While each country in Asia has its own national dish, you’ll still discover a smorgasbord of varieties within each region. Take pho, for example, which includes fresh coriander, diced spring onion, garlic, chilli sauce and quay (or Chinese fried breadsticks) when eaten in north Vietnam. Order it in the south, however, and the accompaniments are more likely to be lime, beansprouts, sriracha or hoi sin sauce and Thai basil.
Speaking of Thailand, if you’re ordering rice in the north, you can expect a sticky glutinous rice to pair with a kaeng par (‘jungle curry’). Head to the south though, and you’ll enjoy a bowl of fragrant jasmine rice instead.
The third largest country in the world by area, and with 56 ethnic groups, China’s regional varieties range from the tongue-numbing…
