The Cuisine of East Timor consists of regional popular foods found in East Timor (Timor-Leste), located in the Southeast Asian Malay Archipelago. Pork, fish, basil, tamarind, legumes, corn, rice, root vegetables, and tropical fruit are important ingredients for Timorese dishes. (1) East Timorese cuisine has traditional influences from Southeast Asian foods and significant influences from Portuguese dishes because of its colonization by Portugal until 1975. Additionally, flavors and ingredients from other former Portuguese colonies can be found due to the presence of Portuguese soldiers from other colonies in East Timor.(2)

Also in Dili, foreign cuisines are available and include Chinese, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, and Thai.

East Timorese Dishes

• Batar daan- A popular dish of corn, mungbeans, and pumpkin. (2)

• Budu- A sauce of tomato, mint, lime, and Spanish onion. (2)

• Ikan sabuko- A Spanish mackerel in tamarind marinade with basil and capsicum. (2)

• Tapai- A fermented rice dish. It is sweet, sour, and slightly alcoholic. (4)

• Caril - A mild chicken curry with a roasted capsicum and coconut paste.

• Feijoada – A common dish of former Portuguese colonies, it is made with pork, cannellini beans and chorizo.

Hungry-Season in Timor-Leste

“Hungry Season” is November to February and is due to the unpredictable climate. Many households depend on their own production of food because of the erratic climate conditions, such as droughts. (4)

Akar is eaten by the poor and is a widely available food source.(4) It is dried palm tree bark, beaten into a powder, mixed with water to form a jelly and then cooked over fire.

Desserts

• Bibinka- A grilled and layered coconut cake (2)
• Portuguese Tart (pastel de nata)- an egg tart pastry

Coffee

The coffee of East Timor is organic and a major cash crop for the island nation. (2,3,5)

(1)http://newsstore.smh.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&kw=east+timor&pb=all_ffx&dt=enterRange&dr=1month&sd=28%2F03%2F2002&ed=30%2F03%2F2002&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=adv&clsPage=1&docID=SMH020329FOS6N0IFUHE

(2)http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2010/04/01/136391_lifestyle.html

(3)http://www.globaleducation.edna.edu.au/globaled/go/pid/42

(4)http://www.easttimorpress.com/food/famous-cuisine-of-east-timor

(5)http://www.easttimorpress.com/food/food-of-east-timor