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What a country’s national dish tells us about cultural identity

Does your country have a national dish? It is rumoured the government of India is set to announce the country’s official national food — Khichdi — at an upcoming international food event. This news has caused quite a debate on social media. Why would there be the need to do something like this now? Kaichdi can be found in different parts of India all with varying recipes. However, the dish is simple and considered a staple mean in the country.

Khichdi is an interesting choice for India. Westerner’s would probably expect it to be something like butter chicken or anything with tandoori, because these are the most popular dishes associated with the country. Khichdi is a wet stew made using lentils, rice, and spices, with some regions adding meat. The dish is well-known in India itself and almost every region of the country has a different version of the dish. And yet, Twitter experienced a firestorm from angry food lovers, with many tweeting their opinion on the possibility of this dish being slated as a national dish. What this debate is showing us is that there is a significant importance between a nation’s identity and food.

Originating from Southern India, this dish is considered easy to make, humble, and one of the first dishes that babies can be introduced to. India’s Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, clarifies that the recognition of Khichdi is happening because it will be put on record at the World Food India event, which is set to take place in the country’s capital. Because of this event and all the attention that Khichdi is getting, this makes the dish a sort of unofficial representation of Indian food. Because of its simplicity, there will be a world record attempt to cook 800 kilos of the dish.

With all the funny tweets aside, the most interesting part about the Khichdi debate makes me wonder about what really qualifies as a national dish for some countries? A national dish is an important title because it is a country’s food-related identity, speaking to that countries culture. Not everyone is going to universally love a food and some may be more popular than others. Women’s Post decided to research some other popular ‘national dishes.’ These may or may not cause another debate.

England- Fish & Chips

China- Fried rice

Jamaica- Jerk Chicken

Italy- Pizza

Phillipines- Adobo

Guyana- Pepperpot

Chile- Empanada

Vietnam- Pho

Japan- Sushi

Canada- Poutine, Butter Tarts, Nanaimo Bars…

United States- Hamburgers, Hot Dogs,….. Apple Pie, Chicken Wings ???? Literally everything

While this list can have many additions, there were some easy picks and some much harder, every country is diverse and mixed with different cultures so deciding on one staple dish is more of a difficult choice.

Let us know in the comments below where you are from and what you consider your country’s national dish.

 

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Recipe

Green Lentil Soup for St. Patrick’s Day

The day of green! How are you celebrating St. Patrick’s Day (or weekend)? With the cold weather of late, a green soup recipe is the perfect choice for a warm cozy meal. Green lentil soup is hearty and filling, a must-have before embarking on a night of frolicking and drinking. It is easy to make — simply chop various vegetables and along with lentils, let it simmer in the pot until it is ready to eat. It is green, lean, and simply delicious.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
  • 2 large yellow onions, chopped
  • 1¼ teaspoons salt, divided
  • 2 tablespoons plus 4 cups water, divided
  • 1 cup French green (Le Puy) or brown lentils
  • 8 large green chard leaves
  • 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, scrubbed
  • 12 cups gently packed spinach (about 10 ounces), any tough stems trimmed
  • 4 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground (see Tip)
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
  • ½ jalapeño pepper, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in pan and add onions until brown. Add two tablespoons of water, reduce heat and cover until onions are caramelized for about 25 to 35 minutes.
  2. Rinse and cook the lentils.
  3. When the lentils have cooked for 20 minutes, add in chard, potato, scallions, and broth. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
  4. Stir in broccoli, cumin and coriander. When the onions are caramelized, add them to the soup. Return to a simmer, cover and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in the reserved spinach, cilantro, mint, jalapeno and pepper; return to a simmer, cover and cook until the spinach is tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes more. Stir in one tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice and/or pepper, if desired.

Lentils are incredibly healthy and yummy. It is easy to make a homemade soup and any leftovers can be frozen for future use or gobbled up as a St. Patrick’s hangover go-to. Either way, in the chilly March weather, a delectable green soup full of protein and veggies will not be regretted.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from all of us at Women’s Post!

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Health & Fitness

March yourself into a 100 meal journey

It’s been two months since you’ve made that New Year’s resolution to eat well this year … and you may be hitting a plateau. It’s hard to keep inspired and motivated when the weather just makes you want to stuff your face. Luckily, Dieticians of Canada can help you change those eating habits. You may even eat 100 healthy meals in a row! Sound impossible? Trust us, it’s not!

March is Nutrition Month, or at least, it’s labelled that way by the Dieticians of Canada. They started as a Nutrition Week in 1981 and has since expanded into a monthly celebration of healthy eating with a new theme each year. This year’s theme is dedicated to making small changes — one meal at a time. It’s called the 100 meal journey.

The Dieticians of Canada are promoting a series of fun events across the country that help Canadians eat healthy meals throughout the month of March. Each week of the month has a specific theme. March 16 is also Dietician’s Day and is an opportunity to take part in healthy eating events across the country, details of which can be found on this activity map.  This year, the weekly themes are: Getting Started, Quality Counts!, Prioritize Portion Size, Try Something New!, and Make it Stick.

Getting started in any healthy eating initiative can be daunting, but there are certain steps that you can take to get the process started. Creating a list of healthy eating goals and then posting it in your desk area or on the fridge will help enforce the new habits. It also takes a community to make a great change — enlisting friends and family. Instead of waiting until the last minute — because let’s be real, it’s exhausting to figure out dinner at 7 p.m. — try making a weekly meal plan.  Remember: whole grains instead of white bread and fill that list with fresh veggies and fruits!

Quality cooking is essential in any healthy meal. Dieticians of Canada provide Cookspiration, a link with several delicious recipes that help to plan for hale and hearty options. The Dieticians also provide apps that can be installed to help set goals, give portion size measurements, and provide ideas for the 100 meals healthy eating plan. Some of the better apps are eaTracker and eaTipster.

The number one tip: be prepared. If you are in a hurry, prepare smoothies in advance with frozen fruit, ground flax and hemp seed, spinach, and almond milk. A great snack for those on the run is peanut butter, banana, and trail mix in a whole-grain tortilla for a yummy breakfast.

Another tip the Dieticians of Canada provide in their 100 healthy meals campaign is how to pack protein into meals. Protein reduces the appetite and keeps people healthy. Lentils are a great way to sneak protein into dishes, because the grain has the capability to take on whatever taste is in the dish at hand. The ground-up chickpeas in hummus provide a yummy dipping option with veggies. Pairing protein-packed foods with high-fibre foods is another great way to fill up and avoid overeating. Fantastic fibre foods include whole veggies and fruits, whole grains such as barley and lentils, nuts, seeds, and beans.

Finally, don’t give up! Making healthy lifestyle changes can be a challenge, but the rewards are great.

Are you brave enough to tackle the 100 meal challenge? Leave us some of your meal ideas below!

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