"Rendang is the best." A clear winner with a loyal following, this beefy dish can now rightfully claim the title of "World's Most Delicious Food." Beef is slowly simmered with coconut milk and a mixture of lemongrass, galangal, garlic, turmeric, ginger and chilies, then left to stew for a few hours to create this dish of tender, flavorful bovine goodness.
The Indonesian dish is often served at ceremonial occasions and to honored guests. It's not only delicious but also comes with a simple recipe. If you haven't already, go ahead and take reader Isabela Desita's advice: "Rendang should be the first! It's really nice, you should try!"
Preparation
Nasi goreng with green stinky beans and goat meat in Jakarta.
Nasi goreng is distinguished from other Asian fried rice recipes by its aromatic, earthy and smoky flavour. Nasi goreng is traditionally served at home for breakfast and it is traditionally made out of leftover rice from the night before. The texture of leftover cooked rice is considered more suitable for nasi goreng than that of freshly cooked rice which may be too moist and soft to withstand frying in a wok.
Other than cooked rice, nasi goreng consists of at least three components; ingredients (e.g. egg, shrimp, meat, cooking oil), bumbu spice or seasoning (e.g. garlic, shallot, salt, chili pepper), and condiments (e.g. bawang goreng, krupuk, acar pickles, slices of fresh cucumber and tomato). The combination of spices and ingredients in different ratio creates myriad variation of flavours.
Spice and seasonings
Typical seasonings for nasi goreng include but are not limited to salt, chilli pepper, spring onions, turmeric, palm sugar, bumbu paste made from ground garlic and onion or shallot, kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), shrimp paste, black pepper, fish sauce, powdered broth and so on. Eggs may be scrambled into the rice during the cooking process, or served as accompaniments in the form of sunny side up eggs, omelettes, and boiled eggs. Scraps of leftovers from a prepared dish, perhaps chicken or beef pieces, may also be used.
Condiments
Nasi goreng often adds condiments or garnishes as add-ons. Fried shallot and traditional crackers are often sprinkled upon to give crispy texture, slices of cucumber and tomato for garnishing and to give freshness in an otherwise oily dish, a fried egg is often placed on top of the dish to add savouriness, while chili paste is to add the zesty spiciness according to one's preference. Some common condiments are:
- Bawang goreng: fried shallot, sprinkled upon nasi goreng
- Kerupuk: various types of crackers, usually emping or prawn crackers
- Acar: pickles made from vinegar preserved cucumber, shallots, carrot, and small chilli pepper
- Telur: egg; could be cooked in many ways and placed on the nasi goreng, usually fried or omelette
- Sambal: chilli sauce
CNN: a list of the world’s 50 best foods
CNN have re-released a list of the world’s 50 best foods chosen by their readers and some of the inclusions might surprise you.
CNN themselves note the lack of French dishes to make their list, which was compiled by over 35,00 votes from food lovers back in 2011. The company say it was recently reformatted and republished for 2017.
Below the list with the top 10 dishes all coming from across the continent.
Number one on the list? In 10 guesses you would never get it, with beef Rendang from Indonesia taking the top spot. In fact Indonesia came in strong, also taking second position with Nasi goreng.
Less surprisingly, Sushi came in third on the list. The italians might not be too happy with number 47, however.
1. Rendang, Indonesia
2. Nasi goreng, Indonesia
3. Sushi, Japan
4. Tom yam goong, Thailand
5. Pad thai, Thailand
6. Som tam (Papaya salad), Thailand
7. Dim sum, Hong Kong
8. Ramen, Japan
9. Peking duck, China
10. Massaman curry, Thailand
11. Lasagna, Italy
12. Kimchi, Korea
13. Chicken rice, Singapore
14. Satay, Indonesia
15. Ice cream, United States
16. Kebab, Turkey
17. Gelato, Italy
18. Croissant, France
19. Green curry, Thailand
20. Pho, Vietnam
21. Fish 'n' chips, England
22. Egg tart, Hong Kong
23. Bulgogi, Korea
24. Fried rice, Thailand
25. Chocolate, Mexico
26. Penang assam laksa, Malaysia
27. Tacos, Mexico
28. Barbecue pork, Hong Kong
29. Chili crab, Singapore
30. Cheeseburger, United States
31. Fried chicken, United States
32. Lobster, Global
33. Seafood paella, Spain
34. Shrimp dumpling, Hong Kong
35. Neapolitan pizza, Italy
36. Moo nam tok, Thailand
37. Potato chips, United States
38. Warm brownie and vanilla ice cream, Global
39. Masala dosa, India
40. Bibimbap, Korea
41. Galbi, Korea
42. Hamburger, Germany
43. Fajitas, Mexico
44. Laksa, Singapore
45. Roti prata, Singapore
46. Maple syrup, Canada
47. Fettucini alfredo, Italy
48. Parma ham, Italy
49. Lechon, Philippines
50. Goi cuon, Vietnam
Reference:
CNN Your pick: World's 50 best foods
