Food news
WorldOktoberfest celebrates German food, culture in ErieIndiaThe New York Times. . Surprise raids of Mumbai kitchens called for by Maharashtra’s new top food and drug official have made him an unlikely celebrity and set off a conversation about food standards in India. https://trib.al/29fuVVuHeritageThe National Museum of the Philippines Iloilo capped off its 2026 ‘Magbasá Kita: A Reading Program for Young Learners’ with an immersive storytelling session at the museum’s Book Nook on September 23, 2026. The activity introduced the localStreet foodNew Northern Kentucky café brings Thai street food and specialty shoppingHeritage21st Sunchang Jangryu Festival to Welcome the World With K-Food and Cultural ExperiencesHeritage21st Sunchang Jangryu Festival to Welcome the World With K-Food and Cultural ExperiencesStreet foodMan dead, 3 in custody after shooting outside Piada Italian Street Food in Mayfield HeightsStreet foodBrick-and-Mortar Restaurants Need to Stop Blaming Street VendorsStreet food1 dead, 3 detained in Mayfield Heights shootingFarm and marketYour guide to Harvest Fair 2026 at Wisconsin State Fair ParkWorldOktoberfest celebrates German food, culture in ErieIndiaThe New York Times. . Surprise raids of Mumbai kitchens called for by Maharashtra’s new top food and drug official have made him an unlikely celebrity and set off a conversation about food standards in India. https://trib.al/29fuVVuHeritageThe National Museum of the Philippines Iloilo capped off its 2026 ‘Magbasá Kita: A Reading Program for Young Learners’ with an immersive storytelling session at the museum’s Book Nook on September 23, 2026. The activity introduced the localStreet foodNew Northern Kentucky café brings Thai street food and specialty shoppingHeritage21st Sunchang Jangryu Festival to Welcome the World With K-Food and Cultural ExperiencesHeritage21st Sunchang Jangryu Festival to Welcome the World With K-Food and Cultural ExperiencesStreet foodMan dead, 3 in custody after shooting outside Piada Italian Street Food in Mayfield HeightsStreet foodBrick-and-Mortar Restaurants Need to Stop Blaming Street VendorsStreet food1 dead, 3 detained in Mayfield Heights shootingFarm and marketYour guide to Harvest Fair 2026 at Wisconsin State Fair Park
Thali

Dishes made with water

260 dishes from around the world that list water as a main ingredient.

BozaVegan 🇹🇷 Turkey and 4 moreA thick, mildly alcoholic fermented grain drink from Turkey and the Balkans Drink, Snacks FufuVegan 🇬🇭 Ghana and 4 moreA soft, starchy dough made by pounding cassava, plantain or cocoyam, eaten with soups Main dish, Lunch, Dinner FocacciaVegetarian 🇮🇹 Italy and 1 moreItalian flatbread baked with olive oil and often herbs or salt Bread, Breakfast, Snacks DosaVegetarianದೋಸೆ 🇮🇳 India and 3 moreA thin, fermented rice and lentil pancake from South India, served hot with chutney and sambar Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Congee粥 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreRice simmered in water to make a soft, comforting porridge Main dish, Breakfast, Dinner SharbatVeganشربت 🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreSweet fruit or flower drink, served chilled or as a syrup Drink, Snacks PuriVegan 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreUnleavened wheat flatbread, deep-fried until puffed and golden Bread, Breakfast, Snacks MatzahVeganמצה 🇪🇬 Egypt and 3 moreUnleavened flatbread central to the Jewish Passover festival Bread, Dinner BriocheVegetarianune brioche 🇫🇷 FranceFrench bread made with eggs and butter, often shaped in rounds or loaves Bread, Breakfast, Snacks OuzoVeganούζο 🇬🇷 Greece and 1 moreGreek anise-flavored spirit, often served with water and meze Drink, Snacks SojuVegan소주 🇰🇷 South Korea and 3 moreClear Korean spirit distilled from grains or starches, usually enjoyed neat Drink Roti 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreUnleavened flatbread made from whole-wheat flour, common across South Asia and beyond Bread, Breakfast, Lunch Paratha 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreLayered flatbread from the Indian subcontinent, often fried and sometimes stuffed Bread, Breakfast, Lunch Bliniблины 🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreThin Russian pancakes made with yeast or unyeasted batter Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Momo 🇳🇵 Nepal and 3 moreSteamed dumplings filled with meat or vegetables, served with spicy sauces Dumpling, Lunch, Dinner Chicken soupMeat 🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreA hot soup of chicken simmered with vegetables, noodles or grains Soup, Lunch, Dinner SurströmmingFish or seafood 🇸🇪 SwedenFermented Baltic herring with a famously strong smell, eaten cold in Sweden Sauce, pickle or ferment, Dinner SobaVegan蕎麦 🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreJapanese noodles made from buckwheat, served hot in broth or cold with dipping sauce Noodle or pasta dish, Lunch, Dinner Lentil soupVegan 🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreA hearty soup made from lentils, often with vegetables and spices Soup, Lunch, Dinner Pizza MargheritaVegetarian 🇮🇹 ItalyNeapolitan pizza topped with tomato, mozzarella, basil and olive oil Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Arepa 🇨🇴 Colombia and 5 moreCornmeal flatbread from Colombia and Venezuela, often split and filled Bread, Breakfast, Lunch Varenykyвареники 🇺🇦 Ukraine and 1 moreUkrainian dumplings filled with sweet or savoury ingredients Dumpling, Lunch, Dinner Butter teaབོད་ཇ་ 🇨🇳 China and 4 moreA hot Himalayan drink of tea, yak butter and salt, churned to a creamy texture Drink, Breakfast, Snacks Tulumba 🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreDeep-fried batter sticks soaked in sweet syrup Sweet or dessert, Snacks SalepVegetarian 🇹🇷 Turkey and 3 moreA thick, hot drink made from wild orchid tubers, enjoyed in winter Drink, Snacks SpätzleSpätzla 🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreIrregular egg noodles from Swabia, served as a side or main dish Main dish, Lunch, Dinner BreadstickVegangrissini 🇮🇹 Italy and 1 moreThin, crisp baked bread sticks from Turin, Italy Bread, Snacks, Lunch SimitVegan 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreRing-shaped bread with a sesame seed crust, sold by street vendors Bread, Breakfast, Snacks Apple sauceVegan 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreSmooth cooked apples, sometimes sweetened or spiced, eaten as a side or dessert Sauce, pickle or ferment, Lunch, Dinner Pu'erVegan普洱茶 🇨🇳 China and 1 moreAged and fermented tea from Yunnan, shaped into cakes or bricks Drink MămăligăVegan 🇷🇴 Romania and 3 moreThick cornmeal porridge, a staple in Romania and Moldova Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Neapolitan pizzaVegetarianpizza napoletana 🇮🇹 Italy and 1 moreSoft, thin pizza with high edges from Naples, baked quickly in a wood-fired oven Main dish KompotVegan 🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreSweet fruit drink made by simmering fresh or dried fruit in water Drink UgaliVegan 🇰🇪 Kenya and 5 moreA dense maize porridge served as a staple across much of Africa Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Chorba 🇩🇿 Algeria and 5 moreA family of hearty soups and stews found from North Africa to Central Asia Soup Pain au chocolatVegetarian 🇫🇷 France and 2 moreA flaky pastry filled with bars of dark chocolate Pie or savoury pastry, Breakfast, Snacks Fish ball魚丸 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSoft balls of minced fish, boiled or fried, eaten across Asia and Northern Europe Main dish, Lunch, Dinner LutefiskFish or seafood 🇳🇴 Norway and 4 moreNordic dish of dried whitefish rehydrated and treated with lye Main dish, Dinner Nian gaoVegan年糕 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSticky rice cake enjoyed at Chinese New Year for good luck Sweet or dessert, Snacks Challahחַלָּה 🇮🇱 Israel and 5 moreBraided egg bread central to Jewish Sabbath and holiday meals Bread, Dinner, Lunch Yorkshire puddingVegetarian 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreA baked British pudding made from a simple batter, often served with roast meats Main dish, Lunch, Dinner SamanuVeganسمنو 🇮🇷 Iran and 3 moreSweet, thick paste made from sprouted wheat for Nowruz spring celebrations Sweet or dessert CrispbreadVegan 🇸🇪 Sweden and 4 moreA dry, flat rye bread that keeps for months and is eaten across the Nordic countries Bread, Breakfast, Lunch Irish stewMeatstobhach Gaelach 🇮🇪 Ireland and 1 moreA slow-cooked Irish stew of lamb or beef with potatoes and root vegetables Stew or curry, Lunch, Dinner Qatayefقطايف 🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreSweet stuffed pancakes, folded and filled with nuts or cream, served for Ramadan Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time Hibiscus teaVegan 🇳🇬 Nigeria and 5 moreA tart, ruby-red drink made from roselle flower calyces, served hot or cold Drink, Snacks TsampaVegetarianརྩམ་པ་ 🇳🇵 Nepal and 1 moreRoasted barley flour mixed with tea or water, a staple in Tibet and the Himalayas Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch MantouVegan馒头 🇨🇳 ChinaSoft, steamed wheat buns eaten across northern China Bread, Breakfast, Lunch

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly plate

Every Monday: seven dishes you may not know, what the world is cooking this week, and one way of eating.