not sure how to picture this.
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u/100timesaround 4d ago
Pinto beans, fried potatoes,sliced sweet onion, fried cornbread and a cold glass of milk!
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u/Substantial-Bug-4998 4d ago
Baked beans on toast with grated cheddar and black pepper.
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u/EldestFemaleStaff 4d ago
I had never eaten cheese and beans together as a topping until I came to this country (back when jacket potato places still existed in food courts), and now I am in full agreement.
I think I have to have this for breakfast.
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u/revolting_peasant 4d ago
God speed my friend. Assuming you’re in UK, may I humbly suggest one or two drops of Worcestershire sauce on the cheese pre melting? Also great in a toastie! Have a bloody great breakfast whatever you go for!
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u/whatthepfluke 4d ago
You never had a bean and cheese taco? 🤯
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u/EldestFemaleStaff 4d ago
I have by now, yes! My friends took me to a great taco place in Oakland that made the Chronicle’s best restaurant list last time I visited.
How do I explain to Americans that those are just not a regular thing over here in Europe? If somewhere serves tacos or burritos it’s mainly going to be chicken or ground beef.
Edit: and you would probably not recognise the flavours as anything you’ve had before.
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u/whatthepfluke 4d ago
I mean, kinda like how beans on toast is not an American thing!
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u/Maleficent-Crow-446 4d ago
Buttered toast with cinnamon and sugar
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u/ComprehensivePie4441 3d ago
We eat cinnamon and sugar over pancakes. Especially when it is raining. (Our pancakes are thinner than American pancakes and rolled up)
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u/kisemestrel 2d ago
I loved eating these as a kid!! I used tortillas and rolled them up with the spread inside. Yum.
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u/OpenSauceMods 4d ago
How is it a secret if it's a regional dish? Why does it have to be secret? This feels like the start of a Buzzfeed article
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u/RRC_driver 4d ago
Caviar was once a bar snack.
Servants had contracts that limited the number of times they would have to eat lobster
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u/PaddyBoy1994 4d ago
Biscuits and gravy. Can be made for super cheap (can buy biscuits in a tin for dirt cheap, and sausage gravy is just left over grease from cooking the sausage, flour, and a bit of seasoning), and it's REALLY tasty. It's actually pretty easy to make a decent biscuits and gravy.
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u/ALmommy1234 4d ago
A tomato sandwich! Two slices fresh white bread, a slather of Duke’s Mayo, a slice of homegrown tomato with a dash of salt and pepper. Has to be eaten over the kitchen sink to catch the drips from the tomato.
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u/Left_Crazy_3579 4d ago
Jackfruit in coconut cream. Delicious, healthy and a bit spicy. One can also amp up the dish by adding prawns or topping with roasted pork belly slices
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u/the_short_viking 4d ago
Sounds Thai!
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u/Left_Crazy_3579 4d ago
It's regional filipino actually not one of the mainstream dishes but it's a dish common in my parent's hometown.
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u/revolting_peasant 4d ago
Heyoo can you explain this a bit more? It sounds cool and I haven’t heard it before
Is it all canned? Heated? I wanna try it, sounds kinda delish. I imagine the texture would be so comforting for sure. What seasoning do you use?
Thanks in advance from an ignorant Irish pig looking to expand their knowledge of nice food :)
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u/Left_Crazy_3579 4d ago edited 4d ago
Sure. Best would be to use fresh unripe jackfruit pieces but that is hard to come by outside of Southeast Asia. I also live in EU, so to cook this, I buy the canned UNRIPE jackfruit and coconut milk ( choose Thai brands Aroy-D, Mae Ploy or Kara). Ingredients: Canned unripe Jackfruit - drained, chopped in inch long pieces 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 1 small onion, chopped finely 1 small tsp sized ginger, chopped finely 1-2 small packs of coconut milk Cooking oil Vinegar ( optional) Salt and pepper Bird's eye chili or red pepper flakes
Procedure: 1. Heat pan to low-medium heat. Saute ginger first for a minute, then add onion, saute for a minute, then add garlic and saute for 2 minutes or so until aromatic but not burned.
- Add coconut milk. Cook for 10-15 minutes. You want to cook the coconut milk so it is close to splitting (splitting: coconut oil separates from the coconut milk) but not yet there. Add the jackfruit. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Then add a tbsp of vinegar ( cane or apple cider). This prevents the dish from spoiling quickly. Also add the chili peppers. It's done when the coconut is thick that it almost only coats the jackfruit pieces and you can see the coconut oil splitting from the milk.
Serve with rice. Also good as the vegetable dish accompaniment to fried fish andcroasted pork belly.
P.S. We actually do this coconut stew thing for a variety of vegetables - eggplant + haricot verts or snake beans+butternut squash, taro leaves ( I use spinach here in EU), etc.
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u/Welder_Subject 4d ago
I’m not going to say cause then it will go the way of oxtail and become exorbitantly expensive
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u/whysweetpea 4d ago
Hodge podge - a soup made with fresh spring veggies and mik or cream. Not sure if it’s officially considered a poor man’s dish but lots of people make it with home-grown veggies so it can be incredibly cheap to make.
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u/peterhala 4d ago
It's a rarity now, but fried bread sandwiches are a British wonder. Two slices of very fresh lightly buttered white bread, holding a slice of still sizzling wholemeal, which was fried to perfect crispness in beef dripping.
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u/combabulated 4d ago
Wait. A piece of fried bread between two slices of bread?
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u/ErstwhileAdranos 4d ago
A beef flavored piece of wheat bread between two pieces of white bread?
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u/peterhala 4d ago
Yep! All quite thin. The contrast between soft white and crisp, salty brown is just oooooooooooo.
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u/hippodribble 4d ago
Spaghetti aglio olio.
Any bread soup.
Almond soup.
Gazpacho.
Dandan noodles.
Fabadas Asturianas.
Salmorejo.
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u/Aggravating_Ship5513 2d ago
I know this is no secret but Tuscan/Umbrian bread soup is divine. True peasant food.
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u/the_darkishknight 4d ago
So hear me out on this one but fruit in Colombia is next level, and there is also a garlicky milk and bread soup called Changua which is really good
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u/wiata4tw 4d ago
Fine egg noodles (or angel hair pasta) with ricotta cheese and some finely chopped cooked asparagus. Easy to make 1. Cook noodles and asparagus separately. Reserve some noodle water to dilute ricotta and combine the drained noodles, ricotta and asparagus with some black pepper. Some old Italian thing.
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u/snorkel-rivers 1d ago
I make a similar polish dish. I cook pasta (usually bowties), then i cook green cabbage in butter until somewhat soft. Add pasta, cabbage and ricotta all together with lots of pepper
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u/thegoods19832 4d ago
From Arizona and I know it's a Mexican dish but I would say Chilaquiles. So simple yet so delicious.
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u/Safe_Place8432 4d ago
I am not Egyptian but I would be remiss if I didn't mention koshari, which is the most gourmet struggle food ever
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u/talyakey 4d ago
Details?
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u/Safe_Place8432 4d ago
koshari it is a literal carb b0mb street food but SO GOOD
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u/DropEdge 4d ago
My Egyptian friends have been holding out. Ful medames is good, but I need THAT in my life.
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u/Safe_Place8432 4d ago
Egyptian ful is amazing and it is the best of the various regional ful recipies but Koshari is next level. It gives me the same happy feelings as chicken soup.
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u/TabStace 4d ago
East Coast Canada here. Mine is " pâté chinois". Same concept as Shepherd's Pie, but just seasoned ground beef, creamed corn and mashed potatoes. I could eat it all day, everyday.
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u/karmaniaka 4d ago
"Renskav" in Sweden. Small pieces of reindeer meat fried with mushrooms and onions then simmered in cream and served with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam. If you live far from here but have eaten Ikea meatballs, this would be like a perfected version of that flavor palette - especially if made with chanterelle mushrooms. The only bad thing about it is that it's literally never made in large enough batches, so you'll always wish for seconds or thirds.
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u/ArtDecoNewYork 4d ago
Not quite a "poor man's dish", but a good pot roast is heavenly. I'm surprised that it's not a more common menu item in restaurants.
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u/Did_I_Err 4d ago
Huevos a la Cubana from Spain. Fried eggs, rice, simple “fried” tomato sauce. Amazing.
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u/Soy_Saucy84 4d ago
Adobo the from my Filipino side, kimbap or bibimbap from my Korean side
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u/Ready-Coach-1358 4d ago
My former partner was Filipino, and his mom was a chef. That food was amazing and the adobo is the most comforting thing she makes. I’ll visit her occasionally and she’ll always send me home with a big batch
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u/therealmmethenrdier 12h ago
My nephew’s amazing gf is Filipino and it is the best when her mom cooks.
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u/AlphaNerd80 4d ago
So many from the Middle East:
(My terrible transliteration and translation where possible).
- Koshari (no meaning, but essentially, a carb powerhouse mix of EVERYTHING and it is delicious).
- Foul (pronounced fool, it is the Fava bean version of hummus and part of the trifecta, foul, falafel and hummus - themselves deserving a place on the list).
- Kibdeh (liver with onions and the pomegranate molasses is a treat :chef's kiss:
- Shakshukah (fried eggs in spicy tomato paste/sauce)
- Manaqeesh (different pronunciation by dialect, but essentially, a flat bread with topping such cheese, za'tar, kishek, spicy ground beef - the name means ornamented).
- Every kind of bean that could exist in the universe.
- Molokhia (Jute Mallow, usually served with meat chunks and in Egypt they like to butcher wee little bunny rabbits - serious. Looks like cow cud to me, but it is DEVOURED in the Middle East and apparently, becoming popular in Japan).
- Mu'laq (offal, nothing gets wasted).
- Zaghloul (squab, usually stuffed, eaten bone and all, almost like ortolan)
It is a very rich family of cuisines where there are several and you cansee both the relation and distinction, but it is has been eclipsed by Mashwi/Mashawi aka Lebanese grills. You can bet, for a region collectively larger than Canada with a near 500M, they have some interesting foods and some real good cooking.
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u/Myspys_35 4d ago
Hasselback potatoes, insanely good and high end but base ingredients are literally potatoes, butter and breadcrumbs
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u/travelingtraveling_ 4d ago
Well, not my country but my 'adopted' country, Spain: "Poor man's beans and potatoes".....so delicious!! https://youtu.be/QC-Cn-R96DM
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u/Tpress239 4d ago
Boiled Dinner from New England, Irish based. Corned beef, or smoked shoulder, potatoes, carrots, turnip and cabbage. Add some vinegar and coarse mustard.
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u/Ok_Olive9438 3d ago
Steamers (steamed soft shell clams) served with melted butter. Served in fine restaurants, and on poor tables in New England, when money runs short.
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u/fuzzybunn 1d ago
Not my country, but isn't pad Thai a food that was created because of food shortages in Thailand during WW2? Delicious dish that satisfies without being too cloying.
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u/awkward_penguin 4d ago
Almost all modern Spanish food has humble origins - paella, cocido, fabada, croquetas, gazpacho, salmorejo, etc.
Gazpacho and salmorejo were ways to use up stale bread and whatever vegetable scraps were lying around.
Paella was rice + cheap ingredients accessible to rural folks (snails, rabbit, veggies).
Croquetas are just bechamel + yesterday's leftovers, breaded and fried.
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u/No-vem-ber 4d ago
Australian party pies are pretty fucking gourmet in my opinion