Central asian cuisine

Location of Asia.

Asian cuisine can be categorized into several major regional families, including East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian, Central Asian, and Middle Eastern cuisines. A cuisine is a characteristic style of cooking practices and traditions,[1] usually associated with a specific culture. Asia, being the largest and most populous continent, is home to many cultures, many of which have their own characteristic cuisine.



Curry is a common dish in southern and eastern Asia, however it is not as popular in eastern cuisines. Curry dishes with origins in India and other South Asian countries usually have a yogurt base while Southeastern and Eastern curries generally use coconut milk as their foundation.[3]

East Asian cuisine

Location of East Asia.

East Asian cuisine includes Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, and Taiwanese food. Considering this is the most populated region of the world, it has a lot of regional cuisines (especially China). Examples of staple foods include rice, noodles, mung beans, soy beans, seafood (Japan has the highest per capita consumption of seafood), mutton (Mongolia), bok choy (Chinese cabbage), and tea.

Southeast Asian cuisine

Location of Southeast Asia.

Southeast Asian cuisine includes a strong emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with a strong aromatic component that features such flavors as citrus and herbs such as mint, cilantro (coriander) and basil. Ingredients in the region contrast with the ones in the Eastern Asian cuisines, substituting fish sauces for soy sauce and the inclusion of ingredients such as galangal, tamarind and lemon grass. Cooking methods include a balance of stir-frying, boiling and steaming.

South Asian cuisine

Location of South Asia.

South Asian cuisine, also known as Desi cuisine, includes the cuisines from the Indian subcontinent. It has roots in the Hindu beliefs, customs and practices practiced by the large population found in the region. Foods in this area of the world are flavoured with various types of chili, black pepper, cloves, and other strong herbs and spices along with the flavoured butter ghee. Ginger is an ingredient that can be used in both savory and sweet recipes in South Asian cuisine. Chopped ginger is fried with meat and pickled ginger is often an accompaniment to boiled rice. Ginger juice and ginger boiled in syrup are used to make desserts. Turmeric and cumin are often used to make curries.


Central Asian cuisine

Location of Central Asia. In some definitions, it also includes Afghanistan.

Most Central Asian nations have similar cuisines to each other as well as their neighbors, taking many features of the neighboring cuisines of Western and Eastern Asia, particularly Mongolia. A dish known as "plov", or "osh", for example, is a widespread variation of pilaf. However, many of the same countries use horse meat and mutton as the most common meats, similar to beef in the U.S.. This is owing to Mongolian cuisine. In Kazakhstan, cuisine has evolved to meet the needs of a nomad lifestyle.

Kumis is a widespread drink among Turkic peoples, especially in Central Asia.

Central Asia is also noted for being the birthplace of yogurt. Like Kumis, it is widespread among Turkic peoples.

West Asian (Middle East) cuisine

Location of Western Asia.

West Asian cuisine is the cuisine of the Middle East, minus Egypt.

Middle Eastern cuisine is the cuisine of the various countries and peoples of the Middle East. The cuisine of the region is diverse while having a degree of homogeneity.[4] Some commonly used ingredients include olives and olive oil, pitas, honey, sesame seeds, dates,[4] sumac, chickpeas, mint and parsley. Some popular dishes include kibbeh and shawarma.



Lamb and mutton have always been the favored meats of the Middle East. Pork is prohibited in both Islam and Judaism, and as such is rarely eaten in the region. Prominent among the meat preparations are grilled meats, or kebabs. Meat and vegetable stews, served with rice, bulgur, or bread, are another form of meat preparation in the region.

Vegetables and pulses are the predominant staple of the great majority of the people in the Middle East. They are boiled, stewed, grilled, stuffed, and cooked with meat and with rice. Among the green leaf vegetables, many varieties of cabbage, spinach, and chard are widely used. Root and bulb vegetables, such as onions and garlic, as well as carrots, turnips, and beets are equally common.

North Asian cuisine

Location of Northern Asia.


Pelmeni, originally a Permic or Ugric dish, has entered into mainstream Russian cuisine as a well-known dish, but it can still be considered part of the Yamal cuisine for its area of origin. Some speculate them to be a simplified version of the Chinese wonton. In Siberia, pelmeni are frozen outdoors to preserve the meat inside through the long winter. In Yamal, other types of drying and preservation are common. Key ingredients in most northern Siberian cuisine include fish and cowberries, sometimes known as lingonberries in Europe and North America. Yakuts, like many other Turkic-speaking peoples, traditionally enjoy Kumis as a common drink.

The Nenets people are infamous for their practice of eating an animal raw and drinking its blood; however, this is among the only options in the cold and desolate tundra.

See also


  1. ^ "Cuisine." Thefreedictionary.com. Accessed June 2011.
  2. ^ "The flavors of Asia". Quaker Oats Company. Retrieved 2008-12-19. 
  3. ^ "Cuisine Areas Of Asia". Kraft Foods (Australia). 2007. Retrieved 2008-12-20. 
  4. ^ a b "The Middle East: Background.", Globalgourmet.com. Accessed January 2007.

External links

  • Asian Food & Recipes at AsiaSociety.org