Don't read on an empty stomach, warns Susie Maggie Thorne, as she highlights the very best of the world's traditional cuisines (with no golden arches in sight!)
McDonald's outlets can be found in every corner of the world. This week, the fast-food giant announced the sale of its very first franchise in Vietnam, but we're pleased to report there are still a few countries free from those golden arches. Popping off to a country where familiar foods are few and far between can be a cause for concern but we prefer to experiment! We love an opportunity to scoff some of the local tucker when you can't fall back on home comforts.
Here are our favourites from a selection of McDonald's free countries. It's making our tummies rumble just thinking about their tasty feasts. Yummy...
1. NepalNepalese food is a brilliant mix of flavours, notably a hybrid of Oriental and Indian cuisine. Their curries are chilli-filled fusions of flavours to get your eyes watering, especially when partnered with fresh, home-made roti.
If you have to try just one Nepalese dish, however, make it momos. These burst-in-your-mouth dumplings are deliciously moreish. They contain a heart of minced meat (usually pork) mixed up with a plethora of spices, onions and a whole lot of ginger. They are then steamed in huge batches and served with a homemade chilli chutney which enhances the flavours even more. There are veggie versions too for the less carnivorous, which taste just as wonderful.
Wash it all down with tongba, a warm alcoholic drink from the Limbu tribe of Nepal. Heavenly.
2. BarbadosBajan food has a lot of influences, using locally grown ingredients and some spices to add heat. This island has a sweet tooth that isn't confined to just their puddings – sweet potatoes, plantain, coconut and brown sugar are used in their main meals too.
One of its more unusual offerings is a small parcel-like food called conkies. A mixture of spiced sweet potato, squash or pumpkin, raisins and coconut make up the yummy middle which is mixed with shortening, butter and milk, among other things. These are then wrapped in banana or plantain leaves and steamed for an hour. Unwrap your little parcel of flavour and dig in. Not for calorie counters but an incredible treat for a real taste of Barbados.
Although Babados housed a McDonald's in 1996 it only lasted for six months due to low sales – perhaps everybody was too full of conkies for a Big Mac.
3. IcelandOn those chilly Icelandic nights, you need something hot and hearty to warm your cockles. Kjötsúpa, Icelandic meat soup, is just the ticket. Full of veggies, brown rice or rolled oats and thick meaty chunks of lamb, this tasty soup takes well over an hour to cook but will last a good few meals – apparently it tastes even better the next day! All of the flavour comes from the specific mix of vegetables like cabbage and rutabaga (swede) and the mutton or lamb which is cooked on the bone.
Ropa Vieja, however, originally hails from the Canary Islands and actually translates into 'old clothes' due to the texture and look of the meat. It consists of marinated beef simmered slowly in a tomato base until the meat begins to fall apart and is then usually served on top of rice. Another divine Cuban offering is biloche, roast beef stuffed with chorizo and then cooked in a big pot alongside vegetables. Our favourite rendition uses leftovers from other yummy meals chucked into the pot with a thick gravy which then soaks up the juices from the stuffed beef joint.
What are your eating habits like on the road? Do you stick to local cuisines? Or have you been prone to sneak off for a Big Mac or Starbucks coffee? Join in the discussion on the myWanderlust forum.
