Rice Dishes

🇰🇷South Korea

Yaksik

약식

Yaksik, glutinous rice steamed with jujube, chestnut, honey and sesame oil into a dark sweet block, is a named Korean ceremonial dish.

🇨🇳Jiangsu, China

Yangzhou Fried Rice

扬州炒饭

Day-old rice fried with egg, small prawns, diced ham, peas and spring onion, each grain separate and lightly gilded.

🇭🇰Hong Kong

Yin Yang Fried Rice

鴛鴦飯

A cha chaan teng plate of fried rice split into two — tomato-glazed and white-sauce halves.

🇬🇼Guinea-Bissau

Yogurt Rice

Arroz com Iogurte

A Guinea-Bissau rice preparation cooked or served with fermented yogurt, known locally as Badadji.

🇲🇱Mali

Zaamè

The Malian version of jollof rice, called zaamè in Bamanankan; rice cooked in a single pot with tomatoes, onions, chili, and meat (chicken, beef, or mutton); the Malian style has a special way of cooking that distinguishes it from Nigerian, Senegalese, and Ghanaian versions; a fragrant, flavorful rice dish; a staple of celebrations and everyday meals.

🇦🇫Afghanistan

Zamarod Pulao

زمرد پلو

Rice cooked with a purée of spinach and dill until it turns emerald green, served with lamb.

🇵🇰Pakistan

Zarda

زردہ

Sweet saffron-yellow rice cooked with sugar syrup, ghee, nuts, dried fruit and sometimes tiny sweet balls, served at weddings.

🇮🇷Iran

Zereshk Polo

زرشک پلو

Saffron rice topped with barberries fried briefly in butter and sugar, served with chicken braised in saffron and onion.

🇧🇹Bhutan

Zow Shungo

ཟོ་ཤུང་གོ

Leftover rice fried up with whatever vegetables are left from the previous meal, chilli and cheese.

🇾🇪Hadhramaut, Yemen

Zurbiyan

Lamb and rice layered with saffron, yogurt and fried onion and steamed together until the rice takes the colour in patches.

🇷🇸Serbia

Đuveč

Ђувеч

Rice baked slowly with pork or lamb, peppers, tomato, aubergine and paprika until the liquid is gone and the top browns.

🇹🇷Turkey

İç pilav

İç pilav is the Ottoman celebration rice studded with chicken liver, currants and pine nuts — served at weddings, never plain.