HOW PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD EAT THEIR WAYS THROUGH THE HEAT OF SUMMER

1. American - Classic Potato Salad 

The excellent side dish for the approaching summer is classic American potato salad! A combination of hard boiled eggs, vegetables, and seasonings is hard to resist. This classic potato salad is flaky, creamy, and oh-so-delicious on its own or as part of a summer picnic meal! You may also add extra tanginess to the conventional mayonnaise base by serving it some sliced dill pickles and pickle brine.

Image Credit: Delish 

What Will You Need To Make This Potato Salad?  

• 4-5 peeled small russet potatoes 

• 1/4 cup sliced celery 

• 1/4 diced onion 

• 1 tbsp distilled vinegar

• 1/4 tsp salt and black pepper 

• 3 diced hard boiled eggs 

• 1/3 cup mayo

• 1 tsp mustard

• 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish

2. India - Mor Kuzhambu

Mor Kuzhambu is a popular buttermilk or yogurt-based curry that is prepared in almost all South Indian families. Mor Kuzhambu can be made with or without coconut and it has a spicy and refreshing sour taste, it might not count as a dish dedicated for summer, but it is still known to have the benefit of hydrating and cooling down the body. To make this dish more wholesome and filling, you can also add in some summer vegetables or just serve it along with rice to make a light refreshing summer meal.

Image Credit: Nam Business 

What Will You Need To Make This Mor Kuzhambu? 

• 1 cup unsweetened yogurt
  ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1 teaspoon chopped ginger

• Salt 

• 1 cup cubed yellow pumpkin

• 2 teaspoon yellow pigeon peas lentil

• 1 teaspoon white rice

• 2 whole green chili and 2-3 dry red chili 

• ½ cup chopped coconut

• 8-10 curry leaves

• 2 teaspoon coconut oil

• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds

• ¼ teaspoon asafoetida

• 10-12 whole curry leaves 

3. Korea - Samgyetang (삼계탕)

This healthy, boiling Samgyetang (삼계탕) soup can be translated directly into hot ginseng chicken soup, and it is well known in Korea as the classic and must-have food to beat the summer heat. Sam(삼) refers to ginseng (insam, 인삼), gye (계) means chicken, and finally, tang (탕) means soup. Samgyetang (삼계탕) features the combination of ginseng, young chicken for more tender-and-tastiness, glutinous rice, jujube and herbs which make the broth more rich and delicious, makes it a complete dish with a high nutritional value, an ideal healthy, restorative meal to recover from exhausting sambok(삼복) days which mark the hottest summer period.

Image Credit: Korean Bapsang 

What Will You Need To Make This Samgyetang (삼계탕)? 

Ingredients: 

• 1 Cornish hen 

• 1 fresh or dried ginseng root 

• 1//2 small onion

• 3 tablespoons sweet rice 

• 5 - 6 plump garlic cloves

• 2 thin ginger slices 

• 2 to 3 jujubes, daechu (대추)

• 1 scallion white part

• 5 to 6 cups of water or chicken stock if possible) 

• 2 finely chopped scallions (Optional, for garnish) 

• Salt and pepper 

4. Japan - Somen Noodles (そうめん)  

It may be unusual to be served cold noodles, however, cold Somen Noodles (そうめん) is considered to be Japan’s traditional summer meal that is loved not just by Japanese people but also many food lovers that are looking for a way to cool down hot days. People describe the feeling of being able to slurp on the long strands of chilled slippery somen noodles with the sweet-savory tsuyu sauce when it is above 33  degrees outside to be extremely satisfying. 

You may also add ginger or wasabi to make the sauce even tastier with that extra spiciness; this will also assist in preparing your stomach if you are not used to eating cold meals. It's a terrific alternative to a cold beverage.

Image Credit: The Spruce Eats 

What Will You Need To Make This Somen Noodles (そうめん) ? 

Ingredients: 

• 4 bundles of dried somen noodles

Toppings:

• 1 knob ginger (½ inch, 1.3 cm)
  1 green onion/scallion
  shiso leaves (perilla/ooba) (thinly sliced, optional)

• myoga ginger (thinly sliced, optional)

Dipping Sauce:

• ¼ cup mentsuyu/tsuyu (concentrated noodle soup base) 

• ½-1 cup iced water (needed only if you use concentrated mentsuyu)

5. China - Liangfen-Chinese Jelly Noodles  (凉粉)

Liangfen (凉粉) is one type of crystal, smooth and cool jelly noodles that is often consumed in Sichuan and Qingha, China or around the Northern China areas. It consists of slices or strips of jelly that are commonly made from wheat starch, pea starch, sweet potato starch or mung bean starch and tossed in a savory, spicy sauce including soy sauce, vinegar, minced garlic, ginger, sesame paste, and chili oil. People also add in peanuts, daikon radish, and carrot strips for the taste to become more refreshing. 

As liang (凉) means cold and fen (粉) means noodles, the name of the dish have shown that it is often  served cold, but it can also be stir-fried. The balance of textures and flavors; the mildness and smoothness of the cold jelly accompany the spicy sauce and garnishings perfectly into an irresistible summer meal. 

Image Credit: Madeleine's Kitchen 

What Will You Need To Make This Liangfen-Chinese Jelly Noodles (凉粉)? 

Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorn

• 3 ginger slices 

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1/2 cucumber

• 2-3 tbsp Chili Oil

• 1 tsp crushed peanuts

• Spicy green peppers slices 

• 2 cloves garlic

• Parsley

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

• 2 green onions

6. Mexico - Veggie Grilled Steak Tacos (Carne Asada Tacos)

Unlike Chinese liangfen (涼粉）or Japan cold somen noodles (そうめん)  that bring the breeze for the hot days, when summer be around the corner in Mexico, it is time to turn up or grill and enjoy that sizzling sound from the meat that will be put in Carne Asada tacos, also known as the best summer tacos. As fancy as it feels to put grilled steak in a taco, there’s nothing overly complicated about this recipe; Carne Asada tacos are primarily about assembling, and as long as you have all the freshest ingredients, the chance of failing is as low as 0%. 

Image Credit: Downshiftology 

What Will You Need To Make This Make Carne Asada Tacos? 

Ingredients: 

• Carne asada

• Guacamole

• Chopped white onion

• Roughly chopped cilantro

• Corn tortillas

7. Greece - Greek Island Chicken Shish Kebabs (Σουβλάκι)

Summer is the start of the grilling season, if you haven't known! And chicken shish kebab skewers are a traditional supper choice that Greece people enjoy adding in their summer grilled meal bucket list. Marinated chicken and refreshing summer vegetables are strung onto skewers and grilled to perfection in order to make these perfect chicken kebabs. This recipe is so simple to prepare that you can even bake it in the oven and avoid the kitchen heat! Isn't struggling with a difficult dish is the last thing you want to do on a hot day?

Image Credit: Spark People 

What Will You Need To Make This Chicken Shish Kebabs (Σουβλάκι)? 

Ingredients: 

• 1 pound chicken breasts

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 2 teaspoons honey

• 4 minced garlic cloves 

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

• 2 teaspoons dried thyme or dried rosemary

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 quartered small red onion

• 1 sliced small zucchini (into 1/2-inch coins)

• 1 sliced small summer squash (into 1/2-inch coins)

• 1 seeded and sliced red bell pepper (into 1/2-inch coins)

• Canola oil 

• Lemon wedges 

• Chopped fresh herbs of choice

• Crumbled feta cheese

Credit: 

Kyuhoshi 

Taste Of Home 

Suprabha S Matt (Archana's Kitchen) 

Vincenzo (Kimchi And Basil) 

Elaine (China Sichuan Food) 

Carl Hanson (All Recipes)

Jessica Gavin 

Amanda Cook And Styles 

Whisk Affair 

Korean Bapsang 

Just One Cookbook 

Yum Of China 

Taste Atlas 

The Modern Proper

Well Plated  

Dinner At The Zoo