I watched this stand up work of Bill Bailey a while ago, and as I made myself a toasted cheese sandwhich for a late lunch just a few minutes ago, my thoughts returned to it.

And I had a thought, a thought that perhaps you (yes you), the fine people of the escapist could help me with a little knowledge expansion.
So what is your country's National dish? Is it anything particularly special or just something bland like the aforementioned (if you watched the video) cheese on toast?
And what I want to know next is how you (yes you) think it reflects upon your country as a whole.

Seeing as I'm the OP I'll go first.
New Zealand lays claim to two national dishes, the first is Pavlova, this is a cause for a bit of confusion as our neighbour Australia (for those without much knowledge of what an Atlas looks like, New Zealand and Australia are pretty close to each other) seems to think that it was them that invented it. This dish is quite a poingiant relfection of the entire country, because it is.

1. Often thought to be owned by Australia
2. As a result of above is often a cause to be at odds with Australia, even though we're all actually pretty much the same (except they have "convict genes" and we don't) and should really just be loving each other a big huggy bunch.
3. Not really that big of a deal, I can't see what all the fuss is about and quite honestly hate the stuff.

The second is a Maori Hângi, which I have less experience in but have learnt about all the same. It isn't a food in itself but rather a means of cooking it. All I know about it is that it involves digging a pit, throwing some heated rocks in there, throwing your food on top of it then covering it all up with dirt for a few hours before digging it up again.
I've never tried it to be honest, maybe someone here has and can offer a bit more insight into it than I have, but I'm certain I'm not alone in my un-hângi ways. Almost eighty percent of New Zealanders are of European decent, I would say about eighty percent of them would be completely unlearned, or quite likely even uninterested in partaking in this little peice of cultural cooking.
So, how does this reflect on the country, in this case, a Hângi is very much like the effect Maori culture on the whole has on the majority of European New Zealanders (not least of all because it is a part of Maori culture).

1. It's something we have to learn about in school, and (maybe it's not the case for a Hângi in particular, but certainly for other aspects of Maori culture) becomes a part of our working lives in many cases as well, despite how little it has to do with the culture of the vast proportion of our country.
2. Of all the people that learn about it, only ten to fifteen percent of them will ever put it to good use.
3. I've never taken that much interest in it and have turned down any opportunity to try it.

So, now comes the time for you (yes you) to have your say on what your National dish (If you live in one of those countries big enough to have seperate dishes for the seperate regions, feel free to mention those as well) is, and how it does reflect on your country.

^{I searched. There was one thing, but it was all "List your national dishes that we should try", which is a bit different.}

Okay, so according to Wikipedia the American national dishes are hamburger, hot dog, apple pie, donut, macaroni and cheese.

Well, that basically says the average weight is larger than the average I.Q.

You have already mentioned mine! Though there are other national foods like welsh cakes, bara brith (a cake) , cawl (like a stew) and laverbread (.... seaweed)

No idea what this says really.

Hamburgers!

And, for heritage's sake, fried eel. (I've Norwegian ancestors0

The beloved, beleaguered, belittled and bashed beauty of the bowl.

The meat pie floater.

And as mentioned in the article, even Pratchett honored this meal with an inclusion.

The Iron Ninja:

The second is a Maori Hângi, which I have less experience in but have learnt about all the same. It isn't a food in itself but rather a means of cooking it. All I know about it is that it involves digging a pit, throwing some heated rocks in there, throwing your food on top of it then covering it all up with dirt for a few hours before digging it up again.

My family had one of them once, many many years ago. Instead of the hot rocks, they buried the food and started a massive bonfire over the top. The food came out succulent and delicious, due to the slow-cooking from the heat absorbed into the ground.

You lot can have Pavlova. I can't stand the stuff and have no idea how anyone can. Same with Lamingtons. I'll stick with meat pie, sausage roll and beer, knowing full well that we stole all three from foreigners.

Fish and chips FTW

though these aren't british fish and chips which come on a plate

I'm talking about the wrapped in newspaper Kiwi Fish and chips

for the record Newspaper > plates when it comes to fush and chups

English guy here.
Apparently our national dish is curry, NOT fish & chips or a roast dinner.

Oh well, curry still rocks. Shows we are......hmm.....very diverse in cultures?

If your talking America dishes you can say almost any dish made in America because most are rough copies of the original altered in some way to make them American. case in point, hamburger; originally a Russian dish of raw ground meat with onion stored under a horseriders saddle to tenderize it moved to Germany where it got cooked and the name changed to steak hamburg style. when it moved to the US an enterprising entrepreneur put the thing on a bun for better portability and it became the hamburger. its not entirely ours but we added a little spin and made it ours, see also; pizza(New York/Chicago/California style), chop suey(not really Chinese at all), and hot dogs. all three of those were originally from other places but when introduced to America they got spins and became American. I think that speaks best about our county, we take whats yours and make it ours.

Canada, poutine and pancakes... is there anything more delicious?

I'm canadien and our national dishes are poutine (fries gravy with melted cheese)or pancakes with maple syrup. How it reflects upon our country well maple syrup is found in Canada and poutine was made in Quebec so maybe it shows our bilingualism

Pie? Kangaroo? I have no idea what the national dish of Australia is. Lamingtons were created by Australia I believe, so that goes up as one of the national dishes.

I kind of already mentioned this but I'll say it again, since a lot of you are from America (and there's not really anything poignant you can say about hamburgers) you might as well see what the national dish is for your state and see if that has more meaning to it.

Ultrajoe:
The beloved, beleaguered, belittled and bashed beauty of the bowl.

The meat pie floater.

And as mentioned in the article, even Pratchett honored this meal with an inclusion.

And? How does this reflect on Australia as a whole?
Actually that's kind of hard, how does a meat pie sitting in a bowl of soup have anything to do with anything?

Chicken tikka masala, apparently. Suits me alright, better than fish and chips anyhow 'cos I don't like fish. Gotta give credit to the traditional Sunday roast though, just the way my mum makes it.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and how it reflects upon the country. Um, I guess it highlights our multiculturalism. Either that or we have no imagination so we have to steal our popular dishes from former colonies.

Wikipedia says :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamaliga
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mititei
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cozonac
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasole_cu_carnati

----
I would add
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarmale

but then again i'm not really that much of an expert ><

Scotland. We have the MunchyBox. Chips, battered fish, battered sausage, fried chicken, multiple kebab meats, sometimes some indian foods. I love my heart attacks.

The Iron Ninja:
I kind of already mentioned this but I'll say it again, since a lot of you are from America (and there's not really anything poignant you can say about hamburgers) you might as well see what the national dish is for your state and see if that has more meaning to it.

hey I said something damn poignant about hamburgers. It represents our national pride of taking and claiming things like they're our own.

black lincon:

The Iron Ninja:
I kind of already mentioned this but I'll say it again, since a lot of you are from America (and there's not really anything poignant you can say about hamburgers) you might as well see what the national dish is for your state and see if that has more meaning to it.

hey I said something damn poignant about hamburgers. It represents our national pride of taking and claiming things like they're our own.

Fine.

There's not really anything poignant you can say about hamburgers other than what Black Lincoln said. Better?

Well, since I'm Canadian, I got a couple of choices, since I'm in the east, we have donairs which is some form of meat, we can't tell which animal it comes from, cut off in strips and wrapped with tomatoes, lettuce, onions, and a very sweet sauce known simply as donair sauce, inside a pita or flatbread. I like the meat but the sauce is way too sweet for my liking.

My favorite food that we are known for is poutine, although I like to have mine with spices and bacon bits added, just in case I wasn't clogging my arteries enough.

The Iron Ninja:

black lincon:

The Iron Ninja:
I kind of already mentioned this but I'll say it again, since a lot of you are from America (and there's not really anything poignant you can say about hamburgers) you might as well see what the national dish is for your state and see if that has more meaning to it.

hey I said something damn poignant about hamburgers. It represents our national pride of taking and claiming things like they're our own.

Fine.

There's not really anything poignant you can say about hamburgers other than what Black Lincoln said. Better?

you know just how to appeal to my ego.

HERE IS THE BEST MY COUNTRY HAS TO OFFER
THIS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nachos

WITH SOME OF THIS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horchata

YOUR WELCOME

BLOONINJA 503:
HERE IS THE BEST MY COUNTRY HAS TO OFFER
THIS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nachos

WITH SOME OF THIS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horchata

YOUR WELCOME

AND HOW DOES THIS REFLECT UPON YOUR COUNTRY AS A WHOLE?

Here in New York we have New York Strip Steak because steak is delicious and amazing. Like New York.

By the way FeNinja, while this thread is slightly related to New Zealand, is it true that "Once every 50 years, New Zealand's North and South Island ram each other in a primitive battle for supremacy."?

I read that in a book by Jon Stewart, or his writers atleast, so I assume it's true but I thought I'd ask someone who knows personally.

And it's hilarious.

Jeez...Um...Australia...I spose (though I'm not one of them) you could include some traditional Aboriginal foods, like witchety grubs (NFI how to spell it). I ate some once, tasted like eggs.
We had an Aboriginal Culture day at my school, and they had kangaroo, emu and crocodile sausages...Could have been the way they were cooked, but they tasted foul.

I spose the BIG Aussie dish would be a BBQ. Every kind of meat you can think of cooked on a BBQ probably with copious amounts of beer and other alcohol being consumed (and dripped on the BBQ by the drunken cook) all seared to something resembling charcoal, with chips, dip, cheese, cabanossi, cocktail franfurts, cold meats and Clix or Jats or some other type of biscuit, salad thats been tossed together by mum in the kitchen. And enough fizzy drinks (coke, fanta, lemonade, creaming soda etc) for the kiddies. All served up on paper plates and plastic cups to save on dishes.

How this reflects us? We're fucking lazy. We love social events between friends. And we're drunks (a generalisation, but still...majority rules).

ExplosionProofTaco:
Fish and chips FTW

though these aren't british fish and chips which come on a plate

I'm talking about the wrapped in newspaper Kiwi Fish and chips

for the record Newspaper > plates when it comes to fush and chups

I agree with you EPT. I remember going to the local fish n ships shop with a bundle of newspaper with fish and chips inside. I kind of miss it. Although, they aren't allowed to use Newspaper anymore here. Something about health violations....Oh well.. Butchers paper works just as well, though I do almost miss the extra inky flavour.

how the fuck should i know??? its good...

sheic99:
Okay, so according to Wikipedia the American national dishes are hamburger, hot dog, apple pie, donut, macaroni and cheese.

So that's German, German, English, American and Italian.

Not like our Chicken Tikka Masala... which is Scottish. Ah well :)

Australia's is vegemite on toast. It's something simple but great (bread) with something strange spread over it (vegemite) that Is somehow addictive.

And the meat pie floater isn't since I've never heard of it, maybe a meat pie could be the national dish, but not a floater.

ElephantGuts:
By the way FeNinja, while this thread is slightly related to New Zealand, is it true that "Once every 50 years, New Zealand's North and South Island ram each other in a primitive battle for supremacy."?

I'm^sd;l sorry ElephantGuts, I'm find^sofing it hard to read your post. The ground is shaking too much, I think the North and^adss South Island are at it again. Well at^hgjasjd least there's no rockets this time, oh, spoke too soon.

The Iron Ninja:

The second is a Maori Hângi, which I have less experience in but have learnt about all the same. It isn't a food in itself but rather a means of cooking it. All I know about it is that it involves digging a pit, throwing some heated rocks in there, throwing your food on top of it then covering it all up with dirt for a few hours before digging it up again.
I've never tried it to be honest, maybe someone here has and can offer a bit more insight into it than I have, but I'm certain I'm not alone in my un-hângi ways.

Hangi is delicious and awesome. Though it's not the most glamorous cooking method, it's great. It also takes a lot of effort to do, and so i think it's generally left for larger occasions, which is likely part of the reason why many New Zealanders have never tried it. It has a delicious distinctive flavour and it's also a great way of cooking a lot of food at once.

It's got to be done right, as there are many shortcuts which some will take which can mess up the taste. I'm not an expert, but to my knowledge you generally have a pit which is partially filled with hot rocks that have been heated in a fire. (Some will blowtorch the rocks or something; that ruins the hangi flavour a bit.) Food goes in baskets lined with aluminium foil and into the pit to fill it to about ground level.

Common hangi foods are chicken, pork, lamb, potato, cabbage, kumara or other veges. Same kind of food you would put in a roast. Though i suppose you could add whatever you like. You cover the pit with clean wet rags, or sacks or sheets of material, and then pile some dirt on top. Wait for a good 4-5 hours depending on amount of food etc. and then dig it up again. You've got to be careful while digging it up to not get any dirt or anything into the food; that would be yuck.

The Iron Ninja:
I watched this stand up work of Bill Bailey a while ago, and as I made myself a toasted cheese sandwhich for a late lunch just a few minutes ago, my thoughts returned to it.

Score. I'm totally Welsh.

But for our national dish, it'd have to be Cawl (pronounced Ca-wuhl)

A hearty broth of meat (lamb preferrably) and many vegetables including the mighty potato. Beautiful.

The Iron Ninja:
I kind of already mentioned this but I'll say it again, since a lot of you are from America (and there's not really anything poignant you can say about hamburgers) you might as well see what the national dish is for your state and see if that has more meaning to it.

So, California: Sourdough bread, Hamburger and Fish Tacos

Let's see, we like bread and hamburgers.

California was origanily a part of Mexico until the United States government claimed it for itself after the Mexico- American war and became the 31st state.

The Iron Ninja:
I kind of already mentioned this but I'll say it again, since a lot of you are from America (and there's not really anything poignant you can say about hamburgers) you might as well see what the national dish is for your state and see if that has more meaning to it.

Ultrajoe:
The beloved, beleaguered, belittled and bashed beauty of the bowl.

The meat pie floater.

And as mentioned in the article, even Pratchett honored this meal with an inclusion.

And? How does this reflect on Australia as a whole?
Actually that's kind of hard, how does a meat pie sitting in a bowl of soup have anything to do with anything?

Its even better when the pie is buried under a mountain (literally, buried) of mash potato and dotted with mushy peas.

How does it reflect on Australia as a whole... um, uh... hey look over there! Its an unopened bottle of L&P, signed by Brett Mckenzie, Germaine Clement and Temuera Morrison!

*Runs off*

sheic99:
So, California: Sourdough bread, Hamburger and Fish Tacos

I'm a Norcalster. Put a loaf of bread in front of me and don't expect to see much remain.

Well, I live in America... but my family's Scandinavian...

We make... cookies.

Yay, Krumkakes!

Canada: Poutine
What is it: Fries, cheese curds, and gravy (beef most likely) served in a bowl or other curved dish.
Where's it from: Quebec somewhere?
How it reflects on my nation: Uh, we're indulgent I suppose. And we don't mind getting our hands dirty!

British Columbia: Pot Brownies
What is it: Honestly, having never tried one, I assume it's just brownies with pot in them.
Where's it from: Probably from the States originally, but maybe Amsterdam.
How it reflects on my province: We like our weed. Not me personally, but 'BC Bud' has such a ring to it, don't you agree?

Vancouver: Sushi and Starbucks
What is it: A variety of Japanese dishes featuring rice and occasionally vegetables or raw fish, served with wasabi, ginger, and soy sauce. A beverage that has been purchased at a Starbucks, most likely coffee.
Where's it from: Japan. Seattle.
How it reflects on my city: We like convenience! And not walking I suppose, as there's a sushi place and a Starbucks practically everywhere. (Sometimes I walk into them by accident!) And I think we also like having a wide selection in just one place, whether it be rolls of raw fish, customizable drinks, architecture, nationalities, or attitudes. After all! Vancouver is where the hippies, the yuppies who think they're hippies, the normal yuppies, and the poor people all rub shoulders!