Type of dish

Sides, sauces and spreads

Porridges, mashes, dips and sauces without which the main course would be incomplete – often they are the most everyday food in the country.

26 dishes · 57 countries

side · vegan Ifisashi Zambia Leafy greens simmered in a sauce of ground groundnuts – an everyday partner for nshima.
side · vegan Morogo Lesotho, Botswana, South Africa Wild or garden leafy greens braised with onion and tomato – the constant companion of maize porridge.
side · vegan Fufu Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire … A smooth, stretchy dough of pounded cassava, plantain or yam, pulled off with the fingers and dipped in soup.
side · vegan Tô Chad, Niger, Mali … A thick, smooth porridge of millet, sorghum or maize flour, eaten by hand with okra or baobab leaf sauce.
side · vegan Ugali Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya … A firm, kneaded porridge of white maize flour – the everyday staple of meals across East Africa.
side · vegan Sukuma wiki Kenya Finely shredded collard greens braised with onion and tomato – ugali’s constant companion in Kenya.
side · vegan Chikwangue Cameroon, Gabon, Central African Republic … A tangy bread of fermented cassava steamed in leaves – a staple at mealtimes across Central Africa.
side · vegan Guacamole Mexico Mashed avocado with lime, onion, chilli, tomato and coriander, served with tortilla chips or tacos.
side · vegan Moros y cristianos (black beans and rice) Cuba Rice cooked together with black beans, onion, pepper, garlic and cumin – an essential part of a Cuban lunch.
side · vegan Rice and peas Belize, Jamaica Rice cooked with red kidney beans in coconut milk with thyme, scallion, allspice and a whole Scotch bonnet chilli.
side Arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas) Puerto Rico Rice turned golden with achiote and cooked with pigeon peas, sofrito, pork, olives and capers – the heart of a Puerto Rican holiday.
side Pol sambol (coconut sambol) Sri Lanka A fiery relish of freshly grated coconut with chilli, red onion, lime and dried tuna.
side Kimchi North Korea, South Korea Fermented napa cabbage with a paste of chilli, garlic, ginger and fish sauce – served with almost every Korean meal.
side Ambuyat Brunei, Malaysia A sticky, translucent paste of sago starch, twirled on a bamboo fork and dipped into a sour, spicy sauce.
side · vegan Hummus Israel, Lebanon A smooth, creamy purée of chickpeas and tahini with lemon and garlic, drizzled with olive oil and scooped up with pitta.
side · vegan Ajvar (roasted red pepper relish) North Macedonia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro … A thick relish of roasted red peppers, sometimes with aubergine, oil and garlic – the taste of a Balkan autumn.
side · vegetarian Tzatziki Greece A thick dip of strained yoghurt, grated cucumber, garlic and olive oil – for grilled meat, pitta and vegetables.
side · vegetarian Mămăligă (cornmeal porridge) Moldova, Romania A thick cornmeal porridge, cut with thread and served with sheep's cheese, soured cream and a fried egg.
side · vegan Ratatouille France A Provençal stew of aubergine, courgette, peppers and tomatoes cooked in olive oil with garlic and herbs.
side · vegetarian Rösti Switzerland A cake of coarsely grated potato fried in butter, golden and crisp outside and soft within.
side · vegan Slippery cabbage in coconut cream Solomon Islands Tender leaves of aibika, or slippery cabbage, simmered in coconut cream with onion – an everyday side for root crops and fish.
side · vegan Palusami Samoa Young taro leaves filled with coconut cream and onion, wrapped into parcels and baked until rich and silky.
side · vegan Babai with coconut cream Kiribati Babai giant swamp taro, cooked long and served with coconut cream – the most prized root crop of Kiribati.
side · vegan Pounded breadfruit with coconut cream Micronesia Cooked breadfruit pounded into a smooth, sticky mass and topped with coconut cream – an everyday staple.
side · vegan Chukuchuk Marshall Islands Balls of cooked rice rolled in freshly grated coconut – a Marshallese side dish for parties and everyday meals.
side · vegan Taro in coconut milk Palau Chunks of taro from Palau’s wet patches, boiled and then simmered in coconut milk, served with fish.