Hilsha - King of all fish

by Fahmida Vivian Sheikh

This is the national fish of Bangladesh. It called “Illish” in Bengali. Mostly found in Bangladesh. People cook it in many ways like Bengali fish curry made with mustard oil or seed or just simply fry it on its natural oil. I love to eat the fried version, can’t really explain the taste unless you really get to enjoy the flavor.

The most famous dish with Hilsha fish called Panta Illish which is a very traditional platter enjoyed in the Bengali new year by the Bengalis. It is a congee with fried Ilish slice, supplemented with dried fish (Shutki), pickles (Achar), dal, green chillies and onion. When I’m in my country I get to savor this platter with my friends and family.

If you love fishes, you should definitely try it!

References:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/88/52/3a/88523ae022fcb513e0a794166e2a7f64.jpg

http://www.ecurry.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Bhapa-Ilish-3-507x620.jpg

Chaudière... Chaudière? It's Chowdah!

by Aiken Parker

You may know this dish as one to die for, but what actually is Chowder?

Originating in France however spawning many variants over the world this dish usually consists of seafood as a primary ingredient, typically fish, shrimps or even clam. Along with a subset of vegetables, namely corn placed atop a milk or cream thickened with either cracker shards, such as hardtacks or something known as a roux. A roux is a cooked mix of fats and flour and is fundamental to classical French cooking as it is used in several of their iconic mother sauces.

Being a rather old and relatively simple dish to make, Chowder has taken on many variants to its original recipe granting a diverse showcase of both appearance and taste.

Corn & Crab Chowder

New England Clam Chowder

Shrimp Chowder

References:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Shrimp_and_corn_chowder.jpg

http://cookdiary.net/wp-content/uploads/images/New-England-Clam-Chowder_18588.jpg

http://cdn-image.myrecipes.com/sites/default/files/styles/300x300/public/image/recipes/sl/07/10/crab-chowder-sl-1662927-x.jpg?itok=F4YQfsr5

Fish Rooster?

by Aiken Parker

Kalakukko, a traditional dish originating from the historical province of Savonia in Finland is made from fish (typically perch or vendace) baked within a loaf of bread. Additional fillings such as salted pork and bacon may be added at the chef's discretion. The combination doesn't sound to appetizing, does it? Well, as with many things in life a lot comes down to how it's presented.

These days some immature Finnish speakers may find the name, Kalakukko rather humorous given that Kala and Kukko is Finnish for "fish" and "rooster" respectively, hence the title of this post. While I have never tried, or even heard of this dish beforehand it's definitely something I'll recall if I ever find my travels taking me to central Finland.

References:
https://a.disquscdn.com/get?url=http%3A%2F%2Fotavafiles.fi%2Fplaza%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2Fruokafi%2Fblogit%2Fmukana-maku%2Fkippari-kallen-kalakukko2.jpg&key=Dp1RfWKS4TzlEgGCf-mMhttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1xy7clzkdEidFVCmd-R2kdChJ0iS2Dpm9qEZcYw41gwdQoDOFBFIZtxrajVOOgJcPUWSxUG5oTiOw04LbXcnQ-P2P_MRpEvfZsZ41wiCWWiEOyzNdu18kompKsHyWbx6hKzNsaZnKpuIR/s1600/DSC_0729_.JPG

Peruvian food, my favourite

by Magaly Chin

When people ask me what is my favourite food I can never give a straight answer, because there are so many things that I like that it’s hard to choose one. But this time I took my time to think and came up with an answer: my favourite food is Peruvian food. For me there’s nothing like the dishes that I grew up eating at home and that are part of who I am.

Peruvian food is simply amazing. There is a huge variety of dishes made with a diverse range of ingredients and with so many flavors that can satisfy any palate. 

The most characteristic dish, and probably my favourite too, is called ceviche. There's no certainty about the source of the name but some think it could derive from the mix of ingredients or from an old Quechua word “siwichi” which means fresh fish. This dish is made of raw fresh fish marinated in citrus juice with Peruvian yellow chili. It’s usually served with parboiled sweet potato, chopped onions and corn. 

No visitor misses the chance to try ceviche, so if you ever go to Peru you now know what is the first thing to ask for.

References:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KUPvUDU9lPQ5l9EreAsKiInN-tkR-jvYq0orBtuGm1g7iMDDjH-iw4WJnSSmMvjTOxyt07R06VmqBYDWm9Dsvv5IYeWsjnyadKwHkPUyAaIU0Ic2e_KW9wXCh_c4ixD7Bb9VLQghK5Ix/s1600/comida+peruana.jpg

https://s3-sa-east-1.amazonaws.com/cdn-e360/proyectop_file_d04f2ff743dbe1fc9361516c6ecebd10_3487_.jpg