🍽️Feel Good Friday: What’s Cooking in Your Home Country?🍳

[#1]

Sometimes I need to push myself to do things. And as small as it might sound, this post was one of those things.

I wasn’t quite sure what to write about at first. Following @Amanda Barber's lead, I checked what international days we were celebrating today. Many were serious (though I’ve always found National Seatbelt Day weirdly entertaining). And then I saw it: National Pickle Day.🥒

As I truly love pickled food (I literally have baby cucumbers in my fridge waiting to be pickled, and my bottom shelf is stocked with self-made kimchi and pickled onions), I first thought this was the right way to go!

Food is one of my many passions. So after chatting about this with someone else, I figured: instead of talking just about pickles, which is not the most relatable, why not turn this post into something less vinegary?

So, let’s talk about national dishes. Or at the very least… What are your top 3 favorite dishes from your home country?

I was born and raised in Venezuela, and even though my cuisines' top 3 might not all be Venezuelan, my roots always show up on the plate. Here's my list:

1. Pabellón Criollo: It has white rice, black beans, pulled beef, and fried plantains; some people add a fried egg and avocado on top. I don’t know its exact origin, but it represents Venezuela's race mix through its ingredients, its colors, and flavors.
   
   
   
   
2. Cachapas: Are like sweet corn pancakes filled with fresh cheese (similar to Mozzarella, Straccino, or  Stracciatella but firmer -I have the theory our cheeses are a version of Italian fresh cheeses but different because of different bacteria. Delicious). It has variations on the filling, but for me, as simple as this, it's perfect.
   
   
   
3. I need to go with Arepas: They aren't my everyday favorite, but when the craving hits, it’s unbeatable. It’s a thick corn “bread” you can fill with almost anything. It's our version of a sandwich (since the last 20 years, we all Venezuelans have migrated from our country, I've seen horrible stuff, as filling it with Nutella, so please don't). My top three traditional fillings:
   
   A) Pelúa (Hairy), which has shredded Edam cheese (or any other mature-ish cheese) and pulled beef; sometimes I top it with avocado, despite that it's not traditional.
   
   B) Reina Pepiada (Posh Queen), which has a mix of avocado, chicken, and mayonnaise. You need to try it.
   
   C) Anything homemade, not traditional, with no name, which combinations usually are: cheese, jam and cheese, canned tuna with tomato and onions.... anyways, combinations are endless (not Nutella!)
   
   
   
   
4. And I know I said a top three, but I cannot leave aside Tequeños, which are cheese sticks with dough, Empanadas, Asado Negro, Hallacas, Quesillo... anyways, I'm hungry now.
   

Now it's your turn!! I would love you to share in the comments the top three dishes from your country, and if you can explain some context and history about them, it would be great!!

[Ajay _view26_]

I’m Ajay from India, and here are three of my favourite dishes — all bursting with spice and masala!

Biryani: Aromatic basmati rice cooked with warm spices, caramelised onions, and marinated meat — a flavour-packed feast in every bite.

Dosa: A crispy fermented rice-lentil crepe served with spicy sambar and chutneys. Light, golden, and deliciously masala-filled.

Papadi Chaat: A popular street-food snack made with crispy wafers, yoghurt, tamarind chutney, chickpeas, and chaat masala — a perfect mix of spicy, tangy, and crunchy.

[Anahit Sukiasyan]

Loved reading your descriptions of those top 3 dishes! Fingers crossed I’ll get to taste them someday. ❤️

I love how food connects us to our roots, our families, and all those small memories that stay with us no matter where life takes us.

As for me, my absolute top dishes from my home country Armenia are Khash and Dolma. 🫠

Khash is more than just a dish, it’s an experience, an ancient Armenian hot dish, a soup traditionally made from boiled cow parts like feet, head, and stomach. It is a social and ritualistic meal and is usually enjoyed in the winter early in the morning with friends or family gathered around the table. One of those meals that feels like tradition, comfort, and togetherness all in one. It’s funny because Khash fills you up so much that the whole day goes by without needing another meal.

And then there’s Armenian Dolma, which I could eat any day, any time. Whether it’s grape leaves or cabbage leaves, there’s just something so comforting about that perfect blend of seasoned meat, rice, and herbs. It’s the kind of food that tastes like home and love.

Now I’m officially hungry too! 😋

[Barbara Szczesniak]

Thank you to those from other countries for providing pictures and descriptions of delicious dishes, so I can make a more informed decision at a restaurant.

Being from the US, which is made up of peoples from many nations, we have some uniquely American dishes, but we also have a lot of dishes purportedly based on those from other countries. A couple of my favorites:

Corned beef and cabbage: Boiled corned beef brisket, cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. In the US, this is typically served on St. Patrick's Day, as though it is a traditional Irish dish. When I lived in the UK, however, I worked with several people who grew up in Ireland, and none of them had ever heard of, let alone eaten, this dish. Note: this dish is not just for St. Patrick's Day; wouldn't it be good on a cool autumn day?

Pizza: Although every area of the US has its own style of pizza, I found out on a trip to Rome, that none of the American varieties is anything like pizza in Italy. Having grown up on American pizza, I didn't actually enjoy the one I had in Rome, which is probably an injustice. I'm like 1-2 traditional toppings, red sauce, and mozzarella cheese.

Happy Friday, all!