Appetizer

Kilawin is a term which refers to a broad group of Filipino dishes which are similar to the Italian crudo or the Peruvian ceviche. It can employ meat or seafood which is cut or sliced, then blended with vinegar, citrus juices, and a variety of spices and fresh herbs. Even though the ingredients are sometimes pre-cooked, they are most commonly used raw, allowing the vinegar to act as a cooking agent. Kilawin is typically served as an appetizer or a side dish during traditional Filipino beer-drinking sessions.

Kilawin

In its simplest form, this South Korean pancake incorporates sliced kimchi, preferably ripe version, with a simple flour batter. The dish belongs to a wide group of jeon&mdash;savory Korean pancakes&mdash;and it is easily adapted with various ingredients such as chili paste (gochujang), ground meat, or other vegetables. The pancakes are occasionally served with a dipping sauce on the side and may come sprinkled with sesame seeds. They are usually enjoyed as a quick, filling snack or an appetizer, but they can also be served as a main course or a side dish.

Kimchijeon

Kinilaw is a Filipino appetizer made with raw, cubed fish in a dressing based on vinegar. The appetizer is typically garnished with onions, ginger, chili peppers, and garlic. Fish should be washed in vinegar, not soaked in it, turning the pink flesh into white and slightly opaque in the process. Although kinilaw is usually consumed as an appetizer before a big meal, it can also be eaten as finger food, when it&rsquo;s traditionally consumed with alcoholic beverages on the side.

Kinilaw

Kısır is a classic Turkish salad made with thin bulgur wheat, tomatoes, mint, garlic, parsley, and either lemon juice or sour pomegranate molasses. Red pepper flakes are often added to the salad to make it spicier. Lemon juice is typically used in northwestern T&uuml;rkiye, while pomegranate molasses is more commonly used in the southeast of the country. The salad is ideal for buffets and meze, but it is also often used as a side dish for a variety of barbecued meat dishes. It is traditionally served cold or at room temperature.

Kısır

This South Korean dish consists of ground beef that is wrapped with perilla leaves (kkaennip), and the parcels are then coated with flour and egg wash before they are pan-fried. The filling is usually seasoned and enriched with scallions, garlic, onions, sesame oil, and soy sauce, while other additions also include tofu or finely sliced vegetables. This decorative dish can be enjoyed as an appetizer, snack or a side dish, and it is best served with a dipping sauce on the side. Like other types of jeon dishes, kkaennip is traditionally prepared for Chuseok&mdash;South Korean harvest festival.

Kkaennip-jeon

Kluai thot, or deep-fried bananas, is a sweet street food item commonly found throughout Thailand. This Thai treat is traditionally prepared with peeled and sliced burro bananas, known locally as kluay nam wa, which are entirely immersed in a thin rice flour mixture, and then fried in hot oil until they form a crispy crust. The batter mixture usually consists of rice flour, all-purpose flour, sesame seeds, baking powder or traditionally slaked lime, baking soda, sugar, salt, ripe coconut shreds, and water. Sweet and crunchy, fried bananas are typically sold in bags and enjoyed while they are still warm, usually as a snack, a dessert, or an appetizer. Although fried bananas are traditionally consumed on their own, without any additions, nowadays, they are often served with a variety of sides such as ice cream, vanilla, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, or honey.

Kluai thot

Kokis is a Sri Lankan dessert with Dutch origins, consisting of a batter made with coconut milk, eggs, and rice flour. The batter is coated around decorative molds and deep-fried in coconut oil until it develops a crispy texture. Kokis can be consumed as an appetizer, snack, or a dessert, and it is especially popular around Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations.

Kokis

Australia

Kokoda is a traditional dish made with fresh, raw fish such as mahi-mahi or snapper that is marinated in a combination of coconut milk and citrus juices such as lemons and limes. The coconut milk is added in order to balance out the acid. Fijian variety of ceviche is often garnished or combined with additional ingredients such as sea salt, minced chilis, finely sliced green onions, and coriander leaves.

Kokoda

Kokoreç is one of the most iconic and beloved street foods in Turkey, a delicacy that is as famous for its unique preparation as it is for its bold, savory flavor. It consists of lamb or goat intestines wrapped tightly around seasoned offal—typically sweetbreads, hearts, kidneys, or lungs—to form a dense, horizontal spit. This spit is then slow-roasted over a charcoal fire, allowing the fat to render and baste the meat as it spins, creating a crispy, well-seasoned outer layer while keeping the inside tender and juicy. The aroma of roasting kokoreç is unmistakable and serves as a beacon for hungry passersby in cities like Istanbul and Izmir.

Historically, the consumption of offal has deep roots in Anatolian and Balkan cuisines, dating back to nomadic traditions where nose-to-tail eating was a necessity. Kokoreç as it is known today became particularly popularized in urban centers in the 20th century. There are regional variations in how it is served; the 'Istanbul style' typically involves chopping the roasted meat finely on a grill with tomatoes and green peppers before stuffing it into a toasted bread roll (yarım ekmek). In contrast, the 'Izmir style' is simpler, serving the sliced meat with just a sprinkling of cumin and oregano, allowing the pure flavor of the meat to shine.

Culturally, kokoreç is the quintessential late-night food, often consumed after a night out drinking or attending a concert. It occupies a special place in Turkish culinary culture, bridging the gap between humble ingredients and gourmet enjoyment. Despite occasional debates regarding EU regulations on offal, kokoreç remains a stubborn and proud symbol of local taste.

For the uninitiated, the texture can be surprising but delightful—a mix of crispy, chewy, and soft. It is heavily seasoned with salt, oregano, cumin, and red pepper flakes (pul biber), which cut through the richness of the fat. The perfect beverage pairing is undoubtedly a cold glass of salty yogurt drink called 'ayran', or 'şalgam' (fermented spicy turnip juice), which balances the grease and spice. Eating kokoreç is not just a meal; it is a rite of passage for anyone visiting Turkey who wants to experience the true soul of its street food scene.

Kokoreç

Kokoretsi is a traditional dish consisting of lamb or goat offal that is chopped into tiny pieces, seasoned with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. The offal is then skewered, covered with caul fat to keep the pieces in place, and cooked over charcoal. It is traditionally consumed as an appetizer or meze on Easter Sunday in Greece. Although it is associated with Easter, it can usually be found throughout the year across the country. Kokoretsi is also popular throughout the Balkans, and the name of the dish comes from the Albanian word kukurec, meaning tripe. Being an internationally popular dish, kokoretsi is sometimes served as a sandwich on a flatbread, when it is topped with numerous spices and tomatoes, while others like to put it into a baguette with pickles and bell peppers.

Kokoretsi

In Greece, fried zucchinis can be enjoyed as a meze or a side dish. The zucchinis are sliced, seasoned, and then simply dusted with flour or dipped in an egg batter before they are fried until crispy and golden. It is recommended to pair them with various dips such as yogurt-based tzatziki or garlicky skordalia.

Kolokithakia tiganita

The traditional version of this savory Greek pie employs a flavorful zucchini and feta filling which is placed between two layers of phyllo pastry, usually the homemade type that is slightly thicker than the store bought varieties. Similar versions of kolokithopita can be layered or prepared without the crust, while the filling can be adapted with additional ingredients and zucchinis can be replaced with winter squash. The pie comes in numerous shapes and sizes, and they can be enjoyed as a snack, an appetizer, or a light main course. The varieties prepared with winter squash are occasionally transformed into desserts, in which feta is left out, and the pie is doused in sugar syrup.

Kolokithopita

India

Kosambari is the most popular salad from the Indian state of Karnataka. The salad is made with split legumes such as bengal gram and green gram, and it is additionally seasoned with mustard seeds. The dish is well known for being easy to prepare and for having a high protein count. It is popular as an appetizer at most feasts, celebrations, and festivals, while in most temples it is offered as prasada - a religious offering. Kosambari is often additionally flavored with cucumber slices or rice, and although it is usually served as an appetizer, it is also a healthy main meal or a snack.

Kosambari

Also known as quince cheese and kitnkez, this traditional Croatian product is made with a base of cooked and pur&eacute;ed quinces, sugar, and lemon. When cooked, the mixture is usually left to set in various decorative molds, and when chilled it transforms into a firm, jelly-like treat. Optionally, it can be enriched with nuts, coated in sugar, or wrapped into bay or lemon leaves. Though it is traditionally associated with the Dubrovnik area, this delicacy is enjoyed throughout the country. It is an autumnal treat that is easily stored and enjoyed during the winter, usually as a dessert or an appetizer.

Kotonjata

Krathong thong is a traditional appetizer consisting of pastry cups that are filled with various ingredients. In Thailand, to make the pastry shells, cooks use a special mold that looks like a cupcake pan at the end of a long handle. The pastry cups are usually made with a combination of plain and rice flour, salt, sugar, egg yolks, water, mineral water, and oil. The ingredients for the filling vary, and some of the popular ones include pork or chicken, onions, carrots, potatoes, curry powder, and garlic. These golden cups are available in numerous eateries and at street food stands in Thailand.

Krathong thong

Krokiet is a unique Polish dish consisting of a thin cr&ecirc;pe filled with various ingredients. It is then neatly folded in a roll, breaded, and shortly fried until golden and crispy. The fillings are usually based on saut&eacute;ed meat or vegetables, or a combination of both. Two or more krokiets are traditionally served as the main course, but they can often be enjoyed as a side dish served alongside hearty and thick Polish soups.

Krokiet

Kruchenyky (also known as zavyvantsi) is a traditional dish consisting of stuffed meat rolls. Pork is the most common type of meat used for kruchenyky, but beef, chicken, or even fish can be used instead of it. The stuffings vary from region to region, and some of the most common ingredients for the stuffing include mushrooms, carrots, onions, cheese, cabbage, and prunes. These rolls are typically topped with sour cream and baked in the oven, then served hot as an appetizer, although kruchenyky can also be served cold.

Kruchenyky

North Macedonia

Krushevsko grne is a typical North Macedonian meze dish made with a combination of grated white brine and yellow cheeses, often flavored with mushrooms and slices of smoked or dried meat such as ham or cured pork neck (or homemade Krushevo sausage). The dish is topped with sour cream mixed with tomato sauce, tomato paste, or ketchup. All ingredients are layered in an earthenware pot, which is brushed with tomato sauce, paste, or ketchup, and the concoction is then baked in the oven until it becomes nicely browned on the surface. Once cooked, the dish is sprinkled with oregano and served with a crispy flatbread on top or on the side. Krushevsko grne is consumed year-round, usually accompanied by roasted hot peppers and a glass of wine, rakija, or beer, depending on the season.

Krusevsko grne

Syria

Kubbah summāqīyah is an Aleppine specialty consisting of stuffed meatballs combined with a sumac-based sauce. The large meatballs, known as kibbeh, are usually prepared with ground beef or lamb, bulgur, and onions, and then filled with a mixture of ground beef or lamb and pine nuts. The stuffed meatballs are typically first fried, and then either simmered or simply drizzled with a tangy sumac sauce, usually containing onions, eggplants, tomato paste, garlic, mint, spices, and seasonings. There is also a vegetarian version of this dish, which uses a mixture of bulgur and potatoes for the meatball shell and a filling made with walnuts and mushrooms.

Kubbah summāqīyah

Croatia

&Scaron;trukli are a traditional Croatian delicacy that hails from the Zagorje region. In addition to the more common baked &scaron;trukli, this cooked variety starts with a similar preparation in which the dough is thinly rolled, then filled with a mixture of whipped butter, eggs, fresh cheese, sour cream, and salt. Traditionally, the dough is rolled with the help of a tablecloth, and the rolls are then cut with the rim of a plate into smaller pieces that are cooked in water. Though they can be served in a variety of ways, cooked &scaron;trukli are traditionally topped with a combination of butter and breadcrumbs. They are enjoyed as a starter or a main course, and can also be altered to create a filling dessert. Once a local specialty, &scaron;trukli are nowadays regarded as a national dish that had become a restaurant staple, while the ready-made versions are available at bakeries and supermarkets throughout the country.