--- Learn cooking techniques from across Asia with Diana Chan on the brand-new second season of , premieres Thursday 28 January on SBS Food, or stream it on SBS On Demand ---
‘Surf ‘n’ turf’ became a thing in the 1960s in the US, with a lobster tail-topped steak common on menus in New England. An advert which ran in The Lowell Sun in January 1966 for ‘The Continental’ restaurant, claimed that the "Surf ‘N Turf" on their menu was a “Continental original”. Whether they were the first to pop a seafood top on a steak bottom is lost in history, but one thing we do know is that cultures from all over the world were mixing seafood and meat long before the US itself was even a thing.
We've rounded up some of the world's best surf and turf combinations to tempt you over to the dark side. Just quietly, these traditional versions of surf and turf might even tempt the food snobs...
On , Diogo Ferreira cooked , a classic Portuguese recipe that "has to be on the table" at any gathering. His mother, Lucia, is from the Alentejo province where this classic dish of pork and clams originated. Allow your meat to marinate for a few hours so you can get the complete flavour experience. With an extra splash of wine and some fried spuds, add in your pippies and give it a quick toss and be sure to serve it with bread to mop up all that sauce.
Pork and pippies (carne de porco a alentejana) Source: Food Safari Water
"Get your hands dirty," says Dai Duong. Similar bouncy texture to a fish cake, combine green prawns with pork fat before squeezing them around your sugarcane and popping them onto your barbecue or grill. Wrap your meat in a fresh mustard leaf to serve and the best part comes right at the end - when you get to chew on your juicy sugarcane.
Sugarcane prawns {Chaọ tôm) Source: Sharyn Cairns
Could be the most famous surf and turf recipe of all? There are as many versions of the original Valencian paella as there are cooks. Most mix seafood and chicken, but some versions add or pork sausage into the dish as well.
Paella with crab, prawns and chicken (paella mixta) Source: Alan Benson
Jjamppong is Korea's entry
A spicy noodle soup that's loaded with squid, mussels and pork. The dish is spiced up with a big hit of , Korea's fiery chilli powder.
Common ingredients in Jjamppong are onions, garlic, zucchinis carrots, cabbages, squid, mussels and pork. Source: Getty Images
Fish sauce plays a pivotal roll in producing the distinctive flavour of a . Combine the salty brine of the fish sauce with the sweetness of pork and Vietnam was onto a winner. creates a pork terrine that takes the banh mi next-level.
Nothing beats a bahn mi for lunch. Source: Luke Nguyen's Vietnam
Putting grilled pork belly on a fresh pile of ceviche might sound like sacrilege to a Peruvian but to Filipinos it's a way of life and it's called sinuglaw. The compilmentary action here is easy to see, sharp and refreshing ceviche paired with fatty grilled pork: a match made in heaven we say. Here we have Diana Chan's recipe from the brand-new second season of Asia Unplated.
For more Filipino food stories check out .
Sinuglaw (Pork belly with ceviche) Source: Andrew Dorn
Duck fat meets salmon and gets along very well... Of course, you could always use a vegetable-based fat to make , but if the Ministère de l'agriculture, de l'agroalimentaire et de la forêt come calling, duck for cover.
Salmon pâté makes a delicious canapé for a dinner party or cocktail soirée. Source: Ben Dearnley
originated in New Orleans and is a magical blending of Spanish, French and Creole flavours. In its infancy it was an attempt by the Spanish to make paella in the 'new world', substituting tomatoes for saffron, which wasn't readily available. Later influenced by the French, African, Caribbeans and Creoles gave the dish its unique taste, but rest assured there is no 'one way' to make . Every cook makes it according to what they have on hand right now - vegetables, meat and seafood combined.
Jambayala is cooked in one large pot, traditionally over a fire. It's the ultimate feast for a crowd. Source: SBS Food
A stew that combines lobster, clams and mussels with pork belly and chorizo had to be on the list. The flavour is a mix between a North African tagine and a Spanish paella. Just like paella, actually refers to the pot the dish is cooked in.
If you don't have ready access to a cataplana, substitute a wide pot or sauté pan. Source: Destination Flavour
is the dish that is taking over the world one street stall and restaurant at a time. Could it be due to the irresistible combination of dried shrimp, prawns and chicken or beef (depending on the Thai takeaway menu!)?
The Pad Thai ingredients list may be long, but preparation time is remarkably short. Source: SBS Food
