10 Products That Were Recently Banned (Pullout)

These products were banned over the last decade because they were either considered to dangerous or unnecessary.

1. Trans Fats
Most food companies add Trans fat to their products because they stay fresh for a longer period of time. However, the body finds it difficult to break it down and starts suffering from heart disease or high cholesterol problems. Denmark and Switzerland banned certain products that were laced with over two percent of Trans fat.
2. Baby Walkers
Canada banned baby walkers in 2004 because according to statistics, over 1,900 babies were injured while using it. The Ministry determined that this happened because infants do not have the required abilities to use the product safely. Parents in Canada need not worry because studies reveal that baby walkers do not help babies walk faster.
3. Incandescent Light Bulbs
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs last much longer than Incandescent Bulbs and use only 25% of the available energy which is why the latter has been phased out by countries like Australia and Cuba. California plans to ban them within the next 8 years.


4. Chewing Gum
Singapore banned chewing hum in 1992 and the bill was revised about 6 years back. People are not allowed to stick their gum under chairs, on the floor or under tables. When somebody stuck it on the doors of the metro, it became necessary to ban it. Those who travel to Singapore are not allowed to carry gum and the Government constantly tells the public about how gum is hazardous to health.
5. Use of Cigarettes on Television and Movies
India banned smoking in movies and on television in 2005 as it was felt that children tend to take up the habit after seeing their favorite actors indulging in it. According to the ban, the actor’s hand is supposed to get blurred out if the scene demands that he should smoke.
6. Plastic Bags
People use about a trillion plastic bags through the year and we all know how harmful plastic is for the environment. Bangladesh banned the use of plastic bags in 2002 after the found that the floods of 1988 and 1998 occurred because the drains got blocked with such bags. The ban was introduced in Africa, United Kingdom and Australia soon after.


7. Extremely Skinny Models
Even though this is not a product; it definitely deserves a mention in this list. Hiring extremely skinny models for advertisements was banned after the model, Luisel Ramos died in 2006. She had a cardiac arrest after which doctors realized that she had been surviving on diet coke and leaves for over 90 days. The Italian Government then declared that the body mass index of all models should not go below 18.
8. Circus Animals
After it was revealed that circus animals were living in miserable conditions and were made to starve just so that they would perform better on the final day; the Bolivian Senate banned the circus in 2009. Denmark, Austria, Finland and Costa Rica introduced similar bans many years back.
9. Cigarettes
Ireland prohibited smoking indoors in 2004 while Bhutan banned the sale of cigarettes in 2008. Those who go against the ban in Bhutan have to pay a fine of about 232 dollars. However, the sad part is that tobacco products are still being traded illegally in this mountainous kingdom.
10. Products used for Spanking Children
Sweden declared in 1979 that parents could not spank their children using certain products or otherwise, after which over 24 countries followed suit. Studies show that after the ban was introduced, child abuse rates were reduced considerably.

• Reference/Source: top-10-list.org by top10contributor

The Top 10 Banned foods of the world

We usually have the freedom to eat whatever we please, and what is considered a taboo in one culture, might be a delicacy in another.

However, there are some foods that are banned in certain parts of the world, due to various reasons like environmental risks, cruelty to animals, or because that certain food was found to be injurious to one’s health.


Here is a low-down on some of the foods that have been banned in some or the other part of the world:

1. Foie Gras 

Foie gras is a delicacy made out of duck or goose liver. It is banned in Turkey, the European Union, and Israel due to a process called force-feeding. To make foie gras, birds are force-fed corn mash or some other type of food about 8 days before they are slaughtered in order to enlarge the liver and give it a fatty consistency. 

Citing cruelty to animals, some countries have placed a ban on this item. However, Foie Gras is still readily found in many of these countries.

2. Japanese Puffer Fish (Fugu)

Sometimes known as blowfish, Fugu in Asian countries, this fish is banned in many countries due to its internal organs and other body parts being highly poisonous. In fact, if you eat the wrong part of this fish, or unknowingly consume a poisonous part of the fish, you will more than likely die from tetrodotoxin, which is a neurotoxin that destroys your body’s nerve tissue, paralyzing the body and then causing asphyxiation. In the European Union, selling or consuming this fish is strictly prohibited. In the U.S., it is illegal to sell, harvest, or serve the fish without having a license to do so. 

3. Sassafras

In the past, sassafras was a widely used plant, often used by Indian tribes to treat common ailments, as well as a way to have some sort of aromatherapy. It is said that the herb could sure a cold, stomach ache, and other ailments. It was also used as a cure for syphilis. Before the 1960s, sassafras was used in many different foods, and even drinks. However, in the 1960s, the FDA banned all use of sassafras and any ingredient made out of it, most notably, safrole. It was banned due to the fact that it is possibly carcinogenic, as determined by lab rat experiments, which concluded that rats given sassafras often contracted liver cancer.

4. Absinthe

In the 1800s, absinthe was gradually banned in many locations around the world. This was due to a large increase in violence and hallucinations, as well as mental illness. Again in the 20th century, researchers looked at absinthe and considered it to be highly unsafe. In 1915, absinthe was banned in most European countries with the exception of a few.

5. Horse Meat

Horse meat is considered to be a taboo food in many countries, including the U.S., Ireland, Australia, Canada, and throughout various cultural groups around the world. Both the U.S. and U.K. have banned the slaughter and consumption of horses, as they are seen as companions and labeled “sports animals.”

6. Casu Marzu Maggot Cheese

Casu marzu, which means "rotting cheese" in Sardinian, is not just an aged and very smelly cheese, it is an illegal commodity in many places. Casu marzu is a runny white cheese made by injecting Pecorino Sardo cheese with cheese-eating larvae that measure about one-half inch long.

7. Blackened Redfish

In 1980, New Orleans chef Paul Prudhomme publicized his recipe for blackened redfish, which is still very popular today. The recipe was so popular that it sparked a blackened redfish craze in the 1980s, which so severely threatened the redfish stock that the Commerce Department had to step in and close down fisheries in July 1986.

8. Uncertified Chilean Sea Bass

At first, the uncertified Chilean sea bass was banned by 24 nations, including the U.S. due to the fact that it was extremely popular in restaurants as well as in the home and many feared it would become endangered. The fish is known for having flaky white flesh and a high fat content, which makes it tasty. Today, the fish is banned in even more countries due to the fact that it has become over-fished.

9. Ortolan

In the same cruel fashion as foie gras, this tiny bird has little to sing about, as historically it was horribly tortured before being eaten as a gastronomic treat by the aristocracy of France. 

Its fate was often to be captured, have its eyes poked out, and be put in a small cage, then force-fed until it grew to four times its normal size. Next the poor bird would be drowned in brandy, roasted, and eaten whole. The Ortolan is now considered to be a protected species in France.

10. Shark fins

Though still in the process of being banned world wide, the slicing of shark fins is now banned in Scottish waters, as well as UK waters. In Hawaii, the practice is banned entirely due to the fact that 60,000 sharks were found dead each year. The practice, often seen as barbaric, has been banned in countries because it is seen as cruel and brutal and many species of rare sharks are becoming endangered, or even extinct.

• Reference/Source: ifood.tv

Top 10 Eco-Friendly Reasons to Buy Organic Meat & Dairy

Eating fewer animal products is a good choice for the environment. When and if you choose to eat animal products you can make a significant difference for your health and the environment by taking these steps, and here’s why:
Choosing to support farms that caretake the environment and the animals they raise in an ethical manner, is a very positive way to spend your food dollar. Animal agriculture produces surprisingly large amounts of air and water pollution, and causes 80 percent of the world’s annual deforestation. It also requires large amounts of water, and livestock worldwide consumes half the world’s total grain harvest.
By supporting local, sustainable and organic farms in your local community you also support the larger community of which we are all a part. By eating animal products raised on such farms you provide the healthiest choice for your family and support the farms that support healthy and ecological neighborhoods.

1. Free of antibiotics, added hormones, GMO feed and other drugs; no GMO animals
Animals raised organically are not allowed to be fed antibiotics, the bovine human growth hormone (rbGH), or other artificial drugs. Animals are also not allowed to eat genetically modified foods. Further, animal products certified as organic can not have their genes modified (for example, a scorpion gene cannot be spliced into a cow gene).
How: The animals are raised in a healthier environment, fed organic feed, and often eat a wider range of nutrients than those raised in factory farms (such as would be the case of free-range chickens and ranch cattle). The animals are not from a test tube.
Highlights: Organically raised animals have been shown to be significantly healthier than their factory-raised counterparts.
More: Visit the Organic Trade Association Web site for updates on the U.S. federal organic standards.



2. Mad cow safeguard: Animals aren’t forced to be cannibals
The practice of feeding cattle the ground up remains of their same species appears to cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a horrific disease that destroys the central nervous system and brain, can be given to humans who eat the cows. The disease in humans has a very long latency period, and is called Creutzfeld-Jakob disease.
How: Animals are fed 100 percent organic feed without ground up animal parts.
Highlights: By eating 100 percent organic meat you are protected by a label insuring the cow has only been fed 100 percent organic feed.


3. More humane, ethical treatment of animals
Factory farms treat animals like commodities, and they are kept in tightly confined pens and often never move more than a few feet their whole lives.
How: Buy meat and eggs raised from chickens raised outdoors free ranging and grazing.
Highlights: Animals are more likely to be raised without cruelty.


4. Animals free-range and graze
The words “free-range,” and “ranch raised” are clues that the animals were raised in a more humane way. Their diet tends to be more well-rounded; the animals are not confined and spend time outdoors in the fresh air.
How: Free range chickens eat more grubs and bugs than their industrially-raised counterparts; free range animals graze as they are inclined.
Highlights: Humane and ethical treatment of animals; more nutritious food.


5. Manure
Small farms use it, industrial farms pollute with it.
How: On small, diverse farms, manure is used to naturally fertilize soil. Industrial farms produce so much manure, on the other hand, that it is a human health risk. The overspill of manure can contaminate wells with E. coli and other pathogens. In one region of North Carolina, for example, hog farms produce 10 million metric tons of waste annually.
Highlights: Sustainable farms use their manure productively as organic fertilizer. The manure is “pure,” coming from animals fed organic diets.


6. Animals are integral to small farms
Using animal manure is considered recycling of nutrients. No farm can cope with all the animal offspring, so selling some makes economic sense. Sustainable farms tend to provide and sell a range of products, and organic eggs and animal products would be included.
How: Most organic farms have a few cows, chickens, etc.
Highlights: The animals—many of diverse gene pools—serve a purpose besides providing food.


7. Fewer chemicals used
Synthetic pesticides and fertilizers are not used on the food or land. Residues of persistent chemicals such as DDT, PCBs, dioxin, and many pesticides concentrate in animal fat. Eating organic animal fat reduces your exposure to these chemicals.
Farmers working on organic farms are exposed to fewer chemicals.
How: Organic agriculture works for a healthy balance of the soil, including using crop rotation and other techniques to improve soil fertility, instead of controlling the environment with chemicals. The animals are not fed food containing pesticides, and so the amount of persistent pesticides in their fat is reduced.
Highlights: Safeguards groundwater, farmers’ health, topsoil, habitats, and neighborhood health.


8. Diversity
Industrial farms rely on just a few species of cattle, chickens, pigs, etc., whereas small sustainable farms tend to raise a wider variety of livestock. Entire species of livestock can die out if they are not raised on farms.
How: Support our food supply by buying food representative of a wide gene pool. Every time you even buy a brown instead of a white egg you are helping to support diversity.
Highlights: Support diversity by supporting diversity on your local farms. Buy their milk, eggs, and meat.


9. Factory farms use huge amounts of resources
The factory farm industry is run with cheap, nonrenewable fossil fuel. Producing, transporting, processing, and marketing the food all depend heavily on it. Without cheap fuel, industrial agriculture would be impossible because it would be too expensive, notes organic farming expert Fred Kirschenmann. The heavy pesticide use on industrial farms contaminates groundwater and soil. Kirschenmann believes industrial farms are responsible for the loss of over half of U.S. topsoil.
How: Organic farms uses less energy with careful ecological management, and using natural ecological balances to solve pest problems. Buying animal products from local farms further reduces energy by reducing the amount of miles the food travels to your table.
Highlights: Organic farms use 70 percent less energy than industrial farms, and since they don’t use pesticides they help preserve ground water. The farming techniques of organic farms builds topsoil and doesn’t contribute to its erosion.


10. Your dollars support the farm you buy from
If you buy your meat from an organic farmstand at a farmer’s market you support that farm. On the other hand, if you buy non-organic meat that isn’t local, free-range, or ranch-raised from a supermarket chain, you most likely support a multinational food conglomerate.
How: You can contribute to the well-being of your community by supporting small, local, diverse organic farms.
Highlights: Buying organic animal products is better for your health, your local community, and the larger community as a whole.

| Reference/Source: care2.com by Annie B. Bond

Top 10 Best Foods

Source: cspinet.org |

1. Sweet Potatoes

A nutritional All-Star — one of the best vegetables you can eat. They're loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Bake and then mix in some unsweetened applesauce or crushed pineapple for extra moisture and sweetness.

2. Mangoes

Just one cup of mango supplies three-quarters of a day’s vitamin C, onequarter of a day’s vitamin A, a decent dose of blood-pressure-lowering potassium, and 3 grams of fiber. Bonus: mango is one of the fruits least likely to have harmful pesticide residue.

3. Unsweetened Yogurt

Plain yogurt has a pleasant tartness that’s a perfect foil for the natural sweetness of berries, bananas, or for your favorite breakfast cereal. It has more protein, potassium, calcium, zinc, and vitamins B-6 and B-12 than sweetened yogurt. That’s because it doesn’t have to share the container with the sugary preserves or the sugar that’s in many flavored yogurts.

4. Broccoli

It has lots of vitamin C, carotenoids, and folic acid. Steam it just enough so that it's still firm and add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and a spritz of lemon juice.

5. Wild Salmon

The omega-3 fats in fatty fish like salmon can help reduce the risk of sudden-death heart attacks. And wild-caught salmon has less PCB contaminants than farmed salmon.

6. Crispbreads

Whole-grain rye crackers, like Wasa, Ry Krisp, and Ryvita — usually called crispbreads — are loaded with fiber and often fat-free.

7. Garbanzo Beans

All beans are good beans. They’re rich in protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. But garbanzos stand out because they’re so versatile. Just drain, rinse, and toss a handful on your green salad; throw them into vegetable stews, curries, and soups; mix them with brown rice, whole wheat couscous, bulgur, or other whole grains.

8. Watermelon

Watermelon is a heavyweight in the nutrient department. A standard serving (about 2 cups) has one-third of a day’s vitamins A and C and a nice shot of potassium for only 85 fat-free, salt-free calories. And when they’re in season, watermelons are often locally grown, which means they may have a smaller carbon footprint than some other fruits.

9. Butternut Squash

Steam a sliced squash or buy peeled, diced butternut squash at the supermarket that’s ready to go into the oven, a stir-fry, or a soup. It’s an easy way to get payloads of vitamins A and C and fiber.

10. Leafy Greens

Don’t miss out on powerhouse greens like kale, collards, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, and Swiss chard. These standout leafy greens are jam-packed with vitamins A, C, and K, folate, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, lutein, and fiber. Serve with a splash of lemon juice or red wine vinegar.

Top 10 Worst Foods

Source: cspinet.org |

1. Artery Crust

Judging by the label, Marie Callender’s (16.5 oz) Chicken Pot Pie has 520 calories, 11 grams of saturated fat, and 800 mg of sodium. But look again. Those numbers are for only half a pie. Eat the entire pie, as most people probably do, and you’re talking 1,040 calories, 22 grams of saturated fat (more than a day’s worth), and 1,600 mg of sodium (an entire day’s worth).

2. Triple Bypass

Can’t decide what to pick from a restaurant menu? No worries. Now you can order not just one entrée, but two … or three … all at once. Olive Garden’s Tour of Italy – Homemade Lasagna, Lightly Breaded Chicken Parmigiana, and Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo – comes with 1,450 calories, 33 grams of saturated fat, and 3,830 milligrams of sodium. Add a breadstick (150 calories and 400 mg of sodium) and a plate of Garden-Fresh Salad with dressing (350 calories and 1,930 mg of sodium) and you’ll consume 2,000 calories (an entire day’s worth) and 6,160 mg

3. Salt's On!

On average, a cup of Campbell’s Condensed soup has 850 mg of sodium. That’s half a day’s worth … assuming you eat only one of the 2½ servings that the label says the can makes. Campbell’s Healthy Request and Select Harvest, Progresso Reduced Sodium, and Healthy Choice slash the sodium to the 400s. Look for lower sodium lines in the 100s to 300s by Amy’s, Imagine Foods, Pacific Natural Foods, and Tabatchnick.

4. Tortilla Terror

Interested in a Chipotle Chicken Burrito (tortilla, rice, pinto beans, cheese, chicken, sour cream, and salsa)? Think of its 970 calories, 18 grams of saturated fat, and 2,200 mg of sodium as three 6-inch Subway BLT Classic Subs! Getting the burrito with no cheese or sour cream cuts the saturated fat to 5½ grams, but you still end up with 750 calories and more than a day’s worth of sodium. Yikes!

5. Factory Reject

People don’t expect light desserts at The Cheesecake Factory. But the Chocolate Tower Truffle Cake kicks things up a notch. If it weren’t served on its side, this one would stand over six inches tall. And upright or not, the slab of cake still weighs in at three-quarters of a pound. What do you get for all that heft? Just 1,670 calories and 2½ days’ worth of saturated fat (48 grams), nearly all of it from chocolate, sugar, cream, white flour, and butter.

6. Burial Grands

No one thinks of cinnamon rolls as health food. But each Pillsbury Grands! Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll with Icing has 310 calories and 2 grams of saturated fat plus 2½ grams of trans fat (more than a day’s worth) and 6 teaspoons of sugar. Companies are dumping their partially hydrogenated oils left and right, yet Pillsbury still makes most of its rolls and biscuits with the stuff.

7. Transgression

“Excellent source of ALA Omega 3,” declares the Land O’Lakes Margarine box. Who knew that Land O’Lakes stick margarine was so heart healthy? It isn’t. Each tablespoon of the spread has 2½ grams of trans fat (more than an entire day’s limit) and 2 grams of saturated fat. And beware of other trans-filled sticks by Blue Bonnet, Parkay, Country Crock, Fleischmann’s, and Imperial. At least those brands don’t imply that a bit of ALA outweighs the harm caused by the margarine’s trans and saturated fat. Shopping tip: Look for tub margarines – most have little or no trans fat.

8. Starbucks on Steroids

The Starbucks Venti (20 oz) White Chocolate Mocha with 2% milk and whipped cream is more than a mere cup of coffee. It’s worse than a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese. Few people have room in their diets for the 580 calories and 15 grams of saturated fat that this hefty beverage supplies. But you can lose 130 calories and two-thirds of the bad fat if you order it with nonfat milk and no whipped cream.

9. Extreme Ice Cream

An average halfcup serving of Häagen-Dazs ice cream squeezes half-a-day’s saturated fat and a third-of-a-day’s cholesterol into your artery walls and makes a 300-calorie down-payment on your next set of fat cells – if you can stop at a petite half-cup!

10. Stone Cold

Cold Stone Creamery’s Oh Fudge! shake (chocolate ice cream, milk, and fudge syrup) starts at 1,250 calories for the “Like It” (16 oz) size. That’s more than a large (32 oz) McDonald’s Triple Thick Chocolate Shake. The “Love It” (20 oz) has 1,660 calories and the “Gotta Have It” (24 oz) reaches 1,920 calories (an entire days’ worth) and 69 grams of saturated fat (3½ days’ worth). It’s two 16 oz T-bone steaks plus a buttered baked potato, all blended into a handy 24 oz cup.

Top 10 Fabulous Fruits

Source: www.askdrsears.com |

How you rank fruit depends upon the reason you're eating the fruit and your individual tastes. The four most valuable nutrients in fruits are fiber, vitamin C, carotenoids (e.g. beta carotene), and phytonutrients (health-building substances). Here are our rankings - an overall "Top Ten Fruits" list and our top choices for fiber and vitamin C.
Our top ten ranking of fruits is based upon their content of these nutrients: vitamin C, fiber, carotenoids, calcium, and folic acid. Availability, safety, and versatility also influenced these choices.

1. Avocado
2. Papaya
3. Guava
4. Cantaloupe
5. Orange
6. Apricots (dried, unsulfured)
7. Mango
8. Strawberries (organic)
9. Kiwi
10. Grapefruit (pink or red)

The Top 10 Most Expensive Restaurants in the World

Source: http://www.newluxuryitems.com |
Dining is the most exciting experience for food junkies. Here is a list of the top ten restaurants that are the most haunted by well to do food buffs from different parts of the world. These restaurants turn up with innovations to quench the thirst of their guests for dining delights. Dinner for One: $368

1. Tokyo: Aragawa 
Dinner for One: $368

Aragawa is a splendid steak house in the district of Tokyo’s Shinbashi. Though reputed for its beef dishes throughout Tokyo, Aragawa is largely haunted by steak lovers. Steak coupled with pepper and mustard is what that the restaurant serves its guests with pleasure.

2. Paris: Alain Ducasse


Dinner for One: $231

One of the three famed restaurants under Alain Ducasse, Plaza Athénée is located in a grand hotel of Paris. Volaille de bresse is the highlight of the mouth-watering menu that the restaurant offers. It remains closed for a summer month every year and during the days before Christmas.

3. London: Gordon Ramsay


Dinner for One: $183

Gordon Ramsay a British chef made his venture into the field of restaurant business with his eponymous restaurant in 1998. The second restaurant at Claridge’s is a hub of discerning diners. With only 13 tables, it experiences a crowd every evening. Cornish Lamb and pigeon with foie gras are the mainstay features of the menu.

4. Munich: Acquarello


Dinner for One: $125

Acquarello a Mediterranean-style Italian restaurant rolls in fame for its extensive menu that includes everything from pigeon to veal to pasta. The fish delicacies offered here are too luscious for the tongue to resist its cravings.

5. Rome: Alberto Ciarla


Dinner for One: $113

Alberto Ciarla with an opulence of tasting menus offers dish delights in keeping with the flavor of seasons. The seven courses offered by the Fisherman’s Menu include linguine with tuna fish, sliced swordfish and tagliatelle with mussels and grilled.

6. Toronto: Sushi Kaji


Dinner for One: $109

Known for the food offerings of Mitsuhiro Kaji, the executive chef Sushi Kaji offers menus at $80, $100 and $120. Dish delights for the food buffs vary from barbecued eel, fried fluke with spicy tomato sauce, pickled cucumber and strawberry and watermelon soup.

7. Queue De Cheval Steak House


Dinner for One: $85

The pleasure of dining at Queue de Cheval Steak House is its corn-fed beef. Before being prepared and served, it is dry-aged for thirty-five days. It offers 24-ounce porterhouse with a bottle of Australian or Californian wine.


8. El Amparo – Madrid, Spain


Dinner for One: $70

A converted carriage house is the location of El Amparo one of the loveliest restaurants in Madrid. It is popular for its wide collection of wines from the Iberian Peninsula. Cold salmon with tomato sorbet is the chief dining pleasure. Chocolate soufflé is a high with hungry diners.


9. Whampoa Club, Shanghai


Dinner for One: $63

Whampoa Club Shanghai’s luxury retail and dining emporium is one of the popular city highs. The appealing ambience of the restaurant rests on its décor that includes pastel glass, opulent Art Nouveau wall panels and crystal chandeliers. Crispy beef strips with sun-dried orange peel and drunken chicken are the lures of this restaurant.


10. Boeucc, Milan


Dinner for One: $62

Boeucc, the jacket-required eatery is supposed to be the oldest restaurant in central Milan. A visit to the restaurant is incomplete without a relish of the saffron risotto and the veal with pureed potato.

Top 10 popular Foods of Asia

Source:http://www.nomad4ever.com |  After losing some pounds following the tips in this article – it’s now time to put some of them back – NOT!
Asia is such a vast area with many different influences, flavors and cultures, that it’s hard to pick out typical Asian dishes. Fortunately there are Asian dishes that are popular in more than one country in Asia and among Westerners alike.
Some are even so popular, that there are wars among ‘foodies’, who invented what dish and which country can claim credit of its origin.
Let’s have a look at the most popular ones and why they are so delicious:
10. Fish Balls
Fish Balls are probably for Asians what Hot Dogs are for Americans. They are not the testicles of fish, as one could suspect, but pulverized or pressed fish meat, eaten on a stick or as soup, mainly available at Asian hawker stalls or street vendors everywhere in the region. They are served cooked, fried or steamed and are considered as small, cheap snacks for in between or in some countries even as a ‘poor-man’s-dish’.
Although there are restaurants for instance in Hong Kong, which specialize in Fish Balls, which can be then quite expensive as well – I’ve yet to see a Westerner who considers Fish Balls a delicacy.
Nevertheless, Fish Balls are very popular in Asia. Mainly they are eaten on their own, marinated, dipped in a sauce or when coming in a bowl – mixed with ‘kway teow’ noodles, tofu or even rice.
Fragrance and taste is added in the form of vinegar, garlic, sweet soy sauce or spring onions.
9. Laksa
Laksa is a spicy noodle soup, which is claimed to be invented by Singaporeans, although it’s more likely to be derived from Chinese/Malay culture. The origin of the name Laksa is unknown, but it’s now widely popular not only in Malaysia and Singapore, but as far as Australia and beyond.
If you tried Laksa, you would know why, as it as mainly an explosion for your taste senses, mixing sweet (coconut) tastes with sour (lemon grass or citrus) influences with more standard fare (thick noodles, egg, tofu). Sometimes Laksa is done more watery like a soup, while some prefer it as thick as possible, with as few liquids as possible. I’m sure Singaporeans can write whole essays about the right essences of Laksa and I hope for plenty of comments describing the proper and one-and-only ingredients.
Most Laksa lovers agree on the following main ingredients: thick noodles, coconut-based curry sauce/soup, tofu, fish sticks, shrimp and bean sprouts. Sometimes the seafood elements are substituted with chicken or hard-boiled eggs are added, although all ingredients can wildly vary. There are Laksa wars out there, where people discuss what are the right ingredients and what not. Singaporeans are famous for driving for 20 Dollar from one end of their country to the other to try out the best 3 Dollar Laksa over there. Just logic among food lovers, isn’t it?
8. Hainanese Chicken Rice
This is a simple, plain and straight-forward dish, mainly eaten in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and China.
It’s boiled, plain-white chicken served with white rice and condiments like cucumber, eggs or lettuce. Hainanese Chicken Rice is one of the lesser spicy Asian dishes, but nevertheless its creation is a science on its own.
It can come with a clear chicken soup or broth as accompanying soup and is one of the signature dishes claimed by more than one country. The chicken is mainly boiled in its own broth or stock – complete with bones and everything – which is used over and over again to gain the desired taste. Sometimes dips consisting of chopped chili, sweet soya or ginger are used to add taste.
7. Spring Rolls
Westerners would associate Spring Rolls as mainly Chinese dishes, but ask any serious chef in Asia and they would probably rate Vietnamese Spring Rolls as the best. That doesn’t change the fact that Spring Rolls are popular in most Asian countries, with China, Vietnam Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia topping the list.
Spring Rolls are mainly fried rolled pastries that are filled with all kinds of raw or cooked meats or vegetables. There are versions which are not fried as well, mainly eaten in Taiwan.
Depending on the country your are in, the ingredients for Spring Rolls can be raw, boiled or blanched.
The most popular ingredients are minced pork, carrot, bean sprouts, fresh garlic chives, vermicelli noodles, shitake mushrooms. Soy sauce, peanut powder or fish sauce are sometimes added to better tickle your taste buds.
6. Dim Sum
Chinese dishes are very popular in most Asian countries. After all, the Chinese as avid travelers and migrants since ancient times form substantial parts of every population in Asian countries.
They brought plenty of their favorites from back home and amalgamated them with local dishes. One of those favorites is Dim Sum, wish are light, but hard-to-describe delicacies, popular in all Asian countries from the Philippines, to Vietnam, Laos or Malaysia and Indonesia. Oh yeah, of course in Singapore with its 60% Chinese population as well.
Dim Sum derived from a Cantonese phrase meaning ‘a little token’ and describes little treasures of food, hidden away in small steamer baskets, various types of filled, steamed buns or plenty of little dishes served on small plates.
Dim Sum are mainly served with tea and can have a hearty, sweet or plain taste. The servings are of small portions but with plenty of varieties.
It seems one of the goals is to try as many different tastes as possible in a very short time. Dim Sum usually can be ordered from a menu, chosen from a buffet or is wheeled around on trolleys by servers.
You take what you like and pay only what you eat. Included are mainly rolls, paus, dumplings, meat balls, sweet desserts, cakes, tarts and puddings – in short an explosion of different forms, tastes and kinds of food.
5. Fried Rice (nasi goreng)
Rice is the staple diet in every Asian country. Mainly it’s cooked plain white, with coconut sauce or saffron added and eaten fresh or right away with whatever meat or veggies come along. So what do you do with the rice leftovers a few days later? You guessed it right!
Simply throw everything into a Wok, fry it nicely with vegetable oil, add some soya-sauce, garlic, shallots or other spicy food to cover the plain taste and serve it as a separate dish. Hah!
While that is certainly done to not let any food come to waste, fried rice is also a delicacy on its own. It’s a cheap and tasty dish in all Asian countries and comes with veggies, meat or different sambals. Add eggs, satay, rice or prawn crackers (krupuk) and you can have a full meal on its own which fills you up nicely and brings you through the day.
Some would say that Nasi Goreng is the Paella of Asia, but I’m sure the Spanish would protest that.
In the western world, the name ‘nasi goreng’ is nowadays connected with any Asian style of fried rice. I remember that my first encounter with it was a canned version in Germany, many years back. Simply heat in up and fill your stomach. Oh man!
4. Tom Yum
Originated in Thailand, this watery something in a bowl, is now very popular all over Asia, but especially in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. It can come as an appetizer, thin soup or main dish, eaten with or without rice, but has almost always a more spicy-sour taste with heavy use of smashed lemon grass, tamarind and lime.
Add different meats of seafoods to it, the most popular like prawns, squid or fish pieces or nowadays even mixed with chicken (who came up with that?) or vegetables, like oyster mushrooms or coriander leaves.
If you a Westerner wanting to boast with your home-cooking skills, but aren’t able to produce that typical hot-spicy-sour taste at home, you can simply buy Tom Yam paste in most Asia Shops back at home and produce a close-to-the-real-thing experience.
3. Chicken Curry
Chicken Curry is an universal dish you can find on almost every menu in Asia. After all the original spice islands some Portuguese sailor named Magellan was looking for in the name of the Spanish crown, are located strategically between the Philippines, Indonesia and Borneo Malaysia.
Curry powder in all kinds of variations, tastes and colors are readily available all over Asia – and heavily used to create those heavenly curry dishes. Though what you will have on your plate later in the name of curry can look and taste surprisingly different, depending on the country you are in.
Everyone knows the heavy masaman (some call it mama-san curry, ahem!) or chicken curries of Thailand, made of heavy masala curries which are used by Indians as well.
Added are usually coconut, saffron and ginger for most distinctive tastes. Indonesians love their ‘Kari Ayam’ thinner, with more watery sauces, while Malaysian don’t seem to be too decisive about their curry thickness, depending if they live closer to Thailand or more to the south of the Malaysian peninsula.
And yes, curry dishes are not only restricted to chicken, but those seem to be the most popular.
2. Sushi
Sushi doesn’t need any introduction. It’s popular world-wide and there is no exception to that in Asia. Here it’s considered a higher-class delicacy and mainly eaten in posh restaurants, although you can buy ready-made Sushi in regional supermarkets like Carrefour in Singapore, Indonesia or Tesco in Thailand.
More and more Sushi franchises (Best Denki, Sakae Sushi, Go Sushi) are mushrooming all over Asia as well, bringing Sushi to the masses as well.
Sushi is so much more than just raw fish and creating/forming Sushi rolls is considered a science by many. Although it actually just takes the right kind of rice, seaweed wrappers and soy sauce.
The other ingredients like sweet, pickled ginger and Wasabi (the green, tasty paste similar to horse radish) are sold almost everywhere. However you like your Sushi, self-made at home, delivered to your door step or eaten in a fancy restaurant – don’t forget to drink Ocha (green tea) with your Sushi.
1. Satay
Satay is the undisputed King or Queen of Asian Foods. Of course the spelling is different from country to county, be it sate, satay, satey, sati or whatever – it’s basically meat on a stick roasted over charcoal or open fire.
Available everywhere from Singapore to the Philippines, Vietnam to Papua!
While in Muslim countries Indonesia or Malaysia it’s mainly chicken or beef sticks, Thailand is very famous for it’s organ sate, being it liver, heart or stomach of pigs or chicken. You can also find frogs or even bug meat on a stick, fried in oil or ‘au naturel’, again especially in Thailand, Cambodia or Laos.
Satay usually comes with various dips, peanut sauce is the most popular and mainly you have sticky rice or lontong with it. Most of the time you will have chopped onions, cucumber or other veggies as well.
Seafood satay is popular as well, so yeah – fish, calamari, prawns or other sea creatures come nicely fried on a stick as well, a cheap and delicious way of filling your stomach on the go, or a small snack for in between.
You can’t go wrong with satay during your next trip around Asia. When it’s fried, barbecued or grilled over open fire, it’s generally delicious and safe to eat, so don’t let anyone spoil your appetite!