Taste the World with 7 Effortless Comfort Food recipes You Can Make at Home

Comfort food is often the culinary equivalent of a warm hug—nostalgic, satisfying, and deeply personal. Each culture has its unique dishes that offer solace and satisfaction. With the cool showers and refreshing fragrance of the wet earth here for a couple of months, this season somehow seems to be the perfect time to sample some of these comfort recipes.

Here's a journey through seven comfort foods from around the world that you can try making at home.

1. Macaroni and Cheese, Italy | USA
Macaroni and cheese, or simply "mac and cheese," travelled all the way from Italy to America during the colonial period. A recipe which is said to have been perfected by President Thomas Jefferson’s slave, James Hemmings, was then popularised by Mary Randolph—a popular Southern American cook—in her book ‘The Virginia House-wife’. Quite interesting isn’t it for a pretty simple comfort dish to reach us like this?

To make it at home:
1. Cook about 250g of macaroni and set aside.
2. In a saucepan, melt ¼ cup butter over medium heat. Stir in 2 ½ tbsp all-purpose flour to make a roux and cook for about 1 minute.
3. Gradually add 3 cups of milk, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.
4. Add the cheese—2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese and ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Combine the sauce with the cooked macaroni and mix well. Serve hot.

2. Pan con Tomate, Spain
Pan con Tomate is the humblest of tapas—a small, usually Spanish savoury dish—we might know, made with select ingredients, readily available around the kitchen. Originally identified as a traditional Catalonian snack, Pan con Tomate burrowed its way into Spanish cuisine. The tapas is supposed to be made in a particular order, garlic first, followed by the tomatoes, a pinch of salt and then a final drizzle of olive oil.

To make it at home:
1. Toast 4 sourdough bread slices until golden and crispy on butter.
2. Rub a cut garlic clove on one side of each toasted bread slice. You'd need about 4 cloves of garlic.
3. Cut a tomato in half and rub it on the toasted bread slice as well, squeezing gently to release the juice and pulp. You'd need only 1 tomato for this.
4. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately. Depending on your preference you could add cheese to this as well.

3. Ramen, Japan
Ramen, as we all know, is a Japanese noodle soup dish that has recently gained international popularity. However, did you know it is an adaptation of Chinese wheat noodle soup? China in the 1800s was the birthplace of all things Ramen and it was the Chinese immigrants who introduced the dish in Japan in the 19th or early 20th century. And well, as they say, the rest is history.

To make it at home:
1. Bring about 4 cups of broth (vegetarian/chicken) to a simmer in a pot. Stir in 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp miso paste until dissolved.
2. Cook 2 packs of ramen noodles - you can use the readily available store-bought instant noodles as well.
3. Pour the broth over the noodles and top with 2 boiled eggs, sliced in half, sliced fried chicken, some chopped green onions, nori—which you can get your hands on from an online store. You can add some corn kernels and mung bean sprouts if you fancy. Serve hot.

4. Shakshuka, Middle East | North Africa
Shakshuka, originally a Tunisian dish, meaning ‘a mixture’ or ‘shaken’, is a dish of poached eggs in a sauce of tomatoes, chilli peppers, and onions, often spiced with cumin. It's a popular breakfast dish across the Middle East and North Africa, often served in a cast iron pan, with a side of bread to absorb the sauce. Back in time, the Yemeniare also believed to have served vegetarian versions of the Shakshuka.

To make it at home:
1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil or regular cooking oil, and sauté 1 finely chopped onion and 1 diced bell pepper until soft.
2. Add 2 minced cloves of garlic, along with 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp paprika and ½ tsp cayenne pepper and cook for another minute.
3. Pour in 400g of crushed tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
4. Make small wells in the sauce and crack open 4-6 eggs into them. Cover and cook until the eggs are set.
5. Garnish with fresh coriander or parsley and serve with crusty bread.

5. Khichdi, India
Imagine a hot bowl of homemade khichdi on a rainy day. A rice preparation with the simplest ingredients, that just turns into a wholesome meal, complete with a dollop of ghee. Well, if you're feeling experimental, you can try adding veggies of your choice to the rice, while it cooks. Serve it with some pickle and papadums, on the side. Follow it up with a cosy afternoon nap. And that's your rainy day!

To make it at home:
1. Rinse ½ cup rice and ½ cup lentils (split yellow moong dal) together and set aside.
2. In a pressure cooker or large pot, heat 1 tsp ghee or oil and add 1 tsp of cumin seeds.
3. Add 1 chopped onion and sauté until golden brown.
4. Add the vegetables - 1 diced carrot, 1 diced potato and 1 chopped tomato and cook for a few minutes.
5. Add the soaked rice and lentils to the pot.
6. Add ½ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of red chilli powder, pinch of asafoetida and salt to taste. Add enough water to cover the mixture.
7. Cook under pressure for 3 whistles or simmer until the rice and lentils are soft and creamy.
8. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot, with a dollop of ghee on top and papadums.

6. Gratin Dauphinois, France
Gratin Dauphinois is a creamy and cheesy potato dish from the Dauphiné region of France. It dates back to 1788, when it was served for the first time at a dinner hosted by Charles-Henri, the then Duke of Clermont-Tonnerre and Lieutenant-general of the Dauphiné region of France. While Gratin Dauphinois is a potato dish too, it is quite different from Pommes Dauphine, which uses boiled potatoes, unlike the raw potatoes used in Gratin Dauphinois.

To make it at home:
1. Preheat the oven to 175°C.
2. Grease a baking dish with butter, as required.
3. In a saucepan, combine 2 cups of heavy fresh cream, 1 cup milk, 2 minced cloves of garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer.
4. Thinly slice 5-6 potatoes and layer them in the baking dish greased with butter.
5. Pour some of the cream mixture over each layer. (note: Keep pouring the cream mixture between the potato layers.)
6. Sprinkle 1 cup of your favourite cheese over the top.
7. Bake for 1 hour, until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown. Let it cool slightly before serving

7. Poutine, Canada

Poutine is a Canadian dish that originated in Quebec in the late 1950s. It is said that Fernand Lachance, a restaurateur and owner of ‘Le Lutin qui rit’ in Warwick, Quebec created this dish at the request of a regular customer. It's a simple but delectable combination of French fries topped with cheese curds and smothered in gravy. The dish is widely popular in Canada and has many variations, including those with additional toppings like minced chicken or bacon bites.

To make it at home:
1. Heat oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 175°C, or just choose an air-fryer if you're conscious about your health.
2. Add in about 200g of store-bought french fries until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
3. Heat up a pan and fry ½ tsp of minced garlic and ½ a thinly sliced onion. Add in your favourite seasons and ½ cup of minced chicken. Toss it all together and let it cook for a little while.
4. Place the fries on a serving plate, and sprinkle with 1 cup of your favourite cheese. Pour hot chicken mince gravy over the top. Serve immediately.

So, gather your ingredients, follow the recipes, and enjoy a comforting meal that bridges the gap between cultures and kitchens.