7 Delicious & Unique Recipes From Around the World

If you could travel anywhere in the world, right now, where would you go? Africa? Central America? South America? The Caribbean? Asia? Good news: You can take a trip to any of these amazing places by just walking to your kitchen! Here, we’ve put together some of our favorite recipes from around the world.

Whether you’re in the mood for a sweet treat or want to whip up something unique for tonight’s dinner, we’ve got you covered. So buckle your seatbelt and make sure your tray table is in the upright position. First, we’re lifting off to Africa.

What’s Here:

1. Tanzania: Tanzanian Coconut Rice
2. Uganda: Kashata Coconut Candy
3. El Salvador: Pupusas
4. Bolivia: Quinoa and Black Bean Salad
5. Haiti: Pain de Mais
6. The Philippines: Rose’s Pancit Noodles
7. Bangladesh: Payesh

1. Tanzania: Tanzanian Coconut Rice

Tanzania is a country in beautiful East Africa. It’s home to Mount Kilimanjaro, one of the tallest mountains in the world. In Tanzania, coconut milk is a favorite ingredient used in a lot of dishes, including this one.

This coconut rice is the perfect side dish to serve alongside your favorite grilled meat for an easy and filling family dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 c. basmati rice.
• 1 ½ c. water.
• 1 c. canned, unsweetened coconut milk.
• ½ c. peas.
• ½ c. carrots, diced.
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder.
• Salt to taste.

Make It

1. Rinse the rice in cold water and drain it.
2. Add the rice and all the other ingredients to a medium saucepan.
3. Cook on high heat and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan with a lid. Cook for about 15 more minutes or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and let it stand for about 5 more minutes.
6. Serve and enjoy!

2. Uganda: Kashata Coconut Candy

Oli otya! That means “hello” in Luganda, one of the languages spoken in Uganda, a country in East Africa. If you were to visit Uganda, you just might see an endangered mountain gorilla. You’d also find so many delicious treats sold by street vendors throughout Uganda’s communities. And this coconut candy is one of the most popular!

Ingredients

• 2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut.
• ⅓ c. milk.
• 2 c. granulated sugar.
• ½ c. water.
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon.
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt.
• 1 tsp. vanilla.
• All-natural food coloring (optional).

Make It

1. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9-by-9-inch baking dish. Then set it aside.
2. Combine the coconut and milk in a medium bowl. Stir until the milk has been absorbed. Then set it aside.
3. Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir until all the sugar has dissolved. Continue cooking without stirring for about 6-8 more minutes. (If you have a candy thermometer, the syrup should be 230 F.)
4. Add the coconut mixture, cinnamon and salt to the syrup in the saucepan. Stir well. Continue cooking and stirring for about 8-10 minutes or until any puddles of liquid disappear. Reduce heat if the mixture begins to brown. Stir in the vanilla extract and then the food coloring (if using).
5. Transfer to the prepared dish and spread evenly using a buttered spatula or butter knife. Let it rest for 5-8 minutes, then cut into 1 ½-inch squares. Cool completely before serving.

3. El Salvador: Pupusas

Let’s continue our journey by flying to El Salvador, located in Central America. El Salvador is known as the land of volcanoes. In fact, some of the volcanoes in the country are still active! El Salvador is also where over 70,000 of our Compassion-assisted children live.

Pupusas are the national dish of El Salvador. They’re warm and often gooey, fully loaded with cheese and other yummy ingredients. The best part? There are many kinds of pupusas, so after you learn the basics, you can get creative with how you stuff yours.

Ingredients

• 3 c. masa flour (such as Maseca instant corn flour).
• 2 ⅔ c. warm water.
• 3 tsp. salt.
• ¼ c. cooking oil, plus more for frying.
• ½ small onion, chopped.
• One 15-oz. can refried beans.
• 2 c. mozzarella cheese.
• ½ green bell pepper, diced.

Make It

Making the Dough

1. Place the masa flour in a mixing bowl. Add warm water and salt.
2. Mix for about 1 minute to form a thick, sticky dough. Then cover the bowl of dough with a damp towel and set it aside.

Making the Filling

1. Heat ¼ c. oil in a large soup pan over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and fry until golden brown. Mix in the beans and turn heat to low.
3. Place the cheese and bell pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until everything is finely chopped.
4. Add the cheese mixture to the beans. Stir until smooth, adding a little water if it gets too thick.
5. Remove from heat and set aside.

Making the Tortillas

1. Form the dough into egg-sized balls.
2. Press your thumb into the center of each dough ball to make a pocket for your fillings.

Tip: Put a little oil on your hands so you don’t stick to your dough!

Filling the Pupusas

1. Place about 2 tbsp. of the bean-and-cheese filling in each dough pocket. Pull the dough around the filling and pinch the edges closed.
2. Flatten the pupusa into a disc shape by gently flipping it back and forth between your hands.

Cooking the Pupusas

1. Using either a griddle or a skillet coated with oil, cook the pupusas over medium-high heat until they’re puffy with golden brown spots.

4. Bolivia: Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Bolivia, a vibrant country in South America, is where you’ll see the snow-capped Andes Mountains. It’s also home to parts of the Amazon rainforest.

High up in the mountains is where quinoa is grown. This tasty superfood is high in protein and perfect to pair with virtually any other ingredient, as you’ll find out when you try this salad.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp. vegetable oil.
• 1 onion, chopped.
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped.
• 1 c. dry quinoa.
• 2 c. chicken broth or vegetable broth.
• 1 tsp. ground cumin.
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional for a spicier dish).
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• 1 c. frozen corn kernels.
• Two 15-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained.
• ½ c. fresh cilantro, chopped.

Make It

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cooking until they’re light brown, about 10 minutes.
2. Thoroughly rinse the quinoa. Add it to the pan and pour the broth over it. Season with the cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pan, reduce the heat and simmer until the quinoa has absorbed all the broth, about 20 minutes.
4. Stir in the frozen corn and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the black beans and cilantro and remove from heat. Let it sit for a few minutes before fluffing it with a fork. Serve hot or cold.

5. Haiti: Pain de Mais

Ready to venture to the Caribbean? Haiti can be found on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea. Did you know that French is an official language in Haiti? It’s true! In fact, the name of this dish is the French name for cornbread.

This cornbread may not be like what you’re used to. Instead, it’s a dessert cornbread that features sweet bananas, tart lemon and coconut. When you taste it, you just might feel the warm island breeze.

Ingredients

• 1 c. granulated sugar.
• 1 c. brown sugar.
• 1 c. flour.
• 2 c. cornmeal.
• 1 tsp. baking powder.
• 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon.
• 1 tbsp. ground ginger.
• 1 tsp. nutmeg.
• 1 c. shredded coconut (optional).
• Zest of one lemon.
• 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, melted.
• 2 large eggs.
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed.
• One 12-oz. can evaporated milk.
• One 13.5-oz. can coconut milk.
• 2 tbsp. vanilla extract.
• 1 tsp. almond extract.

Make It

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Grease a 13-by-9-inch pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients (the first 9).
3. In a separate bowl, stir together the lemon zest, melted butter, eggs, banana, evaporated milk, coconut milk, vanilla and almond extract.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir well.
5. Pour the mixture into your greased pan. Bake for 1 hour.
6. Remove from the oven and let it cool. Slice and serve!

6. The Philippines: Rose’s Pancit Noodles

Next stop: Asia. The Philippines is an archipelago, or group of islands, in Southeast Asia. There are over 7,000 islands in the Philippines, making it the second-largest archipelago in the world.

Rose, a woman who was once a sponsored child in the Compassion program, lives on one of the islands. And this Filipino noodle recipe is one of her absolute favorite meals.

Ingredients

• 2 lb. dry vermicelli noodles.
• 1 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil.
• 1 onion, finely sliced.
• 5 cloves garlic, minced.
• 1 lb. chicken breasts, sliced.
• ¼ c. soy sauce.
• 2 c. water.
• 1 cube chicken or vegetable bouillon.
• 1 cabbage, chopped.
• 3 carrots, julienned.
• 1 ½ c. green beans, julienned.

Make It

1. Submerge the noodles in boiling water. Then remove from heat and set aside while you prepare everything else.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok on the stove over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion slices are soft.
3. Add the chicken to the onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes and then add the soy sauce, 2 c. water and bouillon cube.
4. Add the cabbage, carrots and green beans. Simmer until the cabbage is soft.
5. Drain the noodles. Then add them to the pan with the rest of the ingredients and toss over medium heat until well mixed.
6. If you prefer a moist pancit, add a little bit more water (you may want to try it first, though).
7. Serve and enjoy!

7. Bangladesh: Payesh

In South Asia, we find Bangladesh and the world’s largest mangrove forest. As we journey through, keep your eyes peeled — Bangladesh is also home to the endangered Royal Bengal tiger.

Wrapping up our list of recipes from around the world is payesh. This is a popular dish in Bangladesh that’s often served at important ceremonies such as weddings and birthdays. It includes delicious Bangladeshi spices, including cardamom and saffron.

Ingredients

• ¼ c. long-grain rice (basmati is recommended).
• ¼ c. warm full-fat milk.
• Pinch of saffron threads.
• 4 c. full-fat milk.
• ½ c. sugar.
• 2 bay leaves.
• ¼ tsp. cardamom powder.
• ¼ c. chopped mixed nuts (unsalted cashews, almonds and pistachios).

Make It

1. Rinse, then soak the rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. Combine the ¼ c. of warm milk and saffron threads in a bowl and set aside.
2. Simmer 4 c. of milk in a deep, nonstick pan for 8 minutes. Stir in rice and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
3. Add sugar, bay leaves, cardamom and the saffron-milk mixture. Mix well and cook on medium heat for 4 minutes, stirring continuously. Turn off heat, discard the bay leaves, add the nuts and mix well.
4. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Then serve it chilled.