Traveling is also (and maybe even more importantly) about discovering traditions and opening up to new cultures. Tasting the local cuisine is, therefore, an integral part of the trip! If you look back in your
Traveling is also (and maybe even more importantly) about discovering traditions and opening up to new cultures. Tasting the local cuisine is, therefore, an integral part of the trip! If you look back in your memories, we bet you’ll find the taste of a delicious pasta dish in Italy, a fresh salad in Greece, or a shrimp curry on a beach in Thailand…
And to make your mouth water and inspire you for your next vacation, GO Voyages offers you a tour of the most famous destinations for their cuisine. Morocco, India, Japan, Spain… So, without further ado, let’s dive into this blog and follow us for a gastronomic world tour!
1. Thailand
If the gastronomic experience is an integral part of your choice of destination, Thailand must be on your list! Southeast Asia is known for its delicate, spicy, and healthy cuisine. In Thailand, curry is cooked like nowhere else. This dish of Muslim origin is here with chicken, lamb, or tofu.
Thai massaman, beef curry with cashew nuts, is a must. Lemongrass, coriander, and basil work wonders in Thai dishes, which are also very spicy. Pad Thai, another specialty with shrimp or chicken, is eaten everywhere in the streets of the country. And to accompany your meal, the naam gek huay, a juice with chrysanthemum flowers, should surprise you.
2. Japan
Japanese cuisine, reputed to be healthy, balanced, and dietetic, mixes philosophy and traditions. The typical Japanese family meal is always composed of a soup to whet the appetite, rice, and three side dishes (vegetables and fish generally, meat especially for festive meals). This is the triangle rule. There is no order to eat, but all the dishes must be finished at the same time.
Sushi, maki and rice dishes are well known, but ramen’s the most emblematic specialty of Japanese gastronomic culture. It is a thin noodle served in a hot broth with salt, soy sauce, and miso, and in which pork, seafood, vegetables, egg, onions, beef, etc. are added. Of course, like many traditional Japanese dishes, seaweed, mushrooms, and spices can also be added.
3. India
As in the United States, cooking is a refined and very old art in India. Indian gastronomy is extremely rich. It is characterized by the subtlety of its mixtures, its warm colors, and its delicacy. The diversity of ingredients and spices makes it extremely tasty. Crushed in a mortar, the spices sublimate each dish: red pepper and pepper, ginger, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, turmeric, saffron, and coriander, will make your taste buds waltz…
A large part of the Indian population being vegetarian, and Indian cuisine is one of the richest in the world in terms of vegetable and dried fruit dishes. Each region has its own cooking technique and spice seasonings: aloo gobi, Indian-style vegetable curry, red lentil dhal, bhaji onions, parathas, tandoori chicken, and halwa with dates.
4. South Korea
Korean cuisine is known for its great variety and undeniable quality. It is a tasty cuisine… And very spicy! Koreans like to say that their beautiful skin is the result of their eating habits: healthy, low-calorie, and “relatively spicy” food that makes you sweat and therefore helps exfoliate! Based on Chinese cabbage fermented and marinated with chili pepper, kimchi has been declared a “national treasure”. It accompanies all meals.
Many dishes are also made with broth, rice, and noodles, but what differentiates it from Chinese and Japanese cuisine is the meat! The Korean barbecue is very famous and very friendly! You grill your own meat and vegetables on the grill placed in the center of the table while chatting with family or friends. At the restaurant, do not hesitate to ask for NON-spicy dishes if you have a sensitive palate.
5. Lebanon
Lebanese gastronomy is a memorable epicurean experience. Extremely varied, fresh, colorful, and delicate, it is one of the richest in the world. It uses a lot of fruits and vegetables, dairy products (yogurt, cheese), and cereals (wheat, rice). Meat (lamb and sometimes mutton) also has a prominent place. But it is especially the mezzes (tabbouleh, fattouche, hummus, mustabal, labneh, falafel, moussaka…) that are the big stars, especially among visitors. On the table, there is always a big tray of vegetables to crunch (lettuce, cabbage, turnips, radishes, leeks, carrots, and square stemmed mint).
During the meal, or at the end, it is common to smoke the hookah (the water pipe), whose smoke, sweet and fragrant, scent the restaurant. The tobacco is often flavored with honey and fruit. The meals are copious, and the main dish (or dishes) arrives when the guests are full. To “make room”, there is nothing like a good Lebanese coffee, black and intense, or a white coffee, a transparent drink with orange blossom added.
Sound off in the comments section below and tell us what you want to read next, and if you want to read more about places in Asia, every foodie should visit.
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