42 Exotic recipes from around the world for festive and holiday seasons

Khaman Dhokla is a steamed savoury cake that is made of chickpea flour and drizzled with spicy lemony oil. This Gujarati dish is traditionally enjoyed for breakfast, holidays, happy festive celebrations and weddings.

These traditional Northern Italian sweet ravioli are a unique and delicious way to serve pasta. They are filled with prunes, figs and ricotta and served with melted butter, cinnamon and sugar! Traditional for holidays and at Christmas! 

Rommegrot is a Scandinavian dish served around the holidays! It's a milk and flour porridge that's delicious served with melted butter and cinnamon sugar.

A holiday favourite in Sweden, the Swedish Tea Ring is a sweet pastry filled with brown sugar, spices, and almond paste, and topped with buttercream frosting. The beautiful wreath-shaped pastry is perfect for serving for breakfast Christmas morning.

These crispy and tasty potato latkes are traditional in Eastern European Jewish households. They are usually associated with Hanukkah but are so good you'll want them all year round!

This spicy cucumber and tomato salad is simple and easy but it has a big refreshing flavour. It makes a good starter for a holiday spreading menu.

These Norwegian Klubb Dumplings are so tasty, filling, and a great way to celebrate Scandinavia. Whether it is a holiday tradition or a weeknight meal, these dumplings are worth the effort.

Dahi Baray is fluffy and moist lentil dumpling that is soaked in spiced yoghurt. You enjoy it with a drizzle of tamarind sauce and a sprinkle of crispy gram flour Savian. This humble yet delicious Pakistani appetizer is almost always served at happy occasions such as festive celebration, holidays and weddings. 

Shuba Salad is traditionally made with Herring, but I think it tastes even better with Salmon! A layered Russian potato salad with beets, carrots, eggs, potatoes, dill and smoked salmon. A bright and hearty salad that looks like a cake! Especially popular at celebrations like New Years and Christmas.

Borscht soup is traditional Russian beet soup. It’s a hearty soup packed with vitamins and nutrients and has a distinctive vibrant red colour. This is the original Russian recipe from my Mother.

Enjoy this hearty and filling meal of lamb curry with coconut milk, spiced in a rich curry sauce and topped with spinach and bell peppers. It makes a delicious and exotic holiday meal!

A traditional Croatian homestyle recipe, also known as blitva,made of leafy Swiss chard and red potatoes.

Authentic German Sauerbraten recipe from my grandfather's kitchen makes a fabulous holiday meal!

This traditional Greek turkey stuffing with sausage, chestnuts, dates, prunes and pine nuts has a wholesome, delicious flavor you can’t have enough of.

Juicy, tender meat wrapped in leafy greens slow-cooked to perfection. This deconstructed Crock Pot laulau takes the effort out of making Laulau.

Satay is often enjoyed for happy occasions of holidays, festive seasons, or weddings. You can make it with any meat you like, chicken satay or lamb satay, both are delicious.

The traditional Iranian stew with chicken and the deep flavours of pomegranate molasses and walnuts now made easy right in the crock-pot! Slow Cooker Fesenjan Chicken is a hearty gluten-free & paleo dinner recipe that will warm the belly and soul!

This delicious Ackee and Saltfish recipe is made with quintessential ackee (Jamaica’s national fruit) and saltfish that simmers with onions, peppers, tomato and scotch bonnet.

This classic Kenyan beef stew recipe never misses at any festivities. It is normally served alongside rice, chapati or ugali (a type of dough made from corn flour and hot water). Beef is stewed in spices and a tomato-based sauce to give you a delicious and comforting stew.

Nigerian Beef Stew is a mouthwatering West African stew made with blended tomatoes, bell peppers, habanero pepper, and herbs. It is so easy to make and delightfully spicy!

No celebration of holidays, festive seasons or weddings will be complete among Pakistani cuisines without Aloo Gosht, the luscious meat and potato curry.

Persian Jeweled Rice is a gluten-free, vegan rice pilaf topped with colourful gem-like fruits and nuts ~ this popular wedding dish is perfect for the holidays!

Pasteles, a beloved Puerto Rican holiday tradition, are made with a green banana masa and filled with your choice of stewed meat.

Devil Curry, or Curry Devil, is also known as Curry Debal. It is an iconic Eurasian spicy curry from Singapore and Malaysia, traditionally made on Boxing Day with leftover Christmas meat.

Middle Eastern Stuffed Bell Peppers (Koosa Mih-shee) is a Syrian traditional dinner recipe ideal for large families. Green bell peppers are stuffed with an authentic lamb and rice filling then simmered in a tomato and pomegranate broth. This one-pot dinner is easy to make and a great addition to holiday dinner.

This unbelievably delicious Vietnamese Pho Recipe is made with a nourishing beef broth infused with fragrant spices, chewy noodles, and tender slices of meat. Filled with the same delicious and authentic flavours as your favourite pho restaurant, learn how to make this Vietnamese Noodle Soup from scratch and serve topped with fresh herbs and vegetables. This healthy soup is the perfect way to warm up this Holiday season.

This Cinnamon Spiced Jollof Rice recipe is just the thing to spice up your holiday table this year. Jollof Rice, a traditional West African spiced tomato rice dish, is served at celebrations such as Christmas, weddings and birthdays. No special occasion is complete without it! 

Klepon is Indonesian sweet treat made of glutinous rice, filled with palm sugar and coated with coconut. It’s exotically delicious and moreish. A dessert you want to enjoy during holidays and festive seasons.

Gajar ka Halwa is one Pakistani dessert that is enjoyed at celebrations such as holidays, festive seasons, or weddings. It’s surprisingly easy to make and delightful to eat.