Top 10 Tempting Foods: OZY’s 100

Cuba’s culinary scene has long flourished in the shadows of its other cultural experiences. But today many popular Cuban dishes are surfacing in homes and restaurants across the U.S. Such classics as ropa vieja (shredded beef), papas rellenas (stuffed potatoes), and chicken tamarind have injected a burst of flavor into America’s dining experiences, and can do the same in your home.

Is the knafeh Palestinian or Israeli, Turkish or Egyptian? The sweet-as-sugar dessert that’s filled with cheese and topped with nuts has a long history, dating back centuries — perhaps as far back as the 10th century. Since then, it’s become a beloved treat across the Middle East — so much so that multiple nations try to claim it as their own, a culinary kerfuffle almost as heated as the centuries-long conflicts that have troubled the region.

They are worth the climb. When you think of going out for amazing dumplings, you don’t picture yourself climbing up a rickety ladder in a former military community in Chengdu, China, and crawling through an open oversize window into a dense cloud of Sichuan spices. But that’s exactly where you’ll find the best dumplings you’ve ever had. The Dry Chili Chao Shou sells out almost nightly.

It’s gotten to the point that deep dish has been ingrained in people’s minds as a Chicago staple, even though it’s not. The deep dish is neither Chicago’s first nor its favorite pizza, and it’s definitely not the most consumed. In fact, the deep dish wasn’t even made by Chicagoans. The true Chicago pizza is tavern style — a thin, crispy-crust pizza typically made with pinched sausage and Giardiniera peppers — and cut into squares (boosting its share-ability). The time has come for it to take the throne as Chicago’s official pizza.

You might need a Breathalyzer after eating this famous cake. Many restaurants and pastry shops in Germany serve Black Forest cherry cake (“Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte”), but master baker Claus Schäfer’s version is special. He owns the original recipe, dating back to the early 1900s. Oh, and watch out for the cherries: They are 56% alcohol.

Elli Kriel runs a kosher catering company in Dubai, and she’s pioneering a new fusion cuisine combining kosher and Emirati dishes. Kriel explores the commonalities between the two, opening a new way for kosher-practicing tourists to enjoy the dynamic city. She adds Emirati spice blends or traditional ingredients to her kosher staples.

It takes a certain kind of person to want to eat vast quantities of Velveeta cheese. Those people are called Texans, and their state is known for its Tex-Mex cuisine — that heavy, cheesy love child of Mexican food that introduced fajitas and nachos to the world. But a Tex-Mex restaurant is only as good as its queso, the Texas shorthand term for chile con queso, and you can make your own at home. Time to break out the Velveeta.

An Argentine holiday meal is a beautiful thing in more ways than one. Inventive, heritage-rich dishes take center stage, with all of them warm climate-friendly so that you can enjoy eating while avoiding heatstroke. And if you are tired of turkey, this Argentine Christmas spread is heavy on the beef (and mayo) and can be prepared in advance, so you have more time to spend with your family.

These doughy puffs will make you the hippest, global-est person at your holiday party. Pakoras are fried pockets of pure, mouthwatering fat from India. A bit like tempura, they’re fritters essentially made by dipping an item of choice in batter and kicking it up in hot oil. There is the classic potato pakora, but you can also switch it up with onions and even paneer. Eat your pakoras with chutneys, usually tamarind, mint or coriander.

Just so you don’t get caught out: The proper way to eat a soup dumpling is to put it in your spoon and poke it with a chopstick to release the liquid. These little guys are the perfect winter morsel, combining the two most comforting types of food (soup and dumplings), and are great for huge gatherings.

What new dish will you try to cook in the New Year?