Orez shu’it is a rice-and-beans dish made with white rice, small white beans, tomato, and mild spices, widely eaten in Israeli homes and strongly associated with Jerusalem’s Mizrahi communities. Its roots lie in Jewish communities from Iraq, Egypt, and parts of the Levant, where rice dishes were central to everyday cooking and legumes provided an accessible source of protein. As these communities settled in Israel during the mid-twentieth century, their domestic cooking traditions were carried with them, and orez shu’it became one of the dishes that merged into the larger landscape of Israeli home cuisine. Preparation begins by soaking white beans, commonly navy beans or small local varieties, until they soften enough to cook evenly. They are then simmered with tomato paste or fresh tomato, onions, salt, and spices such as turmeric, cumin, or paprika, depending on regional style. The rice is added once the beans are partially cooked, and water is measured so that both rice and beans finish together, producing a cohesive pot where the grains remain separate but lightly coated in the tomato base. In some households the rice is cooked separately and mixed with the beans at the end, while others cook everything in a single pot. The texture ranges from light and fluffy to slightly saucier depending on the amount of tomato and liquid. Some versions include garlic, peppers, or small amounts of oil, but the core identity is the combination of rice, beans, and mild seasoning. Orez shu’it is eaten primarily in Israeli homes rather than in commercial settings and is common in households with roots in Iraq, Egypt, Yemen, and other Middle Eastern regions. It is served as a main or side dish, often accompanied by salads such as chopped vegetable salad, cabbage salad, or pickled vegetables. It pairs well with yogurt drinks, lemonade, and sparkling water, and it is frequently eaten alongside grilled meats, schnitzel, or vegetable stews, forming part of an everyday Israeli table.
Kongnamulbap is a traditional type of bibimbap originating from South Korea. The dish consists of rice cooked with soybean sprouts. Other ingredients such as ground meat (beef or pork), kimchi, garlic, and sesame oil are often added to the dish for extra flavor. During cooking, the rice will soak up the nutty and earthy flavors of the soybean sprouts. Once prepared, kongnamulbap is traditionally served with a sauce consisting of rice wine, soy sauce, minced garlic, sugar, scallions, and black pepper.
Chūkadon is a hearty rice bowl made with steamed white short-grain rice topped with a thick, glossy mixture of stir-fried vegetables, sliced meat, and seafood. The topping is bound together with a soy-based gravy thickened with starch, giving it a heavy, shiny texture that coats both the ingredients and the rice underneath. The dish is said to have originated in the early Showa period, around the 1930s, in Chinese immigrant-run restaurants in Tokyo. At first, it was a practical staff meal eaten during short work breaks. Restaurant workers poured leftover happosai, a rich stir-fry traditionally made with eight ingredients, over plain rice to create a fast, filling meal. Regular customers eventually noticed the off-menu combination and began asking for it themselves. The name chūkadon means “Chinese bowl,” reflecting its connection to Chinese-style urban restaurant cooking adapted for Japanese diners and laborers who needed cheap, quick calories. The topping usually begins with pork belly, raw shrimp, and scored squid, all sliced into uniform bite-sized pieces. These are stir-fried in a very hot wok coated with sesame oil. Harder vegetables, such as sliced bamboo shoots, raw carrots, and rehydrated wood ear mushrooms, are added next. Softer greens, usually Napa cabbage or snow peas, go in last so they keep some of their crisp texture. A liquid base of chicken stock, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and rice wine is then poured into the wok. Once the liquid comes to a rolling boil, a slurry of potato starch and cold water is added to the center of the pan. This quickly changes the thin broth into a thick, translucent glaze that clings tightly to every piece of meat, seafood, and vegetable. Boiled, peeled quail eggs are added just before the finished mixture is poured over the waiting bowl of rice. Ingredient substitutions can change the flavor and appearance of the dish. In a salt-based version, dark soy sauce and oyster sauce are omitted entirely. Instead, clear chicken stock, ginger, and sea salt are used to make a pale white gravy that allows the delicate seafood flavors to stand out. More economical versions often omit the expensive squid and shrimp, replacing them with thick slices of kamaboko fish cake or extra strips of inexpensive pork shoulder. In some regional versions, a raw egg is scrambled directly into the boiling sauce just before it thickens, forming soft ribbons of cooked egg white and yolk that make the gravy even richer. Chūkadon is served hot in a large, deep ceramic bowl. Because the thick sauce holds heat extremely well, the dish usually arrives at the table steaming. It is typically eaten with a large ceramic spoon rather than chopsticks, since the gravy soaks deeply into the rice. A small side dish of sharp pickled mustard greens is often served alongside it to cut through the richness of the oyster sauce, together with a simple, clear chicken broth seasoned only with white pepper and scallions.
Sekihan is a traditional dish consisting of only two main ingredients – glutinous rice and red azuki beans. The dish has a reddish hue which is a result of the cooking liquid from azuki beans. In the past, the color red was a symbol of good fortune and it supposedly warded off evil. Nowadays, sekihan is typically consumed for good luck – it is served mostly on special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, and celebrations. The dish is usually served on okuizome (a baby's first meal when it is 100 days old) and shichi-go-san (a ritual for children aged 3, 5, and 7). Traditionally, sekihan is consumed with gomashio – a combination of toasted black sesame and salt.
Hailing from Hejaz, saleeg is a traditional Arabian rice dish consisting of creamy, porridge-like short-grain rice and roasted meat. Chicken is the most common meat choice, and it is typically boiled in water with spices before it is roasted. This dish uses a combination of the broth in which the meat has been cooking, hot water, and optional mastic tear to boil the rice. The boiled rice is then combined with milk and ghee or butter, and cooked until it reaches the desired consistency. A large serving platter (tabasi) is traditionally used for serving saleeg, and the roasted meat is usually placed on top of the rice. Additional melted ghee or butter can be drizzled over the dish, and it is recommended to serve it with accompaniments such as salata hara (a spicy, salsa-like condiment), duggus (a chili tomato-parsley sauce), pickled lemons, or a tomato-cucumber salad.
Nasi jagung, meaning “corn rice” in Indonesian, is a traditional dish rooted in the agrarian heartlands of East Java, Madura, and parts of Bali, where it evolved out of necessity and now endures as a symbol of culinary resilience and heritage. At its core, nasi jagung is made by steaming coarsely ground or dried kernels of corn, often blended with rice, though in more traditional versions, corn serves as the main or sole grain. The resulting dish has a light, fluffy texture, with a slight chew and a natural sweetness that distinguishes it from plain rice. Historically, nasi jagung was a response to economic hardship and agricultural limitations. In many parts of rural Indonesia, especially during colonial times and periods of rice scarcity, corn was a more reliable crop than rice, cheaper and easier to cultivate on dry land. Villagers and farmers began preparing corn as a rice substitute, steaming it over wood fires in woven bamboo baskets. Over generations, what began as a meal of necessity transformed into a culturally cherished food with deep regional pride. Today, nasi jagung is not just a nostalgic rural dish but a living tradition, often served with a variety of local side dishes that reflect the richness of Javanese home cooking. It is commonly paired with urap—a medley of steamed vegetables dressed in spiced grated coconut—alongside fried tempeh, salted fish, tofu, and generous helpings of sambal, the fiery chili paste that balances the corn’s sweetness. In some versions, the plate is rounded out with serundeng, a mixture of sautéed grated coconut and spices, or roasted peanuts for added texture. In traditional markets and rural food stalls, it remains a beloved everyday meal, and during ceremonies or village festivals, it is often served as a gesture of community and remembrance.
Nude gimbap is a variation of a traditional Korean rice roll in which toasted seaweed (gim) is wrapped inside the rice—leaving the rice exposed, hence the name. Apart from that, nude gimbap typically incorporates standard fillings that mainly include vegetables such as carrots or pickled radishes, eggs, crab cakes, perilla leaves, and many other ingredients. The rolls are sliced into bite-size pieces before they are served.
Khao phat amerikan is a traditional rice dish originating from Thailand. Also known as American fried rice, the dish consists of fried rice and typical American ingredients and sides such as hot dogs, raisins, ketchup, fried chicken, and ham. A fried egg is always served with the fried rice, along with the foods mentioned previously. It is believed that the dish was invented by Thai cooks during the Vietnam war era because they wanted to give the US soldiers something to remind them of home.
Panta bhat is a simple rice dish prepared by first cooking the rice, rinsing it, and then soaking it in water overnight. The dish is rich in minerals, and it is believed to have health-beneficial effects. Because it is usually enjoyed chilled, it is a favorite summer treat, and apart from being a typical everyday breakfast, it is also regularly prepared for special occasions such as Bengali New Year and Pahela Baishakh festivity. The dish is usually topped with fresh green chili peppers, salt, and onions, and when served with fried ilish fish it goes under the name panta ilish.
Mıcırık aşı is a traditional dish originating from Gaziantep. This stew is usually prepared with a combination of eggplants, rice, onions, tomato paste, bell peppers, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, paprika, and mint. The onions and garlic are sautéed in olive oil, then mixed with the tomato paste and bell peppers that are fried in the same pot. The mixture is covered with water, and the eggplants and rice are added to the pot. The dish is cooked until the rice becomes tender, and lemon juice is then mixed into the stew. Once served, mıcırık aşı is traditionally drizzled with the sauce consisting of olive oil, paprika, and mint.
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