Amber Chow
Breakfast refuels the body, kick-starting it with energy and essential nutrients. Important for students as it improves concentration and increases energy for busy days. This essential meal can look hugely different depending on where you are consuming it.
In the UK, a traditional full English breakfast comprises of toast, eggs (fried, scrambled or poached), bacon, sausages, grilled tomatoes, black pudding, baked beans, and mushrooms. Though not being the healthiest breakfast to eat daily, this filling meal tends to be an occasional treat for most of us. A perfect hangover breakfast after a well spent evening; thanks to its high protein and fatty content, it is the most suitable meal to solve all our morning headaches and boozy aftermaths.
Spain has multiple regions with quite different culinary habits, making it difficult to define what a typical Spanish breakfast is. Despite this there are some essential foods that make a Spanish breakfast. Coffee, juice, small sandwiches, savoury toast (with lots of olive oil) or sweet toast (with jam or marmalade) and a potato omelette, make the perfect Spanish come Mediterranean breakfast.
A German breakfast consists of a range of hearty brot (breads), which are complimented with butter, jams, local honey, and delicatessens like thinly sliced cold cut meats and cheeses. Additional to these, hard boiled eggs, fruits, coffee and or orange juice often go alongside the breakfast.
The traditional Japanese breakfast consists of a wholesome and healthy combination of light, healthy proteins packed with umami flavours. These usually consist of grilled fish, eggs, miso soup, rice and maybe some other small side dishes like kimchi (fermented cabbage) or natto (fermented soybeans). This breakfast is certainly unlike many you will find in Europe!
Singapore offers such a variety of breakfasts and can be either sweet or savoury. However, the one that trumps them all and is easiest to make is kaya toast and eggs. Kaya is a coconut jam, and is made from sugar, coconut milk, eggs and pandan. This sweet early morning treat packs a protein punch!
In Iran breakfast consists of bread, stews and omelettes. Though there are many breads due to local variations. The three main breads available are: ‘noon-e barbari’ which is a long oval shaped with a chewy and doughy texture, ‘noon-e sangak’ which is a wheat flatbread and lastly ‘noon-e taftoon’; a large round white flatbread. All these are accompanied by meat/veg stews and omelettes.
The Israeli breakfast champion must be the shakshuka. This dish is a pan of tomatoes, eggs, spices, and parsley cooked together. You can cook it for just yourself or do it all in one big pan to share with friends. Best accompanied with a slice or two of challah bread and or a variety of cheeses, yoghurts, and pressed juices.
Filipino breakfast has many varieties. The most traditional breakfast spread is very tapas-like. There is an abundance of dishes: pandesal (small bread rolls), kesong puti (a fresh unripen, white Filipino cheese, made from a Carabao’s milk), champorado (chocolate rice porridge), silog (garlic fried rice) with fried eggs and meat. Making it a great cuisine to try at a brunch with friends!
In Egypt, the most traditional breakfast is ‘ful medames’. This consists of slow cooked fava beans in tahini seasoned with garlic, cumin, and lemon. This creamy warm and comforting dish can often be served with a boiled egg, baladi (whole wheat flatbread) and some tomato salad.
The key part of a good Kenyan breakfast is the chai enjoyed with maybe some bread and fruit. This is usually not the spread many in the west enjoy. However, in wealthier households, a fried dough called mandazi may be enjoyed!
Hopefully, we have given you some new dishes to start the day with, you never know one might become a new favourite!
Amber Chow
Featured Image Courtesy of Alice Nott
Image one courtesy of McMac70 via Flickr. Image license found here.
Image two courtesy of Ronald Woan via Flickr. Image license found here.
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