What a Fine Stew

Europe

Ireland

One of the best-known stews, Irish stew dates from the beginning of the 19th century. The stew consists of mutton, onions, potatoes, and at times barley. If lamb is used it is combined with root vegetables like carrots, turnips, and parsnips.

France

Blanquette de veau is a veal stew that includes mushrooms and onions. The meat and other ingredients are simmered in white stock or water with various seasonings.

Belgium

Waterzooi is a traditional seafood stew. It has a creamy consistency. The stew can include chicken as well. The fish usually used is burbot or can be pike, carp, bass, or eel among others. The seafood is combined with carrots, onions, green celery, leeks, potatoes, and herbs like parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and sage.

Carbonnade is a traditional stew that consists of chunks of beef and dark beer. Other ingredients include sweet onions, thyme, garlic, and bay leaves. Mustard bread slices can be added to thicken the sauce.

Poland

Bigos is a traditional stew that is prepared with pork, sauerkraut, potatoes, bacon, and kielbasa. The stew is simmered for hours until all the flavors are combined.

Croatia

Brudet is a traditional stew that is made with seafood. The fish used are chunks of scorpionfish, monkfish, or sea bass. Any other kind of white-fleshed fish can also be included. At times shellfish like mussels are added.

Serbia

Pasulj is a bean stew that is made with white beans simmered with ham, bacon, or sausage and vegetables like carrots and onions. For flavoring garlic and bay leaves are added.

Turkey

Hunkar begendi is a lamb stew served on top of a creamy roasted eggplant puree. The puree is thickened with milk and cheese. The dish is topped with a tomato-based sauce and garnished with chopped parsley.

Greece

Stifado is a hearty stew that consists of beef, goat, rabbit, wild hare, snails, tripe, or octopus depending on the region. It includes large amounts of tomatoes, onions, wine, or vinegar. The stew can have mushrooms and spices like cinnamon, cloves, and allspice.

Italy

Spezzatuino is a stew that consists of cuts of beef, lamb, mutton, or pork. The meat pieces are dredged in flour and fried in butter with carrots, onions, celery, pancetta, and white wine. Then the ingredients are slow-cooked until they’re covered in dense sauce. Potatoes or tomatoes can be added.

Spain

Espinacas con garbanzos is an Andalusian dish that is prepared with spinach and chickpeas. It is flavored with garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, paprika, vinegar, and cumin.

Fabada Asturiana is the signature dish of the Spanish region of Asturias. The stew is a combination of white beans, chorizo, morcilla blood sausage, and bacon cooked in a butter chicken stock flavored with smoked paprika, garlic, and saffron.

Asia

Malaysia

Kari ayam is a chicken curry that is popular in both Malaysia and Indonesia. The curry is made with chicken pieces, onions, garlic, ginger, ghee, tomatoes, and coconut milk. It is flavored with anise, cinnamon, curry leaves, pandan leaves, lemongrass, chilis, cumin, turmeric, and fennel. Traditionally it is prepared in a clay pot cooking in its own juices. When serving it is sprinkled with lime juice and garnished with fresh coriander.

South Korea

Gamjatang is a delicious stew that is prepared with pork spine and potatoes. Other ingredients include bean paste, chili powder, and garlic. The stew is simmered until ready and topped with sesame leaves and served with a bowl of rice on the side.

Iran

Ghormeh sabzi is a herb stew made with a combination of fried herbs like chopped parsley, cilantro, and chives. Other greens can be leeks, kale, or spinach. The herbs are mixed with kidney beans and cubed meat mostly lamb. It becomes a rich and dense stew.

Thailand

Phanaeng curry has a thick texture and a salty-sweet peanut flavor. It consists of chicken, beef, duck, or pork. The meat is combined with coconut milk, panang curry paste, makrut lime leaves, fish sauce, and palm sugar and stewed.

Philippines

Pinangat is a popular stew prepared with fish, bilimbi, tamarind, and vinegar, or another version with catfish, tuna, or sardines, coconut milk, taro leaves, and hot chili pepper. The stew can be ladled over rice.

China

Sichuan hot pot is a hot and spicy stew. The stew includes sliced meat, offal, seafood, vegetables, noodles, and Sichuan peppercorn. The ingredients simmer in a spicy broth.

Vietnam

Bo kho is a beef stew that is made with diced beef, carrots, lemongrass, cinnamon, chili, pepper, garlic, and shallots. The ingredients are simmered in a spice and aromatic broth.

Africa

Ethiopia

Wat is the national dish of Ethiopia. This is a spicy stew that includes berbere, a spice blend with hot chili peppers, garlic, ginger, rue, basil, ajwain, nigella, and fenugreek. The dish can be made with beef, chicken, lamb, or fish.

South Africa

Bunny chow is a dish that includes curry served in a half or a quarter loaf of bread that has been hollowed out. The curry consists of kidney beans or meats like chicken, lamb, and mutton.

Mexico

Frijoles churros is a dish that includes beans, onions, tomatoes, chili peppers, and coriander. Meat used can be bacon, ham, or salt pork. The ingredients are cooked with liquid until the beans are tender and some liquid remains in the pot. The stew Is served with rice and cornbread.

South America

Brazil

Galinhada is a stew prepared with chicken and rice. Chicken pieces are combined with bouillion, parsley, cilantro, and lemon juice and marinated for two hours. The chicken is transferred to a large pot and browned, onions and garlic are added. Then rice, saffron, tomatoes, peas, and pepper are placed in the pot and topped with boiling water. The dish is served with hot sauce and garnished with diced green onions.

Bobo de camarao is a stew that is prepared with purred cassava (bobo), fresh shrimp, coconut milk, and dende palm oil. It is accompanied by rice.

Columbia

Sancocho is a popular chicken stew that can also be prepared with pork, beef, fish, or plantain. The cut-up chicken is cooked with potatoes, corn, and plantains. Traditionally this stew is served with white rice, avocado slices, and spicy aji sauce on the side. You can enhance the flavor of this dish by topping it with fresh coriander, onions, and a squeeze of lime juice.

Argentina

Locro is a thick stew that includes cuts of beef or pork as well as ribs or offal. Some versions can include sausages and smoked bacon. Other ingredients include dry corn kernels (hominy), vegetables like pumpkin, potatoes, and yams, and various spices for flavoring.