Offal Dish

South Korea

Seolleongtang is a hot, invigorating South Korean bone soup prepared by boiling cow's bones, feet, head, organs, brisket, and shank for a long time until the broth develops a creamy white color. The soup is a staple in numerous Korean households, especially during the cold winter months. It is believed that the soup was invented because King Seonjong of the Joseon Dynasty needed to feed a large number of people at a worship ritual for the god of farming, during which a cow would be sacrificed. The name of the dish is derived from the word Seonnongtang, meaning soup boiled at Seonnongdan, and later on, the word evolved into Seolleongtang. Nowadays, it is usually served with ripe kkakdugi (radish kimchi), and it is said to taste even better when accompanied by it, warming numerous consumers during the winter.

Seolleongtang

Serobe is a popular dish from Botswana consisting of cow, sheep, or goat lungs and intestines which are cooked until tender. If sheep or goat is the selected animal, the dish is cooked together with the trotters, which are chopped into smaller pieces and cooked twice until fit for consumption.

Serobe

Seseri is a traditional yakitori dish prepared with chicken meat from the neck area as the main ingredient. This type of yakitori is pretty uncommon as there is a limited amount of neck meat per chicken. The pieces of chicken neck are placed on skewers, then grilled until done. Due to the fact that this muscle moves a lot, its texture is tender, slightly chewy, and juicy. The flavor is rich due to its fat content. Before the grilling process, seseri is usually seasoned with salt.

Seseri yakitori

Shkembe chorba is a nourishing Bulgarian soup made with a combination of tripe, water, flour, milk, red wine vinegar, garlic, paprika, and hot chili peppers. When served, it is recommended to garnish it with chopped parsley, then consume it with beer or rakia on the side. This soup is well-known in Bulgaria for being a great hangover cure after a night of clubbing in chalga clubs or mechanas.

Shkembe chorba

North Macedonia

&Scaron;irden is a North Macedonian delicacy made by stuffing the abomasum (stomach lining) of lamb or sheep with a combination of three types of chopped meat, paprika, onions, and seasonings such as salt and black pepper. The opening is sewn and closed, and &scaron;irden is baked with lard in a traditional earthenware vessel. It is usually served with the same sauce from the vessel and a glass of red wine on the side.

Širden

&Scaron;kembe čorba is a traditional soup made with a combination of tripe (usually pork or beef), onions, garlic, tomato sauce, bacon, and additional seasonings such as red pepper, black pepper, parsley, and bay leaves. The preparation process is notoriously long: tripe is first cooked separately for at least four hours, cut into thin strips, and then cooked again with the rest of the ingredients. &Scaron;kembe čorba is typically served with vinegar, sour cream, and warm bread on the side. It also pairs well with seasonal salads. Due to the long preparation process and the strong aromas of tripe, this dish is nowadays mostly found on the menus of traditional restaurants.

Škembe čorba

Israel

Skewered goose liver is a traditional dish originating from Tel Aviv. The dish consists of goose liver that's seasoned with salt and black pepper. Additional spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, cumin, turmeric, lemon juice, and allspice are often added to enrich the flavors, and there are many variations of the dish with different spices throughout the area. Once prepared, the goose liver is placed on skewers and grilled to perfection.

Skewered Goose Liver

Skilpadjies is a traditional dish consisting of sheep liver that is wrapped in a layer of caul fat. The liver is typically minced and combined with coriander, onions, and Worcestershire sauce. The whole concoction is grilled over hot coals until the caul fat develops a crispy texture. The dish is usually paired with bread or mealie pap on the side.

Skilpadjies

Smalahove is a traditional dish made with sheep's head as the main ingredient. The head is first left to soak in water for 24 hours. After the brine has been created (salt, sugar, saltpetre), the head is left to soak for another 24 hours, and it's then finally boiled. This delicacy is usually prepared and eaten on the Sunday before Christmas. It's most commonly served with a combination of mashed rutabaga and potatoes, white pepper, nutmeg, butter, and cream. Smalahove dates back to the times when food was scarce, but today it's a festive specialty. Serve it with a glass of strong beer or Akvavit, a Scandinavian schnapps-like spirit.

Smalahove

Smiley is a traditional dish featuring sheep's head as the key ingredient. The sheep heads are actually butcher's leftovers which are broiled (usually in large drums), and the fur is then singed with metal rods, while the animal's lips pull back to reveal a grotesque smile, hence the name smiley. The head is served with a bit of salt, and the meat can easily be ripped off with your hands because it's so tender. It is said that the tongue, eyes, cheeks, and brains are the most flavorful parts of smiley. The head is typically served whole, but it can also be cut up and used in stews.

Smiley

Sopa de mondongo is a term that is widely used all across Central and South America when referring to a hearty tripe and vegetable soup. The star of the dish is beef or pork tripe, the rather tough edible part of animal stomach which is cut into smaller pieces and cooked with other ingredients in a flavorful broth. Different versions of the soup are found all across Latin America, where it has been adapted with locally available ingredients and spices. Typically, sopa de mondongo employs plain and sweet potatoes, cassava, corn, cabbage, plantains, onions, sliced avocado, and generous amounts of chopped cilantro, which is used as a garnish. It is often spiced with cumin and the authentic Latin American spice called achiote. Local varieties commonly include additional ingredients such as lean pork meat, pork feet, Columbian chorizo sausage, and animal bone marrow. Because of its nutritious ingredients, it is usually regarded as a complete meal that is mainly served alongside white rice. Sliced lemon or lime wedges and local tortilla varieties such as arepa in Colombia are often served on the side. Unusual additions may include raisins or capers in Puerto Rican versions, or peanut sauce in the Ecuadorian version, popularly called guatica. In many Latin American countries, sopa de mondongo is believed to have healing properties, and it represents a traditional dish that is usually served for lunch or in the early hours after a night of clubbing.

Sopa de mondongo

Sopa de pata is a traditional soup. It's made with a combination of tripe, cow's feet, sweet corn, green beans, chayotes, cassava, and bananas. The soup is spiced with onions, garlic, cumin, and achiote, while its rich and buttery flavor is coming from cow hooves. The hooves are washed in lemon juice before being added to the soup in order to lose their barnyardy aroma. When served, the soup is often garnished with culantro and sprinkled with chili powder.

Sopa de pata

Soup number five is a Filipino soup prepared with unusual key ingredients &ndash; bull's penis and testicles. Other ingredients include a plethora of (mostly) herbs and spices such as chili peppers, green onions, lemongrass, ginger, onions, garlic, salt, sugar, pepper, fish sauce, beef broth, and oil. There are many variations on the soup, as well as secret recipes. In the Philippines, the soup is thought to be an aphrodisiac and to have healing properties. It's also very popular as a hangover cure and a pulutan &ndash; a dish that's eaten while drinking alcohol. The unusual name with the number five, however, is still shrouded in mystery. In the province of Cebu, this soup is known as lanciao or lansiao.

Soup Number Five

Italy

Spaghetti al soffritto is an ancient Neapolitan specialty, made with spaghetti (although other similar pasta, like bucatini, can also be used) and pork offal. Soffritto refers to a rich and hearty sauce made from a mixture of offal, commonly from pork, including parts like the lung, trachea, heart, spleen, and liver. These are slowly cooked with tomato concentrate, chili pepper, and other seasonings until tender and infused with flavor. The resulting sauce is savory, with a balance of sweetness from the slow cooking process and acidity from the tomatoes. When served with spaghetti, it reflects the resourcefulness of Neapolitan cuisine, which often utilizes all parts of the animal. It's a textbook example of the Italian cucina povera, where simple, inexpensive ingredients are transformed into something delicious and satisfying. Spaghetti al soffritto is especially popular during the winter months and is regarded as a comforting and warming dish.

Spaghetti al soffritto

Pan-fried calf&rsquo;s liver is a traditional dish that can be prepared in a variety of ways. Usually, the liver is dusted with flour and shortly pan-fried until golden. It is often coupled with hefty amounts of caramelized onions and the lightly-thickened deglazed pan sauce. This hearty classic is best accompanied by boiled potatoes that perfectly complement sweet onions, creamy sauce, and earthy calf&rsquo;s liver.

Stegt lever

In Palermo, stigghiola is a staple street food item consisting of lamb, goat, or chicken intestines that are skewered or wrapped around onions or leeks. Prepared skewers are then grilled and served cut into small, bite-sized pieces. Originally developed as a frugal meal, stigghiola nowadays represents an authentic, local specialty. The dish is typically sold by stigghiularu, street vendors who are found at various local markets and fairs, specializing in the preparation of this delicacy. When served, stigghiola is traditionally accompanied by lemon wedges.

Stigghiola

This sausage-shaped pudding has a rich, deep red to deep brown color when raw, and the ingredients used in preparing it are top quality beef suet, oatmeal, onions, blood (sheep's, cow's, or pig's), water, salt, pepper, and sausage casings. Absolutely no other seasonings are allowed. The texture is moist, firm, and rough - the roughness is a result of the oatmeal used in the process. When the pudding is cooked, it is almost black and retains its shape. The meat inside is moist, full, savory, and non-greasy, without lumps of fat that can be seen in the Irish and English versions.

Stornoway Black Pudding

Stuffed camel spleen is a traditional specialty prepared with tehal (camel's spleen) that's stuffed with camel meat, lamb, and ground beef along with spices, olives, and hump fat. These huge loaves are baked in communal bread ovens. After it has been baked, the stuffed camel spleen is sliced, fried, and served in a sandwich, often using batbout (a Moroccan type of pita bread). The filling can be enriched with vegetables, eggs, and herbs, and the texture of stuffed spleen is described as creamy and soft, with a gamey flavor.

Stuffed Camel Spleen

Sunagimo is a traditional yakitori dish made with chicken gizzards as the main ingredient. The pieces of chicken gizzard are placed on skewers, then grilled until fully done. The texture of sunagimo is often described as crispy, yet tender, while the flavors are generally mild. Before the grilling process, the gizzards are usually seasoned only with salt. The dish is often found in izakaya bars, where it's typically accompanied by a glass of cold beer on the side.

Sunagimo yakitori

Korean sundae is a traditional blood sausage that usually consists of rice, glass noodles (dangmyeon), and pig&rsquo;s blood, while the variations may also incorporate barely, bean sprouts, kimchi, perilla leaves, soybean paste, or scallions. Some regional varieties may even consist of squid or fish. Sundae can be steamed and enjoyed on its own, but it is also incorporated into various dishes such as the hearty sundaeguk soup or the sundae bokkeum stir fry. It is believed that sundae originated sometime in the Goryeo period (918&ndash;1392).