Asian food refers to the cooking traditions and practices of peoples in southern Asia and other parts of the world. Asian food has come to be recognized as a world-wide favorite since the early 20th century. There is an increasing awareness of Asian foods in Western society, though this has been helped by the increased popularity of Sushi restaurants. Westerners are now catching on to the fact that Asian food traditions have much more to offer than just delicious food.
Some of the popular Asian foods include Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, and Indonesian dishes. Chinese is perhaps the most well-known Chinese cuisine, and it is represented by the ubiquitous’Panda Express’ which is a huge roll of dough filled with multiple chilies, onions, sesame seeds, and topped with a generous amount of minced beef and noodles. Japanese food is fast emerging as one of the most popular international cuisines in the world, with sushi being perhaps the most famous dish among Japanese people. Many people are turning to Indian food for its healthy, balanced and tasty dishes. And Thai dishes have become increasingly popular not only in East Asia but in the West as well.
Some Asian foods are quite hard to find outside of Asia. This is especially true of seafood, which is relatively scarce in China and Japan and readily available in much larger parts of Asia, South America, and the Pacific regions. Westerners have learned to appreciate and create their own versions of traditional Asian dishes, like stir-fry (or stir-fried dishes with vegetables and meat) and chicken kebabs. Western cooking is currently enjoying a renaissance of its own when it comes to Asian food preparations, although Indian and Sri Lankan cuisine continues to enjoy widespread popularity across the world. In the coming years, Asian food will probably continue to expand both within and outside of Asia, bringing new flavors and recipes to help expand the boundaries of traditional cuisines.