When travelling abroad, you may experience culture shock because differences are inevitable most of the times. Sometimes, you are shocked because of how the way the locals live, what foods they eat, and more. Instead of being skeptical of the differences, why not enjoying your time by appreciating the culture, respecting the locals, and having fun. One of the best ways to learn different culture is through foods.
Traditional foods to try when travelling overseas
Visiting a country that is different from your homeland is exciting. Some foods might be not suitable with your taste and that’s okay too. If you travelling to different countries, you can learn their culture by trying their traditional foods, such as follow:
Ratatouille from France
France is known for being a romantic destination suitable for couple vacation but that’s not the only charm the country has. During your visit, try Ratatouille, their famous traditional dish made from variety of vegetables. It’s considered vegan and gluten-free so it’s relatively safe to try for everyone. Seasonal vegetables are sliced in beautiful layers and added with tomato sauce then roasted to perfection.
Herrings and Onion from Netherlands
Trying traditional Dutch food, you can start from Herrings and onion which has been considered as original delicacy of Dutch. The perk is both herrings and onions are eaten raw. Traditionally, herrings are preserved in barrels by smoking and salting method. Some vinegar are also added. Sometimes, some spices and herbs are also added according to the locals preference. Traditional herring is usually served with raw onion and you can find this food almost at every fish stall around the country.
Mousaka from Greece
This Greek is considered a popular traditional food made with either eggplant or potato as a base. The base is usually layered with minced or ground beef and topped with bechamel sauce. Different variants of Mousaka depend on which restaurant or region you visit. Some of them are served in their own casserole dish. Be mindful when ordering since the portion is known to be very large.
Fesendjoon from Iran
This Persian food is a must try when you visit Iran since it’s mostly underrated cuisine. It deserves more worldwide recognition since it’s such a delicious food to taste. This dish is made from meat which can be chicken or duck, and then stewed for hours in a sauce made from walnuts and pomegranate syrup. The rich flavor is satisfying but some people prefer it to be a little sweeter and others like it to be ou sour side.
Harira from Morocco
This Moroccan food called Harira is a Moroccan soup that is traditionally served during Ramadan or Yom Kippur. There are different variants to the recipe of this light-flavored soup. Some of the most common ingredients to use include chickpeas and other types of beans, lentils, onions, rice, meat, beaten eggs, tomatoes, and olive oil. The soup stock is usually made from lamb seasoned with cinnamon, ginger, parsley or cilantro, and turmeric.