Side Dish

Torrejitas de maiz are traditional Panamanian corn fritters which are also popular in Colombia. They are made with a combination of flour, sugar, baking powder, adobo seasoning, cheese, eggs, and corn. The ingredients are mixed together into a batter which is then fried in hot oil until golden brown. These corn fritters are usually garnished with cilantro and served with pico de gallo, salsa verde, or hot sauces. It is recommended to serve them as accompaniments to various seafood dishes.

Torrejitas de maiz

Portugal

Torricado is a traditional dish originating from the Ribatejo area. It's made with slices of old bread that are toasted over charcoal, soaked in olive oil, then brushed with garlic and seasoned with salt. Torricado is typically served as a side dish to grilled salt cod, often along with migas and smashed roast potatoes. This dish has origins with rural workers who made it as a cheap and filling lunch to take in the fields.

Torricado

Tostones is a traditional side dish that's popular throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, especially in Puerto Rico. Unlike platanos fritos, where only ripe plantains are used, tostones are made with unripe, hard, very green plantains. They are sliced into pieces, fried on each side, then smashed or flattened and deep-fried one more time until they become golden. Once prepared, the tostones are sprinkled with sea salt and served as a side dish to various dishes. They are often served with garlic mojo sauce (mojo de ajo), either on top of the tostones, or on the side as a dip.

Tostones

Thinly sliced Japanese pickles collectively called tsukemono (lit. pickled things) are an indispensable part of almost every washoku, a traditional Japanese meal. Tsukemono can be served as an accompaniment or garnish for meals, but it can also be served with rice as an okazu (side dish), with drinks as an otsumami (snack), or even as a part of chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony. These pickles of various colors and shapes are made from many different preserved fruits and vegetables; the most popular include daikon radish, aubergine, cucumbers, sour plums, turnips, carrots, gobo root, nappa cabbage, ginger, and shiso buds. Even though they can easily be prepared at home, Japanese pickles are available for purchase in most Asian grocery stores, and depending on the type of preservation, tsukemono comes in countless varieties and regional specialties. Some of the most popular are salt-pickled shiozuke, the simplest and easiest tsukemono to prepare; suzuke pickles brined in Japanese rice vinegar; the sweet and salty shoyuzuke tsukemono pickled in soy sauce which is usually combined with vinegar and sugar; and misozuke pickles cultured in miso paste seasoned with mirin, garlic, and ginger. There is also fukujinzuke, a crunchy chutney-like seven pickle relish cured in soy sauce that is commonly served as a garnish for Japanese curry; and nukazuke, one of the most complicated tsukemono pickled in rice bran - the hard outer layers of rice which are roasted and mixed with salt, kombu seaweed, and water to make a mash called nukamiso or nukadoko. Apart from providing nutritional and health benefits of lactic-acid fermentation, the tangy bits of tsukemono serve an important purpose of cleansing the palate during a meal, lend refreshing tartness to counter the heaviness of umami-rich foods, and bring color, texture, and fragrance to a meal, which is why tsukemono is sometimes also called konomono (lit. fragrant things).

Tsukemono

Indonesia

Tumis kangkung is a traditional dish originating from Java. The dish is usually made with a combination of kangkung (water spinach), shallots, garlic, galangal, hot chili peppers, sugar, salt, oil, and roasted shrimp paste. The garlic, shallots, hot chili peppers, shrimp paste, and galangal are saut&eacute;ed in oil, then seasoned with salt and sugar. Chopped water spinach is then added to the pan and the combination is stir-fried until the vegetable becomes tender. The dish can be served as a standalone meal or as an accompaniment to other foods.

Tumis kangkung

Ghana

Tuo zaafi is a Northern Ghanaian dish made by cooking a combination of maize or millet flour and water. In the Hausa language, tuo means stirred, and zaafi means hot. Sticky, starchy, and full of carbohydrates, tuo zaafi is traditionally served with okra soup.

Tuo zaafi

Tutu is a traditional dish in Curacao, Aruba, and Bonaire. It is prepared with cornmeal, butter, garlic, black-eyed peas, onions, nutmeg, and coconut milk. The combination of these ingredients is mixed with a l&eacute;l&eacute; until the dish becomes thicker and has a stiff consistency. Once it has been prepared, tutu is usually served as a side dish accompanying various dishes and ingredients, such as codfish or cheese.

Tutu

Brazil

Tutu de feij&atilde;o is a traditional dish originating from the region of Minas Gerais. The dish is made with a combination of pur&eacute;ed beans (traditionally black beans) and cassava flour that's used as a thickening agent. Other ingredients used in the dish include onions, garlic, olive oil, parsley, and bay leaves. Although there are many variations on the dish, it's usually served accompanied by pork sausages, rice, eggs, or sometimes kale.

Tutu de feijão

Tuwo shinkafa is a unique Nigerian dish consisting of rice flour or soft, short-grained rice and water. The combination of those ingredients is cooked, mashed, and formed into large balls. It is popular throughout the northern parts of the country, and is often served as an accompaniment to various soups and stews.

Tuwo shinkafa

This unique, polenta-like side dish is a Tanzanian favorite, traditionally served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Made by rolling a tiny bit of creamy, thick cornmeal paste (made from cooked white maize) in a hand until it forms into a ball, and making an indentation in it with a thumb, ugali becomes an edible spoon that is often dipped into various stews and sauces. The sign of a good ugali is that it doesn't stick to your fingers. The whole thing is usually dipped in a savory sauce, then placed in the mouth for consumption. Ugali is more than just a taste, it is a food culture in itself. This dish is usually served with whatever meat is available, mashed vegetables, stews, or sour milk. Found throughout Africa, it is not just a Tanzanian dish: in South Africa, it's called pap, in Zimbabwe, sadza, and in Zambia, it's called nshima. Regardless of the name, its popularity as an African side dish is unrivaled.

Ugali

Varză călită or cooked cabbage is a typical dish of Romanian cuisine. It is made by mixing the drained cabbage with tomato sauce and then adding salt and paprika, while stirring, over medium heat. Optionally, sausage pieces, vegetables, and spices can also be added to the dish. It can be served hot or cold and is often paired with polenta. Varză călită is fast and inexpensive to prepare and goes well with a variety of meat dishes, although it can also be used as a vegetarian main dish as well.

Varză călită

Verdure al cartoccio is a traditional dish made by wrapping and cooking vegetables in parchment paper or aluminum foil (or both). Vegetables such as zucchini, carrots, green beans, spring onions, potatoes, or cauliflower are often used for this dish. Once cut, they are wrapped in baking parchment and baked until tender. It's important to note that the more soft, watery vegetables will take less time to cook than the firm ones such as potatoes and carrots. The vegetables steam during the process, and all juices stay in the paper. They are often served plain or with seasonings and a drizzle of olive oil. A sprig of tarragon, nutmeg, fennel seeds, or black pepper can be used to add more flavor, if desired. Verdure al cartoccio are usually served as an accompaniment to fish or roast chicken.

Verdure al cartoccio

Verdure gratinate al forno is a traditional vegetable dish originating from Italy. The dish has many versions, but it's usually made with a combination of eggplant, zucchini, potatoes, onions, carrots, olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, bread, basil, and salt. The vegetables are washed, peeled, and cut into cubes or slices. They're placed in a bowl, seasoned with salt, mixed with ground bread, cheese, and olive oil, and then mixed or tossed well. Once prepared, the vegetables are placed on a baking sheet and baked for about half an hour. Once done, verdure gratinate al forno are typically sprinkled with chopped basil and served immediately, often as an accompaniment to meat dishes.

Verdure gratinate al forno

Slovenia

V&scaron;enat zelje is a traditional peasant dish originating from the Ljubljana area in Slovenia. The simple dish is prepared with a combination of millet groats, sauerkraut, water, salt, lard, and cracklings. The ingredients are stewed, topped with cracklings if desired, then served either as a stand-alone dish or as an accompaniment to meat dishes such as roasted pork or veal. The dish is especially popular in winter and reflects the local tradition of producing high-quality sauerkraut in the surroundings of Ljubljana.

Všenat zelje

Weinkraut is a traditional side dish and a version of the famous sauerkraut. It's usually made with a combination of sauerkraut, butter, onions, sweet apples (e.g. Red Delicious), bay leaves, juniper berries, white wine, and peppercorns. The onions are saut&eacute;ed in butter until translucent, and then mixed with thin strips of apple, sauerkraut, juniper berries, bay leaves, peppercorns, water, and white wine. The dish is cooked over low heat until the sauerkraut is not too dry nor too liquid and it's then served with grilled sausages.

Weinkraut

Welsh comfort food at its finest, this traditional onion cake - known in Wales as teisien winwns or teisen nionod - is made with layers of thinly sliced potatoes and soft onions topped with bits of butter or drenched in melted butter, seasoned and baked until sticky and golden. Onion cake is generally consumed throughout the whole of Wales and enjoyed either on its own or as an accompaniment to various meat dishes. For a richer version of Welsh onion cake, cheese is often added, and many recipes call for the crumbly, white kind such as Caerphilly cheese.

Welsh Onion Cake

China

The Chinese dish known as braised spring bamboo shoots is often seen in the menus of numerous restaurants in the country because it is easy to prepare, high in nutrients, and has a delicious, savory flavor. Spring bamboo shoots are unearthed around April 5, also known as the Tomb-Sweeping Day. In order to prepare the dish, tender bamboo shoots are simply braised in vinegar and lots of sugar. When properly prepared, the dish should have a bright red color and a flavor which can best be described as tender, fresh, salty, and sweet.

You men chunsun

Yuca al mojo is a flavorful side dish that is popular in Panama and throughout the Caribbean. It consists of boiled cassava (yuca) marinated in a zesty sauce made with garlic, cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Although it is usually served as a side dish, yuca al mojo is also a welcome addition to numerous salads.

Yuca al mojo

The chewy taro cake is a savory Chinese delicacy prepared with rice flour and stewed taro roots. In many ways similar to the traditional turnip cake, it usually incorporates diced Chinese sausage, pork, scallions, and mushrooms. Steamed in round or rectangular pans, it is usually shortly fried until crispy and golden before serving. Even though it is a staple in traditional dim sum restaurants in China and Hong Kong, it is also one of the most common snacks or side dishes served on Chinese New Year.

Yu tou gao

Italy

Zucca gratinata is a traditional dish that's especially popular in the region of Marche. The dish is usually made with a combination of squash, breadcrumbs, parsley, sage, pecorino cheese, salt, pepper, and olive oil. The squash is peeled, seeded, and cut into smaller pieces that are seasoned with salt, rinsed, and patted dry. The squash pieces are placed on a baking sheet and tossed with olive oil and salt before they're roasted in the oven until tender and slightly browned. The squash is mashed until almost smooth and placed into a small baking dish. It is topped with a mixture of breadcrumbs, parsley, sage, pecorino, salt, and pepper and then baked until the top is browned. Once done, zucca gratinata is enjoyed as it is or served as an accompaniment to grilled meat dishes.