Decision checks — Everything About Food

🔎 Argentine cuisine: read “Native name” before you decide

Beef, fire and a dulce de leche clock: asado, empanadas and an Italian-Spanish immigrant table. The figure to read first is Native name: Cocina argentina

🛑 Argentine cuisine: what “Bass” does not decide

Beef, fire and a dulce de leche clock: asado, empanadas and an Italian-Spanish immigrant table. Bass is a boundary — wine / chimichurri / cheese — not a winner and not a league table.

🛠 Brazilian cuisine: use “Starch” in the tool

Beans, farofa and a Saturday feijoada: churrasco, street açaí and an African-Portuguese-Indigenous map. Bring Starch into the tool that is already published. The figure is rice / beans / cassava.

🛑 Chinese cuisine: heat band and what to order first

Chinese cuisine pages carry regional heat, pantry bass and street tempo. Use Decide what to order to pick room and chili band before you point at a plate. Atlas spice is relative among cuisines here — not tonight’s stall thermometer and not a live price board. Zero live prices on this teaching page. Zero live prices on this teaching page.

📍 Egyptian cuisine: the local fact in “Bass”

Ful, taameya and a Nile bread clock: koshari, molokhia and a cheap, dense street table. Locally, Egyptian cuisine is discussed through Bass: pickles / aged cheese / dough.

🛑 Ethiopian cuisine: what “City” does not decide

Berbere, injera and a shared-platter clock: spice 80, a fermented flatbread, no forks required. City is a boundary — Addis Ababa — not a winner and not a league table.

🛠 French cuisine: use “Street” in the tool

Butter, stock and a regional map: baguette, wine and the technique ceiling of the atlas. Bring Street into the tool that is already published. The figure is Thin; bakery and market.

📍 French cuisine: the local fact in “Price spread”

Butter, stock and a regional map: baguette, wine and the technique ceiling of the atlas. Locally, French cuisine is discussed through Price spread: Highest with Japan.

🛑 German cuisine: what “Bass” does not decide

Bread, pork and a beer-garden clock: sausage, sauerkraut and a regional map from Bavaria to the North Sea. Bass is a boundary — sauerkraut / rye sourdough / beer — not a winner and not a league table.

🛠 Greek cuisine: use “Starch” in the tool

Olive oil, lemon and a meze clock: feta, grilled lamb and the eastern Mediterranean table. Bring Starch into the tool that is already published. The figure is bread / pita.

🛑 Hungarian cuisine: what “Bass” does not decide

Paprika, sour cream and a dumpling clock: goulash, lángos and a table that is not Austrian and not only spicy. Bass is a boundary — pickles / paprika paste / sausage — not a winner and not a league table.

🛠 Indian cuisine: use “Native names” in the tool

Tadka, dal and a subcontinental map: masala, rice, breads and heat that is not one curry. Bring Native names into the tool that is already published. The figure is Many; no single "Indian" word.

🛑 Indonesian cuisine: what “Heat” does not decide

Islands of sambal and coconut: rendang, nasi goreng and a spice-trade pantry across 17,000 islands. Heat is a boundary — Sambal families — not a winner and not a league table.

🛠 Iranian cuisine: use “Starch” in the tool

Rice, saffron and a sour-herb clock: stews, chelo and technique 82 without chili as the main story. Bring Starch into the tool that is already published. The figure is rice / bread.

🔎 Italian cuisine: read “Native name” before you decide

Pasta, tomato and a fierce regional map: the most accessible European table in the atlas. The figure to read first is Native name: Cucina italiana

🛑 Italian cuisine: what “Regional fight” does not decide

Pasta, tomato and a fierce regional map: the most accessible European table in the atlas. Regional fight is a boundary — No single "Italian food" — not a winner and not a league table.

🛠 Jamaican cuisine: use “Bass” in the tool

Allspice, Scotch bonnet and a jerk-pit clock: ackee, curry goat and a Caribbean table with high heat. Bring Bass into the tool that is already published. The figure is pickled pepper / rum / saltfish.

📍 Jamaican cuisine: the local fact in “Starch”

Allspice, Scotch bonnet and a jerk-pit clock: ackee, curry goat and a Caribbean table with high heat. Locally, Jamaican cuisine is discussed through Starch: rice and peas / yam / festival.

🔎 Japanese cuisine: decide what to order before the counter

Washoku frames dashi, rice and seasonal restraint from sushi counters to home miso. Use the Decide what to order tool on this lookup: pick room and heat, then take the plate line for this cuisine file. Atlas spice is a teaching mark (often low chili, wasabi or sansho beside the dish) — not a live menu price or reservation. Zero live prices on this teaching page. Zero live prices on this teaching page.

🔎 Lebanese cuisine: read “Starch” before you decide

Lemon, parsley and a mezze clock: hummus, grilled meats and the eastern Mediterranean export table. The figure to read first is Starch: pita / rice / bulgur

🛠 Malaysian cuisine: use “Heat” in the tool

Malay, Chinese and Indian tables under one roof: nasi lemak, laksa and the mamak shop. Bring Heat into the tool that is already published. The figure is Sambal and laksa.

📍 Malaysian cuisine: the local fact in “Three tables”

Malay, Chinese and Indian tables under one roof: nasi lemak, laksa and the mamak shop. Locally, Malaysian cuisine is discussed through Three tables: Malay / Chinese / Indian.

🔎 Mexican cuisine: read “Native name” before you decide

Nixtamal, chili and a street-taco clock: mole, salsa and one of the atlas spice leaders. The figure to read first is Native name: Cocina mexicana

🛠 Moroccan cuisine: use “Starch” in the tool

Cumin, preserved lemon and a tagine clock: couscous Friday, mint tea and a Maghreb spice box. Bring Starch into the tool that is already published. The figure is couscous / bread.

📍 Moroccan cuisine: the local fact in “City”

Cumin, preserved lemon and a tagine clock: couscous Friday, mint tea and a Maghreb spice box. Locally, Moroccan cuisine is discussed through City: Marrakesh.

🔎 Nigerian cuisine: read “Native name” before you decide

Pepper, palm oil and a swallow clock: jollof arguments, suya and streetFood 88. The figure to read first is Native name: Nigerian food

📍 Peruvian cuisine: the local fact in “Bass”

Chili, lime and a potato map: ceviche, aji and the Andean-Pacific table that chefs made famous. Locally, Peruvian cuisine is discussed through Bass: chicha / aji / nixtamal-adjacent corn.

🔎 Filipino cuisine: read “Native name” before you decide

Vinegar, garlic and a fiesta table: adobo, sinigang and the Chinese-Spanish-American pantry of the islands. The figure to read first is Native name: Lutuing Filipino

🛑 Filipino cuisine: what “Sour bass” does not decide

Vinegar, garlic and a fiesta table: adobo, sinigang and the Chinese-Spanish-American pantry of the islands. Sour bass is a boundary — Vinegar and tamarind — not a winner and not a league table.

🛠 Polish cuisine: use “Bass” in the tool

Dumpling, dill and a sour-rye broth: pierogi, kielbasa and a table built for winter. Bring Bass into the tool that is already published. The figure is ogórki / żurek / sauerkraut.

📍 Polish cuisine: the local fact in “Starch”

Dumpling, dill and a sour-rye broth: pierogi, kielbasa and a table built for winter. Locally, Polish cuisine is discussed through Starch: potato / rye / dumpling.

🛑 Portuguese cuisine: what “Bass” does not decide

Bacalhau, olive oil and a pastry clock: grilled sardines, vinho and the Atlantic pantry. Bass is a boundary — bacalhau / wine / vinegar — not a winner and not a league table.

🛠 Russian cuisine: use “Starch” in the tool

Sour cream, pickle and a vast grain belt: borscht arguments, pelmeni and a tea-and-zakuski table. Bring Starch into the tool that is already published. The figure is bread / buckwheat / dumpling.

🛑 Spanish cuisine: what “Service” does not decide

Olive oil, sofrito and a tapas clock: paella, jamón and the regional map from Basque to Andalusia. Service is a boundary — Tapas / raciones — not a winner and not a league table.

🔎 Thai cuisine: read “Four tastes” before you decide

Hot, sour, salty, sweet: nam prik, fish sauce and the regional map from Bangkok street to Isan grilled chicken. The figure to read first is Four tastes: Hot sour salty sweet

🛑 Thai cuisine: what “Street density” does not decide

Hot, sour, salty, sweet: nam prik, fish sauce and the regional map from Bangkok street to Isan grilled chicken. Street density is a boundary — Among the world's highest — not a winner and not a league table.

🔎 British cuisine: read “Native name” before you decide

Roast, pie and a curry-house overlay: Sunday beef, fried breakfast and a food island that absorbed the world. The figure to read first is Native name: British food

🛑 British cuisine: what “Bass” does not decide

Roast, pie and a curry-house overlay: Sunday beef, fried breakfast and a food island that absorbed the world. Bass is a boundary — cheese / beer / pickle — not a winner and not a league table.

🛠 American cuisine: use “Starch” in the tool

The most accessible table in the atlas: barbecue, diner eggs and a cuisine made of regions and immigrants. Bring Starch into the tool that is already published. The figure is wheat / corn / potato.

🔎 Vietnamese cuisine: read “Street form” before you decide

Herbs, nuoc mam and a French-colonial overlay: pho, banh mi and the regional split from Hanoi to the Mekong. The figure to read first is Street form: Pho / banh mi / bun

🛑 Vietnamese cuisine: what “Heat” does not decide

Herbs, nuoc mam and a French-colonial overlay: pho, banh mi and the regional split from Hanoi to the Mekong. Heat is a boundary — Optional chili, not the base — not a winner and not a league table.

→ Argentine cuisine: after “Argentine cuisine is organised around wine / chimichurri / chees”, what about “Street and home forms differ”?

Argentine cuisine is organised around wine / chimichurri / cheese and bread / pasta / potato. Asado and Empanada are the plates most diners meet first. Buenos Aires, Mendoza and Córdoba do not cook the same dinner. Regional stubbornness is the cuisine, not a footnote.

→ Brazilian cuisine: after “tagline”, what about “Street and home forms differ”?

Beans, farofa and a Saturday feijoada: churrasco, street açaí and an African-Portuguese-Indigenous map. Brazilian cuisine is organised around cachaça / tucupi / cheese bread dough and rice / beans / cassava. Feijoada and Pão de queijo are the plates most diners meet first. (1)

→ Chinese cuisine: heat band and what to order first

→ Egyptian cuisine: after “tagline”, what about “Street and home forms differ”?

Ful, taameya and a Nile bread clock: koshari, molokhia and a cheap, dense street table. Egyptian cuisine is organised around pickles / aged cheese / dough and baladi bread / rice / lentils. Koshari and Ful medames are the plates most diners meet first.

→ Ethiopian cuisine: after “tagline”, what about “Street and home forms differ”?

Berbere, injera and a shared-platter clock: spice 80, a fermented flatbread, no forks required. Ethiopian cuisine is organised around injera / niter kibbeh / tej and teff injera. Doro wat and Injera are the plates most diners meet first.

→ French cuisine: after “French cuisine is regional before it is Parisian: Provençal oliv”, what about “Street France is thin: bakery queues,

French cuisine is regional before it is Parisian: Provençal olive and garlic, Breton butter and cider, Alsatian choucroute, Lyonnais offal, Basque chili-adjacent piperade. The baguette and the stockpot are the national tools. Technique 94 in this atlas is not a compliment to every bistro. It marks mother sauces, pastry lamination, wine pairing and a restaurant culture that trained half the world's fine dining.

→ German cuisine: after “German cuisine is organised around sauerkraut / rye sourdough / ”, what about “paras 1”?

German cuisine is organised around sauerkraut / rye sourdough / beer and bread / potato. Bratwurst and Sauerkraut are the plates most diners meet first. Street and home forms differ. The export icon is real; the pantry behind sauerkraut / rye sourdough / beer is what makes it a system. (1)

→ Greek cuisine: after “Greek cuisine is organised around feta / yogurt / wine and bread”, what about “paras 1”?

Greek cuisine is organised around feta / yogurt / wine and bread / pita. Horiatiki and Souvlaki are the plates most diners meet first. Street and home forms differ. The export icon is real; the pantry behind feta / yogurt / wine is what makes it a system.

→ Hungarian cuisine: after “Hungarian cuisine is organised around pickles / paprika paste / ”, what about “What is Hungarian cuisine?”?

Hungarian cuisine is organised around pickles / paprika paste / sausage and bread / dumpling / potato. Goulash and Chicken paprikash are the plates most diners meet first. Street and home forms differ. The export icon is real; the pantry behind pickles / paprika paste / sausage is what makes it a system.

→ Indian cuisine: after “Indian cuisine is a family of regional systems that share tadka ”, what about “Chili is late (16th century) and now s

Indian cuisine is a family of regional systems that share tadka (spices bloomed in fat), dal, yogurt and pickle. A Tamil breakfast of idli-sambar and a Punjabi tandoor dinner are not versions of one gravy.

→ Indonesian cuisine: after “Indonesian cuisine is an archipelago argument: Minangkabau renda”, what about “Warung and kaki lima carts are the

Indonesian cuisine is an archipelago argument: Minangkabau rendang, Javanese gudeg, Balinese babi guling, Manado sour-heat and Chinese-Indonesian bakmi. Sambal is the table chili; terasi and tempeh are the ferments. (1)

→ Iranian cuisine: after “tagline”, what about “Street and home forms differ”?

Rice, saffron and a sour-herb clock: stews, chelo and technique 82 without chili as the main story. Iranian cuisine is organised around yogurt / pickles / dried limes and rice / bread. Ghormeh sabzi and Chelow kabab are the plates most diners meet first.

→ Italian cuisine: after “Italian cuisine is municipal: Neapolitan pizza, Bolognese ragu (”, what about “Chili is Calabrian and southern; the

Italian cuisine is municipal: Neapolitan pizza, Bolognese ragu (not "spaghetti bolognese"), Roman cacio e pepe, Sicilian street sweets, Ligurian pesto. A national menu is a tourist invention. Accessibility 92 reflects how completely pasta and pizza colonised English-speaking weeknights. Technique 84 sits in dough, risotto stirring and the refusal to drown a pasta in sauce.

→ Jamaican cuisine: after “Jamaican cuisine is organised around pickled pepper / rum / salt”, what about “paras 1”?

Jamaican cuisine is organised around pickled pepper / rum / saltfish and rice and peas / yam / festival. Jerk chicken and Ackee and saltfish are the plates most diners meet first. Street and home forms differ. The export icon is real; the pantry behind pickled pepper / rum / saltfish is what makes it a system.

→ Japanese cuisine: decide what to order before the counter

→ Korean cuisine: after “Korean cuisine (hansik), is built on rice, soup and a rin”, what about “Jeolla namul, Gyeongsang raw-fish hoe,

Korean cuisine (hansik), is built on rice, soup and a ring of banchan — kimchi, namul greens, jeon pancakes — rather than a single plated entree. Gochujang, doenjang and ganjang supply the fermented bass line; gochugaru supplies the heat.

→ Lebanese cuisine: after “Lebanese cuisine is organised around labneh / pickles / arak and”, what about “paras 1”?

Lebanese cuisine is organised around labneh / pickles / arak and pita / rice / bulgur. Hummus and Tabbouleh are the plates most diners meet first. Street and home forms differ. The export icon is real; the pantry behind labneh / pickles / arak is what makes it a system.

→ Malaysian cuisine: after “Malaysian cuisine is eaten as Malay, Chinese and Indian plates t”, what about “Hawker centres are the public dinin

Malaysian cuisine is eaten as Malay, Chinese and Indian plates that share hawker centres and sambal. Nasi lemak, Penang laksa and roti canai are not fusion experiments — they are the everyday map. Belacan shrimp paste and chili make the Malay bass. Char kway teow and Hainanese chicken rice show the Chinese-Malaysian wok. Mamak shops fry roti at 2 a.m.

→ Mexican cuisine: after “tagline”, what about “Street and home forms differ”?

Nixtamal, chili and a street-taco clock: mole, salsa and one of the atlas spice leaders. Mexican cuisine is organised around nixtamal / pulque / salsa and corn tortilla. Taco and Mole are the plates most diners meet first.

→ Moroccan cuisine: after “Moroccan cuisine is organised around preserved lemon / smen / ol”, what about “paras 1”?

Moroccan cuisine is organised around preserved lemon / smen / olives and couscous / bread. Tagine and Couscous are the plates most diners meet first. Street and home forms differ. The export icon is real; the pantry behind preserved lemon / smen / olives is what makes it a system.

→ Nigerian cuisine: after “tagline”, what about “Street and home forms differ”?

Pepper, palm oil and a swallow clock: jollof arguments, suya and streetFood 88. Nigerian cuisine is organised around iru / ogiri / garri and swallow / rice / yam. Jollof rice and Suya are the plates most diners meet first.

→ Peruvian cuisine: after “Peruvian cuisine is organised around chicha / aji / nixtamal-adj”, what about “Street and home forms differ”?

Peruvian cuisine is organised around chicha / aji / nixtamal-adjacent corn and potato / corn / rice. Ceviche and Lomo saltado are the plates most diners meet first. (1)

→ Filipino cuisine: after “Filipino cuisine tastes first of sour and garlic: adobo, sinigan”, what about “A fiesta is lechon and a table that

Filipino cuisine tastes first of sour and garlic: adobo, sinigang, kinilaw. Chili exists (Bicol, Mindanao) but the national bass is suka and tamarind, not nam prik. (1)

→ Polish cuisine: after “Polish cuisine is organised around ogórki / żurek / sauerkraut a”, what about “paras 1”?

Polish cuisine is organised around ogórki / żurek / sauerkraut and potato / rye / dumpling. Pierogi and Żurek are the plates most diners meet first. Street and home forms differ. The export icon is real; the pantry behind ogórki / żurek / sauerkraut is what makes it a system.

→ Portuguese cuisine: after “Portuguese cuisine is organised around bacalhau / wine / vinegar”, what about “paras 1”?

Portuguese cuisine is organised around bacalhau / wine / vinegar and bread / rice / potato. Bacalhau and Pastel de nata are the plates most diners meet first. Street and home forms differ. The export icon is real; the pantry behind bacalhau / wine / vinegar is what makes it a system.

→ Russian cuisine: after “Russian cuisine is organised around kvass / pickle / smetana and”, what about “paras 1”?

Russian cuisine is organised around kvass / pickle / smetana and bread / buckwheat / dumpling. Borscht and Pelmeni are the plates most diners meet first. Street and home forms differ. The export icon is real; the pantry behind kvass / pickle / smetana is what makes it a system. (1)

→ Spanish cuisine: after “tagline”, what about “Tapas are a clock more than a dish — standing, late, shared”?

Olive oil, sofrito and a tapas clock: paella, jamón and the regional map from Basque to Andalusia. Spanish cuisine is olive oil and sofrito: onion, garlic, tomato, pimentón. Valencia guards paella; the Basque Country guards pintxos and a technical restaurant culture; Andalusia fries fish and pours sherry.

→ Swedish cuisine: after “tagline”, what about “Street and home forms differ”?

Dill, herring and a cinnamon-bun clock: husmanskost, fika and the lowest spice score in the atlas. Swedish cuisine is organised around surströmming / pickled herring / yogurt and potato / crispbread. Swedish meatballs and Pickled herring are the plates most diners meet first.

→ Thai cuisine: after “tagline”, what about “Bangkok street food — boat noodles, boat noodles, boat noodles, ”?

Hot, sour, salty, sweet: nam prik, fish sauce and the regional map from Bangkok street to Isan grilled chicken. Thai cuisine balances chili heat against lime, palm sugar and nam pla. Central curries (gaeng) sit beside Isan som tum and grilled gai yang, northern sai ua and a southern Muslim-Thai turmeric-and-chili belt.

→ Turkish cuisine: after “Turkish cuisine is organised around yogurt / sucuk / pickles and”, what about “Street and home forms differ”?

Turkish cuisine is organised around yogurt / sucuk / pickles and bread / rice / bulgur. Döner kebab and Lahmacun are the plates most diners meet first. Istanbul, Gaziantep and Izmir do not cook the same dinner. Regional stubbornness is the cuisine, not a footnote.

→ British cuisine: after “British cuisine is organised around cheese / beer / pickle and p”, what about “paras 1”?

British cuisine is organised around cheese / beer / pickle and potato / bread. Fish and chips and Sunday roast are the plates most diners meet first. Street and home forms differ. The export icon is real; the pantry behind cheese / beer / pickle is what makes it a system.

→ American cuisine: after “American cuisine is organised around pickles / hot sauce / chees”, what about “paras 1”?

American cuisine is organised around pickles / hot sauce / cheese and wheat / corn / potato. Hamburger and Barbecue are the plates most diners meet first. Street and home forms differ. The export icon is real; the pantry behind pickles / hot sauce / cheese is what makes it a system.

→ Vietnamese cuisine: after “tagline”, what about “Street Vietnam is the cuisine”?

Herbs, nuoc mam and a French-colonial overlay: pho, banh mi and the regional split from Hanoi to the Mekong. Vietnamese cuisine is a herb-and-broth system: pho in the north, bun bo Hue in the centre, hủ tiếu and sweet-savoury Mekong pots in the south. Nuoc mam is the salt; rau thom is the volume knob. (1)

→ Argentine cuisine: after “Are restaurant versions "authentic"?”, what about “Argentine cuisine did not arrive as a single national plate”?

Restaurant Argentine cuisine is one register. Home pots and market stalls are others. Authenticity is a marketing word; technique is not. Status still splits between the industrial version of Asado and the household or workshop version no chain quite copies.

→ Brazilian cuisine: after “Is it always spicy?”, what about “Are restaurant versions "authentic"?”?

Brazilian cuisine sits at spice 56 in this atlas. Feijoada and Pão de queijo show the range better than a single heat number. The home pantry around Feijoada and the labour behind Pão de queijo rarely fit a takeaway box.

→ Chinese cuisine: after “paras 1”, what about “paras 1”?

Wok hei is the scorch of a steel wok over serious BTU. Home stoves abroad rarely reach it; a screaming skillet is the honest substitute. Sichuan mala is chili plus Sichuan peppercorn numbness. Hunan heat is drier and sharper. Cantonese heat is mostly white pepper and ginger. (5)

→ Egyptian cuisine: after “Where does the native name appear?”, what about “Egyptian cuisine did not arrive as a single national plate”?

المطبخ المصري is the local name used in this atlas beside Egyptian cuisine. Status still splits between the industrial version of Baladi bread and the household or workshop version no chain quite copies.

→ Ethiopian cuisine: after “paras 1”, what about “Is it always spicy?”?

Weeknight Doro wat is the usual entry to Ethiopian cuisine. Ethiopian cuisine (የኢትዮጵያ ምግብ) grew from injera / niter kibbeh / tej and teff injera. Doro wat is the postcard, not the whole map.

→ French cuisine: after “How do people eat at home?”, what about “closing 1”?

Technique 94 in this atlas is not a compliment to every bistro. It marks mother sauces, pastry lamination, wine pairing and a restaurant culture that trained half the world's fine dining. Restaurant French cuisine is one register. Home pots and market stalls are others. Authenticity is a marketing word; technique is not.

→ Indian cuisine: after “paras 1”, what about “why”?

Tandoori and butter chicken wrote the global menu. Dosa and biryani later corrected it. British chicken tikka masala is a diaspora classic with its own honesty. The UK curry house is a national institution; regional South Indian and Gujarati rooms are the correction.

→ Indonesian cuisine: after “paras 1”, what about “paras 2”?

US cities rarely had Indonesian rooms until recently; Dutch-American and Australian ties are stronger. Sambal is a family, not a bottle. Bird chili, raw or fried, can outrun a curry. Java often sweetens the heat; Padang and Manado do not.

→ Italian cuisine: after “paras 1”, what about “paras 1”?

Soffritto (onion-carrot-celery) and soffritto's southern garlic-chili cousins. Wine and tomato reductions. Pasta al dente is a line in the sand. Pizza should have leopard char and a living dough. Risotto is all'onda — wavy, not a brick.

→ Japanese cuisine: after “paras 1”, what about “paras 1”?

Sushi and ramen colonised the world; washoku's everyday grilled fish did not. Overseas "Japanese" often means spicy tuna rolls that Tokyo would file under American food. Kikkoman, instant ramen and convenience onigiri industrialised the export pantry. Kaiseki tasting rooms abroad sell seasonality at a price that home miso soup never asked for. (5)

→ Korean cuisine: after “paras 1”, what about “paras 1”?

A Korean meal is communal: rice is personal, stews and grills are shared, and banchan are refilled without ceremony. Lettuce and perilla wraps (ssam) turn grilled pork into a handheld course. Soju and makgeolli punctuate barbecue. Elders are poured first; metal chopsticks and a long spoon (sujeo) are the default tools, not a tourist exception. (5)

→ Malaysian cuisine: after “paras 1”, what about “Is it always spicy?”?

Roti canai should flake. Char kway teow needs wok hei and cockles. Nasi lemak rice should be oily with coconut, not plain steamed. Malaysian cuisine is three kitchens in one country: Malay sambal-and-coconut, Chinese-Malaysian hawkers and Indian-Muslim mamak breads. Nasi lemak is the breakfast that politicians call national.

→ Peruvian cuisine: after “What is Peruvian cuisine?”, what about “Is it always spicy?”?

Peruvian cuisine (Cocina peruana) grew from chicha / aji / nixtamal-adjacent corn and potato / corn / rice. Ceviche is the postcard, not the whole map.

→ Filipino cuisine: after “paras 1”, what about “paras 2”?

US Filipino food is dense in California and Hawaii; lumpia and adobo are potluck staples. Bicol express and Mindanao dishes can be hot; most home adobo is not. Spice 52 is mid-atlas: sour and garlic lead.

→ Spanish cuisine: after “What is Spanish cuisine?”, what about “Is it always spicy?”?

Spanish cuisine sits on Roman olive oil, an Andalusi spice-and-rice memory, New World tomato and pepper, and a tapas service that is urban and late. Cocina española is regional long before it is "paella night".

→ Thai cuisine: after “paras 1”, what about “paras 1”?

Pad Thai and green curry colonised the world. Pla ra and proper nam prik did not. Overseas Thai is often sweeter and chicken-heavy. Reverse influence shows up in Bangkok malls as "farang Thai".

→ Vietnamese cuisine: after “paras 2”, what about “paras 1”?

Street orders are shouted and fast. Sit, eat, leave. Lingering is for bia hoi, not the pho stall. Pho and banh mi became global fast-casual. What travels less is the mam pantry and the dawn wet-market clock.

→ Indian cuisine: after “Is it always spicy?”, what about “Are restaurant versions "authentic"?”?

Indian cuisine sits at spice 95 in this atlas. Biryani and Masala dosa show the range better than a single heat number. Chili is late (16th century) and now structural in many kitchens. Heat here outruns Thailand only because black pepper, mustard seed and chili stack; many dishes stay fragrant rather than red.

→ Indonesian cuisine: after “How do people eat at home?”, what about “Are restaurant versions "authentic"?”?

Warung and kaki lima carts are the public kitchen. Nasi goreng is the leftover-rice genius that UNESCO-adjacent campaigns tried to nationalise. The home pantry around Sambal and the labour behind Rendang rarely fit a takeaway box.

→ Italian cuisine: after “closing 1”, what about “Court, village and street cooked on different clocks”?

Status still splits between the industrial version of Al dente and the household or workshop version no chain quite copies. Italian cuisine did not arrive as a single national plate. Its older structure is visible in Neapolitan pizza, Al dente and the regional kitchens that still disagree.

→ Japanese cuisine: after “paras 1”, what about “paras 1”?

Chili is peripheral: shichimi, rayu and Okinawan koregusu. Wasabi, sansho and ginger do the sharp work. Heat is more often temperature — a hissing teppan or a boiling nabe — than capsaicin. Yakitori binchotan and tempura oil control are the craft heats. A home kitchen more often uses a toaster oven and a donabe than a restaurant cypress counter. (9)

→ Korean cuisine: after “paras 2”, what about “paras 2”?

Yellow croaker, pollock and anchovy underwrite jeotgal and soup stocks. Jeju black pig and Hanwoo beef sit at the expensive end of the same agrarian map. Pojangmacha tents and market ajumma stalls still sell sundae, tteokbokki and hotteok after office hours. Delivery apps moved much of that labour indoors without erasing the night row. (9)

→ Korean cuisine: after “paras 2”, what about “paras 2”?

Makgeolli's lactic tang and the sour edge of well-aged kimchi are the same family of microbes. A Korean sauce plate is usually a trio: ssamjang, sesame oil with salt, and raw garlic or chili. Chewy rice cakes (tteok), glass noodles (dangmyeon) in japchae, and the snap of well-fermented napa matter as much as spice. Korean fried chicken is twice-fried for a thin shatter, then tossed in yangnyeom or soy-garlic. (13)

→ Korean cuisine: after “Why so many side dishes?”, what about “What does kimjang mean?”?

Banchan are the meal's vegetable and ferment layer. Restaurants refill them; at home they are yesterday's pickles, namul and a new kimchi. It is a social and restaurant form. Weeknight tables more often hold rice, kimchi and a jjigae or leftover grilled fish. (17)