Today I thought I’d share a little round-up of dishes we’ve made from around the world. Some are very basic (champ), and others are a little more involved, but none of them are difficult. You should also be able to find the ingredients for these world recipes quiet easily, or be able to substitute ingredients that are local to you.
Do you and your children like to try new foods and new flavours? We certainly do. My children are much more open-minded than I’ve ever been. I used to be one of the pickiest eaters around. My tastes have expanded; mostly through travel, and also by making the meals myself. When you make something yourself it doesn’t seem as ‘scary’ to try!
Having children help with making their meals is a great way for them to learn. They will learn some math (measuring), fine motor skills (cutting), science (reactions of ingredients: yeast for example), art (presentation of the meal). You can also throw in some geography by looking up where a meal has originated from, and you can learn about the history of the meal, and the culture that it comes from. And that’ s all without touching on nutrition, let alone taste!
Click on the links or the photos to take you our tried-and-true recipes.
Recipes From North America
1) French-Canadian Poutine originated in Montréal, Canada fairly recently, and is just the ticket to add to a meal of burgers to give you an at-home fast-food feeling.
2) From United States we’re sharing some cookies with you. Banana chocolate chip cookies are like little fluffy muffins and always go down a treat.
3) Our next recipe is without borders, First Nations Bannock you’ll find all across North America. There are many variations on it, but we use a recipe given to my sister by her good friend, and has been handed down for generations on the Saskatchewan prairies.
British and Irish Recipes
4) Welsh Rarebit is delicious, and easy to throw together for breakfast or a snack. Who doesn’t like cheesy toast with a kick?
5) Scotch rolls are perfect for taking to a picnic, a pot-luck, or a lunchbox. They’re easy to transport, and the children love helping with them.
6) From my current land of Northern Ireland, you simply must try some champ. It was one of the first meals I had when I arrived. It’s versatile; you can use it as a side-dish, or do as they do here and top it with any number of things from saucy beans, curry, chili, cheese and bacon, or anything you’d like.
7) Moving south to the Republic of Ireland, beef and Guinness pie is an indulgent treat. It’s rich and beefy, and has a lovely, flaky crust. Phil loves to make this.
World Recipes From Asia
India
8) Bombay potatoes are full of flavour and colour! We don’t have these often enough…I think I know what I’ll be making for supper tonight.
China
Moving on to China now.
9) Our family simply wouldn’t survive the winter without hot & sour soup! It warms body and soul, and it’s great for fighting colds and flu.
Japan
And today’s final stop is in the land of the rising sun, and a place where I’ve left part of my heart; Japan.
10) Festivals are a part of the Japanese culture, and the food you can find there is aromatic, colourful, flavourful, and sometimes very interesting. One of my favourites was Yakisoba. I only tried to make this for the first time years after I left Japan, and I don’t know why I didn’t make it sooner, it’s so easy! Instead of take-out, why not stay in and enjoy your family while eating some yakisoba and watching a Studio Ghibli movie?
Do you have any favourite world recipes? Share them in the comments!
More ways to learn about world cultures:
