Six Well-Known Belt & Road Cuisines – How Many Have You Tried?

Vincent R. Vinci, Contributing Editor | Aug 29, 2022 2:07 pm | Add a comment | 281 reads

There are over 140 countries taking part in the Belt & Road Initiative – China’s modern day answer to the ancient Silk Road – and all of them boast their own diverse food cultures.

But seeing as it’s a little difficult to list all 140 of these and their cuisines in one piece, we’ve compiled a list of six well-known cuisines from along the Belt & Road you might know of – and might have tried!

While not comprehensive, this is just a little intro to the foods of these nations and what makes them special.

Argentina

Argentina is perhaps best known for its massive barbecues – aka asado – but the cuisine of this South American country goes far beyond just meat.

You’ll also find European influence here with things like milanesa – fried beef or chicken – and even Argentine style croissants and pizza.

Cuba

One of the simplest, yet most satisfying, Cuban dishes is arroz y frijoles negros – a combination of black beans and rice that serve as the building blocks of a majority of Cuban cuisine.

Upon these building blocks come ropa vieja, a national dish consisting of rice and fried plantain with shredded beef; vaca frita, beef fried to a crisp before being frayed into thin strands.

Ethiopia

Just as rice and beans are the staples that drive Cuban cuisine, bread – namely injera – is the staple of Ethiopian cuisine.

This sourdough pancake-like flatbread is considered the national dish of the east African country, and is typically enjoyed with all sorts of fixings, from meats to vegetables to doro wat, a particularly spicy chicken stew.

Greece

The food of Greece is known for its use of olive oil – it’s one of the world’s largest producers – fresh produce, cheese, and meat or seafood depending on where you find yourself there.

Most popular amongst these are souvlaki, skewered meat that can also be enjoyed in a pita; and horiatiki (aka Greek salad), a mix of vegetables like tomatoes, olives, onions and cucumbers with olive oil and feta cheese.

Morocco

Although Moroccan cuisine traces its roots to that of the Berbers, much outside influence has left its mark on the country’s food today, lending it a true diversity of flavors and tastes.

Still, the classic Berber flavors stay strong, especially in dishes like tagine, a word which describes not only the stew-like dish of meat or poultry mixed with vegetables and fruit, but the North African cookware it’s made in.

Vietnam

The final cuisine on our list is perhaps the closest to China. Think Vietnam and you’ll probably think of warm bowls of phở and bánh mì sandwiches, but there’s more to it than that.

There’s everything from dry noodle dishes like bún thịt nướng, featuring pork atop rice noodles; to treasures like bánh xèo, a Vietnamese style crepe that’s a popular street food; and even Vietnamese style curry.

You’ll be able to experience the foods and cultures of these and other Belt & Road countries at the Belt & Road Food Fest, happening Sep 10-12!

If you’d be interested in being a vendor or having a booth at this event, scan the QR code below or contact sales@thebeijinger.com for more information.