As Brits, we get a lot of criticism for our food. Whether it’s the Full English (what else do people have after a night out?) or the spotted dick (yes, it’s got a strange name, but give it a try!), you’d be hard pressed to find any celebrated gourmet British restaurant abroad – and mock ‘local pubs’ serving up dodgy bangers and mash don’t quite count. Up and down the country our streets are filled with Indian, Italian and Asian food spots, meaning we can easily become self-deprecating regarding our own cuisine (even though most of us aren’t sure what exactly that is).
However, other countries have their fair share of weird and wacky food offerings only locals seem able to justify. These are just a few to make you feel a bit better about enjoying your chip butty, bubble and squeak, or jelly and ice cream.
Fairy Bread
A favourite at Australian children’s parties, triangular-sliced white bread is topped with butter which is then sprinkled with colourful hundreds and thousands. Whilst it delights tiny tots to no end, we can’t help but think this minimal effort treat may just be a substitute for tired mothers who don’t have time to bake an actual cake.
Tavuk Göğsü
This Turkish dessert starts off well as merely a humble milk pudding…but then they add meat to it. Finely minced chicken breast is incorporated into a sweet mix of rice, milk, sugar, flour and butter, before receiving a generous dusting of cinnamon and often some almonds for decoration. Far from an indulgence, this sounds more like a desperate kitchen cupboard clear-out gone wrong at the end of term.
Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallow
This traditional thanksgiving dish and Southern favourite hails from the USA where everything is just that little bit sweeter. However, from our side of the pond, it seems that perhaps they’ve gone just a little too far with this seasonal treat, traditionally served as a casserole. Even in the states, there is some debate surrounding whether this can be classed as a dessert or side dish, but in the land of the free, it seems anything is possible… even if it shouldn’t be.
Wasabi Kit Kats
In humble Britain, we enjoy our traditional two-fingered Kit Kat breaks and splurge on the chunky variety, and were delightedly shocked when a cookie dough version made its way onto our shelves. However, in Japan, they like to take their candy add-ins to new levels, mixing the spicy plant in with their chocolate. Giving it a bizarre green appearance in colour, they also offer pear, edamame, sweet chilli and red bean flavours amongst many more!
Martabak
Over in Indonesia, they stuff these thick fatty pancakes with various sweet and savoury fillings dependent on your palate. A firm favourite on street stalls, they are cooked up in a round pan and then receive a coating of butter before they’re layered and sliced into squares to serve. Popular inclusions range from ground peanuts and condensed milk to the most bizarre combination of oozing chocolate and cheese. Depending on what you choose, martabak may be eaten with curry, chillies, tomato sauce or simply on their own. Some may say it’s suffering an identity crisis, but we prefer to think of it as the most diverse dish on this list.
Edited by: Amy Hawthorne
Sources:
http://pinoycravings.com/2009/04/martabak-with-chocolate-cheese-indonesias-bibingcrepe/
http://japantourlist.com/vn/de-tang-huong-vi-cuoc-song-ban-can-thu-ngay-10-loai-bim-bim-wasabi-nay/
http://www.tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/classic-sweet-potato-casserole/
http://www.gurmerehberi.com/tarifler/yemek-tarifleri/tatli/sutluler/yalanci-tavuk-gogsu/
http://www.thekitchn.com/too-cute-fairy-bread-from-down-115658