A national dish is a dish, food or a drink that represents a particular country, nation or region. It is usually something that is naturally made or popular in that country.The concept is highly informal and vague, and in many, if not most cases the relationship between a given territory or people and certain typical foods is ambiguous. Typical dishes can vary from region to region, and the use of the term "national dish" does not always imply the existence of a "nation" in any legal sense; e.g. rösti is the national dish in German-speaking Switzerland and fondue is in French-speaking Switzerland, although the political integrity of the Swiss state is undisputed.Similarly, countries can share a national dish; e.g., traditional food in Austria, the German state of Bavaria, and the Czech Republic is similar; whereas bigos, borscht, and pierogi are popular in several Central and East European countries and generally associated with one or more of them. Beverages can also be assigned the status of a national "dish", such as beer in Germany, Belgium or the Czech Republic, wine in France, vodka in Poland, Finland, Russia & Sweden. Although in recent years beer has picked up popularity in Poland as a social beverage of choice.National dishes also function as stereotypes. These can be either autostereotypes, describing a nation's self-image, or heterostereotypes associated with a nation in the outside world, or both. While most "national dish" stereotypes are positive to neutral, they can also acquire the status of ethnic slurs.For example, sauerkraut continues to be seen as the German national dish, accounting for the usage of kraut as a pejorative term for Germans, even though the dish has become quite rare in today's German cuisine.Similarly, the French are said to have a particular taste for frog legs, although the dish is not actually very common in that country, and the French are sometimes referred to as frogs in English. The epithet refers to the Franks having toads charged on heraldry, replaced by lillies. This was in further reference to the inaccurate French origins in Frisia, where the lily pads are still used for their national symbol.Up to the 1980s, Germans used to identify Italian and Turkish immigrants as Spaghettifresser ("spaghetti devourers") and Knoblauchfresser ("garlic devourers"). However, this usage all but disappeared when the German population began to embrace Italian, Turkish, and other immigrant cuisines in the 1980s and is rather seen as an affectionate term if it occurs at all.An interesting case in this context is the German-style döner kebab. Supposedly invented by a Turkish immigrant in Berlin in the 1970s, it became the most popular German take-away food during the 1990s, but is almost exclusively sold by Turks and considered a Turkish specialty in Germany; however, in Turkey it is often associated with Germany.In some cases, supposed national dishes are similar to urban legends, especially when relating to countries that are exotic from the perspective of another country. E.g., the popularity of fried spiders in Cambodia, dogs in Korea is largely overestimated in the West. Urban legend-like national dishes can also turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy, as demonstrated by the example of the Scottish deep-fried Mars bar, which is believed to have become at least moderately popular after English media circulated the story of its existence.For more on the stereotyped usage of foods and its political implications see Freedom fries.See also:List of ethnic slursOffensive terms per nationalityCheese-eating surrender monkeysSome national dishes in alphabetical order by country: Dish/FoodArgentina - Asado, empanada, milanesa, dulce de leche.Armenia - lavash.Australia - Meat pie, fish and chips, Vegemite on toast, Pavlova. Cuisine is poorly defined in the national mythos, and lacking in regional differences. See Cuisine of Australia.By stateSouth Australia - Pie floaterAustria - Sachertorte, Wiener Schnitzel (Vienna), Apfelstrudel, KaiserschmarrnBahrain - Machboos/Machbous, MuhammarBangladesh - BiryaniBarbados - Cou-Cou and Flying fishBelgium - pommes frites, moules bruxellois (Brussels)Bhutan - ema datsiBrazil - Feijoada, rice and beans, churrasco, brigadeiroCambodia - Amok treyCanada - Pancakes with maple syrup. Cuisine is poorly defined in the national mythos, especially outside of Quebec. However, each region has a distinctive dish or in the case of Quebec, an entirely separate regional cuisine.By Province or RegionAlberta - steak (beef or bison)British Columbia - salmon steak, Nanaimo barManitoba - Red River cerealNewfoundland - fish and chips, flipper pieOntario - Butter tartQuebec - Poutine, Yellow Pea Soup, TourtièreChile - sea bass, palta (avocado), jaivas (food)China - The staple diets in Northern China are: mantou, bing (Chinese flatbread) and wheat noodles; as for the South: rice, rice noodles and rice congee.By city/province:Beijing - Peking duck, hot potFujian - Fotiaoqiang, popiahGuangdong - Dim sum, slow cooked soup, Char siu, century eggHong Kong - egg tart, dim sum, BBQ pork with rice, wonton noodle soup , pineapple bun Macau - Galinha � Portuguesa, baked pork chop bun.Shanghai - Xiaolongbao, shengjian mantou, red-cooked stews, Shanghai hairy crabSichuan - Mapo doufu, Kung Pao chicken, Twice Cooked Pork, mál� hotpotColombia - Bandeja paisa, sancochoBy Department:Santander - Hormigas Culonas (Atta laevigata)Cundinamarca - AjiacoValle - SancochoCosta Rica - Gallo Pinto, CasadosCyprus - Halloumi, Sheftalia, AfeliaDenmark – Pork Roast, Frikadeller, SmørrebrødEgypt - Ful medames, KushariEl Salvador - PupusaEthiopia – doro wat (chicken stew) , injeraFinland - karjalanpiirakka (swe. karelsk pirog) (Karelian pasties), karjalanpaisti (swe. karelsk stek) (Karelian hot pot), mämmi (swe. memma), hernekeitto (swe. ärtsoppa) (Finnish green pea soup), juustoleipä (swe. brödost), pulla (swe. bulla) (Buns)France - Pot-au-feu, baguette (particularly Paris), cassoulet, truffles, foie gras (declared part of the French cultural heritage by legislation in 2005)By regionAlsace - Sauerkraut, tarte flambeeBordeaux - Entrecôte with Bordelaise sauceBrittany - CrepesBurgundy - Coq au vin, beef bourguignonLorraine - Quiche lorraineNormandy - CamembertProvence - Bouillabaisse, salade nicoise, ratatouilleGeorgia - khachapuriGermany - Sauerbraten, sauerkraut, wurst.Greece - moussaka, fasolada, Greek saladGuyana - Pepper PotHungary – goulashIceland - Þorramatur (including hakarl)India - curries, basmati rice, samosas, naan, chapati, chutney, dalBy regionAndhra Pradesh - Hyderabad Biryani, aavakaayaGoa - Pork Vindaloo, Goan fish curryKashmir - Rogan JoshKerala- SadhyaPunjab - Tandoori chicken, aloo gobi, raitaTamil Nadu - Masala dosa, idli, appamIndonesia - Satay, gado-gado, nasi gorengIran - Chelow kababIreland – Irish Stew, ColcannonBy regionCo. Galway - Stout and raw oysters;Co. Cork - Smoked Salmon on pumpernickel bread.Isle of Man - kipperIsrael - felafel, Chicken schnitzelItaly - pizza, pasta, minestrone, ciabatta, baccala, polenta (northern Italy)By regionBologna - tortellini, tagliatelle al ragù, mortadella, lasagne, Parmigiano ReggianoFlorence - bistecca alla fiorentina, ribollitaNaples - pizza alla napolentana, melanzane alla parmigianaMilan - risotto alla milanese, panettone, ossobuco alla milaneseRome - porchetta, spaghetti carbonara, Stracciatella, Gnocchi di semolino alla romanaSardinia - Sa fregula (couscous), pane carasauSicily - arancini, caponata, ricottaTorino - agnolotti, grissini, GianduiottoVenice - scampi, risi e bisiJamaica - ackee and saltfishJapan - sushi, sashimi, Japanese noodles, donburi, Japanese curryBy regionFukuoka Prefecture (福岡県) - Hakata Ramen (pork-based broth);Toyama Prefecture (富山県) - Masuzushi (salmon pressed on rice cake);Aichi Prefecture (愛知県) - Miso no komi (Udon in miso fish broth);Jersey – Jersey Royal potatoesJordan - MansafKazakhstan - Besh barmakKorea - Kimchi, Bulgogi, Kalbi, Bibimbap, Naengmyeon.Kyrgyzstan - laghmanLaos - larbLebanon - Kibbe, TabboulehMalaysia - nasi lemak, roti canai, char kway teow, satay, assam laksaMexico - pozole, tacos, mole poblano de guajolote, guacamoleMongolia - mutton, airagMorocco - couscous, tagine, pastilla, hariraMyanmar - mohingaNepal- dahl baht, Momo dumplingsNew Zealand – Colonial Goose, fish and chips, whitebait fritters, pavlovathe Netherlands - stamppot, hutspotNicaragua - GallopintoNigeria - Jolof riceNorway – lutefisk, fårikål, pizza grandiosaPakistan - Daal Chawal,Sirri Paye, PulaoPalestine - MusakhanPeru - ceviche, quinoa, maizePhilippines - lechon, adobo, bangus, pancitPoland - bigos, barszcz, pierogiPortugal - Bacalhau, Pastel de NataRomania - Mamaliga, Mititei, Cozonac, Fasole cu carnatiBy region:Moldova – Grape-leaf Sarmale, Fermented wheat bran BorschtRussia – Blintzes; pierogies; Borscht; Poached Salmon; Caviar with sour cream and vodka.Saint Kitts and Nevis - Coconut dumplings, Spicy plantain, saltfish, breadfruitSaint Lucia - green figs & saltfishSenegal - tiebou dieunSerbia - PljeskavicaSingapore - Hainanese chicken rice, curry laksa, chilli crabSlovakia - Bryndzové haluškySlovenia - ajdovi žganci, poticaSpain - Paella, cocido, tapas, chocolate con churrosSri Lanka - rice and currySweden - Köttbullar (meatballs), pea soup, SmörgåsbordSwitzerland – rösti, fondueTaiwan - Suncake, Stinky tofu, Ba wan, Beef noodle soupTajikistan - palovTanzania - ugaliBy region:Zanzibar - octopus curryThailand - Pad Thai, gaeng (Thai curry), jasmine rice, tom yam, tom kha gaiTunisia - Couscous, brikTurkey - kebab, pide, köfte, dolma, pilavUkraine - pierogiUnited Kingdom - fish and chips, roast beef dinner, chicken tikka masalaCountries within the UK:England – English breakfast, Lancashire hotpot, Yorkshire pudding, pasty, shepherd's pieScotland – haggis, shortbread, Aberdeen Angus (beef), oatcake, Arbroath SmokieWales – laverbread, Welsh rarebit, Cawl, bara brithNorthern Ireland – Ulster fryUnited States - apple pie, turkey and pumpkin pie (as part of Thanksgiving dinner), hamburger, hot dog, donut, fried chicken, macaroni and cheeseBy region:New England - New England clam cho