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Somen chanpuruStir-fried noodles with tuna

In Okinawa, somen chanpuru (also called somen tashiya) is what a grandmother throws together when the family turns up hungry: thin somen noodles boiled for a minute, then tossed in a hot pan with tinned tuna, spring onion and a little dashi. It's a lunch or easy dinner, salty, slippery and comforting. Many Okinawan cooks use tinned pork luncheon meat instead of tuna, so check which you're being served if you avoid pork; this version uses tuna. The common mistake is not rinsing and draining the somen well, which leaves the noodles clumped into one sticky lump in the pan. Chef's tip: toss the drained noodles with a teaspoon of oil before they meet the pan, and they'll stay separate.

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Pan con butifarraHam roll with onion salsa

Pan con butifarra is Lima's evening sandwich, sold in old-school sangucherías and made at home for a light dinner with coffee: a crusty roll filled with jamón del país, a spiced Peruvian pork ham, under a heap of salsa criolla, red onion sliced thin and soaked in lime with chilli. Outside Peru, use a good cooked pork ham. The common mistake is leaving the onion harsh; give it a quick rinse in salted water before dressing it. Chef's tip: a leaf of lettuce under the ham stops the lime juice soaking straight into the bread.

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Neko manmaRice with bonito flakes and soy

Neko manma means 'cat's rice', a joking name for the bowl that people all over Japan make late at night or on the evening the fridge is empty: steaming rice, a handful of dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi) and a little soy sauce, stirred together. The flakes wilt and curl in the heat and give the rice a smoky, savoury flavour; some homes splash over the last of the miso soup instead. The mistake is drowning it in soy, which turns the flakes soggy and the rice salty; a teaspoon is plenty. Chef's tip: crumble the bonito between your fingers over the rice so the finer flakes melt into every grain.

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Nasu no miso itameMiso-glazed aubergine

Nasu no miso itame is a summer weeknight favourite across Japan, when aubergines are cheap and glossy: chunks are fried until creamy, then glazed in a sticky sauce of miso, soy, sugar and mirin and spooned over hot rice. Mirin contains a little alcohol, which mostly cooks off as the sauce bubbles; for an alcohol-free version use 1 tbsp water with an extra ½ tsp sugar. The common mistake is adding all the oil at once: aubergine drinks it, so start with a little, cover briefly to steam the pieces soft, then finish with more. Chef's tip: mix the sauce before you start, because miso burns within seconds once it hits the hot pan.

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TripleAvocado, tomato and egg sandwich

The triple is the soft, layered sandwich of Lima's cafés and bakeries, eaten at lonche, the Peruvian late-afternoon meal, or as a light supper: three slices of crustless white bread layered with avocado, tomato and sliced hard-boiled egg, all held together with mayonnaise. It looks neat, tastes fresh and is loved by children. Shop-bought mayonnaise is made with pasteurised egg, so it is safe for everyone. The common mistake is letting wet tomato touch the bread, which turns it soggy within minutes. Chef's tip: pat the tomato dry and sit it between the avocado and egg, then press the sandwich under a board for a minute before cutting.

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Houbová smaženiceMushrooms scrambled with egg

In late summer and autumn, when half of Czechia heads into the woods with baskets, houbová smaženice is what the day's finds become for supper: fresh mushrooms fried with onion and a pinch of caraway, then scrambled with eggs and eaten with rye bread. It tastes of the forest, and cultivated chestnut and oyster mushrooms make a very good version in any season. Only use wild mushrooms that an expert has identified. The common mistake is crowding the pan, so the mushrooms steam in their juice instead of frying golden. Chef's tip: salt the mushrooms only after they have browned; salt too early draws out water and stops them colouring.

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TenshinhanCrab omelette on rice

Tenshinhan, sometimes called tenshindon, is a Japanese invention served in the small Chinese-style chuka restaurants of Tokyo and Osaka, ordered at lunch and for a cheap, filling dinner. A fluffy omelette studded with crab and spring onion is slid over a mound of rice, then the whole plate is coated in a shiny amber sauce that is both sweet and a little sharp. It works well with tinned crab or crab sticks (which are made from fish and often contain wheat). The common mistake is tipping the cornflour slurry into the sauce without stirring, which makes lumps; pour it in a thin stream while stirring constantly. Chef's tip: add the vinegar only after the sauce has thickened, so its brightness isn't boiled away.

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Shirasu donRice bowl with whitebait

Shirasu don comes from the Shonan coast around Enoshima and Kamakura, where the fishing boats bring in tiny whitebait from spring to autumn and cafés serve them boiled and piled over rice for lunch. At home it makes a five-minute supper: the little fish are soft, salty and sweet like the sea, lifted by spring onion, ginger and fresh shiso. Buy kamaage or kama-age shirasu, the ready-boiled kind sold chilled in Japanese shops; keep it in the fridge and use it by the date on the pack. Don't use raw (nama) shirasu at home. The common mistake is pouring soy all over; the fish are already salted, so a few drops are enough. Chef's tip: lay the shirasu on the rice in a loose heap rather than pressing it flat, so it stays fluffy and moist.

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Vajíčková pomazánkaEgg spread

Vajíčková pomazánka is the egg spread found in every Czech and Slovak fridge, piled on rye bread for večeře, the simple bread-and-spread supper, as well as at birthday parties and on trains. Hard-boiled eggs are grated and mashed with soft butter or mayonnaise, mustard and chives into a creamy, savoury spread, finished with sliced gherkin or radish. The common mistake is mashing the eggs while still warm, which melts the butter and makes the spread greasy; cool them in cold water first. Chef's tip: grate the eggs on the fine side of a box grater for a smooth, fluffy spread with no chunks of white.

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Kake sobaBuckwheat noodles in hot broth

Kake soba is the bare, honest bowl served at the stand-up noodle counters inside Tokyo railway stations, slurped in a few minutes by commuters on the way home and made at home on cold nights when nobody wants to cook. Grey-brown buckwheat noodles sit in a dark, savoury broth of bonito dashi, soy sauce and mirin, with a heap of sliced spring onion on top. The broth uses mirin, a sweet rice wine; it simmers briefly so most of the alcohol cooks off, and for an alcohol-free bowl use 2 tsp sugar instead. The usual mistake is skipping the cold rinse: unrinsed soba is coated in starch, turns gummy and clouds the broth. Chef's tip: pour a ladle of the hot noodle water into each bowl while the soba cooks, then tip it out, so the warm bowls keep the broth steaming to the last mouthful.

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KourdassGrilled lamb liver bundles

After the sacrifice of Eid al-Adha, Moroccan families use every part of the lamb, and kourdass is one of the dishes made in the days that follow: pieces of tripe and liver rubbed with cumin and paprika, wrapped in caul fat and traditionally hung up to air-dry before grilling. This home version skips the drying, which is hard to do safely in a modern kitchen, and grills the bundles fresh over charcoal or under a grill until the fat crisps and the liver is cooked through. Buy cleaned, pre-cooked tripe and caul fat from a halal butcher. Chef's tip: wrap the bundles tightly so the caul fat bastes them as it melts.

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Pajagua mascadaBeef and cassava patties

Pajagua mascada is a Paraguayan street-food classic that appears on every table for the San Juan festival on 24 June, when bonfires burn and the night is full of games and traditional food. Minced beef is mixed with mashed cassava, onion, garlic and a little egg and flour, shaped into flat patties and fried until crisp. The name comes from Guaraní and refers to the 'chewing' of old Paraguayan cooks, who made it from leftover meat. Chef's tip: dry the boiled cassava well and remove its woody core, which keeps the patties light and crunchy.

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Sopa teólogaTurkey broth with bread and cheese

Sopa teóloga ('the theologian's soup') goes back to colonial convents in Lima and Arequipa, where it was cooked for feast days, and it is still served at Holy Week and family celebrations. A rich turkey (or chicken) broth is thickened with soaked bread, milk and fresh cheese, with yellow potatoes and shreds of turkey, and finished with a little ají amarillo and chopped huacatay or parsley. It is thick, comforting and filling. Chef's tip: blend part of the soaked bread with broth before adding it, which gives the soup its creamy body without lumps.

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HrudkaEgg and milk cheese

Hrudka (also called sirok or egg cheese) is made in eastern Slovakia and among Rusyn and Slovak families abroad for Easter. Eggs and milk are stirred over a low heat until they separate into soft curds, then the curds are tied tightly in a cloth into a ball and hung to drain overnight. The pale-yellow, mild, slightly sweet 'cheese' is taken to church in the Easter basket on Holy Saturday and sliced at Easter breakfast with ham, bread and horseradish. It needs no rennet, so it is naturally vegetarian. Chef's tip: keep the heat low and stir constantly; high heat makes rubbery curds.

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Chipa so'oCheese bread with spiced beef

In Paraguay, families bake chipa in the clay tatakua ovens on Holy Wednesday so there is food for Thursday and Good Friday, when cooking stops. Chipa so'o ('chipa with meat') is a cassava-starch and cheese bread wrapped around a little filling of minced beef cooked with onion and egg, then baked until crisp outside and chewy within. It is naturally gluten free. Chef's tip: knead the dough until it no longer cracks at the edges when pressed; dry dough splits around the filling.

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OsterpinzeEaster anise brioche

Osterpinze is the Easter bread of Styria, Carinthia and the area around Trieste, a soft, golden brioche dome with three deep cuts on top for the Holy Trinity, so that it opens into a crown as it bakes. The dough is rich with egg yolks and butter and flavoured with anise and lemon; old recipes add a splash of white wine, left out here. It is blessed in the Easter basket on Holy Saturday and eaten on Easter morning with ham, horseradish and eggs, or with butter and jam. Chef's tip: make the three cuts with scissors just before baking, deep enough to reach halfway down, so the crown opens wide.

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MazanecEaster raisin and almond bread

Mazanec is the round Easter bread of Bohemia, baked on Holy Saturday and eaten on Easter Sunday and Monday. The sweet yeast dough is rich with butter, egg yolks and lemon, studded with raisins and almonds, and scored with a deep cross before baking so it opens like a flower. Old recipes soak the raisins in rum; here they are soaked in warm tea, so the bread is alcohol-free. Slice it and spread with butter and honey. Chef's tip: give mazanec a long, slow bake at a moderate heat, because the rich dough browns quickly and the centre needs time.

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AllerheiligenstriezelBraided sweet loaf

In Bavaria and Austria, godparents give their godchildren an Allerheiligenstriezel on All Saints' Day, 1 November: a large braided loaf of sweet yeast dough, brushed with egg and scattered with almonds or pearl sugar. The braid is said to recall the old custom of cutting a plait of hair in mourning, and the size of the loaf once showed how generous the godparent was. It is lightly sweet, with lemon and vanilla, and is eaten sliced with butter or jam. Some recipes add rum-soaked raisins; these are soaked in warm water instead. Chef's tip: braid four strands for an impressive, high loaf.

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Velikonoční nádivkaBread, egg and smoked pork bake

Velikonoční nádivka ('Easter stuffing', also called hlavička) is a Czech and Moravian Easter dish, baked on Holy Saturday or Easter Sunday. Cubes of bread rolls are soaked in milk and eggs, then mixed with smoked pork and a big handful of young nettles, spinach or spring herbs, and baked until golden and puffy. It's eaten warm or cold, sliced, often beside roast lamb or chicken. For a vegetarian version, leave out the smoked pork and add 250 g fried mushrooms. Chef's tip: pick nettles wearing gloves and blanch them for 30 seconds, which takes away the sting.

75 minCzechMeat
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Kapr na černoCarp in dark sweet-sour sauce

Before fried breaded carp took over the Czech Christmas Eve table, families in Bohemia served kapr na černo, 'black carp': fish simmered in a dark, glossy, sweet-sour sauce of root vegetables, gingerbread, prunes, nuts and dark beer. It is rich and spiced, closer to a medieval feast dish than to the modern menu, and served with bread dumplings or potatoes. This version uses a non-alcoholic dark malt drink so the sauce is alcohol-free; adults may use dark beer. Chef's tip: grate the gingerbread finely, so it melts into a smooth sauce rather than leaving soggy crumbs.

105 minCzechFish
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KaguyjyWhite corn pudding

On the night of 23–24 June, Paraguayans celebrate San Juan with bonfires, games like walking over hot coals and the 'paso de fuego', and a table of traditional foods, and kaguyjy (also mazamorra) is one of them. It is a soft, creamy pudding of cracked white corn (locro) simmered slowly in water and then milk with sugar or honey, sometimes with orange peel. It is eaten warm or cold. It is gluten free. Chef's tip: soak the corn overnight and cook it until each kernel is tender before adding the milk, or it never turns creamy.

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TihaneStuffed lamb spleen

Tihane, or tehal, is an old Eid al-Adha speciality from Moroccan towns such as Fez and Marrakech, made on the days after the sacrifice when the offal is shared out. The lamb's spleen is cut open into a pocket and stuffed with chopped liver and heart, a little fat, green olives, preserved lemon, garlic and cumin, then sewn shut, poached and roasted until browned. It is sliced thin and eaten warm or cold with bread. Ask a halal butcher for the spleen and offal. Chef's tip: prick the spleen with a fine needle before poaching so it doesn't burst in the pot.

130 minMoroccanMeatGluten free
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Rybí polévkaCarp soup

In Czechia the Christmas Eve supper begins with rybí polévka, a soup made from the trimmings of the Christmas carp, which is often bought live at street stalls in the days before; here you simply ask the fishmonger for prepared carp trimmings and a fillet. The bones and trimmings make a clear stock that is simmered with carrot, celeriac and parsley root, then filled with flakes of carp and served with croutons fried in butter. Many families add the carp roe. Chef's tip: strain the stock carefully through muslin, as carp has many fine bones.

105 minCzechSoups
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Nanohana karashi-ae (rapeseed blossoms with mustard)

Nanohana, the budding shoots of the rapeseed plant, arrive in Japanese shops at the end of winter, and their little yellow-green flower heads are a sign that spring has come. That makes them a natural side dish for Hinamatsuri on 3 March, next to chirashizushi and clam soup. The greens are blanched just until tender, then dressed with Japanese karashi mustard loosened with soy sauce and kombu dashi: pleasantly bitter, nose-tinglingly hot and very fresh. Outside Japan, tenderstem broccoli or cime di rapa works almost as well. Chef's tip: dress the greens at the last minute, because the soy starts to dull the green colour within half an hour.

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