Fusion cuisine: enjoy the best of different worlds

What is Fusion Cuisine?

Good fusion cuisine mixes ingredients and cooking techniques from different cultures in a way that comes together well, creating a unique dish with fresh flavour combinations.

One cannot pinpoint the roots of fusion cuisine history to a specific era. What we do know is that for centuries human beings have been exchanging culinary heritage. In the 1970s, fusion cuisine became popular through French chefs who began to produce dishes that merged classic French cuisine with Asian cuisine, particularly Vietnamese and Chinese dishes. The practice immediately caught on in other major European cities, as well as on American shores. There are different categories of fusion food: Western Asian fusion food, Tex Mex, Indo-Mexican, and Cajun.

Top 10 fusion foods

From butter masala chicken turned nachos toppings to Mexican style lasagne, these creative recipes make some of the best fusion cuisines we could find.

1.     Fish Tacos

Taco night is always an event, and if you want to try a new twist on Tacos, this might be the recipe for you. This fish tacos fusion recipe combines Mexico’s native tacos with tilapia fish (originally from Mozambique but has become a part of English and Australian cuisine) for a creamy and crunchy meal.

2.    Satay Chicken Banh Mi

These filling baguettes blend Malaysian satay chicken with Vietnamese banh mi (a combination of French and Vietnamese cuisine in and of itself!). The combination of tender chicken in peanut satay sauce, fast pickled veggies, and a crisp baguette makes for a memorable supper.

3.    Butter masala chicken nachos

Nachos are an all-time favourite, especially for family gatherings or match-day snacking. This Indo-Mexican recipe combines butter chicken and corn chips for a new take on Nachos. After making your butter chicken masala topping, layer them on corn chips and top with crispy chickpeas, avocado, tomato and coriander. Add cheese and grill the dish until the cheese is melted for a flavourful snack that will keep your guests coming for more.

4.    Mexican lasagne

Mexican lasagna, aka Taco Lasagna or Mexican casserole, is a mixture of Mexican flavour with a classic Italian dish. Instead of using lasagna sheets, the recipes use tortillas to layer together with ground beef, salsa in place of sauce, beans instead of béchamel, and mild cheddar and jack cheese instead of ricotta and parmesan.

5.    Ube Waffles with Crisp chicken

This Asian American recipe is perfect for brunch in Spring with the colour and excitement that it brings. Make Ube waffles by adding purple yam powder and extract. The sweet waffles complement the crispy, salty oven-baked chicken wonderfully. You can add strawberries and grapes or syrup for more flavour.

6.    Teriyaki Chicken Tacos

This 30-minute chicken dish combines Japanese and Mexican street cuisine, which is a  fantastic way to enjoy family favourite teriyaki chicken.

Wrap savoury-sweet teriyaki chicken in Mexican tortillas for a delectable take on tacos to spice things up. Shredded nori and roasted sesame seeds provide some texture to the Asian flavours.

7.    Tikka Masala Vegetarian Pies

In a rich and nutritious tikka masala sauce, this vegan ‘Chicken’ Tikka Masala Pot Pie is packed with juicy chunks of vegan chicken and green peppers and topped with a crispy, golden pie crust.

8.    Asian Fusion Chicken Burger

This recipe for Chicken Burgers combines Asian and Indian flavours while adding strawberry mango salsa and mint to the mix for unique tastes.  Marinade chicken in ginger, cumin, turmeric, sriracha sauce and cilantro; then, once grilled, add the chicken breast to a bun and top with the salsa.

9.    Turkey Meatball Pad Thai

This 30-minute recipe combines Pad Thai sauce with turkey mince meatballs for a mouth-watering fusion dish. Pair with rice noodles, add lime wedges, roasted peanuts, sliced red chilli and roasted peanuts to serve.

10.   Ramen Carbonara

Ramen’s roots are debatable. Some say that the orange noodle and clear broth come from the Japanese culinary scene, while others might attribute it to the yellow, saltier, and chewy Chinese noodle. As for the carbonara, some say it was a dish of the Apennine charcoal burners, while others say it was brought to Italy by American soldiers during WWII.

For this ramen carbonara, all you need is instant ramen, bacon, cheese, butter, and egg.

If you are ready to try a simple fusion dinner for tonight, check out this combination: Chicken legs and fennel throw stuffed with pistachios and apricots.