Meat Dish

China

Wu xi rou gu tou is a traditional dish originating from Wuxi in Jiangsu. The dish is usually made with a combination of pork ribs, ginger, scallions, Shaoxing wine, star anise, cinnamon, soy sauce, sugar, salt, stock, and potato starch. The ribs are cut into fat squares of meat that are salted, chilled, covered with cold water, boiled, drained, rinsed, and placed in a clay pot or a pan with scallions, ginger, wine, spices, soy sauce, stock, and sugar. The dish is simmered over medium heat for an hour, and the ginger, scallions, and spices are then removed and the sauce is left to reduce. Potato starch is added to the sauce, and the ribs are then served with the thickened gravy.

Wu xi rou gu tou

Xerem de festa is a traditional dish originating from Cape Verde. The dish is usually made with a combination of coarsely ground corn (xerem), pork fat, onions, and pork. The xerem is soaked in water with pork fat and onions. The next day, the pork fat, sliced onions, and cubes of pork meat are placed into a large pot and mixed with the xerem. The mixture is covered with water, brought to a boil, and simmered until all of the liquid is absorbed, and the dish is then ready to be enjoyed. Xerem de festa is typically prepared for weddings.

Xerem de festa

Even though it is often referred to as the Chinese meat pie, xianbing is, in fact, more similar to an over-sized, seared jiaozi-style dumpling. Both are made with the same, basic flour-and-water dough, except the one for xianbing is layered before being rolled out, and unlike jiaozi dumplings which are steamed, xianbings are pan-fried. Being one of the hallmarks of the Northern Chinese Islamic halāl cuisine, the crispy-crusted xianbing is traditionally filled with soy sauce flavored minced beef, ginger, and onions, while in other regions it can also be filled with pork, lamb, or even with an all-vegetable filling in its vegetarian version. Xianbings are considered a real comfort food and although they are easily found in restaurants, often served with the hearty hot and sour soup, in Northern China xianbings are most popular as a street food that is typically enjoyed warm with a dipping sauce consisting of soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and rice vinegar.

Xianbing

Xinjiang lamb skewers is a dish consisting of pieces of lamb (rarely even mutton) that are skewered onto a stick and then grilled using a special technique. The lamb is first cut up into pieces, each having a different texture and flavor. Every piece of lamb can be grilled, from lean and fatty meats to skin, tripe, marrow, and offal. The first step is shortly grilling the lamb, then dipping it into hot mutton suet that&rsquo;s been previously melted in a metal can, which locks in the juices and adds rich flavor. Then, the skewers are seasoned &mdash; the spices distribute thanks to the coating of fat evenly. Finally, the skewers are then back on the grill and grilled until crispy on the outside while the insides remain tender and juicy.

Xinjiang lamb skewers

X-Tudo is an unusually tall burger originating from Brazil. Although not much is known about its invention, this burger (which means with everything or cheese everything when translated) has no fixed ingredients, but it always has many toppings. They often include beef patties, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, corn, melted cheese, sausages, and fried potato sticks or shoestring potatoes. This mammoth of a burger is typically served in paper trays, and eating it is no easy feat &ndash; most people can't get their mouth around it because it's so huge, which makes for a messy eating experience.

X-Tudo

Yakitori refers to Japanese grilled chicken where pieces of chicken meat are skewered with a particular type of skewer called kushi (which can be made from either steel or bamboo) and are then traditionally grilled over a charcoal fire. Depending on the cut of chicken and the method of preparation, there are various types of this dish. An important step in the making of yakitori is the seasoning, either salty or salty-sweet, which can be done during or after grilling. Salty seasoning is just salt that can sometimes be combined with pepper, while salty-sweet seasoning is actually tare sauce made from mirin, soy sauce, sake, and sugar. Present-day versions of yakitori first appeared during the Meiji Era in the 19th century, but once chicken became abundantly available in the 1950s, the popularity of skewered chicken skyrocketed and the dish became popular among the masses. In Japan, yakitori can be purchased in specialized yakitori shops called yakitori-ya, but it is also often served in Japanese gastropubs known as izakaya. Since skewered chicken is so easy to prepare, plus it's portable, it is also a popular street food sold at yatai, the small Japanese food stalls. The dish is meant to be eaten with hands only, often directly off the skewer, and can be paired with a side of roasted vegetables, while each bite should ideally be washed down with ice-cold beer.

Yakitori

Azerbaijan's national dish is called yarpaq dolmasi, a savory meal consisting of vine leaves stuffed with chopped meat, onions, rice, salt, pepper, butter, and fresh herbs such as coriander, dill and mint. Dolma belongs to a family of stuffed dishes from the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire and neighbouring regions such as Russia, Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central and South Asia. Locals claim that Azerbaijan has the best dolma in the world, and the reasoning behind it is that the grape vines originated in the mountainous valleys of their country. Yarpaq dolmasi is usually consumed in the afternoon or evening, for late lunch or dinner. It is an everyday dish, popular in equal measure at parties and weddings. Azerbaijani dolma differs from all the others because of its shape - it is small and round, unlike the elongated Turkish version. Enjoyed as a main course once or twice a week, yarpaq dolmasi is usually accompanied by a sauce based on yogurt and garlic, or clotted sour milk.

Yarpaq dolması

Yassa, also known as chicken yassa or poulet yassa, is Senegal's national dish, a stew consisting of chicken that is marinated in lemon, lots of onions, and vinegar. The chicken needs to marinate in the mixture for at least eight hours, making sure that the lemon juice and vinegar take the bite out of the onions and tenderize the tough poultry found in the Casamance region. Chicken pieces are then cooked over medium-high heat until the marinade becomes a sauce in itself. This process results in an incredibly flavorful and tender meat that is traditionally served with fluffy rice in brightly decorated plates. Other examples of good accompaniments include fufu and couscous, with or without the chickpeas. It is recommended to pair yassa with ginger beer or green tea with mint.

Yassa

Duck's head is a spicy local specialty from the Chinese city of Wuhan, but it is also a snack that is commonly eaten throughout China, most notably in Shanghai. The dish is made by stir-frying a head of duck with the addition of herbs and spices. Duck's head has a crispy taste as a result of the stir-frying method, and it is claimed to be a healthy food, with one of the duck's head store owners claiming that it helps one's brain power when consumed. Some say that the taste of the dish is not unlike eating a spicy chicken wing, while the others, such as Kellie Schmitt of CNN, describe it as one of Shanghai's weirdest foods. When the head is served, it should be pried open with one's fingers to get to the tender meat on the interior.

Ya tou

Yoğurtlu kebap is grilled kebab served over pieces of bread, covered with garlic yoghurt and finished at the table with hot butter, often coloured red with pepper flakes. The kebab itself is usually Adana-style minced lamb or cubed şiş, so the name describes a way of serving rather than a single meat. It sits in a well-known family of Turkish plates: İskender from Bursa puts döner on pide with tomato sauce and butter, Ali Nazik from Gaziantep lays meat on smoky aubergine mixed with yoghurt, and beyti is often wrapped in lavaş and sliced over yoghurt. Yoğurtlu kebap is the plainest of these, and the one where the yoghurt does most of the work.

A good kitchen builds it in layers. Pide or lavaş is cut into bite-size pieces and lightly toasted, then moistened with a little tomato sauce or meat juice so it softens without turning to paste. Thick, strained yoghurt is beaten with crushed garlic and salt and spooned over or beside the bread at room temperature, since cold yoghurt chills the plate and very hot yoghurt splits. The kebab comes straight off the charcoal and goes on top, sliced if it is minced. Last comes butter heated until it foams and turns nutty, often with pul biber stirred in, poured over at the table so it sizzles against the yoghurt. Getting the timing right is the whole trick: bread that waits under the sauce goes soggy, and kebab that waits goes dry.

When you rate it, check the contrast of temperatures and textures. The meat should be hot, juicy and charred at the edges, the yoghurt cool, thick and garlicky but not harsh, the bread soft on top and still holding some shape below. Butter should smell browned, not of margarine or burnt oil, and should be poured fresh rather than already pooled. Runny, sour yoghurt, bread drowning in tomato sauce or a lukewarm plate are the common faults, and pre-sliced kebab reheated on a griddle is a shortcut worth marking down. Grilled tomato and pepper usually sit on the side, and a glass of ayran or şalgam is the expected drink.

Kebab with Yoghurt (Yoğurtlu Kebap)

This hearty Greek soup couples tender beef meatballs and a creamy, flavorful broth. The meatballs and the broth are usually seasoned with various fresh herbs, and the whole dish is finished with the addition of avgolemono&mdash;the creamy egg and lemon sauce&mdash;which thickens the broth and adds the characteristical zesty flavor. Traditionally associated with wintertime, youvarlakia is usually accompanied by bread and enjoyed as a nutritious main course.

Youvarlakia

Croatia

Zagrebački odrezak is a Croatian meat dish consisting of veal cutlets that are pounded, filled with cheese and ham, rolled, breaded, then fried until golden and crispy. Nowadays, the dish has many variations and some cooks prepare it with pork, chicken, or turkey. It is important that the cheese melts well, and the ham should have minimal fat. Once prepared, this succulent meat dish is typically accompanied by lemon wedges, rice and peas, potatoes, and green salads.

Zagrebački odrezak

Iran

Zardak kebab is a traditional dish originating from the province of Isfahan. The dish is usually made with a combination of carrots, ground beef, eggs, gram flour, onions, sugar, salt, pepper, oil, saffron, and turmeric. The meat is mixed with salt, pepper, grated carrots, gram flour, beaten eggs, and onions. The mixture is shaped into meat patties (kebabs) that are fried in oil on both sides until fully cooked. A mixture of water, saffron, turmeric, and sugar is boiled until slightly thick, and the syrup is then poured over the fried kebabs. Before serving, zardak kebab is often garnished with chopped parsley.

Zardak kebab

Żeberka wędzone are Polish-style smoked ribs. This meat specialty is typically made with pork ribs soaked in brine with spices like bay leaves, marjoram, peppercorns, allspice, salt, and garlic cloves. The marinated ribs are then either cold-smoked or hot-smoked and consumed warm or chilled. Smoked pork ribs can be poached, paired with sauerkraut, or added to soups and stews for extra flavor.

Żeberka wędzone

Zec na hvarski is a traditional dish originating from the island of Hvar. The dish is made with a combination of rabbit, bay leaves, rosemary, celery, parsley, garlic, onions, salt, pepper, vinegar, cloves, oil, red wine, and pro&scaron;ek. The rabbit is marinated in a mixture of herbs, spices, vegetables, and vinegar for two days. It is then dried and baked in the oven with the oil and the vegetables from the marinade. Once baked, the rabbit is cut into pieces and placed in a pan with saut&eacute;ed onions. Red wine, pro&scaron;ek, salt, pepper, onions, cloves, bay leaves, and rosemary are added to the pan and the dish is simmered until the rabbit is tender. Once done, it&rsquo;s served with boiled potatoes sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Zec na hvarski

Zec na istarski is a traditional dish originating from Istria. The dish is made with a combination of rabbit, pancetta, onions, garlic, parsley, carrots, tomatoes, flour, oil, white wine, bay leaves, rosemary, and marjoram. The rabbit should be marinated overnight. It is then cut into cubes, fried in oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, and taken out of the pan once browned. The pancetta, onions, garlic, and parsley are saut&eacute;ed in the same pan, dusted with flour, and mixed with chopped tomatoes, bay leaves, and rosemary. Once the mixture is bubbling, the meat is added back to the pan and simmered until everything is tender. Near the end of cooking, white wine is added to the dish and it's simmered for a few more minutes. It's recommended to serve this dish with gnocchi and a green salad on the side.

Zec na istarski

Istrian žgvacet od koko&scaron;i is typically prepared with chicken drumsticks and thighs, which are first pan seared and then simmered in a sauce based on tomatoes and onions. This rustic Croatian dish has its roots in Italian guazzetto which denotes a specific way of preparation, namely simmering the ingredients in a small amount of liquid. The dish is additionally flavored with rosemary or marjoram and traditionally served sided with Istrian pasta fuži, though it can also be enjoyed with potato dumplings or polenta. The authentic Istrian žgvacet is always made with chicken, but nowadays there are also other variations made with lamb or veal. In the neighboring Italian city of Trieste, the same dish is known as fusi con sugo di gallina istriana, or when it's served with tagliatelle, as tagliatelle con sugo di gallina istriana.

Žgvacet od kokoši

Žgvacet od teletine is a traditional dish originating from the region of Istria. The dish is usually made with a combination of veal, onions, garlic, tomatoes, white wine, basil, parsley, marjoram, flour, oil, salt, and pepper. The veal cubes are saut&eacute;ed in oil, followed by the addition of onions, garlic, and parsley to the pan. The mixture is seasoned with marjoram, basil, salt, and pepper, and it's then simmered in water or stock. Once the meat is tender, the dish is sprinkled with flour, stirred, covered with white wine, and simmered until the sauce becomes thick. Žgvacet od teletine is traditionally served with polenta or local fuži pasta on the side.

Žgvacet od teletine

Zhangcha duck is a duck smoked with tea and camfor, originating from the Chinese province of Sichuan which is famed for its spicy dishes. The preparation of this meal is a five-step process; first, it&rsquo;s marinated, then boiled, air-dried, smoked, and finally, fried. When served, pieces of duck meat are topped on gebao &mdash; a clam-shaped bun.

Zhangcha ya

Roast squabs, domesticated farm-raised young pigeons, are one of the unique delicacies originating from the Chinese Cantonese region. Traditionally, young squabs under four weeks of age are roasted and served whole, including the head and feet. To prepare the meat for roasting, squabs are usually marinated or shortly braised in hot water and left to dry. Before or during cooking, the insides are spiced with five spice powder, and squab's skin is glazed with a mixture of soy sauce, rice wine, vinegar, ginger, honey or sugar, and occasionally hoisin sauce. This technique provides the lacquered appearance, a dark amber color, and an incredibly crunchy texture of the skin. The five spice powder penetrates the meat from the inside and covers it in fragrant aromas. In Chinese culture, roast squabs are usually eaten on special occasions such as weddings and other formal gatherings, but are also available in many restaurants where they are served as a special delicacy. Outside of China, roast squabs can be found on the menus of some Chinese restaurants, accompanied by vegetables and soy or hoisin sauce on the side.