Food family · 25 dishes · 15 regions
The appetizer
family.
Small opening courses and snacks — the meze, the antipasto, the fritter, the small plate that frames the meal.
4 dishes from Lebanon
Baba ganoush
A Levantine dip of fire-roasted eggplant blended with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil, often finished with parsley or pomegranate seeds.
SauceExplore →Fattoush
A Levantine bread salad of lettuce and seasonal vegetables tossed with toasted or fried pieces of pita, lemon, olive oil, and sumac.
SaladExplore →Kibbeh
A Levantine preparation of bulgur, minced onions, and finely ground meat, shaped into shells or patties and baked, fried, or served raw depending on the regional style.
AppetizerExplore →Tabbouleh
A Levantine herb salad built around finely chopped parsley, tomato, mint, onion, and bulgur dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.
SaladExplore →
3 dishes from Indonesia
Pempek
Palembang fish cakes made from ground mackerel or other white fish mixed with tapioca flour, formed into logs or balls, boiled, sliced, and fried, served with a sweet-sour-spicy cuko sauce.
AppetizerExplore →Sate Lilit
A Balinese minced-meat satay: finely ground pork, chicken, or fish mixed with grated coconut, coconut milk, lime leaves, lemongrass, and spices, molded around bamboo skewers and grilled over coconut charcoal.
KebabExplore →Sambal
A family of Indonesian and Southeast Asian chili relishes made by pounding fresh or dried chilies with aromatics, acid, salt, and sometimes shrimp paste or fruit.
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3 dishes from Japan
Tempura
Seafood or vegetables lightly coated in a cold batter and quickly deep-fried to a delicate, crisp finish, then served with dipping sauce or salt.
AppetizerExplore →Gyoza
Japanese pan-fried dumplings with thin wrappers and a filling of pork, cabbage, garlic chives, and ginger, browned on one side and steamed to finish.
DumplingExplore →Takoyaki
Round Japanese street-food batter cakes cooked in a molded pan around pieces of octopus and topped with sauce, mayonnaise, seaweed, and bonito flakes.
AppetizerExplore →
2 dishes from Israel
Falafel
Deep-fried balls or patties of ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both, mixed with herbs and spices. A staple of Middle Eastern street food.
AppetizerExplore →Hummus
A Levantine dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil.
SauceExplore →
2 dishes from Argentina
Empanada
A baked or fried pastry turnover filled with seasoned meat, cheese, or vegetables. Found across Latin America from Argentina to the Philippines, each region claiming its own folded style and filling.
AppetizerExplore →Humita
A South American preparation of fresh corn, onion, and spices ground or grated into a savory mixture, wrapped in corn husks, and steamed or baked.
AppetizerExplore →
2 dishes from India
Vada
A South Asian savory fritter made from a ground legume or grain batter, shaped into rings or patties and fried until crisp outside and tender within.
AppetizerExplore →Samosa
A crisp, triangular pastry filled with spiced potatoes, peas, lentils, meat, or vegetables and fried or baked across South Asia and its diaspora.
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1 dish from Peru
1 dish from Spain
1 dish from Puerto Rico
1 dish from Brazil
1 dish from Nepal
1 dish from Mexico
1 dish from Turkey
1 dish from Italy
1 dish from China
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