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Food is one of the most universal ways to explore and connect with different cultures. Photo courtesy of Stocksy.
Taste your trip at home: Foods from around the world
March 28, 2025
We at Hemispheres agree food is one of the greatest parts of travel. Food can tell you a lot about a place—whether it’s landlocked, the natural resources available and its cultural influences. And by bringing a taste of that place home, you’re also bringing back a lifelong souvenir. These are a few of the top recipes our editors discovered on their travels that help them feel like they never left.
Singapore: Sambal
Sambal is a chili sauce or paste popular in many Southeast Asian cuisines. Every country’s version tastes a little different. The original Indonesian sambal retains a more pure spice, while Thai sambal is more tangy and hot. Malaysian sambal is deeply rich, and is the variation used in many Singaporean dishes since Malay is one of the county’s major ethnic groups. This condiment is extremely versatile, and I use it a lot at home. Sometimes I put it on rice or chicken; sometimes I go all in and make laksa (spicy noodle soup).
Allegra Pusateri
Recipe
30 dried red chilis
20 fresh Thai chilis
5 cloves garlic, peeled
2-inch galangal (or fresh ginger)
2-inch turmeric
1 stalk lemongrass sliced (white part only)
1 cup shallots, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp shrimp paste (or belacan)
1 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
2 tbsp tamarind paste or pulp
1/3 cup vegetable oil
- In a bowl, soak dried chilis for 30 minutes in hot water, drain and place in a blender with fresh chilis, garlic, galangal, turmeric, lemongrass and shallots. Blend until smooth. Add shrimp paste, fish sauce, tamarind and sugar, stir well.
- Heat oil in a wok or deep pan over medium-high heat. Pour in the chili mixture and let it sizzle in oil for 30 seconds.
- Stir in 1 cup of water and reduce heat so mixture comes to a simmer. Cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce is jam-like.
- Let sambal cool completely and serve cold.
Oaxaca: Mole negro
Oaxaca, Mexico, is famed as ‘the land of seven moles,’ a rich sauce made with chilis, spices, fruit and nuts. My favorite? The rich and smoky mole negro—slightly sweet and a little chocolatey. I learned how to make this savory sauce in a cooking class in Mexico, and now I can’t get enough. I recommend serving it with chicken and tortillas or substitute in mushrooms as a vegetarian option.
Qadro Mohamud
Recipe
6 dried pasilla chiles
4 dried ancho chiles
2 dried mulato chiles
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
¼ cup corn tortillas, torn into pieces
¼ cup stale bread, torn into pieces
1 onion, copped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tomatillos, husks removed
4 ripe tomatoes
1 plantain, peeled and sliced
1 ounce of dark chocolate
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
8 cups vegetable broth
Sugar to taste (optional)
- Toast pasille, ancho and mulato chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Let cool, remove stems and seeds, and soak in hot water for 15-20 minutes.
- Toast sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds in dry skillet until lightly browned and set aside. Toast tortillas and bread in dry skillet until golden and set aside.
- Blend the chiles, seeds, tortillas, bread, onion, garlic, tomatillos, tomatoes and plantain until smooth (add a bit of water if needed).
- In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add blended mixture and cook, stirring constantly until it darkens and thickens.
- Add chocolate and ground spices (cloves, cinnamon, allspice) and stir until chocolate is melted and combined. Gradually pour in vegetable broth and stir constantly until mixture is smooth and thick.
- Let the mole simmer over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Taste and add sugar if desired.
Portugal: Conservas
In Portugal, the food comes from the sea. If you’re there between May and October, it’s peak sardine season. But if you’re craving this tiny fish at any point in the year, try its tinned version (also easy to bring home as a souvenir). Tinned fish, or conservas, are not like American-style cans of tuna. Conservas are a delicacy: packed fresh fish in high-quality oils or flavorful sauces inside artful tins that are proudly displayed in shop windows all across Lisbon. This recipe is from Sol e Pesca, a bar specializing in this treat, and has become a go-to when I host.
Meghan Jordan
Recipe
1 tin or jar of high-quality brown anchovies or sardines
1 apple, thinly sliced (Envy or honeycrisp work the best)
1-2 springs fresh thyme
1 naval orange
- Top apple slices with fish and thyme leaves. Squeeze fresh orange juice on top.
- Serve immediately with a crusty bread or enjoy as is.