Star Anise

Kari ayam is a chicken curry that is popular in Malaysia and Indonesia. It is made with chicken pieces, onions, garlic, ginger, ghee, tomatoes, coconut milk, and spices such as anise, cinnamon, curry leaves, pandan leaves, lemongrass, chilis, cumi... READ MORE

Traditional dan dan noodles are a true classic of Chinese cuisine. The star of the dish is a spicy sauce served with the noodles. Made with chili oil, preserved vegetables, Sichuan peppercorn, and sometimes sesame or peanut paste, the sauce bursts... READ MORE

Lanzhou lamian is a Chinese noodle dish known for its hand-pulled noodles, originating from Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province in northwest China. "Lamian" translates to "pulled noodles", as the dough is stretched and folded repeatedly by hand... READ MORE

Char siu is a dish consisting of roasted, barbecued pork that has previously been marinated in the eponymous sauce, including ingredients such as soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice wine, and star anise. The pork is usually served either as a sliced app... READ MORE

The savory, spicy beef noodle soup is the national dish of Taiwan and the source of immense pride for the locals. The dish is an ideal winter comfort food, typically consisting of beef, broth, vegetables, noodles, and spices. Beef noodle soup has ... READ MORE

Sichuan hotpot is a numbingly hot and spicy dish made by poaching raw ingredients in a pot of boiling broth. The ingredients might include sliced meat, offal, seafood, vegetables, noodles, and most importantly, Sichuan peppercorns. Consuming hotpo... READ MORE

Mala is a brothy, spicy sauce consisting of Sichuan peppercorns, chili peppers, oil, and a handful of various spices. In Chinese gastronomy, it is considered as one of the most popular sauces with many regional varieties. The sauce is so spicy tha... READ MORE

This Taiwanese classic consists of bite-sized pieces of chicken that are primarily marinated in a flavorful combination of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, rice wine, and various spices. The pieces are then coated in potato or corn starch and deep-fried... READ MORE

Simple, juicy, and savory lu rou fan is a popular Taiwanese dish consisting of ground pork braised in soy sauce, five-spice powder, and rice wine until it becomes tender and flavorful. It is traditionally served over rice, although some cooks like... READ MORE

A traditional dish of the Cantonese cuisine, crispy fried chicken consists of chicken that is first steamed and dried, then deep-fried in a special way so that the skin remains extremely crunchy, and the meat underneath gets tender. The chicken is... READ MORE

Ayam bakar is a traditional Indonesian grilled chicken dish, beloved across the archipelago for its bold, smoky flavors and deeply aromatic marinade. The name "ayam bakar" translates directly to "grilled chicken" in B... READ MORE

One of the classics of Chinese cuisine, hong shao rou is a delicious concoction made with braised pork belly. The meat is boiled and doused in a rich mixture of rice wine, sugar, and light and dark soy sauce. All the ingredients form a sweet and s... READ MORE

Delicately flavored soy eggs are a simple and versatile Chinese invention. Boiled and peeled eggs are submerged in the soy sauce mixture and left for a couple of hours until the salty flavors penetrate, infuse, and color the outer layer of the egg... READ MORE

Soy sauce chicken is a traditional Cantonese dish and a classic example of red cooking technique, where meat is simmered in a soy sauce-based liquid along with various seasonings. It results in tender, succulent meat that falls off the bo... READ MORE

Rou jia mo is a traditional burger and street food item originating from the province of Shaanxi. The dish consists of a bun (bai ji mo) that's usually stuffed with braised pork belly. Although there are variations, the pork belly is often braised... READ MORE

Ba wan is the most common street food in Taiwan. This traditional Taiwanese dumpling has become so popular that it is considered to be the national dish of the country. It is made with rice flour and potato starch dough that is usually filled with... READ MORE

Phở hải sản is a traditional variety of pho. This type of pho is made with seafood as the basic element. The broth is made from chicken bones and seafood, which give it a slightly sweet flavor. The ingredients used for phở hải sản usually include ... READ MORE

Even though it is traditionally associated with Malaysia and Singapore, this hearty dish stems from the Chinese culinary tradition. In its simplest form, it consists of various pork cuts that are cooked in a flavorful broth which is seasoned with ... READ MORE

Roast goose is a Cantonese specialty and Hong Kong's national treasure, a dish consisting of plump, succulent, and tender meat with a delicately crispy skin, traditionally served over white rice with sweet plum sauce on the side. The goose is typi... READ MORE

Rødkål is a Danish dish consisting of shredded red cabbage that is shortly simmered with red currant juice, vinegar, sugar, and various spices. Quick and easy to prepare, this dish is often enriched with other ingredients such as plai... READ MORE

Mazamorra morada is a well-known Peruvian dessert made with purple corn as the key ingredient, giving the dessert its signature color and flavor. Besides purple corn, the pudding is made with various fruits such as apples, peaches, and pineapple, ... READ MORE

Despite its unusual name, tea is not the dominant flavor in tea egg, a popular, traditional snack item that originated in Zhejiang, but is found throughout China. The snack consists of an egg that is hard-boiled in (usually black) tea, soy sauce, ... READ MORE

Carapulcra or carapulca is a Peruvian stew made with dried potatoes (papa seca), pork, peanut sauce, pimento chilis, and lots of fresh herbs such as rocket and mint. The stew is often seasoned with onions, garlic, black pepper, and ground... READ MORE

Plum sauce is a flavorful condiment consisting of sweet plums, vinegar, ginger, chili, garlic, sugar, and salt. It has Chinese origins and is an often-seen condiment of choice in numerous Chinese restaurants. The sauce can be used as a dip for a v... READ MORE

Štramberské uši is a baked product made from flour, sugar, eggs, water, baking powder, honey or caramel, and spices such as cloves, aniseed, cinnamon, and star anise. After baking, the dough is twisted into a cone shape, makin... READ MORE

Tekwan is a traditional fish ball soup. The essential component of the dish are tekwan fish balls, from which the dish derives its name. Usually made with fish paste, tapioca, and flour, they are boiled or fried before being added to the soup. The... READ MORE

Perníčky is a term used to describe traditional Czech cookies spiced with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger. They are usually cut out into different shapes and decorated with chocolate, yogurt, sliced almonds, candy, and sugar ... READ MORE

Pares is a Filipino term that typically refers to a standard combination of beef stew, beef soup, and rice. The star is the stew consisting of beef chunks that are slowly braised in a flavorful stock infused with garlic, soy sauce, star anise, sug... READ MORE

Khao kha mu is a Thai dish which consists of braised pork leg served over rice, complemented with a variety of side dishes and flavorful condiments. The leg is shortly seared and then braised in a flavorful broth which is usually spiced with anise... READ MORE

Hangzhou-style duck pickled in soy sauce is a delectable specialty dish of Hangzhou cuisine that delivers the authentic flavors of the region. This dish consists of duck meat cooked in a marinade, and it is then covered with soy sauce and served a... READ MORE

Bihun sup is a traditional noodle soup originating from Malaysia. The dish consists of beef broth, rice vermicelli noodles, and sambal chili paste. The broth is usually made with a combination of beef, ginger, garlic, shallots, cloves, star anise,... READ MORE

This sweet chilled soup made with sour cherries and sour cream is a traditional summertime dish. Also known as hideg meggyleves, meggykeszőce or cseresznyeleves, it is prepared throughout the country as soon as cherries ... READ MORE

Nilagang baka is a traditional soup originating from the Philippines. Although there are many variations, it's usually prepared with a combination of onions, beef broth, cubed beef, baby bok choy, cabbage, plantains, potatoes, celery, star anise, ... READ MORE

Lham (lit. meat) lahlou (lit. sweet) is an Algerian dish consisting of pieces of lamb stewed in a sweet syrup with fruit and various spices such as cinnamon and star anise. The dish often employs fruits such as prunes, quince, apples, pears, apric... READ MORE

Ruz al Bukhari or Bukhari rice is a rice dish that is enjoyed throughout the Gulf States of the Arabian Peninsula. This Middle Eastern specialty is believed to derive its name from the city of Bukhara, a historically-important trading city situate... READ MORE

Fryske dúmkes are a popular wintertime treat in the Netherlands. These cookies are a specialty of the province of Friesland, hence the name that can be translated as Frisian thumbs. They consist of flour, milk, salt, sugar, butter,... READ MORE

Pata tim is a traditional dish with Chinese influences, made with a combination of pata (pork leg), seasoning cube, bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, peppercorns, and star anise. The pork leg is... READ MORE

Enyucado is a savory-sweet dish originating from the Colombian coast. Although there are many versions of this dish, it is usually prepared with a combination of yuca, sugar, shredded or crumbled cheese, grated coconut, butter, and anise seeds. Af... READ MORE

Kway chap is a traditional dish consisting of flat rice sheets in a soy sauce broth and an array of sides such as pig tongue, offal, pork rinds, pork belly, hard-boiled eggs, fishcakes, or preserved vegetables. The meat is usually braised with spi... READ MORE

Swiss wings is a dish with origins disputed between Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China. The dish consists of chicken wings that are similar to soy-sauce chicken wings, only with a sweeter sauce. The wings are usually marinated in a combination of suga... READ MORE

Feng zhao is the name for dim sum-style braised chicken feet. The chicken feet are cleaned, salted, dried, then deep-fried in oil in order to puff up the skin around the bones and to caramelize the exterior. The next step is braising, which tender... READ MORE

Given that it was invented out of necessity to make use of any available animal parts, fuqi feipain surprisingly became the most popular snack in Sichuan cuisine. Shavings of beef (mostly offal) are doused in spicy, mouth-numbing sauce. Typical in... READ MORE