The 10 'other' Asian national dishes you should dig into

Nasi Lemak, Malaysia.Credit: iStock

We're all familiar with nasi goreng and pad thai, but here are 10 other national dishes to dig into when in Asia.

NASI LEMAK, MALAYSIA

Originally packed into a banana leaf as a farmer's meal, nasi lemak is now ubiquitous, from a McDonald's burger version to interpretations in five-star restaurants. Rice steamed in coconut cream is accompanied by crispy anchovies, boiled egg, peanuts, cucumber slices and spicy sambal sauce. More substantial versions come with rendang chicken or sambal prawns. It's chiefly a breakfast dish, though found at lunchtimes too. See malaysia.travel

AMBUYAT, BRUNEI

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As national dishes go, this is one of the more challenging for its tapioca-like, starchy consistency and sour-and-spicy accompaniment, a dip called cacah. Ambuyat – also common in Sabah and Sarawak – is made from the interior of sago-palm trunks, pepper and shrimp paste, and is glutinous and relatively bland. You wrap it around bamboo prongs and eat it with vegetables, fish, prawns or meat. See bruneitourism.com

SHUWA, OMAN

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This dish is produced for festivals and special occasions, but you can find it in upmarket restaurants. Lamb (or sometimes other meat) is wrapped in banana leaves and a woven-palm basket, then slow cooked with chilli and spices in an underground pit for 24 hours. The result is meat falling off the bone and aromatic deliciousness. Shuwa is a convivial shared dish eaten with rice. See tourismoman.com.au

MOHINGA, MYANMAR

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There's good reason this bowl of rice noodles in creamy fish stew is so popular for breakfast: it's filling, satisfying and available everywhere. The stew is thickened with ground rice and made fragrant with herbs and lemongrass; the fish is flaked or mashed rather than chunky. Top your mohinga off with a sprinkling of deep-fried anchovies, shallots, coriander and a generous squirt of lime juice. See tourisminmyanmar.com.mm

BESHBARMAK, KAZAKHSTAN

Popular dishes in Kazakhstan have abrupt names: kurt, plov, shalap. But the national dish might well be beshbarmak: boiled meat served on egg noodles or thin noodle sheets, and accompanied by a salty, peppery onion sauce. Traditionally mutton or horse are used, but beef is becoming more common. It's served in a large communal dish, with various cuts and quality of meat assigned according to seniority. See visitkazakhstan.kz

BUUZ, MONGOLIA

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There's no more satisfying snack for the traveller than dumplings, and in Mongolia you'll get your fix just about anywhere. Steamed buuz dumplings are stuffed with mutton or goat (or sometimes duck or beef in upmarket restaurants) flavoured with onion, garlic and caraway seeds. You can knock them back just like that or eat them in mutton broth, but either way they're warm, cheap, fatty and filling. See mongolia.travel

KOTTU ROTI, SRI LANKA

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Several curries have good claim to be Sri Lanka's national dish but here's something different: the ubiquitous dish of roti flatbread, chopped on a hot griddle and mixed with spices, vegetables and perhaps meat, seafood or eggs to make a flavoursome, aromatic fast-food favourite. Though it originated only in the 1970s, kottu is now everywhere, with the clank of chopping heard across every street market. See srilanka.travel

AMOK, CAMBODIA

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Take fish, add lemongrass, kaffir lime, spices, egg and coconut cream, wrap it in a banana leaf and steam it. Hey presto, a deliciously sweet, light curried meal with a custard-like consistency, best accompanied by rice and chilli sauce. Sometimes vegetables or squid is added to the mix. Restaurants will often serve amok in a coconut shell and offer contemporary versions with meat or tofu. See tourismcambodia.org

GHORMEH SABZI, IRAN

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This dense Persian herb stew is made with beef or lamb, kidney beans, onion, coriander, fenugreek, parsley and chives. The stew's almost black appearance won't inspire, but the herby taste is delicious. Variants might have added spinach or leeks and take on a greenish hue. You eat it with boiled rice or tahdig, the crunchy browned rice from the bottom of the cooking pot. Yum. See visitiran.ir

ADOBO, PHILIPPINES

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Abodo is a name derived from the Spanish for marinade, although the cooking method probably originated in China. Adobo is usually made with pork or chicken simmered in oil, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, ginger and garlic, which results in a rich, salty and slightly sour flavour best offset with plain rice. The cooking style can be applied to anything from fish to vegetables, and has many delicious variants. See philippines.travel

Brian Johnston has travelled courtesy of numerous tourism offices and tour companies.