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Fermentation is one of the most exciting rabbit holes in world food! Here are my top recommendations for home fermenters at different skill levels:
Beginner-friendly (almost foolproof):
- Kimchi (Korean) — You’ve already started here! Try kkakdugi (radish kimchi) next — it’s even easier and ready in 2-3 days.
- Miso (Japanese) — Surprisingly simple, just slow. Mix soybeans + koji + salt, pack it down, and wait 3-12 months. A revelation.
- Kvass (Russian/Eastern European) — Fermented bread drink. Ready in 2-3 days. Surprisingly refreshing.
Intermediate:
- Fish sauce (Southeast Asian) — Layering fish with salt and waiting 12-18 months. Intense, complex, totally different from store-bought.
- Preserved lemons (North African) — Technically a lacto-ferment. Ready in 3-4 weeks, transforms Moroccan cooking.
- Gochujang (Korean) — Fermented chili paste with rice and soybeans. Takes 3-6 months but is extraordinary.
Advanced:
- Injera sourdough (Ethiopian) — Made from teff flour, with a unique 3-day ferment
- Garum (Roman/Nordic) — Fermented meat or fish sauce. The most complex and powerful flavoring agent in the world.
Health benefits: All naturally fermented foods contain live cultures (probiotics) that support gut health. They also improve bioavailability of nutrients and add complex flavor compounds (umami) that can’t be created any other way. The science on fermentation and gut microbiome health is growing rapidly!
Welcome to the wonderful world of Ethiopian spices! Berbere is truly one of the world’s great spice blends.
Core berbere spices (toast and grind whole for best results):
- Dried red chilies (Ethiopian or Kashmiri) — the base
- Fenugreek — gives that slightly bitter, mapley depth
- Coriander seeds
- Black cumin (nigella or kalonji) — different from regular cumin!
- Cardamom pods
- Korerima (Ethiopian black cardamom) — the most important and hardest to find
- Cloves
- Cinnamon
- Allspice berries
- Black pepper
- Ajwain (carom seeds)
- Dried ginger, turmeric, and paprika
How to make it: Toast all whole spices lightly in a dry pan, cool, then grind everything together. The key is the toasting — it unlocks completely different flavor compounds.
Beyond Doro Wat, try berbere in:
- Berbere-spiced lentils (Misir Wat) — incredible vegetarian dish
- Lamb stew — adds incredible depth
- Roasted vegetables — toss with oil and berbere before roasting
- Berbere butter (Niter kibbeh) — clarified butter infused with berbere and onion, a base for all Ethiopian cooking
- Modern fusion: berbere-spiced fried chicken or popcorn
I order authentic Ethiopian spices from Brundo Spice Company (US) or Lalibela Spices (UK) — they import directly from Ethiopia.
Sumac is one of my absolute favorite spices — you’re going to love it! Here’s everything you need to know:
What it tastes like: Sumac has a deep, tart, fruity sourness — like a lemony, slightly smoky astringency. It’s often used as a souring agent in Middle Eastern cooking, the same way you’d use lemon juice but with more complexity.
Classic uses:
- Fattoush salad — sumac is mixed into the dressing, giving it that characteristic tangy-purple hue
- Za’atar spice blend — sumac is one of the key components alongside thyme and sesame
- Musakhan (Palestinian roasted chicken with caramelized onions) — sumac is the star spice here, used generously
- Grilled meats — sprinkle over lamb kebabs or chicken just before serving
- Hummus topping — a sprinkle of sumac and good olive oil is the traditional garnish
How to use it: Unlike chili, sumac is mild in heat. It’s more like a seasoning — use it quite generously (1-2 teaspoons in a dish). It can be sprinkled raw over dishes at the end for a burst of color and tang, or cooked into sauces and marinades.
Substitution: In a pinch, a combination of lemon zest + a tiny bit of tamarind can approximate the flavor, but there’s really no perfect substitute. It’s worth seeking out!
Such an important topic! Here’s a quick cultural guide for the most common mistakes:
🇯🇵 Japan:
- NEVER tip — it’s considered rude and insulting
- Don’t pass food chopstick-to-chopstick (reminiscent of funeral rites)
- Slurping noodles is encouraged — it shows appreciation!
- Say “itadakimasu” before eating and “gochisousama deshita” after
🇮🇳 India / Middle East:
- Always eat with your RIGHT hand — the left is considered unclean in many cultures
- In India, don’t refuse food offered by a host — it’s considered very rude
- In Muslim households, never ask for alcohol
🇨🇳 China:
- Finishing your plate entirely signals the host didn’t provide enough food — leave a little bit
- Never stick chopsticks upright in rice (funeral symbolism)
- The host always pays — don’t fight too hard over the bill
🇮🇹 Italy:
- Never order cappuccino after 11am — it’s a morning drink. Espresso after meals only.
- Pasta is never a side dish — it’s always a separate course (primo)
- Don’t ask for cheese with seafood pasta — it’s a faux pas
🇪🇹 Ethiopia:
- Eating from the same injera plate is communal and represents friendship
- “Gursha” (feeding food directly into someone’s mouth) is an act of respect and affection
The golden rule everywhere: watch what locals do, smile, and don’t be afraid to ask!
Here are the apps I actually use on food-focused trips, ranked by how often I rely on them:
🏆 Essential apps:
- Google Maps — Still the king. Tip: filter reviews by “Locals’ choice” and sort by review count, not star rating. Translate the local-language reviews for the real story.
- Yelp — Excellent in USA, Canada, and parts of Europe. Not great in Asia.
- Grab Food / Foodpanda — In Southeast Asia, these delivery apps reveal which local restaurants are popular — not just tourist-facing ones.
🌟 Hidden gems apps:
- Beli — A newer food app focused on personal recommendations. Much more curated than Yelp.
- OpenRice — The go-to food guide for Hong Kong, Singapore, and East Asia. In Chinese but has English version.
- TabeLog — Japan’s premier restaurant app. An essential tool for eating in Japan. The scoring system is notoriously strict (3.5 is excellent).
- Zomato — Best for India and South Asia.
Beyond apps: The most underrated tool is simply asking on Facebook Groups. Search for “Expats in [City]” or “[City] Food Lovers” — locals and expats will give you the most current recommendations you won’t find anywhere else.
After 15+ years of food-focused travel, here are my gold-standard strategies:
The best tricks that actually work:
- Ask your hotel’s kitchen staff, not the concierge — The chef or dishwasher knows where the real food is. Concierges often get commissions. Ask “Where do YOU eat on your day off?”
- Look for restaurants with no English menu — If there’s no photo menu and no English translation, it’s almost certainly a local spot.
- Follow workers at lunch time — Taxis, construction workers, and office workers know the cheapest, best lunches in any city.
- Use Google Maps with local language keywords — Search for the local name of the dish you want (not “best restaurant near me”). Results will show places locals actually search for.
- Check Google Maps reviews in the local language — Filter to show reviews written in the local language. Real locals telling other locals is the best signal.
- Arrive at opening time — The best local restaurants fill up with regulars immediately. If it’s empty at noon on a Tuesday, skip it.
Red flags to avoid: Laminated picture menus, staff aggressively beckoning from the door, photos of dishes at eye level outside, and “tourist menu” signs. In tourist areas, walk one or two streets back from the main drag — prices halve and quality doubles.
Izakayas are my absolute favorite thing about Tokyo! Here’s everything you need to know:
How ordering works: You’ll usually be given a menu and can order whenever you want — just flag down staff with a friendly “sumimasen!” (excuse me). Most modern izakayas have picture menus or tablet ordering systems — a lifesaver!
Essential dishes to order:
- Yakitori — grilled chicken skewers, especially “negima” (chicken + spring onion) and “tsukune” (chicken meatballs)
- Edamame — the universal starter, usually comes automatically
- Karaage — Japanese fried chicken with yuzu mayo, impossibly good
- Dashimaki tamago — rolled omelette with dashi broth, a hidden gem
- Takoyaki — octopus balls (at some izakayas), crispy outside, molten inside
- Mentaiko potato salad — creamy potato salad with spicy cod roe
Drinks etiquette: You must order at least one drink per person — it’s considered rude not to. The first round is traditionally beer. Toast with “Kanpai!” and always pour for others before pouring for yourself.
Tipping: Do NOT tip in Japan — it can cause offense. A sincere “Oishikatta desu!” (It was delicious!) at the end is the highest compliment.
I’ve visited Marrakech four times and here’s the real insider guide!
Djemaa el-Fna square: Yes, the main stalls are touristy and can be overpriced, but the experience of eating there is unique. Go at sunset when the atmosphere is magical. For food quality, focus on:
- Snail soup (Babbouche) — a local delicacy you won’t find back home, served from big pots
- Merguez sandwiches — grilled spiced lamb sausages, incredible
- Orange juice stalls — the freshly squeezed orange juice is famous and very cheap (about 4 dirhams)
Hidden gems most tourists miss:
- Café des Épices area in the souk — try the pastilla (sweet pigeon pie with almonds and cinnamon)
- Mechoui Alley near the Djemaa — slow-roasted lamb sold by weight, absolutely divine
- B’ssara (fava bean soup with olive oil and cumin) — a traditional breakfast at small stalls in the medina, costs almost nothing and is delicious
Food safety tips: Stick to freshly cooked, hot food. Avoid raw salads at street stalls. The smaller stalls deeper in the medina are often fresher than the tourist-facing ones.
I’ve eaten my way through all four cities, so here’s my honest ranking for a first-time food traveler:
🥇 #1: Penang, Malaysia — Penang is widely considered the street food capital of Asia. The variety is unmatched — you get Chinese, Malay, Indian and fusion all on the same street. Don’t miss: Char Kway Teow, Assam Laksa, Nasi Kandar, and Cendol. The hawker centers in Georgetown are legendary.
🥈 #2: Bangkok, Thailand — Incredible value and diversity. Yaowarat (Chinatown) at night is pure magic. Must-eat: Pad Thai from a wok on the street, Tom Yum Goong, Green Papaya Salad, and Mango Sticky Rice. The night markets at Or Tor Kor are world-class.
🥉 #3: Taipei, Taiwan — Shilin Night Market is the most famous, but Raohe Street Night Market is better quality. Try: Stinky Tofu (brave!), Oyster Vermicelli, Scallion Pancakes, and Bubble Tea (it was invented here).
4th: Ho Chi Minh City — Also excellent, especially for Pho, Bánh Mì, and Bún Bò Huế, but I’d rate it slightly below the others for pure variety.
My recommendation: Start with Penang + Bangkok in one trip — they’re close together and complement each other perfectly!
I lived in Lima for two years, so let me give you the real deal!
The fish: Use very fresh, firm white fish — sea bass (corvina) is the classic, but halibut or sole work well too. NEVER use frozen fish for real Peruvian ceviche — freshness is everything. Buy from a trusted fishmonger on the day you make it.
Leche de tigre (tiger’s milk): This is the marinade/sauce that makes Peruvian ceviche unique. Blend together: fresh lime juice, a small piece of fish, a bit of celery, half a garlic clove, fresh ginger, ají amarillo (Peruvian yellow chili), salt, and ice. Strain and use to marinate the fish.
Critical timing: Unlike Mexican ceviche, Peruvian ceviche marinates for only 3-5 minutes! The acid “cooks” only the outside — the center stays tender. Over-marinating makes it tough and dry.
Essential garnishes: Cancha (toasted Andean corn), sweet potato (camote), red onion slices soaked in cold water, and fresh cilantro. The combination of textures is key!
Where to find ají amarillo: Available as paste in Latin American grocery stores. Absolutely essential — nothing else gives that unique fruity heat.
