| Ackee & saltfish

Many countries have a version of rice pudding, but none quite like teurgoule. A speciality of France’s Normandy region, it has a six-hour cooking time, which indirectly gives the dish its name — the phrase ‘se tordre la gueule’ means ‘to pull a face’, the idea that those who’ve been too hasty burn their tongues.

The dish is made using rich, creamy milk from cows that graze the region’s verdant pastures, along with rice and cinnamon, both originally brought back to the harbour at Honfleur in the 17th century by corsairs who had sailed the globe. When the wheat harvest was devastated by poor weather in 1758, the corsairs were ordered to intercept British ships and commandeer the cargo. One of the ships requisitioned by Captain Nicolas Quinette was laden with rice and spices; as the story goes, he ordered his cook to come up with a dish that would introduce local people to the ingredients. When combined with Normandy’s milk, it was a hit, and bakers took to cooking it on the dying embers of their bread ovens after baking.

The long, slow cooking time creates a thick caramelised skin on top, which was popular among sailors going to sea as it would preserve the dish for days. Peeling off the skin while it’s still warm and letting it melt on your tongue is a chef’s privilege, but in general, teurgoule is served cold, either as a dessert or more often for breakfast, accompanied by the local brioche, fallue.

For those too impatient to make it, it’s often sold in Normandy markets. Plus, each year, the local guild or ‘brotherhood’ of teurgoule-lovers comes together to host cooking competitions and take part in festivals. Their recipe is wonderfully simple: rice, milk, sugar, a pinch of salt and cinnamon.

ALTERNATIVE: As the humble baguette goes stale so quickly, pain perdu (‘lost bread’) was invented as a way to use up the old loaf. By soaking a slice in whisked egg and milk then frying it in butter, it’s arguably better than the original bread. Sprinkle with icing sugar, add some fruit compote or a dollop of creme fraiche and it’s even better.

A bowl of teurgoule Left: Idli stall in Varanasi. Though most popular in the south, idlis are sold throughout India