Side Dish

Italy

Bietole al pomodoro is a traditional dish originating from the Lazio area. The dish is usually made with a combination of tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), chard, anchovies, garlic, olive oil, and pepper. The chard is cooked, drained, and chopped, while the tomatoes are peeled and cut into pieces. The garlic and anchovies are saut&eacute;ed in olive oil until the anchovies dissolve. The tomatoes are added to the pan and cooked over medium heat. The garlic is discarded, and the chard sprinkled with pepper is added to the pan. The flavors should blend over low heat for a few minutes, and bietole al pomodoro is then served piping hot, either as a standalone dish or as an accompaniment to other foods.

Bietole al pomodoro

Croatia

Blitva i kopriva na padelu is an old and traditional Croatian dish originating from the Kvarner region. It's made with a combination of chard, nettles, potatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil. The nettles, chard, and potatoes are cooked in boiling salted water. Once drained, the ingredients are pounded or mashed, mixed with sliced garlic, then seasoned with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Once everything has been mixed together and the flavors have blended, blitva i kopriva na padelu is served warm, traditionally as a side dish accompanying grilled fish or meat.

Blitva i kopriva na padelu

Blitva na le&scaron;o is one of the most popular Dalmatian side dishes. It is extremely simple to prepare &ndash; blanched swiss chard is combined with boiled potato cubes, salt, and olive oil. Finely chopped garlic is also commonly added to blitva na le&scaron;o, according to personal preferences. This healthy and nutritious side dish is traditionally served alongside various grilled fish dishes and steaks.

Blitva na lešo

Boerenkool stamppot is a traditional wintertime dish consisting of mashed potatoes and kale. It is usually enriched by the addition of bacon, onions, and freshly ground black pepper. The dish is typically served piping hot, with rookworst sausages on top of the stamppot to make it more hearty and filling than it already is.

Boerenkool stamppot

Boiled fiddleheads is a simple dish of native Canadian greens that are called ostrich ferns or fiddlehead ferns. The bright green curled leaves of ostrich ferns are first thoroughly rinsed before being boiled in salted water until fully cooked and tender. Once ready, the boiled fiddleheads are usually consumed while still hot and are often topped with melted butter. Boiled fiddleheads are said to have a flavor reminiscent of asparagus, broccoli, and artichokes. In Canada, this dish is enjoyed as a spring delicacy, especially in those parts where ostrich ferns grow, including Ontario, Qu&eacute;bec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.

Boiled fiddleheads

Spain

Bollit (sometimes known as hervido) is a simple Valencian stew that is typically served as a side dish for dinner. The basic version is usually prepared with a combination of potatoes, onions, carrots, green beans, oil, and vinegar, but due to the fact that there are numerous variations and recipes for bollit, vegetables such as artichokes, chard, and cauliflower are sometimes also added to the stew.

Bollit

India

Boondi raita is a version of raita (yogurt-based side dish) originating from North India. This version of raita can also be enjoyed as a snack on its own &ndash; it's made with a combination of dahi, coriander, red chili powder or chopped chili peppers, cumin powder, salt, lemon juice, and boondi - small, deep-fried balls made from besan (gram flour). Most of the ingredients are mixed together, while boondi is added to the mix just before serving. Once prepared, boondi raita is often garnished with red chili powder and coriander leaves. This raita is most commonly served as an accompaniment to biryani or parathas.

Boondi raita

This delicious Afghan vegetable dish is made with slices of fried eggplant that are simmered in an aromatic tomato sauce and served topped with a thick yogurt that is heavily seasoned with garlic and mint. Even though borani banjan is often enjoyed on its own, when it is accompanied with Afghan naan flatbread, it also makes the perfect side dish to Kabuli lamb pilaf.

Borani banjan

The main ingredients in this Afghan dish are chunks of pumpkin or squash that are slowly braised in a flavorful combination of onions, garlic, coriander, ginger, turmeric, chili peppers, and tomatoes. Borani kadoo can be enjoyed as the main course or a side dish. It is typically served garnished with garlic-spiked yogurt and naan bread on the side. The meal is usually consumed by scooping a mouthful with Afghan flatbreads, or it can be poured over white rice called challow.

Borani kadoo

United States

These starchy baked beans are enriched with syrups similar to molasses in order to tenderize and sweeten them. An iconic side dish from Boston (also known as Beantown), it started its way to stardom in the 17th century when the Natives taught the early settlers how to bake beans using bear fat. Later on, people used to fill the pots with dry beans on Saturday and leave them to cook slowly until Sunday so the beans would be tender, falling apart, and melting. The baked beans' key ingredient is molasses, making the dish sweet and rich, but it is not yet clear who added it to the dish. What is clear, though, is that the molasses industry boomed in the 18th and 19th century in New England as a part of the trade triangle between Africa, West Indies, and the U.S. Coast. The first recipe for Boston baked beans appeared in A. L. Webster's cookbook called The Improved Housewife, adding salt pork and baking soda to the molasses and beans, which is standard today. The dish is so popular that it can be found in almost any place where hot dogs are served, occasionally splashed with vinegar for those who find the beans just a bit too sweet.

Boston Baked Beans

Bouillon brede is a type of Seychellois soup that is composed of greens and prepared in the same fashion as spinach. A variety of greens or plants (locally called br&egrave;des) can be used, such as bok choy, chum choy, Chinese lettuce, moringa oleifera leaves, or cos lettuce. The greens of choice are cut into pieces and cooked with bouillon and stir-fried onions, ginger, garlic, herbs, and seasonings. The broth can be spiced up with crushed chilis or flavored with chicken or fish stock, and (sometimes) tomatoes. Light and refreshing, this Creole soup is traditionally served as a side to main meals, typically accompanied by steamed rice, beans, lentils, or fried fish. Rice and br&egrave;des used to be a staple dish for many Creole families during financially challenging times.

Bouillon brede

Guatemala

Boxboles is a traditional dish consisting of cornmeal with butter and chard, while almonds and chili peppers can also be included. The concoction is steamed inside pumpkin leaves. Boxboles are usually served as a side dish accompanying dishes such as pulique (a traditional stew). If desired, boxboles can be additionally flavored with a squeeze of lime juice before consumption.

Boxboles

Germany

Bremer braunkohl is a traditional dish originating from Bremen. It's made with a combination of kale, onions, oats or buckwheat groats, salt, sugar, and either chicken fat, goose fat, or lard. The kale is chopped and saut&eacute;ed with onions in fat. The oatmeal or buckwheat groats are then added to the pot with some water and salt, and the combination is then cooked until the kale becomes tender and the cereal is done. Bremer braunkohl is usually served as an accompaniment to sausages and it's especially popular in winter.

Bremer Braunkohl

Simple in ingredients but packed with flavor, bri&aacute;m is a classic Greek dish that can be enjoyed as a main course or as an accompaniment to various meat dishes. Best described as mixed roasted vegetables, it typically consists of sliced potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and zucchinis that are generously seasoned with olive oil and various spices, then neatly layered and baked until all of the flavors are combined. The dish is easily adapted with any vegetables that are in season, and if enjoyed as the main course, it is usually complemented by crumbled or sliced feta cheese and crusty bread.

Briám

Broccoli al limone is a traditional dish that's especially popular in Abruzzo. The dish is usually made with a combination of broccoli, butter, lemon juice, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. The broccoli is cut into florets that are boiled in salted water and drained. The florets are placed into a pan with the butter and lemon juice over medium heat. They're turned over until fully coated with the sauce. Before serving, broccoli al limone is sprinkled with black pepper, and the dish is then served hot as an accompaniment to meat dishes.

Broccoli al limone

Broccoli al prosciutto is a traditional dish hailing from the Lazio area. The dish is usually made with a combination of broccoli, sliced prosciutto cotto, lard or extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and black pepper. The broccoli is cut into florets, cooked in salted boiling water until al dente, and drained. In a large skillet, the florets are cooked in lard and the prosciutto strips are then added to the mix. The dish is seasoned with salt and pepper, cooked while stirring until done, and broccoli al prosciutto is then served hot, usually as an accompaniment to other foods.

Broccoli al prosciutto

Sweden

Translated as brown cabbage, this simple Swedish dish consists of white cabbage that is slowly braised with soy sauce, vinegar, and syrup. Usually associated with the Sk&aring;ne region, the dish is traditionally enjoyed for Christmas, and it is typically served along pork, sausages, or Christmas ham (julskinka). During cooking, the cabbage turns brown, hence the name.

Brunkål

Indonesia

Burasa is a traditional rice cake hailing from the Bugis Muslim community in Makassar. The rice cake is made from rice that's cooked in coconut milk. It seems simple, but burasa is actually cooked twice, first in heavy coconut milk with a bit of salt until the rice absorbs all the liquid. It's then wrapped in banana leaves, shaped into rectangles, tied with a string and boiled for four more hours. The rice cake is a holiday dish and it's always prepared for Idul Fitri. It's served with beef, chicken, or fish, whether cooked in gravy or fried. In Makassar, it's typically served with ayam nasu lekku, a spicy chicken dish.

Burasa

Caramel tomatoes is a Prohibition-era side dish that's especially popular in Maryland and other parts of the American South. The dish is usually made with a combination of large peeled and cored tomatoes, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and butter. The tomatoes are arranged in a large skillet with the cored side up. They're dotted with butter and sprinkled with salt, pepper, and sugar. The tomatoes are baked until lightly browned and soft. During the baking process, they're basted with the juices. The skillet is placed on the stove and simmered over medium to low heat until the sauce becomes syrupy and thick, and the dish is then ready to be enjoyed.

Caramel Tomatoes

Caraotas negras is the Venezuelan name for black beans, also known as turtle beans. They are a part of the Venezuelan national dish called pabellon criollo, but can also be included in various soups or side dishes, and when refried they are an essential ingredient of empanadas or arepas. Caraotas negras can also be used as a substitute for kidney beans in chili con carne, but they can also be cooked and served in cold salads. Generally speaking, black beans are indigenous to Central and South America and are called differently depending on the region: frijoles negros or caviar criollo. Its origins can be traced back to Mayan cuisine, which means they have been a part of the South American diet for nearly 4,000 years.