Chili Crab – World’s Best Dish at Number 29

Chili Crab is a Singapore original.  And as CNN says at its list of the World’s 50 most delicious foods (updated 7^th Sep 2011), it’s a dish that is difficult to stop eating once started.  You can find some of the best locations  and do bring a friend along to relish and revel in the fun!

This video by sporthome1 gives a great insight into this national pride and joy.  And you can check out this great recipe to try out at home.

Rendang - World's Best Dish at Number 1

Rendang originally from Sumatra in Indonesia is now a national dish in Indonesia and Malaysia.  It’s a well spiced dish which is essentially a dish of dry yet rather moist curry paste clinging to succulent pieces of meat.  Lamb, beef, chicken or even vegetarian soya meat can be added to rending to serve as a mouth watering dish.

CNN updated (7th Sep2011) its World's 50 Most Delicious Food, and it now lists Rendang as the numero uno of all food dishes.  As quoted from CNNGO:

What are the world's most delicious foods? We thought we knew. Apparently we don't.

Our list of the World's 50 most delicious foods stimulated some impassioned debate about the conspicuous lack of French dishes and the merits of ketchup over mayonnaise.

“Ketchup? Pop Corn? Chips? Plenty of Thai but few Malay food? What about Chinese (Sichuan, Cantonese, etc)? No Brazilian or Argentinean?” queried commenter Max.

Reader LoveFoods wrote, "OMG why are people hating? If you don't like the list, make your own! I love Thai and Japanese foods."

LoveFoods was right. So we threw it open to a vote on a Facebook poll.

And now, after more than 35,000 votes, it appears we got it all wrong. The world’s most delicious food is not Massaman curry, as we suggested, but a meaty, spicy, gingery dish from west Sumatra.

Reader Kamal F Chaniago showed great foresight when he wrote, "Rendang is the best." A clear winner with a loyal following, this beefy dish can now rightfully claim the title of "World's Most Delicious Food."

Beef is slowly simmered with coconut milk and a mixture of lemongrass, galangal, garlic, turmeric, ginger and chilies, then left to stew for a few hours to create this dish of tender, flavorful bovine goodness.

The Indonesian dish is often served at ceremonial occasions and to honored guests. It's not only delicious but also comes with a simple recipe. If you haven't already, go ahead and take reader Isabela Desita's advice: "Rendang should be the first! It's really nice, you should try!"

So go ahead and check out this video from tokchiksincan and the recipe for that pavlovian aroma for dinner.  And when visiting Indonesia, you can get this dish at most local restaurants and street stalls.

Boat Noodles

Thai Boat Noodles (Kway Tiao Rua) is a common dish that you’ll see everywhere in Thailand.  It’s available from the street vendors or off the boats at the floating markets in Thailand.

Boat noodles have a mix of spices and herbs in a soup that gives an awesome taste.  With your choice of meat and noodles with bean sprouts in the mix, you are in for a nice tasty meal. There are many good write ups on the recipe for Thai Boat Noodles and I’ve selected one for you to try out.

This video from randymagnus gives a very good picture of the preparation on a boat!

Assam Laksa - World's Best Dish at Number 7

CNN voted Assam Laksa as the top number 7 of the World's 50 most delicious foods.  Wow.  This noodle with fish broth is really an excellent try on the senses.  It has an aroma, texture and taste to behold!  As CNN says:

Poached, flaked mackerel, tamarind, chili, mint, lemongrass, onion, pineapple … one of Malaysia’s most popular dishes is an addictive spicy-sour fish broth with noodles (especially great when fused with ginger), that’ll have your nose running before the spoon even hits your lips.

You can find this quote by CNN (21st July 2011) at: World's 50 most delicious foods.

This dish is native to Penang.  For a detailed walk through on the recipe, go by rasa malaysia at this link for more pictures and information Assam Laksa recipe. 

This video by LooseAppetiteMovement shows an example of a serving of  assam laksa by one of the many assam laksa stalls in Penang.  Bon appetite!

Updated 10th Sep 2011:  CNN did a new poll on 7th Sep 2011, and that changed the rankings of this 21st July 2011 survey.  Assam Laksa is now at number 26.

Nasi Lemak

Swarnabhumi is a land filled with great food.  From simple boiled rice with dried fish with some chilly paste for taste, to rice soaked in coconut milk, a variety of vegetarian dishes to a spread of seafood and meat curries.

Below is a quick glance (by qqstar8) of Nasi Lemak, the typical breakfast food in Malaysia.  A traditional creation of the Malays, this dish is now a national dish, relished by all and a must have at all hotels in Malaysia.

As you have seen, this dish is very simple, with the trick that the rice must be rich in coconut milk and fragrant from pandan leaves.  The 'sambal' i.e., the chilly paste rich in chilly, onions and other secret condiments of the cook.  You can find more from this well written article on the secret to a great Nasi Lemak.