FoodBlog’s Around the World Series: South America in 6 dishes 👑
We bet your travel bug is really kicking in right about now, with the Covid-19 pandemic hopefully dwindling away soon, travel plans could be in our near future… but till then FoodBlog’s Around the World Series will keep you hungry the way we know best… with food, food and a whole lot more food. Here’s Part 3 of the series… happy dreaming! 💯
Cuisine is such an important part of a country’s culture - every type of cuisine is influenced by another, whether directly or indirectly. But each one is still unique in its own way. Traditional South American dishes normally incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables, such as corn, potatoes, peppers, coconut, mango and papaya. 🥥
Let’s take a trip around South America:
Brazil 🇧🇷
Being the largest country in South America, the cuisine varies all around Brazil. Amongst Brazil’s favourite dishes are moqueca (Brazilian fish stew), abara (a Brazilian snack made out of mashed black-eyed peas steamed in a banana leaf) and acaraje (a fritter made from black-eyed peas which resembles a taco in shape). 🌮
But we cannot mention all of these without mentioning the delicious national dish of Brazil - the feijoada. This beautiful stew is made from black beans, smoked and salted beef plus other pork products. The best part is that every family has their own unique recipe for this dish, making it remind you of home. 🥘
Argentina 🇦🇷
Argentinians are known to love their meat. In fact, the country offers meat of the highest quality (Argentinian ribeye, anyone?). They also love their grills, so if you add those two together, you get the Argentinian national dish - asado. Asado translates to barbeque, but this is not your traditional barbeque. Argentinians go all out and make a feast out of this - they grill chicken, pork, beef, sausages and everything that their heart desires. 🔥
Argentina is also home to some amazing street food. The most famous street food snacks are probably choripan and empanadas. Choripan is basically a delicious chorizo sandwich whereas empanadas are small, closed, pie-like pieces of heaven that are filled with either beef, chicken, pork, chorizo, amongst other things. Wouldn’t you just love roaming around the streets of Argentina hopping from one street food stall to another? 🥧
Colombia 🇨🇴
Colombia is the place for coffee lovers. They have some of the most amazing coffee, but their food is also to die for. Colombians also enjoy their empanadas, which were brought to South America by Spanish immigrants in the 16th century. They’re also famous for arepas (cornmeal flatbread that accompanies any meal) and ajiaco (chicken and potato soup). 🌽
The national dish of Colombia is a feast for both the eyes and the stomach. The bandeja paisa is a platter that is not suitable for those who lead a meat-free lifestyle. It consists of white rice, chorizo, grilled steak, fried pork rinds, beans, fried egg, fried plantain and avocado. We’re feeling full just thinking about it! 🥩
Peru 🇵🇪
Ever heard of ceviche? Peru is where that comes from. Ceviche is made from fresh raw fish cured in lemon or lime and seasoned with salt, onions, chilli peppers and other seasonings. It is the national dish of Peru and it is actually a healthy meal. 🐟
Other Peruvian delicacies include the anticuchos de corazon (beef heart skewers) and picarones (a fried dessert made from squash and sweet potato). Both are commonly found in street food stalls and are adored by Peruvians. 🍠
Chile 🇨🇱
Pastel de choclo is Chile’s national dish. It is a corn pie made with pino (a mixture of ground beef), onions, garlic, hard-boiled eggs and olives. It is similar to a casserole in texture and appearance, but with a unique taste. 🥚
Another Chilean favourite is the completo - a Chilean style hot dog served with sausage, chopped tomatoes, mayonnaise and sauerkraut. That beats any classic hot dog, any day! 🌭
Venezuela 🇻🇪
Just like in most countries in South America, you will find arepas and empanadas in Venezuela. This country is also home to cachitos, croissant-shaped closed bread filled with ham and cheese, and the sweet, scrumptious, milky-caramel-like dulce de leche. 🥐
The national dish of Venezuela is pabellon criollo, which is a plate of rice, tender, juicy pulled beef and black beans. It is sometimes served with a fried egg or fried plantain - or both - for the ultimate Venezuelan experience. 🍳
We know you’re still starving… so check out Part 1 and Part 2 where the rest of the Americas are completely exposed for their culinary genius! 😋
Which country will you be travelling to next? Tag us in your food posts abroad using @foodblog.mt! And stay tuned for our next list of countries. 🗺️
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