Trend: the flavours of the Pacific Rim
The Pacific Rim is going to be a hit. And we’re not talking about the 2013 monster movie, but the flavours of 2020. Trend forecaster Vincent van Dijk tells you what to expect.
You’ve probably already noticed something of the tropical food trend. Fresh and exotic, it has slowly been making itself heard over the past few years. By now, poké bowls are impossible to miss on the streets, but we’re discovering more and more extraordinary dishes and flavours from this region. No surprise: the area around the Pacific Ocean is enormous. The Pacific Rim stretches from Asia to Oceania, and also includes the west coast of North and South America.
Galangal and turmeric
We’re seeing more and more supermarkets offering exotic herbs and spices, so you can experiment at home, while Pacific Rim flavours are also appearing on bar and restaurant menus. Spices such as galangal, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, lemongrass, star anise and saffron, as well as spice blends such as Chinese Five Spice, Lemon Pepper, Garam Masala and Chili Powder Blend, can now be found in many a spice rack, adding a tropical touch to various dishes and cocktails.
Shrimp tacos
But it’s not just the spices that transport us to this imaginative region. What about dried shrimp, squid, shrimp paste and skinless longganisa (Filipino pork sausage), for example? Or dried tomato flakes, agar agar, sesame seeds and wasabi. Ingredients often served in combination with fresh arugula, avocado and cucumber. Personally, I’m eagerly looking forward to dishes such as shiitake quesadillas, fried fish with peanut-coconut sauce and shrimp tacos with pineapple chutney. The wild mix of extraordinary dishes from countries such as Vietnam, the Philippines and Hawaii is considerably expanding our flavour spectrum.
Dragon fruit
The combination of sweet fruits and a sour sauce is particularly characteristic of the Pacific Rim. Dutch strawberries and Golden Delicious apples from the local farmer are lovely, of course, but the colourful fruits of the Pacific Rim, such as passion fruit, carambola, guava and pitaya (dragon fruit), fit perfectly within the period of internationalisation we’re currently experiencing. Alongside everything local, we now enjoy discovering international flavours and dishes that transport us to an as-yet unknown world.
Health
And quite apart from the international aspect, health also plays an important role. The fish- and fruit-dominated cuisine is regarded as healthy, for example. Jackfruit is becoming increasingly popular because it is used as a meat substitute. And monk fruit, an extremely sweet fruit also known by its stage name luo han guo, can be used as a sweetener instead of sugar.
In short, get ready for a flavour tsunami from the Pacific Rim in the coming year!
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