A Case for Fusion Cuisine
We are living in a wonderful age. At this moment, we have the energy supply, the infrastructure and the awareness to make foods from all parts of the world available on our very doorstep. I can easily order authentic Malaysian food today, have Ethiopian food tomorrow for lunch, and purchase exotic spices to be shipped right to my door the day after, without missing a beat. This is truly the best of times for foodies living in first world countries. This new world gives us a truly amazing opportunity at a scale we’ve never seen before. We have the ability to create foods from combinations of ingredients and ideas that could not even be conceived of yesterday. We have the ability to create amazing Fusion Cuisine.
What is Fusion Cuisine? Fusion Cuisine is a mix of two or more traditional cuisines. Spicy Curry Hummus, Korean Gochujang Pasta Salad and Paprika Lime Pork Chops are examples of dishes that I personally cook on a regular basis. Ingredients, cooking techniques and serving styles from different cultures can be combined to create wonderful fusion meals. Other fusion ideas include Jamaican Jerk Sandwich, Tikka Masala Pizza, Korean Tofu Noodle Soup and Currywurst Sandwich.
Many people have a love-hate relationship with fusion foods. People tend to shy away from fusion cuisine because they believe it is not authentic. And it’s not. It’s not meant to be. Why try fusion cuisine? Because fusion cuisine takes the best of different cultures and combines them to produce something unique and delicious! Isn’t that what we are all looking for in our meals after all? Fusion cooking does not have the taboos or restrictions that traditional cuisine must abide by; fusion cuisine can do as it wishes to produce the best possible outcome. With fusion cooking, we can make traditional meals more healthy. Instead of deep frying, we can bake our fried chicken and empanadas. We can also make our meals more convenient. Instead of grilling, we can bake our teriyaki chicken. Instead of cooking on the stove top, we can bake our pork chops and oven roast of Greek Lemon Potatoes, and utilize the time spent attending to the meal doing something else that begs our attention — like helping the kids with their homework.
Fusion cuisine has been around for many years. As people started to travel, it became inevitable that flavors of different countries would mix. There are countries that have grown up with fusion cuisine as part of their tradition such as Malaysia, mixing Indian, Chinese, Malay and Thai flavors. Others like Vietnam have seen a French influence in their meals for many years. India has been enjoying chili peppers introduced by traders in the 15th century from Central and South America. None of the foods that these cultures cherish so dearly would have been the same without the mixing of foreign ingredients and ideas.
So why try fusion cooking? Because it takes advantage of the best of different cultures to create wonderful healthy, delicious, quicker-than-traditional meals. So go ahead, add some soy sauce to that Pasta Sauce!
Author Bio: Melissa Yap is a principal contributor of the recipe blogging site fusionrecipes.com. Originally from Malaysia, she has been unknowingly enjoying fusion meals most of her life. Being married to a Canadian who is willing to try new foods, she has found the freedom to create wonderful and unique meals for her family using even more non-traditional cooking methods and ingredients. Her family’s favorite meal is Taiwanese Inspired Three Cup Chicken with Potatoes.
