Aggie B’s Food Quiz

This is not a quiz to see if you are a smarty pants, but more to get you excited about food from around the world. So go ahead, see how many of the foods mentioned below you’ve tried, which ones evoke the desire to travel or perhaps memories of the trails already trod. Here goes:

1. Japan has udon, ramen and soba noodles, Chinese have chow mein and other varieties of noodles while in Vietnam they eat my and pho. The Italians have spaghetti.

Vermicelli exists in across a number of regions and cuisines.

Question: Match the base ingredients with the following types of noodles – (a) wheat, (b) buckwheat or (c) rice, (d) mung beans.

Udon
Soba
Pho
Chow Mein
My
Ramen
Vermicelli
Spaghetti

2. Used throughout South East Asia and known variously as Terasi (Indonesia), Ngapi (Myanmar), kapi (Thailand, Cambodia & Laos), Belacan (Malaysia), Mam Tom (Vietnam), Bagoong Alamang (Philippines), Haam ha (Cantonese), sidol (Bangladesh), what is the key ingredient of this paste / thick sauce?

3. Which of the following sauces does not have a roux as its base?

Bechamel
Veloute
Espagnole
Hollandaise
Mornay
Coulis
Bearnaise
Vinaigrette
Mayonnaise

4. Australian bush tucker is slowly becoming known to both professional and home chefs. What are witchetty grubs, what’s the best way to eat Witchetty grubs, and where can you find them?

5. What is Pasta Puttanesca named after?

6. Curries & stews– match the dish with the country.

7. Which of the following just doesn’t belong (and why) – kulcha, paneer, naan, paratha, roti, chapati, dhosa.

8. What do black pudding, boudin, morcilla & bloedwurst have in common.

9. If you order bife de chorizo at a Parrilla in Buenos Aires, what are you going to get?

10. Why is Foul Medames, foul?

Bonus question: Which is the most revolting Surströmming, Vegemite, natto, mam tom, or Tablier de sapeur?

Answers:

(1) Udon – (c) rice; Soba – (b) buckwheat; Pho – (c) rice; Chow Mein – (a) wheat; My – (a) wheat; Ramen – (a) wheat; Vermicelli – (a,c or d) wheat, rice or mung bean ; Spaghetti – (a) wheat.

(2) Fermented shrimp. It has a very strong and fairly revolting smell by itself, but is a key ingredient in many favourite dips and dishes.

(source: http://www.thanhniennews.com/travel/7-smelly-vietnamese-foods-that-drive-foreigners-away-51704.html)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrimp_paste

(3) Hollandaise, Bearnaise, Coulis, Vinaigrette

Hollandaise sauce is thickened with eggs, and the coulis is a fruit reduction. Vinaigrette is normally made with oil and either lemon juice or vinegar.

http://www.thekitchn.com/do-you-know-your-french-mother-sauces-211794

(4) They are type of caterpillar and are an Australian ‘bushtucker’ delicacy albeit quite rare. Generally only found in central Australia, they can be found in the root system of the Witchetty Bush although not every bush will yield them. Cook them over an open fire like marshmallows. They taste like scrambled eggs, allegedly. Or they can be eaten raw, but this method is not for the faint hearted.

(5) Puttanesca translates as “in the style of the whore.” The name derives from the Italian word puttana which means whore. Puttana in turn arises from the Latin word ‘putida’ which means stinking, the same origin as ‘putrid’ in English. The sauce is from Naples, but there is not one particular explanation for it being named after hookers, or indeed the smell.

(6)

Malaysia – Rendang
India – Madras
Thai – kaeng khiao (green curry)
Hungarian – Goulash
Italy – Cacciatore
Brazil – feijoada
Mexico – frijoles
Spain – fabada asturiana

(7) Paneer. All the others are different types of bread from India. Paneers is white cheese.

(8) Blood. They are all blood sausages.

(9) Steak. Argentina is famous for its meat. At Parrilla it is normal to walk in past a window full of carcasses of beef, and when it comes the steak will be the size of the plate and anything else served separately.

(10) Because the main ingredient is ‘foul’, the arabic word for fava or broad beans. Can also be spelt ‘ful’.

Bonus question: All equally revolting except Vegemite which is the best thing ever.

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