When it comes to breakfast, most of us have our own preferences. Some prefer to start their day with a packet of nasi lemak and teh tarik, while others might choose a more Westernised style such as oatmeal, white bread/toast with jam or peanut butter as well as a sunny-side-up and sausages. But what about the rest of the world? If you ever wonder what most people normally consume in different countries, here are 10 Breakfast Meals That Locals Eat From Around The World.
1) Cong You Bing a.k.a. Scallion Pancake (Taiwan)
Taiwan’s typical range of breakfast is heavy in carbs and usually stuffed with filling. Among the most popular of them all is cong you bing, which literally translates as “scallion pancake”. The pancake itself is made with egg and unleavened wheat flour and fried in a shallow pan. The stuffing is typically filled with chopped scallions (spring onions/green onions) and can be either served as a breakfast meal, a street snack or even a side dish.
2) Chilaquiles (Mexico)
Pronounced as “chee-lah-kee-les”, this hugely popular Mexican breakfast dish is actually fried corn tortillas drenched in sauce or salsa and usually topped with sliced onions and parsley. Chilaquiles is often served with refried beans, rice and a choice of fried egg or meat.
3) Kahvalti (Turkey)
Kahvalti (pronounced as “kah-vahl-tuh”) is a classic Turkish breakfast that consists of different dishes typically meant to dine with one’s family. This includes the likes of white bread, fresh cheese, olives (both black and green varieties), honey and fruit preserves, usually served with a glass of Turkish black tea. Some of the other ingredients include sunny-side-ups, boiled eggs, omelette and sliced tomatoes.
4) Pho (Vietnam)
By now, most Malaysians would be familiar with pho since Vietnamese restaurants are easily found in most major shopping malls these days. While one might think that pho is an ideal noodle dish for either lunch or dinner, it also happens to be one of the most popular breakfast staples in Vietnam itself. A bowl of pho, of course, consists of rice noodles drenched in a clear beef or chicken broth and topped with meats, herbs and freshly-chopped chillies.
5) Khao Tom (Thailand)
Khao Tom refers to a type of porridge-like dish where the rice is cooked on its own in the beginning before being boiled in a soup with other ingredients. This includes the likes of poached egg, meat (e.g. chicken or pork) or seafood (e.g. fish or shrimp). Other ingredients such as fish sauce, dried chilli flakes and chopped vegetables are also added to enhance the flavour.
6) Full English Breakfast (United Kingdom)
The Brits certainly know what’s best for them when it comes to a wholesome breakfast meal. By wholesome, we mean everything on the plate including eggs, bacon, sausage, baked beans, toast, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes and black pudding. But popular as the full English breakfast is, most of them would rather settle for a more modest meal consisting only of cornflakes/toasts and a glass of milk or a cup of tea.
7) Cereal With Milk (United States)
When comes to breakfast, most Americans have their own preferences. It could be the likes of bacon and eggs, bagels with cream cheese or PB&J (peanut butter & jelly) sandwich. Then, there’s a bowl of cereal drenched in milk and typically accompanied with a glass of orange juice (straight out from the carton) or a cup of hot coffee. Kids, however, would normally prefer the sweeter type of cereal, namely Oreo O’s or Honey Nut Cheerios.
8) Soto (Indonesia)
There are plenty of different food typically consumed by most Indonesians during breakfast. This includes the likes of chicken porridge and nasi uduk (steamed white rice with coconut milk). The other popular breakfast staple in Indonesia is soto, which is a soup-based dish made from the combination of meat (e.g. beef or chicken) and vegetable. Depending on the regions, some soto is served with rice, lontong, noodles or ketupat.
9) Gaeran Tost-U a.k.a. Korean Egg Sandwich (Korea)
Traditional Korean breakfast meal normally consists of rice, meat, soup and a few side dishes. But today’s generation of Korean people would pick something more Westernised, namely the likes of cereal and egg sandwiches. And speaking of egg sandwiches, they have their own version otherwise known as gaeran tost-u. It may look like your average egg sandwich, except with these significant differences: the Korean version combines chopped cabbage and carrots into their beaten egg and top the sandwich with ketchup and a sprinkle of brown sugar.
10) Asagohan (Japan)
Asagohan is actually a Japanese word for “breakfast”, which normally consists of steamed rice and a bowl of miso soup served with different side dishes. This includes the likes of natto (fermented soybeans), pickled vegetables, grilled fish and nori (dried seaweed). But there are many other people who live in Japan who choose a quick and cheap meal on their way to work. Among them could be a simple bowl of ramen or gyudon (which is actually a Japanese dish consisting of a bowl of steamed rice topped with sliced beef and onions).
