Breakfast

India

Misal pav is a traditional dish originating from Maharashtra. Its two main components are misal &ndash; a curry made with sprouted moth beans, usually topped with chivda, onions, chilis, and potatoes &ndash; and pav, bread rolls used to mop up the flavorful curry. Misal pav can be served for breakfast, as a snack or a main dish. It is commonly found in roadside stalls, breakfast joints, and office canteens.

Misal pav

Translated as a mixture of different things, this traditional Bulgarian dish is prepared with eggs and typical summer vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers. Other ingredients include saut&eacute;ed onions, salt, pepper, and Bulgarian white cheese. There is also a winter variety of the dish that is usually made with frozen roasted peppers. Mish-mash is typically served alongside crispy slices of bread or toast, and is enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Although the origins of the dish are not familiar, it is an integral part of traditional Bulgarian cuisine.

Mish-mash

Miso soup is a traditional soy-based soup made from a stock called dashi, miso paste, and various additional ingredients such as seaweed or tofu. It is estimated that more than 70% of Japeanese people consume the soup for breakfast, although it is commonly available at any time of the day. In Japanese restaurants in the United States, miso soup is often offered as an appetizer. The soup is thought to have medicinal properties, as it alkalizes the blood and revives the nervous system. The main ingredient is called miso - a combination of rice, salt, water, and fermented soybeans, shaped into a paste that is similar to peanut butter in texture. Miso is centuries old, and its roots are in chiang - a fermented soybean paste invented in China by Buddhist priests more than 2500 years ago. Since miso soup is relatively quick and easy to prepare, in Japan, there are even instant cups of the soup available in vending machines for a small amount of money, acting as a testament to the soup's enormous popularity.

Miso Soup

Mkate wa maji are Kenyan crepes consisting of flour, water, eggs, sugar, and ground cardamom. The batter is cooked in a pan with ghee butter. These crepes are often sprinkled with sugar and are served hot for breakfast. It is recommended to pair mkate wa maji with a cup of tea on the side.

Mkate wa maji

Mofo baolina (lit. ball doughnut) is a traditional ball-shaped doughnut originating from Madagascar. It's made with a combination of flour, sugar, milk, eggs, and yeast. Once prepared, the dough is left to rise, and the small balls of dough are then fried in hot oil over low heat so that the doughnuts are crispy on the outside and fully cooked and soft on the inside. Before serving, mofo baolina is simply left to cool down a bit. These ball-shaped doughnuts are typically served as a snack or for breakfast.

Mofo baolina

Crowned as the unofficial national dish of Burma, mohinga is a fish and rice noodle soup that can, depending on the region, be enriched with an array of different ingredients by adding them to the soup or using them as a dressing or garnish. When it comes to the origin, various accounts exist, some of them dating as far back to the first century. By the 19th century, mohinga was regarded as a working-class meal due to its low cost, but over time, it has become so popular that today it can even be purchased as a ready-made soup. Although this fish soup is typically consumed for breakfast, it evolved into an all-day dish that is traditionally sold by street hawkers and roadside sellers.

Mohinga

Murtuğa is a simple yet hearty breakfast dish, made with butter, flour, and eggs. The preparation involves melting butter in a pan, adding flour to create a golden, fragrant base, and then mixing in eggs until fully cooked. The result is a creamy, rich mixture with a nutty flavor from the toasted flour and the richness of eggs. It is served hot, often accompanied by bread and paired with Turkish breakfast staples like cheese, olives, and tea. For a sweeter variation, honey or sugar can be drizzled on top. Murtuğa is a comforting and nostalgic dish, reflecting the resourcefulness of Turkish home cooking and offering a warm, satisfying start to the day.

Murtuğa

Nacatamal is a type of traditional Nicaraguan tamale made with corn dough which is stuffed with chicken or pork, then wrapped in plantain leaves and steamed. This savory dish usually also contains ingredients such as bell peppers, garlic, potatoes, rice, bitter orange, onions, mint, and chile peppers. On special occasions, nacatamal is often enriched by the addition of prunes, raisins, capers, and olives. It is typically prepared on weekends and served for breakfast, paired with bread and a cup of coffee on the side. The name of the dish is derived from the Nahuatl words nacatl, which means meat, and tamalli, which means tamale. Originally, the dish was prepared with turkey, iguana, tomatoes, annatto, and deer meat wrapped in corn leaves, but during the colonial time, the meat changed to pork and chicken, while plantain leaves substituted corn leaves.

Nacatamal

Nasi goreng is often referred to as the Indonesian version of fried rice. Although it is considered to be the national dish of Indonesia, it is also commonly eaten in Malaysia and Singapore. It is believed that the tradition of frying rice in Indonesia came from the Chinese culture, when the trade between the two countries started to develop. Indonesians adopted the Chinese tradition based on the belief that it is sinful to waste food, and soon, like many other versions of fried rice, nasi goreng was created. Since it was developed out of a practical need, it is usually eaten for breakfast and made with leftover rice from the previous day. Precooked rice is usually fried in a small amount of oil, then spiced up with shallots, garlic, chili, or ginger. Indonesian fried rice is distinguished by the generous use of sweet soy sauce, and because of that, it has a deeper and spicier flavor than other varieties of fried rice. Nasi goreng is commonly served with eggs. Usually, they are mixed in the rice or fried and served on the side.

Nasi goreng

Malaysia

This classic Malaysian dish combines steamed rice and an assortment of different curries, sides, and condiments. The rice is occasionally seasoned, and the choice of curries includes various combinations of vegetables, meat, or seafood. Traditionally associated with Penang, the dish was initially developed among the Indian community who brought their culinary traditions to Malaysia. They used to sell and transport the dish using traditional kandar bamboo sticks, eventually giving the dish its current name. Nowadays, nasi kandar is usually prepared and sold at hawker centers across the country and is traditionally enjoyed as a nutritious, warm breakfast.

Nasi kandar

Traditionally associated with the region of Kelantan, this flavorful Malaysian dish consists of rice that is layered with various dishes, then wrapped inside a cone-shaped banana leaf. It is typically prepared with thick curries, eggs, cucumbers, and spicy coconut flakes, but modern variations often employ other ingredients and accompaniments. Although it was initially a staple among fishermen and farmers, nasi tumpang is nowadays usually enjoyed as a hearty breakfast.

Nasi tumpang

This Indian cr&ecirc;pe is made with a very thin batter of rice flour, water, and salt. Unlike other Indian dosas which call for much thicker, and fermented batter, this version uses an unfermented and runny batter which is spread and cooked on a hot greased griddle, yielding soft and lacy pancakes. The batter can alternatively be enhanced with freshly grated coconut or coconut milk. Neer dosa derives its name from the words neer, meaning water in Tulu, and dosa, referring to a traditional Indian thin pancake. These thin pancakes are a quintessential part of the Tulu Nadu region breakfasts, and they are usually served with chutneys, curries, and vegetable sagu dishes.

Neer dosa

Nihari is a popular meat-based dish originating from Old Delhi. When Pakistan gained independence in 1947, numerous immigrants from Delhi settled in Karachi, where they established their own restaurants, so nihar is also associated with Pakistani cuisine. The dish consists of slowly cooked meat such as beef shanks, mutton, or chicken. The meat is cooked together with stock and numerous spices such as cumin, cloves, garam masala, and cardamom in big vessels which are sealed with dough. It takes anywhere from six to eight hours for nihari to be cooked properly, and it is traditionally consumed for breakfast, since the name of the dish is derived from the Arabic word nahar, meaning morning. Originally, nihari was consumed by the Nawabs in the Mughal Empire as a breakfast dish, before the usual morning prayers, although some people believe that the dish was invented in the royal kitchens of Awadh. It is usually served with tandoori rotis or khameeri rotis, and some like to garnish nihari with green chilis on top. Nihari's texture, spiciness, and tenderness of the meat make it a favorite among many Indian and Pakistani people.

Nihari

Num banh chok or Khmer noodles is a Cambodian dish that is typically served for breakfast or consumed as an afternoon snack. These fermented rice noodles are hand-made in stone or wooden mills, then topped with fish gravy and raw vegetables such as banana blossom, cucumbers, and water lily stems, along with a variety of fresh herbs such as mint and basil. Nowadays, there are many variations on this noodle dish that is typically eaten in warm weather, and some even say that the Chinese got the idea for rice noodles from the Cambodians, referring to a legend about Thun Chey who was exiled from the Khmer Empire to China.

Num banh chok

Oeufs cocotte or eggs in pots provide an easy and delicate way of serving eggs for breakfast. Cocotte refers both to the method of baking individual eggs and the small, round baking vessels with handles on the sides. The eggs are placed in greased pots, ramekins, or cocottes, with flavorings above or below them, and the combination of those ingredients is then baked in the oven in a hot water bath until, ideally, the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. Toppings might include bacon, fresh herbs, cheese, pesto, or cream. Oeufs cocotte is also an ideal dish to serve to guests - visually impressive, delicious in flavor, and highly versatile.

Oeufs cocotte

Small, but packed with flavor, the batter for these famous Russian pancakes differs from those for traditional pancakes as it is prepared with kefir, a fermented milk product with a slightly sour taste. Aside from kefir, the remaining ingredients for oladyi are typical for any run-of-the-mill pancake &ndash; flour, sugar, salt, and eggs. They are pan-fried into small rounds, similar to American-style pancakes. The pancakes turn golden brown when finished, and they are chewy with crunchy edges. They are slightly sweet and neutral in flavor, while the kefir lends them a mild sour note. These small, thick pancakes can be served plain or with honey, chocolate, fresh fruit, sour cream, or a variety of fruit preserves. Fresh fruit and chocolate chips are also occasionally added to the batter. Oladyi are a typical breakfast dish, and they are best served hot off the griddle while they are still fluffy and soft in the center and crunchy around the edges.

Oladyi

&Oslash;llebr&oslash;d is a traditional rye bread porridge that is usually served as a sweet and nutritious breakfast. It consists of a mixture of stale rye bread soaked in water, milk, or traditional Danish beer, which is later cooked until it achieves a thick, homogenous texture. Originally, it was a humble and rustic dish, but many modern varieties incorporate various additions such as whipped cream, citrus zest, raisins, and nuts to create a more nutritious meal.

Øllebrød

Omeleta is a traditional Greek-style omelet made with Mediterranean ingredients, giving it a distinct and flavorful twist compared to classic omelets. Unlike a typical omelet, the Greek omeleta incorporates local vegetables, cheeses, and sometimes meats directly into the eggs rather than as fillings. The base is made with whisked eggs seasoned with salt and pepper, and crumbled feta cheese is a common addition, adding a tangy, creamy flavor. Fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and sometimes zucchini are included, giving the omelet vibrant color and taste, while Kalamata olives contribute a briny depth. Fresh herbs such as oregano, parsley, or thyme enhance the Mediterranean flavor, and olive oil is used instead of butter for cooking, adding a fruity richness. The vegetables are typically saut&eacute;ed in olive oil until softened, after which the beaten eggs are poured over to incorporate the cheese and herbs, cooking slowly to allow the flavors to meld. The Greek omeleta is often enjoyed as a breakfast or light lunch and is served with fresh bread and a side of Greek yogurt or tzatziki.

Omeleta

Onsen tamago is a traditional delicacy made by slow-cooking eggs in baskets that are submerged in onsen hot springs. The eggs are cooked in their shells so that the yolk becomes soft-set and the egg white develops a loose consistency. It is believed that the secret is in the hot springs' temperature, which causes the egg to be creamy and flavorful on the interior. Traditionally, onsen tamago is consumed by placing the egg in an indentation in steamed rice and drizzling some soy sauce or broth around it, preferably with some grated daikon on the side. It is recommended to garnish the dish with finely chopped spring onions on top.

Onsen tamago

Ontbijtkoek is one of the staples of a traditional Dutch breakfast: a rye cake spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, honey, pepper, and cloves. Although it is mostly consumed for breakfast, it is equally popular as a lunchtime treat or a midnight snack, topped with butter or jam, and sometimes with a few pieces of cheese on the side. When it is consumed as a snack, it is often paired with a cup of tea or coffee. Ontbijtkoek has been baked in the Netherlands since the 16th century, and today there are numerous regional varieties of this flavorful sweet bread. In the southern parts of the country, it is known as peperkoek, referring to the fact that pepper is one of the ingredients used in its production. The cake is also traditionally served at funerals because it contains honey and pepper, symbolizing joy and sadness.