Tag: ethnic cuisine

Halal: quick and easy guide – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

La Cucina Italiana

[ad_1]

Halal, a concept that oozes with meaning, goes far beyond its literal translation of “lawful” in Italian (the opposite of which is Haram, or “unlawful”). To reveal the most intricate nuances of this fundamental principle of Muslim religious practice, I had the pleasure of interviewing Walid Bouchnaf, the quality manager of BeHalal Srl. Through this conversation, Bouchnaf guided me on a journey of understanding that transcends the mere “ban” on pork and the dynamics of slaughter ritual, revealing a broader panorama that characterizes the Halal approach to daily life.

What is Halal (in a simple way)

Walid Bouchnaf began our conversation by highlighting that Halal is not simply a set of dietary rules, but rather a philosophy that permeates every aspect of Muslim life. The practice of Halal is not limited to the act of eating alone, but extends to work, education, social relationships and even daily actions such as going to the bathroom. The Muslim, therefore, seeks what is lawful and strives to distance himself from what is considered unlawful or Haram.

Within the food sphere, I was guided through a deeper understanding of Halal. It is therefore not just a matter of choosing legal foods, but also of evaluating the methods of obtaining them. Ritual slaughter, often mistakenly identified as the essence of Halal, is only one part of a bigger picture. This process, which involves killing the animal by bleeding, is not only a religious act, but also a technical approach that aims to guarantee hygiene, considering blood as a potential vehicle for bacteria and viruses and therefore illicit.

Bouchnaf stressed that the focus on ethics does not stop at slaughter, but embraces the well being overall animal. The animal must be in excellent physical and psychological condition, come from ethical farms and comply with specific standards. Furthermore, the company that markets the product must adhere to religious and ethical values, pay taxes and not be involved in illegal activities or linked to the mafia.

It is emphasised, therefore, that Halal is not simply a question of meat, but a holistic approach to life, involving environmental, ethical and social responsibility issues. It’s not just what you eat, but also how it is produced and marketed.

Halal: are there certifications?

As regards the world of certifications, yes, specific Halal ones exist and Bouchnaf illustrated the fundamental role of organizations like BeHalal (for which he works) in the food sector and beyond. These entities act as a bridge between the religious and industrial dimensionsensuring that the standards of quality, ethics, safety and environmental respect are respected.

Food: what is best to eat and when

After exploring the Koranic precepts, the conversation concluded by exploring the relationship between Islam and food, as suggested by the Sunnah, or the Prophet’s behavior in terms of practices and education. Walid shared that Islamic tradition encourages moderation in eating, then sharing meals, appreciating what you have and admonishing you not to waste food.
The Hadith (anecdotes about the life of the Prophet, a constituent part of the Sunna) provide specific indications on foods, underlining the benefits of fruit and vegetables.

What and how to consume

All cultivated plants, herbs and mushrooms are considered legal for humans, excluding those harmful to health or that cloud reason, such as alcohol and drugs. The Hadiths report the Prophet’s predilection for certain foods, including watermelon, melon, cucumbers, grapes, quince and the Kebas fruit of the Miswak tree.

[ad_2]

What is the best cuisine in the whole world? The world ranking – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

La Cucina Italiana

[ad_1]

If you have doubts about what is the best cuisine in the whole world, calm down. Italian cuisine was once again crowned as first among best cuisines in the world. The verdict is out Taste Atlas Awards 2023/24, the ranking of the rankings published periodically by the portal specializing in food, wine and destinations. For this “annual ranking”, always curious and therefore eagerly awaited, he asked his followers to express their preference between 50 of the top dishes from each countryand then added the votes for the final score of each typical cuisine.

What is the best cuisine in the whole world?

What made us reach the top was the Pizzaand to be precise Neapolitan pizza. In the Taste Atlas ranking, in fact, Italy and Japan recorded the same average rating (4.65) but the votes earned by our most famous dish were decisive in helping us achieve a higher score overall. Japan therefore follows us in second place. Third, however, for the Greece.

The best cuisines in the world (and the worst)

Following in the top ten are Portugal, China, Indonesia, Mexico, France, Spain and Peru. The last places, however, according to Taste Atlas users are Dominican Republic, Wales and Ghana, at positions 98, 99 and 100 respectively. Surprised? If not for this, perhaps for other positions: US cuisine, for example, is in sixteenth place, ahead of Thai cuisine. And Cypriot cuisine, in many ways similar to the Greek one which is on the podium, is only in place 88.

The best dishes in the world

Evidently the popularity of the recipes (and therefore of a certain cuisine) was decisive in attracting votes. In fact, at the top of the top 100 dishes of the Taste Atlas Awards is the very popular Picanha: cut of Brazilian beef traditionally grilled and served as a cut. It is followed by the Roti canai, bread similar to focaccia in consistency, typical of various South East Asian countries and inevitable in restaurants serving oriental cuisine (which however the classification indicates only as “Malaysian”). Third place, another must for lovers of ethnic cuisine: phad kaphrao, which is a Thai preparation based on pork and green beans served with rice. There Pizza, which earned us the victory, is instead in fourth place.

The best Italian dishes

She is not alone, because in the top 100 of the best dishes in the world by Taste Atlas there are 13 Italian recipes: a confirmation of the fact that our cuisine is very widespread and popular in the world, especially in its more classic versions. In place 11 of the top 100 are tagliatelle with wild boar, at 31 the focaccia di Recco, and then the Genoese, the Neapolitan parmigiana, the Bolognese ragù, the linguine with seafood, the carbonara, the Bolognese lasagne, the mushroom risotto porcini mushrooms, mixed fried food and Florentine steak.

The best Italian cheeses

We also won with cheese: among the over 1300 cataloged and over 24 thousand votes, the Parmigiano Reggiano was reconfirmed as the best in the world again this year. It is followed by two other Italian cheeses viz buffalo mozzarella and stracchino.

The best Italian cities to eat in

Finally, no doubt: we are first in the list of the best cities in the world to eat inAnd. Rome, Bologna and Naples occupy the podium, recommended by Taste Atlas users, respectively for pizza by the slice and pasta carbonara, tagliatelle and tortellini and yes, of course, pizza. But also puff pastries.

Other articles from La Cucina Italiana that might interest you:

[ad_2]

Proudly powered by WordPress

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Click here to read more information about data collection for ads personalisation

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.

Read more about data collection for ads personalisation our in our Cookies Policy page

Close