It's hard to talk about national Australian cuisine, considering that modern traditions developed just nearly a couple of hundred years ago. And Aboriginal customs have been erased in places. Nevertheless, Australia continues to adhere to a special rule - everything must be original.
In Australia you'll find some of the most commonplace dishes like hot dogs and pizza. And something so unusual, it's a wonder to behold. They cook sharks and crocodiles, crabs and oysters, possums and kangaroos. And ostrich meat is not even considered a delicacy - just a local version of chicken. In recent years, the popularity of Asian cuisine has been growing, and British traditional cuisine has also had an influence on the country. From this wild sweep grows something completely its own, original, Australian.
The original national dishes of Australia have preserved the recipe from the time of the locals. The very nature of the country, its flora and fauna, allowed to create such original menus. Here are a few dishes of the southern continent, both quite unusual and more familiar to us:
Kangaroo meat - despite being considered the country's national symbol, kangaroos are eaten. And quite successfully at that. Anything from roasts to meat soups can include this ingredient.
Chickens Melbourne - Chicken is roasted in olive oil, the tender meat served in a pink sauce.
Australian meat pie is a national dish that is considered both simple, common and special. Each region prepares it differently. Essentially an uncomplicated and hearty appetizer in many restaurants and simpler establishments. The pie is filled with minced meat, occasionally with onions and vegetable additions.
Vegemite is a thick, dark paste made from yeast extracts. It has a salty taste with a slight beer flavor and is often used as a spread for bread and toast.
Fried Barramundi fish is a large freshwater fish that is commonly fried and served as a main course in many restaurants.
Crocodile - Crocodile roast, crocodile stew, you can find dishes made from this reptile all over Australia. While it may be considered an exotic dish in some countries, it's quite common here.
Lamington is a sweet dessert consisting of a sponge cake covered in chocolate icing and sprinkled with coconut shavings.
Australian dark rum Bundaberg Rum (Bundy) is a popular strong drink produced in the northern regions of the country.
Wines of Australia are a distinct area of the world's spirits industry. Vineyards abound in the southern regions of the country, and there's plenty of wine of all kinds, making the wine industry quite prosperous.
Beer - despite its simplicity, beer is almost idolized in Australia, perhaps because of the hot climate where a cold foamy drink is quite refreshing, as long as it's not abused.
