TRAVEL AWAITS: 7 Delicious Dishes That Taste Better In Their Native Country

The original article was published in TravelAwaits on Sept. 25, 2022.

Travel usually means marveling at spectacular sceneries. But many of us stepped up to a new level in our journeys when we noticed how food tastes so much better in its country of origin. That they are is quite understandable because outside, the exact ingredients may not be readily available, or the recipes have been modified to cater to local tastes. So, for those who truly love good food—we don’t have to be gourmets or the next Anthony Bourdain—we have to travel to taste the real thing.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Singapore and Malaysia

This is one of my all-time favorite dishes. I discovered it in Singapore at Hyatt Regency Hotel (now Grand Hyatt Singapore) in the early 1990s, when I was still traveling the world for corporate work. Reports are that the hotel chefs have perfected the recipe over the past thirty years and that it is where they now have the best Hainanese Chicken Rice in the world.

Originating from Hainan in southern China, immigrants brought the dish with them wherever they eventually settled. So the dish is also widely available, for just a song, in hawkers’ centers. In fact, it has become Singapore’s unofficial national dish and Malaysia has also adopted it as a culinary staple.

It’s full of flavor and healthy, especially when served with sliced cucumbers and steamed bok choy. I have a poor man’s version, remaining true to three key secrets: poaching the chicken slowly at low temperature, cooking the rice with the poaching broth, and using the poaching broth as the base for the three sauces (garlicky, sweetened soy, and spicy).

Pro-Tip: The KL International Airport 2 has a branch of the well-known Malaysian chain “The Chicken Rice Shop” that is built around the dish. Don’t miss it on a layover!

Spanish Paella con Chorizo

Spain 

On a week in the Andalusian region of Spain, we took day trips to the historic Alhambra and Generalife in Granada and the Plaza de Espana, the Alcazar, and the Catedral in Seville. But we were based in Malaga right on the beautiful Costa del Sol, relishing the beach and the sun, and building fancy sandcastles for hours.

Every waterfront restaurant was peddling its version of the world-famous Spanish Paella. My husband fell in love with the dish, so I had to learn how to make it! I discovered that the secret ingredients are: 1) Spanish chorizo sausage, 2) expensive authentic saffron, and 3) special short-grain rice. They were cooking them in plain view. I saw that the chorizo slices were first fried to release its savory oil which is then used to cook the rice together with the sauteed garlic, onions, tomatoes, and bell pepper. Lastly, chicken or seafood previously fried with the same oil is used to decorate the top. I have found a special kiosk to buy good Spanish chorizos in Phoenix, use either cheaper imitation saffron or substitute with turmeric, and source the rice (paella, arborio or sushi) from the grocery. Bless my husband. Even if what I make is passable and not the real thing, he loves it.

Pro-Tip: Never use another type of chorizo, especially not the Mexican version. Mexican cuisine is very different from Spanish.

Desserts with Just a Hint of Sweetness

Slovenia

We hosted two friends we met in the island of Palawan in the Philippines in the US and they returned the favor by hostingd us in Slovenia. Our girlfriend’s family owned an Airbnb property at the foot of the castle in the Old Town of the capital Ljubljana. The National Slovenian Cuisine Restaurant was a tenant on the ground floor; we stayed in a unit on the upper floor. At a dinner she hosted there, we had Slovenian sausages paired with special buckeye wheat dumplings. But what we loved best was the prekmurska gibanica,  a layered pastry filled with poppy seeds, cottage cheese, walnuts, apples, and cream. It had just the hint of sweetness we needed. This dessert experience was repeated in beautiful Lake Bled where our other friend had a waterfront condo unit where we stayed. He was also proud of kremna rezina, the famous Bled cream cake, another such kind of pastry.

The secret to Slovenian cuisine is that very little sugar or salt is added. They depend on the natural sweetness or salinity of the ingredients. In fact, every Slovenian house has a small garden where they plant their favorite vegetables and fruits. Water comes from crystalline sources, aplenty in the green country.

Pro-Tip: Usually, dishes have no names at authentic restaurants. Instead, menus list all the ingredients used in a dish.

Vegetable Tempura

Japan

My husband and I are in our 70s, and we have committed to eating as healthy as possible; vegetables are now center stage for us. It is generally believed that Japanese cuisine is one of the reasons for long lives in Japan. Thus, we try to serve delicious and healthy Japanese dishes at home, also a good way to reminisce about the awesome places we have visited in the beautiful country.

One of my favorites is tempura. I always order it at Japanese restaurants because it has this light and soft breading that’s difficult to replicate. The dish usually consists of seafood, meat, and vegetables that have been coated and deep-fried to perfection. It was introduced by the Portuguese (who had settled in Nagasaki and introduced their fritter-cooking technique of the 16th century). The name comes from the Latin phrase quatuor anni tempora, historically the Ember Days, when no meat is supposed to be consumed. Thus, tempura must really have originated as a vegetable dish. And that’s how I choose to make it—from sweet potato, carrots, broccoli, eggplant, and onions. Here’s my humble version.

Pro-Tip: I can now make it at home, almost like the way they make it in Japan, with this tempura batter mix from Amazon because it is always out of stock at the grocery where I shop. Use the air-fryer for a healthier version!

The Belgian Waffle

Belgium

We were hugely impressed by the absolute grandeur of Grand Place (it was awesome to be among the glittering old buildings) and the Atomium was a spectacle to behold in Brussels, Belgium. But what struck us most was how food is celebrated on every corner with Belgian culinary specialties. Beer and chocolates can be easily packaged to reach our homes in their original distinct flavors.

But you have to celebrate Belgian waffles in Belgium. I am a waffles (instead of pancakes) girl; it has a better texture. But our waffle maker at home makes the traditional kind, much thinner. At first, we had a tough time deciding which waffle place to enter and which ones to order. But soon we learned to choose the least sinful. The waffle itself is a treasure, made with a yeasted batter that makes it extra light and fluffy yet crisp on the outside. Baking powder and/or baking soda have been used of late but it’s better the original way. Larger than regular waffles, they are made in a special iron with a deeper grid pattern and finished with crunchy sugar. Choose to load up with healthy toppings.

Pro-Tip: If you are in Belgium, don’t forget to sample moules-frites or fried mussels. I do not normally eat them, but this dish I do!

Cornish Pasty

England

When we are in England, my husband usually looks for Cornish pasties. I soon learned how different they are from meat pies. This British pastry was associated with the mining industry and Cornwall. It is made by placing an uncooked filling—of beef, potato, and the buttery vegetable swede (yellow turnip or rutabaga), seasoned with salt and pepper—on one half of a flat pastry circle, folding the pastry in half, and crimping the curved edge to form a seal before baking. There are variations in Australia, the US, and elsewhere. Pasties are different from the meat pies from other cuisines and cultures like the Spanish empanadas, pirogis of Eastern Europe, Indian samosas, etc.  They are much larger and has more veggies. 

Pro-Tip: The West Cornwall Pasty Company is the UK’s largest pasty maker and is #51 of the UK’s top 100 Companies. Their pasties are available in UK groceries and cafes. 

Dim Sim

Australia 

My daughter’s first home was just a ten-minute walk to the South Melbourne Market, whose Food Hall delighted me no end. I was there at least once a week, food items like Hot Jam doughnuts. But I also loved the famous Australian dim sim, a snack that dates from 1928. Like dim sum, it’s also a Chinese-inspired dumpling-style snack food. Popularized by a Chinese immigrant in Melbourne, it consists of minced meat, cabbage, and seasoning encased in a rectangular wrapper. It’s very much larger than the traditional dim sum but also served deep-fried or steamed and dipped in soy sauce.  I have not seen them outside Melbourne so this one, you may have to go there to taste it! 

Pro-Tip: The South Melbourne Market is the birthplace of the even larger circular version, commonly known as the "South Melbourne Dim Sim.”

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