Delicious bowls of food from different parts of the world.
There’s something about the delicious creature comforts from our childhood that stick with us throughout life. Maybe it’s a tasty recipe passed down from a relative, or a whiff of a certain food brings back memories of coming home from school and heating up leftovers? Whatever it is, it’s universal.
So when a person recently took to Reddit to ask, “What is a very common meal that is associated with childhood in your country?” it wasn’t surprising that it got nearly 800 responses in less than a week. People from all over the globe posted their childhood "common” dish, many accompanied by mouth-watering photos.
Portugal
Caldo Verde Soup (or Collard Green Soup)
A bowl of Caldo Verde soupPhoto Credit: Reddit, @WutCompadri
A Redditor shared this hearty-looking bowl of soup. Many in the comments were instantly brought back to yesteryear. One writes, “Omg. I’m not Portuguese but dated one and grew with my Portuguese friends. Caldo Verde is sooooooooo good.”
Another notes, “Grandma used to make that.”
Recipe
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 ounces chouriço, linguiça, or Spanish chorizo, sliced into 1/4-inch (6-mm) coins
1 large Spanish onion, diced
kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, sliced; don’t be afraid to go for a third or fourth. We Portuguese love their garlic
6 medium potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped (I prefer Yukon Gold, as they are similar to Portugal’s yellow potatoes)
8 cups cold water, or half homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth, and half water
1 pound collard greens or kale, stems removed, leaves cut into very, very thin slices
freshly ground black or white pepper
DIRECTIONS
In a large pot over medium heat, warm the 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil.
Add the 10 ounces chouriço, linguiça, or Spanish chorizo and cook until lightly browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove the sausage slices with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate, making sure they drain well into the pot; its fat will flavor the soup.
Dump the 1 large Spanish onion into the pot. Sprinkle with kosher salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the 2 garlic cloves and cook for 2 minutes more.
Plonk in the 6 medium potatoes, add the 8 cups cold water (or a combo of water and chicken stock), and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are almost tender, 10 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the soup cool slightly.
When the caldo verde has cooled a little, purée it using an immersion blender or a food processor. (Tradition demands that one slice—and only one slice—of chouriço is added to each bowl, although some cooks like to add half the sausage to the soup before puréeing. It’s your choice. And that one-slice thing? To hell with it!)
Add the 1 pound collard greens or kale to the soup, bring it back to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 2 to 5 minutes. Season with more salt, if needed, and freshly ground black or white pepper.
Ladle the caldo verde into bowls and garnish with the remaining slices of chouriço. Comer agora!
India
Potato Smiley
The comfort food Potato Smileys from India.Photo Credit: Reddit, @Muted-Elk6963
And yes, that’s what they’re called. (Though a Redditor with the user name Muted-Elk6963 specifically called them “Potato Smiley Thingies.”)
The name alone brought joy to the comment section from all over the world. From Finland, someone writes, “This made me laugh. Your friend is a genius.” And a commenter from Australia shares, “This is the most unexpected one here for me. Potato smileys unite us all!”
Recipe
INGREDIENTS
Potato – 1 large boiled
Cheese – 2 tbsp. grated. I used parmesan; you can use any
Salt to taste
Chili powder / Pepper powder – ½ tsp
Oregano – ½ tsp optional
Corn flour / Cornstarch – 2 to 3 tbsp. or more as needed
Oil for deep frying
DIRECTIONS
Take boiled potatoes and grate them. Now take them in a bowl along with all the other ingredients except cornflour and oil.
Mix this really well.
Now add in cornflour and mix well. Shape it into dough.
Put this dough in the fridge and let it rest and chill for 1 hour.
Now divide the dough into equal portions. Shape each portion into a smooth ball.
Take a ball, flatten it out. Now use a straw to make two eyes and a spoon to make a smile.
Heat oil for deep frying. Drop the smiles in hot oil and fry till it is crispy.
Drain on paper towel.
Serve with ketchup.
Singapore
Congee (or Rice Porridge)
A bowl of mouth-watering Congee. Photo Credit: Reddit, @VincentVan_Dough
A person in Thailand joins in to say, “We love that in Thailand too, often paired with fried dough.”
Recipe
INGREDIENTS
White rice: (I usually use medium-grain white rice, but any kind of rice can be turned into congee.)
Toppings: This basic recipe keeps things simple with sliced scallion greens and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. But the beautiful thing about congee is that it’s really a blank canvas in terms of how you choose to flavor it. You can add pork floss, reheated leftovers, or whatever you desire.
DIRECTIONS
Wash the rice. White rice will always have some starch on the outside of each grain.
Washing it off leads to a silkier, creamier congee. If you don’t properly wash your rice, your congee could become really slimy and sticky, which won’t get you the same light mouthfeel that properly cooked congee has.
Boil the rice in a good amount of water. I do one cup of rice to eight cups of water, but everyone has a different ratio that they use. Simmer until the rice is plump and tender, and the congee has thickened up considerably.
Czech Republic
Semolina Porridge with Cocoa and Butter
Semolina porridge with cocoa and butter, a dish served as comfort in the Czech Republic.Photo Credit: Reddit, @Fr0st-F0x
“Heaven on a plate,” writes Reddit user @Fr0st-F0x.
Another concurs that they have a similar comfort food in their home country of Slovenia.
Recipe
INGREDIENTS
½ cup water
2.5 cups milk at room temperature
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup semolina
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons honey or any other sweetener to taste
DIRECTIONS
Add water in a small saucepan, add the cinnamon stick, and bring to a boil.
Add the milk to bring down the temperature of the water, then add the semolina slowly while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
Simmer gently and stir frequently to prevent the porridge from sticking until the semolina becomes tender with a porridge consistency.
Stir in the butter and simmer until the porridge reaches your desired consistency.
Serve and top with some fruits, then drizzle some honey over it or add any other sweetener.
Switzerland
Coquillettes au Jambon or With Frankfurt Sausage
Coquillettes au jambon is ready to eat in Switzerland.Photo Credit: Reddit, @MediumDistinct9801
Over in Switzerland, MediumDistinct9807 shares a picture of this delicious-looking meal. Another Redditor observes, “That’s so French-German of you.”
Recipe
INGREDIENTS
240 g of coquillettes or macaroni pasta
2 large slices of white ham, sliced in 2 cm rectangles
100 g of grated Comté, Gruyère, Emmental cheese
30 g of grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp of heavy/double cream
50 g of unsalted butter
Parsley, finely chopped
Truffle oil optional
DIRECTIONS
Put a pan of water on to boil and season it lightly.
Add your pasta and let it cook according to the instructions on the packet.
Once tender, drain the pasta and put it back in the pot, ideally with a splash of pasta water.
On the lowest possible heat, add the ham and cream and stir to combine. Add your cheese and stir until melted. Add the parsley and truffle oil, if using, and serve immediately.
Australia
Fairy Bread
A plate of colorful fairy bread in Australia. Photo Credit: Reddit, @Rowvan
This delightful candy-sprinkled bread looks a perfect dish after a fun night out. An American adds, “The American equivalent would be toast with butter and a pile of white sugar and cinnamon powder.”
Recipe
INGREDIENTS
8 slices white bread, with crusts trimmed
¼ cup butter or margarine, softened
¼ cup multicolored candy sprinkles
DIRECTIONS
Spread margarine onto slices of bread.
Cover with sprinkles.
Cut into triangles to serve.
Estonia
Ühepajatoit
ÜhepajatoitPhoto Credit: Reddit, @TheGodofGlitch
When someone asks how this is made, the OP of the photo (@GodofGlitch) writes, “It’s a one-pot meal (can also be called Estonian hotpot). It has veggies, meat, and water.”
Recipe
INGREDIENTS
600 g meat. I prefer pork sirloin
4 carrots
1 onion
4 potatoes
half of a small cabbage
(peas, beans, tomato….)
salt, pepper, oil
DIRECTIONS
Heat up oil and put into the hot oil meat, sliced into cubes.
Fry for a short time, until the pieces are lightly browned.
Add carrots and onion, blanch.
Add ca. 1/2 cup of hot water. Let braise, do not boil!
Cut cabbage and potatoes into slices. When carrots are semi-soft, add cabbage and potatoes and more hot water. Do not boil!
Stew until soft. Season with salt, pepper.
Brazil
Pasta and Hot Dogs in Tomato Sauce
Pasta and hot dogs in tomato sauce is a creature comfort for many Brazilians.Photo Credit: Reddit, @TheMageofMoths
This was a bit of a shock, but Redditors back up the claim. “Nothing is more Brazilian in childhood than eating macaroni with sausage.”
Recipe
INGREDIENTS
Hot dogs
Butter
Onion — yellow or white onion is what you’re looking for here. Don’t use a red or purple onion.
Garlic — freshly minced, please and thank you. OR, of course!
Short pasta — I used rotelle, but any short pasta works. You can use anything like penne, cavatappi, fiorelli, chiocciole, macaroni, farfalle, fusili, to name a few.
Marinara sauce — in my best Ina Garten voice store-bought is fine, haha. Just note that some brands of marinara may be thicker than others, and if that’s the case, you may need to add a bit more water to the IP to avoid the burning warning.
Heavy cream
Olives
Fresh parsley
Parmesan cheese — the parmesan cheese is totally optional, but topping your macaroni and hot dogs with some cheese will really complete the dish! You can even transfer the finished dish straight out of the pot to an oven-safe dish, add other cheeses, then broil it for a minute or two until the cheese bubbles. Now you’ve got yourself a hot dog casserole!
DIRECTIONS
Prep your ingredients. This means chopping the onion, garlic, olives, hot dogs, parsley, etc. You can shred the cheese at this point, too.
Set your electric pressure cooker on the sauté mode.
Melt the butter, and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent.
Turn off the pot.
Add the hot dogs, the pasta, the olives, and the marinara sauce to the Instant Pot.
Pour the water into the marinara jar to help remove any leftover marinara from the inside of the jar. Give it a shake, and pour it into the pot, along with the cream.
Give everything a nice stir, and make sure that most of everything is submerged in liquid, like in the image below.
Close the pot and turn on manual mode for 6 minutes.
After 6 minutes, release the pressure manually, and open the lid carefully.
Add the chopped parsley, and give it another big stir.
To serve, top it off with more parsley and some grated parmesan cheese, if you want.