Location: Central Asia with a small area in Eastern Europe Population: 20 million Capital: Astana Geography: Plateaus and plains cover this largest landlocked country Language: Kazakh, Russian Signature flavours: Horse, sheep, beef, tea, dairy (from horse, cow, camel, and goat), bread, onion The Menu I really like assignments that take me on a culinary journey…
Tag: Asia
Assignment 134: Türkiye
Location: West Asia with a small area in Southern Europe Population: 85.4 million Capital: Ankara Geography: A nation of plateaus bounded on three sides by seas Language: Turkish Signature flavours: Lamb, rice, seafood, yoghurt, nuts, sesame, sumac, saffron, clove, cinnamon, hot peppers, goat milk, tomato, sahlep The Menu From the moment his assignment landed in…
Assignment 131: Philippines
Location: Southeast Asia Population: 114.2 million Capital: Manila Geography: An archipelago of well over 7000 islands Language: Filipino, English Signature flavours: Chicken, seafood, pork, coconut, egg, soy sauce, garlic, bitter melon, ube The Menu I have had Filipino food exactly once, at a little restaurant in Toronto. At a table covered with banana leaves, we…
Assignment 127: Iran
Location: The Middle East Population: 87.6 million Capital: Tehran Geography: A mountainous nation that includes areas of forest, plateau, and desert Language: Persian (Farsi) Signature flavours: Fresh herbs (mint, parsley, cilantro, basil, tarragon), dried fruit, rice, nuts, bread, lamb, dairy, saffron, citrus, pomegranate, eggplant The Menu Honey and Vinegar Sharbat: A refreshing beverage made from…
Assignment 125: Kyrgyzstan
Location: Central Asia Population: 7 million Capital: Bishkek Geography: A landlocked, mountainous country Language: Kyrgyz, Russian Signature flavours: Lamb, beef, horse, mutton, noodles, dairy, potato, rice The Menu I was thrilled when Kyrgyzstan was randomly drawn for my next assignment. I know next to nothing about Central Asian cuisine and love learning about a brand…
Assignment 117: India
Location: South Asia Population: 1.38 billion Capital: New Delhi Geography: Immensely varied geography comprising desert, jungle, ocean coastline, and the Himalayan Mountains Language: Hindi, English, and many others Signature flavours: Spices (cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, fenugreek, ginger, cardamom, mustard seed, and more), rice, chili peppers, garlic, onion, dairy, chicken, seafood, potato, breads, pulses, nuts, tomato…
Assignment 109: Iraq
Location: Middle East Population: 40.2 million Capital: Baghdad Geography: A mix of rocky desert, marsh, and mountainous regions Language: Arabic, Kurdish Signature flavours: Lamb, rice, citrus, dates, tomato, cardamom The Menu This fall, Eric and I moved into a new home. The kitchen was one of our favourite features when we first saw the house…
Assignment 98: Pakistan
Location: South Asia, bordering the Middle East Population: 193.2 million Capital: Islamabad Geography: A mix of desert, plains, plateaus, and towering mountains Language: Urdu, English Signature flavours: Lamb, goat, rice, cumin, coriander, mint, dairy, pulses, hot peppers, cardamom The Menu Eric tried Pakistani food for the first time at a restaurant called Khan’s when he…
Assignment 95: Taiwan
Location: East Asia Population: 23.5 million Capital: Taipei Geography: A small island nation with a mix of mountain, forest, and urbanized areas Language: Mandarin Chinese Signature flavours: Beef, pork, rice, scallion, soy, pickled vegetables, bamboo, pineapple The Menu I was really excited for this assignment, not only because I love Asian food, but I felt…
Assignment 94: Hong Kong
Location: East Asia Population: 7.5 million Capital: Hong Kong Geography: A highly urbanized area on the South China Sea Language: Chinese (mainly Cantonese), English Signature flavours: Pork, rice, seafood, garlic, shaoxing wine, soy, sesame, greens, egg, beans The Menu Hong Kong boasts a diverse culinary history, with influences ranging from China (their big neighbour to…
Wooden Spoon Wanderer 