When you can't travel the world, bring pieces of it to your home one meal at a time.
With the recent pause on all travel plans, we've been feeling the wanderlust more than ever. We're reading about traveling, writing about traveling, watching movies about traveling, and more recently - tasting the flavors of the world at home.
These 7 meals will transport you to different corners of the globe. Tick them off as you go and keep track of your favorites.
1. Bun Cha
This is NOT easy to make - but hey, you've got some time. Bun Cha is our favorite Vietnamese dish - which is saying something because it might be our favorite cuisine in general. Sweet, spicy, hot, cold, fresh, bitter - Bun Cha is the king of all meals in our opinion. We're talking last meal type of meal.
Here's a great Bun Cha recipe from Da Nang Cuisine.
2. Shakshuka
In our opinion, Shakshuka is delicious anytime of day. Take a trip to Israel and discover this amazingly flavorful dish of tomatoes, eggs, cheese, and nutmeg.
This is our favorite Shakshuka recipe.
3. Samosas
Another not so easy recipe, but trust us - homemade Samosa's are so worth your time. While they're obviously nothing like a donut, it's one of the foods that comes to mind when we describe how much better they are fresh out of the oil. Just pause long enough to avoid burning your face off. To start, try a potato and pea filling.
Take a trip to India and enjoy this traditional Punjabi Samosa.
4. Goulash
You can make a great Goulash with plenty of red meat, but to start try a traditional Hungarian recipe with beef. Then move to explore venison and lamb. This is one of our favorite Hungarian meals and it can be found on most menus throughout the country.
See Jo Cooks' Hungarian Goulash recipe.
5. Chicken & Dumplings
We made this delicious recipe last night and it was honestly one of the best meals we've made in 2020. Take a trip to the southern USA and dive into these good old fashioned chicken 'n dumplings.
Warning: They're more filling than they look.
Chicken & Dumplings recipe from the New York Times.
6. Carbonara
This recipe seems simple but it can take some getting used to - don't give up if it doesn't turn out your first go around. We managed to mess up and cook the egg our first time. Still delicious and much funnier.
This recipe is from Jamie Oliver.
7. Pierogi
This is another comfort food you'll want to treat yourself to while you're busy missing the world. These boiled dumplings are popular right across Eastern Europe, from Poland to the Ukraine. Whether you eat them with butter, sour cream, cheese, or chives, you can't go wrong.
Try them with some eggs for breakfast if you really want to change things up. Pierogi and eggs is so, so underrated.
Summary:
In this culinary exploration, we've gathered a delightful selection of seven comfort foods from around the world that you can recreate for a cozy dinner at home. As travel plans remain on hold, these dishes allow you to embark on a global gastronomic journey without leaving your kitchen. Whether you're indulging in the hearty flavors of Italy, the aromatic spices of India, or the savory delights of Mexico, each meal transports you to a different corner of the world, satisfying your wanderlust one bite at a time.
