The national food dish of every country or territory at the Commonwealth Games
As the Commonwealth Games draw to a close, there are other ways to celebrate the cultures of the nations and territories.
With 72 nations and territories from Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe and Oceania, there are a range of diverse tastes and cultures across the Commonwealth.
One thing, however, that unites us all is food and each country and territory has a culinary delight which identifies it as from that country or territory.
The national dish of each place might have something to do with the food or ingredients available or the influences from other countries which led to it become the most popular or most identifiable dish.
In Africa, a number of the dishes come from plants and vegetables grown on the continent, as well as using maize and spices, while in the Americas, the sheer vast scale of the continent brings a diverse number of dishes.
This ranges from fish and chips in the Falkland Islands, with fishing part of the way of life on the island, to a meaty stew in Guyana flavoured with cinnamon and brown sugar to the combination of cheese, gravy and chips for poutine in Canada.
Asia brings a range of flavours, from dishes with rice and coconut milk in Malaysia to fish curries in Bangladesh and a chicken and flatbread street food dish popular in Sri Lanka.
In Europe, the flavours of the UK bring us Haggis, lamb stew and a popular fry-up, as well as bean dishes from the Channel Islands and rabbit stew from Malta.
Finally, Oceania brings a real diversity of tastes, from meat pieces and desserts in Australia and New Zealand to unique dishes including banana leaves, fish and fruit from the island nations.
Some of these dishes are easy to make, others will require a bit of effort and others may be nearly impossible without a beach oven and hot rocks.
Africa:
Botswana - Seswaa - a traditional meat dish of Botswana, made of beef or goat meat.
Cameroon - Ndolé - a Cameroonian dish consisting of stewed nuts, ndoleh (bitter leaves indigenous to West Africa), and fish or beef.
Eswatini - Karoo roast ostrich steak - Ostrich steak in a rich sauce. The Karoo is indigenous to Eswatini
Ghana - Fufu - A dough made from boiled and pounded starchy ground provisions like plantains, cassava, or malanga
Kenya - Ugali nyama choma na kachumbari - Maize meal, grilled meat and salsa
Lesotho - Pap-pap - Pap-pap is made from corn meal and when cooked resembles polenta. It is a nice filler to enjoy with any type of stew or sauce.
Malawi - Malawian Nsima - A thickened porridge made from maize
Mauritius - Dholl puri - Dholl puri is a popular street food from Mauritius. It is a flatbread stuffed with lightly spiced yellow split peas/ chana dal.
Mozambique - Xima - Xima is a thick corn porridge popular in all parts of Mozambique
Namibia - Pap - It is made from cornmeal which typically comes from white corn or millet depending on the region and is served alongside everything eaten in Namibia.
Nigeria - Jollof rice - The dish is typically made with long-grain rice, tomatoes, onions, spices, vegetables and meat in a single pot
Rwanda - Rwandan goat brochettes - Rwandan goat brochettes are street food marinated in a spicy tomato sauce.
Seychelles - Fish curry - Seychelles Fish Curry is a traditional Seychellois recipe for a typical curry of red snapper cooked in fish stock flavoured with star anise and the local Seychelles curry paste.
Sierra Leone - Cassava Leaf Stew - Cassava leaf stew goes by several different names like saka saka, pondu, palava and mpondu. It is always served over steamed rice and is considered to be the national dish of Sierra Leone.
South Africa - Bobotie - A mixture of curried meat and fruit with a creamy golden topping, not dissimilar to moussaka.
Tanzania - Ugali - Maize meal
The Gambia - Domoda - A “groundnut stew” (peanuts) consisting of whatever vegetable happens to be available, typically pumpkin or sweet potatoes, and a saucy base.
Uganda - Matoke - A one-pot East African dish made from green bananas.
Zambia - Nshima - A very thick porridge made from finely ground corn meal, called mealie meal.
The Americas:
Belize - Belizean rice and beans with stewed chicken - A signature take on the Caribbean standard of stewed chicken with rice and beans.
Bermuda - Bermuda fish chowder - Basic ingredients are fish, tomatoes and onions, seasoned with black rum and "sherry peppers sauce"
Canada - Poutine - A dish of french fries and cheese curds topped with a brown gravy.
Falkland Islands - Fish and Chips - Battered cod or haddock with chips.
Guyana - Pepperpot - A stewed meat dish, strongly flavoured with cinnamon, cassareep (a special sauce made from the cassava root) and other basic ingredients, including Caribbean hot peppers.
Saint Helena - Plo - A mix of curry and spanish paella in a single pot.
Asia:
Bangladesh - Hilsa - The Hilsa fish is marinated in turmeric and chili paste, before slowly frying on a low heat and serving with mustard gravy and rice.
Brunei - Ambuyat - Ambuyat comes from within the trunk of a sago palm. It is eaten using a bamboo fork or better known as ‘chandas’ and dipped in different varieties of local sauces, such as Tempoyak sauce
India - Khichdi (unofficial) - A dish in South Asian cuisine made of rice and lentils
Malaysia - Nasi Lemak - A dish originating in Malay cuisine that consists of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf.
Maldives - Gulha - Small ball-shaped dumplings that are stuffed with a mixture of tuna, finely chopped onion, grated coconut, and chilli.
Pakistan - Pakistani Nihari - A rich, slow-cooked meat stew flavoured with spices and thickened with atta, or Pakistani & Indian-style durum whole wheat flour.
Singapore - Chicken Rice - A dish of poached chicken and seasoned rice, served with chilli sauce and usually with cucumber garnishes.
Sri Lanka - Kottu roti - A dish consisting of diced roti stir-fried with scrambled egg, onions, chillies, spices, and optional vegetables or meat, such as beef and chicken also occasionally mutton or chicken.
The Caribbean:
Anguilla - Pigeon Peas and Rice - Pigeon peas are combined with rice flavoured with spices and served with a meat dish.
Antigua and Barbuda - Fungee and Pepperpot - Fungee is a popular cornmeal dish served with a spicy meat soup.
Barbados - Cou Cou and Fried Flying Fish - A combination of cornmeal and okra. The two ingredients muddle together to form a sort of savoury porridge.
British Virgin Islands - Fish and fungi - A cooked yellow cornmeal mixture dotted with tender okra and thinned with chunks of butter
Cayman Islands - Turtle stew - Made by combining turtle meat with what are known as ‘menavlins’, the other parts of the turtle
Dominica - Mountain Chicken - The mountain chicken actually refers to a species of giant frog native to the area.
Grenada - Oil down - A hearty stew made of local vegetables, salted meat and aromatic spices.
Jamaica - Ackee and salt fish - Made with salted codfish and the national fruit ackee
Montserrat - Goat water - A stew authentically made from the meat of the male (ram) goat
Saint Kitts and Nevis - Stewed saltfish with spicy plantains and coconut dumplings - A combination of fish cooked with onions, garlic and tomatoes, cooked dumplings, sauteed breadfruit and Plantain.
Saint Lucia - Green Fig and Saltfish - The dish has its roots in 19th century slavery when bananas were plentiful and dried, salted codfish was cheaply imported from Canada to serve as rations for slaves.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - Roasted Breadfruit and Fried Jack fish - The fish is usually marinated in lemon juice before it is dusted in flour and fried until crispy.
The Bahamas - Conch - A sea snail which can be eaten raw, fried, steamed, stewed and even as a salad.
Trinidad and Tobago - Callaloo - The main ingredient is an indigenous leaf vegetable, traditionally either amaranth, taro leaves or Xanthosoma leaves.
Turks and Caicos Islands - Conch fritters - Made using finely chopped conch meat mixed with a batter made from flour and egg, and then deep fried in oil.
Europe:
Cyprus - Fasolada - A rustic, robust and healthy white bean soup with onions, garlic, tomatoes and celery.
England - Chicken Tikka Masala - A popular dish made with boneless chicken, ground spices, onions, tomatoes, cream and herbs.
Gibraltar - Calentita - Made from chickpea flour and olive oil
Guernsey - Bean jar - Made with pig’s trotter, haricot beans, butter beans, bay leaves, onions, and carrots.
Isle of Man - Manx queenies - The name given to queen scallops caught in Isle of Man waters
Jersey - Bean Crock (les pais au fou) - A traditional form of cassoulet made from slow-cooked pork and beans.
Malta - Stuffatt Tal-Fenek - A rabbit stew using ingredients typically found in most Maltese dishes with local homegrown vegetables and herbs.
Northern Ireland - The Ulster fry - Consisting of bacon, eggs, sausages, black pudding and both potato bread and soda bread.
Scotland - Haggis, neeps and tatties - A dish of haggis alongside its traditional side dishes 'neeps and tatties' aka mashed potatoes and turnips.
Wales - Cawl - Cawl is a Welsh word for soup or broth.
Oceania:
Australia - Meat Pie - A hand-sized pie containing diced or minced meat and gravy, sometimes with onion, mushrooms, or cheese
Cook Islands - Umukai Umukai - Umukai, means ‘food from the oven’ hence the meal is cooked in an oven that has been dug out of the earth. Coconut cream, salt and onions are mixed together with mashed taro leaves.
Fiji - Fiji Kokoda - A dish traditionally made with “walu” or Spanish Mackerel, lime juice, chilies, onions, and seawater
Kiribati - Palusami - A traditional dish of wrapped bundles of taro leaves with a coconut and onion filling.
Nauru - Coconut Crusted fish - A dish of white fish fillets marinated in lime juice, salt, and pepper.
New Zealand - Pavlova - Made with a meringue shell, whipped cream, and fruit.
Niue - Takihi - Made from taro, coconut cream and pawpaw
Norfolk Island - Corn pilhi - A corn and sweet potato bake.
Papua New Guinea - Mumu - A traditional dish prepared in a pit or a hole in the ground that is filled with hot stones.
Samoa - Panipopo - Sweet dinner rolls baked in coconut milk.
Solomon Islands - Poi - Made from starchy vegetables, usually breadfruit, taro or plantain.
Tonga - ʻOta ʻika - An Oceanian dish consisting of raw fish marinated in citrus juice and coconut milk.
Tuvalu - Pulaka - A crop grown mainly in Tuvalu and an important source of carbohydrates for the area's inhabitants.
Vanuatu - Lap lap - A dish prepared by grating breadfruit, bananas, taro or yam roots into a vegetable paste.
