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Eating the same breakfast again and again every morning, be it delicious poha or avo on toast, can become tedious. Besides, you are not achieving the optimum nutrition you require by having similar breakfasts day after day. While doctors recommend to include a wide array of foods, from protein to fruits, in the first meal of the day, it is easy to run out of ideas regarding how to make it tasty.
Reaching beyond your local palette, there is a world of breakfast to explore. These breakfast ideas will not only provide a hearty and nutritious meal but also enrichen your breakfast game.
1. Okonomiyaki from Japan
Okonomiyaki is a popular Japanese savoury pancake. The name ‘okonomiyaki’ roughly translates to ‘cook what you like’ in Japanese, as it allows for various ingredients. The base typically consists of flour, grated yam, eggs, shredded cabbage, and dashi (a fish-based broth). You can add any leftover ingredients like thinly sliced pork, seafood, or even cheese. Once mixed, the pancake is cooked on a griddle and usually topped with chilli sauce, mayonnaise, seaweed flakes, and bonito flakes.
Here’s the international breakfast recipe for Okonomiyaki:
Ingredients:
Flour
Grated yam
Eggs
Shredded cabbage
Dashi,
Leftovers
Chilli sauce
Mayonnaise
Seaweed flakes
Bonito flakes.
Instructions:
Mix the flour, grated yam, eggs, dashi, and shredded cabbage in a bowl.
Add your choice of optional ingredients.
Cook the batter in a griddle until both sides are golden brown.
Top it off with chilli sauce, mayonnaise, seaweed flakes, and bonito flakes.
2. Shakshuka from Maghreb
Shakshuka is a North African and Middle Eastern dish, popular in Maghreb countries like Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. It's a flavorful tomato and chilli pepper sauce with poached eggs. The sauce often contains ingredients like garlic, onions, cumin, and paprika. It's served in a pan or skillet and eaten with crusty bread.
Here’s the international breakfast recipe for Shakshuka:
Ingredients:
Olive oil
Onions
Garlic
Bell peppers
Tomatoes
Chilli peppers
Cumin
Paprika
Eggs
Salt
Pepper
Instructions:
Sauté onions, garlic, and bell peppers in olive oil in a flat pan.
Add tomatoes, chilli peppers, and spices.
Simmer until the sauce thickens
Make wells in the sauce and crack eggs into them
Cover the pan and cook until the eggs are poached to your liking.
3. Coconut Aapas from Sri Lanka
Coconut Arepas, or Hoppers, are a traditional Sri Lankan breakfast dish. They are similar to South Indian appams but with a coconut twist. The batter is made from rice flour and coconut milk, which is left to ferment. The fermented batter is then poured into a special aappa pan to create soft, lacy, bowl-shaped pancakes.
Here’s the international breakfast recipe for Sri Lankan Aappas:
Ingredients:
Rice flour
Coconut milk
Salt
Sugar
Instructions:
Mix rice flour, coconut milk, salt, and sugar to form a batter.
Allow it to ferment for 5-6 hours.
Pour the fermented batter into a bowl-shaped pan and cook until it's lacy and golden brown.
4. The Big Fry-Up from England
‘The Big Fry-Up’ is a hearty breakfast enjoyed throughout the Anglosphere, from Canada to Australia. Originally from the UK, a ‘big fry-up’ is a full English breakfast. It includes eggs, bacon, sausages, baked beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, toast, and tea or coffee. Safe to day, it's a substantial and indulgent breakfast.
Here’s the international breakfast recipe for an English breakfast:
Ingredients:
Eggs
Bacon
Sausages
Baked beans
Tomatoes
Mushrooms
Bread.
Instructions:
Separately cook eggs, bacon, sausages, tomatoes, and mushrooms in a pan on the stove.
Heat or reheat the baked beans as you prefer.
Toast some slices of bread over butter.
Serve all components on a plate for a full English breakfast.
5. Attieke from Côte d'Ivoire
Attieke is a popular breakfast dish in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana in Africa. It is made from fermented cassava. The cassava is first grated and fermented, and then steamed or cooked to prepare Attieke. It's typically served with a tomato and pepper sauce or grilled fish and can be accompanied by vegetables.
Here’s the international breakfast recipe for Attieke:
Ingredients:
Cassava
Tomatoes
Peppers
Onions
Oil
Grilled fish
Vegetables (optional)
Instructions:
Grate cassava and steam or cook it.
Prepare a tomato and pepper sauce with onions.
Serve the attieke with the sauce and optional grilled fish or vegetables.
6. Oladi- Fermented Pancakes from Russia
Oladi are Russian pancakes similar to American pancakes but thicker and fluffier. They are made with kefir, a fermented milk product, and often include ingredients like vanilla, sugar, and sometimes raisins. They are served with sour cream, jam, or honey.
Here’s the international breakfast recipe for Oladi Pancakes:
Ingredients:
Flour
Kefir
Sugar
Eggs
Vanilla
Salt
Baking soda
Raisins (optional)
Instructions:
Mix flour, kefir, sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and baking soda. Add raisins if desired.
Cook spoonfuls of the batter on a griddle until golden brown.
Serve topped with sourcream, honey, or any berry jam
7. Ciambella from Italy
Ciambella is an Italian breakfast cake that's similar to a ring-shaped pound cake. It's made with ingredients like flour, eggs, sugar, and lemon zest. The cake is often flavoured with vanilla or citrus and is typically served with coffee or tea.
Here’s the international breakfast recipe for Ciambella:
Ingredients:
Flour
Eggs
Sugar
Powdered Sugar
Lemon zest
Baking powder
Vanilla extract
Instructions:
Mix flour, eggs, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, and vanilla
Pour the batter in a ring-shaped cake mould
Bake the mixture in the oven until it's golden brown.
Serve alongside a cappuccino and topped with some powdered sugar.
8. Revuelto Gramajo from Argentina
Revuelto Gramajo is an Argentine breakfast dish made with scrambled eggs, ham, and French fries. It's a savoury dish that's often seasoned with paprika, salt, and pepper.
Here’s the international breakfast recipe for Revuelto Gramajo:
Ingredients:
Eggs
Ham (optional)
French fries
Veggies
Oil
Paprika
Salt
Pepper
Instructions:
Fry the French fries in oil with ham (optional).
Cook some veggies like tomato and onions in a pan.
Scramble the eggs and mix them with the veggies and fries.
Season the mixture with paprika, salt, and pepper after plating.
9. Biscuits and Gravy from the USA
Biscuits and gravy is a classic American breakfast dish. It consists of soft biscuits (similar to scones) smothered in a creamy white gravy made from milk, butter, and sausage drippings. It's a hearty and indulgent breakfast, especially in the Southern United States.
Here’s the international breakfast recipe for biscuits and gravy:
Ingredients:
Biscuits
Milk
Butter
Sausage
Flour
Salt
Pepper
Instructions:
In a large skillet or pan, cook the ground pork sausage .
Sprinkle the flour over the cooked sausage in the pan and stir well.
Once the flour is cooked, gradually pour in the whole milk while stirring constantly. Once it thickens, the gravy is ready.
Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste.
Split the biscuits in half and ladle the creamy sausage gravy over the top.
10. Gallo Pinto from Nicaragua
Gallo Pinto is a traditional Nicaraguan breakfast dish made with rice and beans. The rice and beans are cooked together with onions, bell peppers, and spices. It's often served with eggs, cheese, and tortillas.
Here’s the international breakfast recipe for Gallo Pinto:
Ingredients:
Rice
Black beans
Onions
Bell peppers
Garlic
Oil
Cumin
Salt
Pepper
Eggs
Cheese
Tortillas
Sliced lemon
Instructions:
Cook rice and beans separately
Sauté onions, bell peppers, and garlic in a pan.
Combine the rice, beans, and sautéed vegetables.
Season with cumin, salt, and pepper.
Serve with eggs, cheese, lemon slice, and tortillas.
International Breakfast Recipes Made Easy
There is a misconception that continental breakfasts or foods from another country are difficult to procure the ingredients for and prepare. However, in this digital era, every ingredient can be found within a few clicks. So why not make the best of it and try out a plethora or cuisines for your breakfast meal.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it shouldn’t be mundane. It should be exciting and colourful and mouth-watering. Try out some of these aforementioned international breakfast recipes and find out that they are not only easy to make but also scrumptious to taste!