Every culture has their way of doing something, and this includes the preparation of food. Whether it has to do with resources or traditions being passed down we find the culinary world to be very interesting and creative. When you think of chicken, you’re probably already envisioning it prepared in a certain way. Is it fried, sliced and stewed, or just grilled? Let us take a look of the various ways in which the world eats chicken.
Fried in the USA
Whether it is in the form of nuggets, strips or schnitzels the Americans love their chicken fried. It is no wonder that the United States of America is the birthplace of the famous Kentucky Fried Chicken. In the case of chicken schnitzels the meat is dipped in milk and then in breadcrumbs and flour to make the batter stick. It is then either fried in a pan or deep fried in oil. This is not the healthiest way of eating chicken, but it sure is one of the most popular.
Wrap it up in Venezuela
When it comes to Venezuelan cuisine you will find that a lot of the recipes are derived from Italian, French and Spanish influences. Over the years they have found their originality regarding cuisine and now have a range of unique Venezuelan dishes. Spices such as cumin are used often as well as combinations with tropical fruit and starch such as rice, corn and pasta. It’s rather popular to combine chicken, cornmeal, pepper and cumin wrapped together in banana leaves or aluminum foil
Sweet and fruity in Denmark
In Denmark they love to combine chicken with apples and cream. Chicken is a very popular and cheap way to feed the family. It is either done by placing frozen pieces of chicken in the oven to cook, or combined with apples and cream and served on rice. This mainly happens on special occasions and it is a rather sweet chicken dish.
With wine in France
The French love to cook with wine, and with such great wine to choose from, who could blame them. In France chicken is cooked in the sauce of bacon, with onions and mushrooms, thereafter the meat will be cooked in chardonnay to give it it’s unique taste. The French are very proud of their cuisine and have influenced a lot of other countries and cultures.
One Pot Paella in Spain
Paella is a traditional Spanish recipe cooked in flat pan that has two handles. You have probably heard of seafood paella, but this flavorful dish can also be made with chicken or rabbit. In the coastal areas of Spain they make use of a huge paellera to cook the dish and serve everybody on festival days. This dish enables them to experiment with various ingredients and spices so whatever is available will be added to this traditional dish. Instead of cooking the ingredients in water, stock is added to give more flavor to the dish.
How they roll in China
Asian meat will normally be combined with a form of starch and vegetables. The way the Chinese eat chicken is rolled up with cabbage and carrot in filo pastry. This dish is called spring rolls and it’s deep fried before served. This can be a main meal or a side dish to another main. Spring rolls are usually served with a sweet and sour sauce to compliment the flavors.
Braai in South Africa
In South Africa there are over eleven ethnic groups and take makes for a wide variety of cuisine. One thing that is unique to the South African culture is a braai. Raw meat is placed on a grill, and turned around until cooked. South African would pair a marinated chicken dish with a garden salad and ‘braaibroodjies’ which is bread also prepared on the grill. This is a very festive tradition and is ideal for South Africa’s sunny weather conditions.
You don’t necessarily have to travel the world to experience the cuisine. There are numerous ways to prepare food, and with just a few alterations you can be preparing the most interesting chicken recipes from all over the world.
This is a guest post from contributing author Charlie Oszvald. Charlie is writing for Nigella Lawson, a word wide famous TV chef. Nigella is the author of seven bestselling books and featured in several successful TV series in the UK.
