Rice Dish

Wakame gunkan maki is a traditional type of sushi that comes in the elongated shape of a ship (gunkan). This version of gunkan is made with wakame, the edible brown seaweed with numerous health benefits. The seaweed is used as a topping for nori-wrapped sushi rice. The flavors are best described as neutral, refreshing, slightly sweet, and briny. When rehydrated, its dark green color turns into a bright and vibrant green. The dish can be found at most sushi restaurants in the country, and it's often accompanied by soy sauce, wasabi, and sushi ginger on the side.

Wakame gunkan maki

Wali na maharage is a Tanzanian dish made with red beans and rice. The rice is usually cooked with coconut milk or oil, while the beans are cooked until mushy. The dish is seasoned with a variety of spices such as pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and cumin. It can be served as an accompaniment to vegetables, fish, or meat.

Wali na maharage

Wali wa kukaanga is a delicious Kenyan dish made by combining boiled rice with turmeric, onions, oil, and vegetables such as carrots, peas, and corn. The combination of rice and vegetables is then fried, and the whole dish is served as an accompaniment to chicken dishes. It is recommended to pair wali wa kukaanga with a salad of choice on the side.

Wali wa kukaanga

Wali wa nazi is a starchy side dish consisting of rice cooked in a combination of coconut milk and water. It is usually seasoned only with salt. This creamy dish is usually served as an accompaniment to various curries or chicken, fish, and meat dishes. It is a favorite amongst the Swahili people of East Africa, notably in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda.

Wali wa nazi

With as many versions as one can imagine, x&ocirc;i is one of Vietnam's favorite foods that is easily found anywhere from numerous roadside vendors to traditional and upscale restaurants. Made with a base of steamed sticky rice, these dishes can be made in savory - x&ocirc;i mặn, or sweet versions - x&ocirc;i ngọt. They are traditionally served in a banana leaf, and most commonly enjoyed either as a cheap and scrumptious on-the-go breakfast meal, a mid-day snack or a dessert, although in many mountainous areas of northern Vietnam people eat x&ocirc;i as a main dish. Some of the most common ingredients for the savory x&ocirc;i include Vietnamese ham known as chả lụa, Chinese sausage called lạp xưởng, shredded chicken, dried shrimps, and rước or ch&agrave; b&ocirc;ng, meaning dried shredded pork or chicken, respectively. X&ocirc;i mặn dishes are often flavored with garlic, drizzled with either soy sauce or scallion oil, and sprinkled with chili flakes. On the other hand, x&ocirc;i ngọt desserts can be made with virtually anything from fruits like mango, gac, durian, and coconut, to mung beans, cassava, or even silkworm pupae.

Xôi

In its basic form, this simple Vietnamese dish consists of sticky rice topped with fried or boiled chicken, and it's traditionally served on a banana leaf. Variations may include tinted and flavored rice, fried and fresh vegetables, or x&aacute; x&iacute;u (Chinese roast pork). The dish is usually finished off with a sprinkle of ground shrimp and a drizzle of chili sauce. X&ocirc;i G&agrave; is served in restaurants, but it is mostly enjoyed as a nutritious and cheap street food option.

Xôi gà

This traditional Vietnamese treat combines sticky rice and gấc&mdash;a deep red Asian fruit. The fruit pur&eacute;e is mixed with rice, and the mixture is steamed, usually with the addition of coconut milk and sugar. X&ocirc;i gấc is characterized by its unusual red hue, which is believed to bring prosperity and good fortune, and that's the reason why the dish is usually served on various special occasions, including weddings and Lunar New Year. Although they are subtly sweet, these rice cakes are typically served with savory dishes such as rước (dried pork) and chả lụa pork sausage.

Xôi gấc

Vietnam

X&ocirc;i ngũ sắc or five-color sticky rice is a traditional dish of the Tay ethnic group in the Vietnamese Sapa. The dish is made of five different types of sticky rice, each one with a distinctive color &ndash; red for fire, green for wood, yellow for earth, black for water, and white for metal. Depending on the region, there can be other colors in these five types of rice, but red, yellow, and green are obligatory. In order to make the dish, glutinous rice should be soaked in water for 6 to 8 hours until it blooms. It's then divided and dyed with the coloring from vegetables and fruits from the local forests. When steamed and served, the white pile of rice is usually in the topmost position, while the colors which will fade the most easily are placed at the bottom of the serving plate (or a banana leaf). The Tay people believe that the more colorful the rice is, the more prosperous the family will be in the following year. Five-color sticky rice is traditionally prepared for New Year or similar festive events.

Xôi ngũ sắc

X&ocirc;i v&ograve; is a traditional dish and a version of the popular xoi rice-based dishes. This version is unique because it doesn't have the typical stickiness that is characteristic for xoi. The dish is made with glutinous rice, mung beans, salt, sugar, and vegetable oil. The rice and dehusked (and squeezed) mung beans must be picked carefully because only one bad grain can ruin the flavor. Both are soaked separately, usually for up to 12 hours. Later on, the two are mixed so that the rice grains are coated with the mung beans; the dish is then steamed, and as a result the grains do not stick together. X&ocirc;i v&ograve; is served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and it's often eaten as an accompaniment to sweet dessert soups such as ch&egrave; hoa cau.

Xôi vò

India

Yakhni pulao is a traditional rice-based dish with Persian origins, but over the years it's made its way from Moghul cuisine to India, where it's especially popular in regions such as Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh. The yakhni stock can be made with chicken or mutton. The list of ingredients for yakhni pulao is a long one as it contains basmati rice, chicken or mutton, onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, dahi, and spices such as fennel, cardamom, garam masala, red chili powder, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, mace, bay leaves, black peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon. The stock is made with most of the spices, salt, and either chicken or mutton. The onions, cumin, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, red chili powder, and coriander are tempered in oil with the addition of yogurt and garam masala, and the combination is then mixed with pieces of meat, yakhni stock, and basmati rice, which is cooked until done. It's recommended to serve this pulao with raita on the side.

Yakhni pulao

China

Yangzhou fried rice is a Chinese dish consisting of rice, eggs, and vegetables such as carrots, mushrooms, peas, while the common additions also include shrimps, meat, scallions, and Chinese ham. Traditional versions sometimes may incorporate sea cucumbers, crab meat, and bamboo shoots. It is believed that the dish originates from General Yang Su of the Sui Dynasty. Because it was one of his favorite dishes, he introduced it to the Yangzhou culture when he patroled Jiangdu with Emperor Yangdi. Originally, it was a peasant food prepared with leftover rice combined with small bits of meat and vegetables. Yangzhou fried rice is traditionally served after the main meal and before dessert at Chinese celebrations. Nowadays, there are numerous versions of the dish that may be flavored with soy sauce, red sauce, or Shaoxing rice wine.

Yang zhou chao fan

Yin yang fried rice is a traditional dish originating from Hong Kong. It usually consists of a plate of fried rice that's accompanied by chicken, ketchup sauce, and onions (the red side) and shrimp, peas, and egg whites (the white side). The dish is named after the unlikely pairing of these two toppings that go over the rice, and due to the meaning, yin yang fried rice is often a staple at weddings or similar festive occasions.

Yuan yang chao fan

Zamarod pulao, translated to emerald pilaf, is a famous Afghan dish made with rice and spinach cooked in vegetable or beef stock, often enriched with lamb or beef. The spinach imparts its signature green color to the dish, so it is usually incorporated into the rice before the baking process begins. This flavorful pilaf dish is served on a variety of special occasions, weddings and family gatherings.

Zamarod pulao

This Iranian classic couples rice and barberries (zereshk)&mdash;red, sour berries that are commonly used in Iranian cuisine. Zereshk polow is usually prepared with long-grained basmati rice which can be layered with barberries and then steamed, or the ingredients can be cooked and steamed separately. This common side dish is usually served with chicken (morgh), and although it is often enjoyed as a simple, everyday meal, it is also a staple on various special occasions.