Side, Snack, Appetizer

Achard

A south asian pickle, also known as avalehikā, pachchadi, achaar (sometimes spelled as aachaar), athaanu, loncha, oorugaai, or aavakaai is a pickled food, native to the indian subcontinent, made from a variety of vegetables and fruits, preserved in brine, vinegar, or edible oils along with various indian spices.

Main

Ambrevades aux cocos

Pigeon pea and coconut curry

Main

Anchar de morue

Broiled salt cod with tomatoes, onions, lemon juice, parsley

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Baguette

A baguette (; french: [baɡɛt] (listen)) is a long, thin type of bread of french origin that is commonly made from basic lean dough (the dough, though not the shape, is defined by french law). it is distinguishable by its length and crisp crust. a baguette has a diameter of about 5 to 6 centimetres (2–2+1⁄2 inches) and a usual length of about 65 cm (26 in), although a baguette can be up to 1 m (39 in) long. in november 2018, documentation surrounding the "craftsmanship and culture" on making this bread was added to the french ministry of culture's national inventory of intangible cultural heritage. in may 2021, france submitted the baguette for unesco heritage status.

Main

Baguette sandwich with cucumber, tomatoes and hard boiled eggs

Main

Banane au lait de coco

Stewed green bananas with fish or meat and vegetables

Main

Banane du roi

Grilled green bananas, serve with stewed fish

Main

Banane poissonneuse panée

Green banana dumplings filled with smoked or fried fish

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Bananes frites

Fried green bananas, fried plantain chips

Dessert, Sweet

Biscuits comoriens

Cardamom flavored cookies, made with condensed milk

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Breadfruit

Breadfruit (artocarpus altilis) is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family (moraceae) believed to be a domesticated descendant of artocarpus camansi originating in new guinea, the maluku islands, and the philippines. it was initially spread to oceania via the austronesian expansion. it was further spread to other tropical regions of the world during the colonial era. british and french navigators introduced a few polynesian seedless varieties to caribbean islands during the late 18th century. today it is grown in some 90 countries throughout south and southeast asia, the pacific ocean, the caribbean, central america and africa. its name is derived from the texture of the moderately ripe fruit when cooked, similar to freshly baked bread and having a potato-like flavor.the trees have been widely planted in tropical regions, including lowland central america, northern south america, and the caribbean. in addition to the fruit serving as a staple food in many cultures, the light, sturdy timber of breadfruit has been used for outriggers, ships, and houses in the tropics. breadfruit is closely related to artocarpus camansi (breadnut or seeded breadfruit) of new guinea, the maluku islands, and the philippines, artocarpus blancoi (tipolo or antipolo) of the philippines, and artocarpus mariannensis (dugdug) of micronesia, all of which are sometimes also referred to as "breadfruit". it is also closely related to the jackfruit.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Cassava

Manihot esculenta, commonly called cassava (), manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names) is a woody shrub of the spurge family, euphorbiaceae, native to south america. although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates. though it is often called yuca in parts of spanish america and in the united states, it is not related to yucca, a shrub in the family asparagaceae. cassava is predominantly consumed in boiled form, but substantial quantities are used to extract cassava starch, called tapioca, which is used for food, animal feed, and industrial purposes. the brazilian farinha, and the related garri of west africa, is an edible coarse flour obtained by grating cassava roots, pressing moisture off the obtained grated pulp, and finally drying it (and roasting both in the case of farinha and garri). cassava is the third-largest source of food carbohydrates in the tropics, after rice and maize. cassava is a major staple food in the developing world, providing a basic diet for over half a billion people. it is one of the most drought-tolerant crops, capable of growing on marginal soils. nigeria is the world's largest producer of cassava, while thailand is the largest exporter of cassava starch. cassava is classified as either sweet or bitter. like other roots and tubers, both bitter and sweet varieties of cassava contain antinutritional factors and toxins, with the bitter varieties containing much larger amounts. it must be properly prepared before consumption, as improper preparation of cassava can leave enough residual cyanide to cause acute cyanide intoxication, goiters, and even ataxia, partial paralysis, or death. the more toxic varieties of cassava are a fall-back resource (a "food security crop") in times of famine or food insecurity in some places. farmers often prefer the bitter varieties because they deter pests, animals, and thieves.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Chapati

Chapati (alternatively spelled chapatti, chappati, chapathi, or chappathi; pronounced as iast: capātī, capāṭī, cāpāṭi), also known as roti, rotli, safati, shabaati, phulka, (in east africa) chapo, and (in the maldives) roshi, is an unleavened flatbread originating from the indian subcontinent and staple in india, nepal, bangladesh, pakistan, sri lanka, east africa, arabian peninsula and the caribbean. chapatis are made of whole-wheat flour known as atta, mixed into dough with water, oil (optional), salt (optional) in a mixing utensil called a parat, and are cooked on a tava (flat skillet).it is a common staple in the indian subcontinent as well as amongst expatriates from the indian subcontinent throughout the world. chapatis were also introduced to other parts of the world by immigrants from the indian subcontinent, particularly by indian merchants to central asia, southeast asia, east africa, and the caribbean islands.

Main

Coconut curry

Curry with coconut and meat, chicken, fish, seafood, goat, vegetables, plantains

Drink

Coconut water

Coconut water (also coconut juice) is the clear liquid inside coconuts (fruits of the coconut palm). in early development, it serves as a suspension for the endosperm of the coconut during the nuclear phase of development. as growth continues, the endosperm matures into its cellular phase and deposits into the rind of the coconut pulp. the liquid inside young coconuts is often preferred to the liquid of a ripened coconut. coconut water from young green coconuts is also known specifically as buko juice in philippine english.

Drink

Coffee

Coffee is a brewed drink prepared from roasted coffee beans, the seeds of berries from certain flowering plants in the coffea genus. from the coffee fruit, the seeds are separated to produce a stable, raw product: unroasted green coffee. the seeds are then roasted, a process which transforms them into a consumable product: roasted coffee, which is ground into fine particles that are typically steeped in hot water before being filtered out, producing a cup of coffee. coffee is darkly colored, bitter, slightly acidic and has a stimulating effect in humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. it is one of the most popular drinks in the world and can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways (e.g., espresso, french press, caffè latte, or already-brewed canned coffee). it is usually served hot, although chilled or iced coffee is common. sugar, sugar substitutes, milk or cream are often used to lessen the bitter taste or enhance the flavor. it may be served with coffee cake or another sweet dessert, like doughnuts. a commercial establishment that sells prepared coffee beverages is known as a coffeehouse or coffee shop (not to be confused with dutch coffeeshops selling cannabis). clinical research indicates that moderate coffee consumption is benign or mildly beneficial as a stimulant in healthy adults, with continuing research on whether long-term consumption has positive or negative effects.though coffee is now a global commodity, it has a long history tied closely to food traditions around the red sea. the earliest credible evidence of the drinking of coffee in the form of the modern beverage appears in modern-day yemen from the mid-15th century in sufi shrines, where coffee seeds were first roasted and brewed in a manner similar to current methods. the yemenis procured the coffee beans from the ethiopian highlands via coastal somali intermediaries and began cultivation. by the 16th century, the drink had reached the rest of the middle east and north africa, later spreading to europe. in the 20th century, coffee became a much more global commodity, creating different coffee cultures around the world. the two most commonly grown coffee bean types are c. arabica and c. robusta. coffee plants are cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in the equatorial regions of the americas, southeast asia, the indian subcontinent, and africa. as of 2018, brazil was the leading grower of coffee beans, producing 35% of the world total. coffee is a major export commodity as the leading legal agricultural export for numerous countries. it is one of the most valuable commodities exported by developing countries. green, unroasted coffee is the most traded agricultural commodity and one of the most traded commodities overall, second only to petroleum. despite the sales of coffee reaching billions of dollars, those actually producing the beans are disproportionately living in poverty. critics also point to the coffee industry's negative impact on the environment and the clearing of land for coffee-growing and water use. the environmental costs and wage disparity of farmers are causing the market for fair trade and organic coffee to expand.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Croissant

A croissant (uk: , us: , french: [kʁwasɑ̃] (listen)) is a buttery, flaky, french viennoiserie pastry inspired by the shape of the austrian kipferl but using the french yeast-leavened laminated dough. croissants are named for their historical crescent shape, the dough is layered with butter, rolled and folded several times in succession, then rolled into a thin sheet, in a technique called laminating. the process results in a layered, flaky texture, similar to a puff pastry. crescent-shaped breads have been made since the renaissance, and crescent-shaped cakes possibly since antiquity but using brioche dough. kipferls have long been a staple of austrian, and french bakeries and pâtisseries. the modern croissant was developed in the early 20th century when french bakers replaced the brioche dough of the kipferl with a yeast-leavened laminated dough. in the late 1970s, the development of factory-made, frozen, preformed but unbaked dough made them into a fast food that could be freshly baked by unskilled labor. the croissant bakery, notably the la croissanterie chain, was a french response to american-style fast food, and as of 2008, 30–40% of the croissants sold in french bakeries and patisseries were baked from frozen dough.croissants are a common part of a continental breakfast in many european countries.

Main

Croissant salé

Savory croissant, a croissant filled with ham, chicken, tuna, cheese, pesto

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Croquette

A croquette (/kroʊˈkɛt/) is a type of dumpling consisting of a thick binder combined with a filling, which is breaded and deep-fried; it is served as a side dish, a snack, or fast food worldwide. the binder is typically a thick béchamel or brown sauce, mashed potatoes, wheat flour or wheat bread. the binder may be mixed with or stuffed with a filling; this mixture is called a salpicon. typical fillings include finely chopped meat, seafood, cheese, rice, pasta, mushrooms, as well as various vegetables as well as seasonings such as herbs and spices. sweet croquettes may use a pastry cream binder and be filled with fruit.croquettes may also be formed in other shapes: disks, ovals, balls.

Dessert, Sweet

Donas

Doughnuts, flavored with vanilla or cardamom

Dessert, Sweet

Fresh fruit

In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. edible fruits in particular have long propagated using the movements of humans and animals in a symbiotic relationship that is the means for seed dispersal for the one group and nutrition for the other; in fact, humans and many animals have become dependent on fruits as a source of food. consequently, fruits account for a substantial fraction of the world's agricultural output, and some (such as the apple and the pomegranate) have acquired extensive cultural and symbolic meanings. in common language usage, "fruit" normally means the seed-associated fleshy structures (or produce) of plants that typically are sweet or sour and edible in the raw state, such as apples, bananas, grapes, lemons, oranges, and strawberries. in botanical usage, the term "fruit" also includes many structures that are not commonly called "fruits" in everyday language, such as nuts, bean pods, corn kernels, tomatoes, and wheat grains.

Main

Fried fish

Fried fish is any fish or shellfish that has been prepared by frying. often, the fish is covered in batter, egg and breadcrumbs, flour, or herbs and spices before being fried and served, often with a slice of lemon. fish is fried in many parts of the world, and fried fish is an important food in many cuisines. for many cultures, fried fish is historically derived from pescado frito, and the traditional fish and chips dish of england which it may have inspired. the latter remains a staple take-out dish of the uk and its former and present colonies. fried fishcakes made of cod (and other white fish, such as haddock or whiting) are a widely available in the frozen food sections of u.s. grocery stores. long john silver's, skipper's, captain d's, and arthur treacher's are well-known north american chain restaurants that serve fried fish as their main food offering. catfish are also a prevalent farm-raised type of fish that is often served fried throughout the world. a classic fried fish recipe from france is the sole meunière.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Fruit

Avocado, banana, coconut, jackfruit, lemon, mango, orange, pawpaw, pineapple, watermelon

Breakfast

Fufu

Fufu (or fufuo, foofoo, foufou) is a dough-like food found in west african cuisine. in addition to ghana, it is also found in sierra leone, guinea, liberia, cote d'ivoire, benin, togo, nigeria, cameroon, the democratic republic of congo, the central african republic, the republic of congo, angola and gabon. it is often made in the traditional ghanaian, ivorian, liberian, and cuban method of separately mixing and pounding equal portions of boiled cassava with green plantain or cocoyam, or by mixing cassava/plantains or cocoyam flour with water and stirring it on a stove. the viscosity is then adjusted based on personal preference and eaten with broth-like soups. some countries, particularly nigeria, have a version of fufu made from fermented cassava dough (called akpu by nigerians) that is eaten with thick textured stews. other flours, such as semolina, maize flour, or mashed plantains may take the place of cassava flour. fufu is eaten with the fingers, and a small ball of it can be dipped into an accompanying soup or sauce.

Main

Fufu

Fufu (or fufuo, foofoo, foufou) is a dough-like food found in west african cuisine. in addition to ghana, it is also found in sierra leone, guinea, liberia, cote d'ivoire, benin, togo, nigeria, cameroon, the democratic republic of congo, the central african republic, the republic of congo, angola and gabon. it is often made in the traditional ghanaian, ivorian, liberian, and cuban method of separately mixing and pounding equal portions of boiled cassava with green plantain or cocoyam, or by mixing cassava/plantains or cocoyam flour with water and stirring it on a stove. the viscosity is then adjusted based on personal preference and eaten with broth-like soups. some countries, particularly nigeria, have a version of fufu made from fermented cassava dough (called akpu by nigerians) that is eaten with thick textured stews. other flours, such as semolina, maize flour, or mashed plantains may take the place of cassava flour. fufu is eaten with the fingers, and a small ball of it can be dipped into an accompanying soup or sauce.

Dessert, Sweet

Gâteau roho

Cake made with flour, eggs, butter, condensed milk, baking powder and caramel, may also contain cardamom

Dessert, Sweet

Godrogodro

Vanilla and coconut spice cake or pudding

Dessert, Sweet

Goulagoula

Cormorian doughnuts

Dessert, Sweet

Houbou ya tsambou

Sago porridge, made with sago flour, sugar, coconut milk, cardamom

Dessert, Sweet

Kaimati

Fried dough balls soaked in sugar syrup, serve with tea, coffee

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Laddu

Laddu or laddoo (hindi: लड्डू) is a spherical sweet originating from india. laddus are primarily made from flour, fat (ghee/butter/oil) and sugar. laddus are often made of gram flour but can also be made with semolina. sometimes ingredients such as chopped nuts and/or dried raisins are also added. the type of ingredients used may vary by recipe. laddus are often served during festive or religious occasions.

Dessert, Sweet

Laddu

Laddu or laddoo (hindi: लड्डू) is a spherical sweet originating from india. laddus are primarily made from flour, fat (ghee/butter/oil) and sugar. laddus are often made of gram flour but can also be made with semolina. sometimes ingredients such as chopped nuts and/or dried raisins are also added. the type of ingredients used may vary by recipe. laddus are often served during festive or religious occasions.

Main

Langouste a la vanille

Lobster with vanilla sauce

Main

Matapa

Matapa is a typical mozambican dish, prepared with young cassava leaves, which are usually ground in a large wooden mortar and pestle before cooked with garlic, onion and coconut milk. many "matapa" dishes add cashew nuts, crab or shrimp and can be eaten with bread, rice, xima or alone.

Main

Mishkaki

Marinated meat kebabs, made with beef, chicken, lamb, goat, liver, fish, seafood, octopus

Dessert, Sweet

Mkate wa sinia

Coconut rice cake with cardamom and vanilla

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mkatra couscouma

Pan-fried flatbread, serve with stewed chicken, tuna

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mkatra foutra

Pan-fried flatbread made with coconut milk, serve with stews, coconut curries

Breakfast

Mkatra foutra

Pan-fried flatbread made with coconut milk, serve with stews, coconut curries

Main

M'tsolola

Fish and plantains stewed in coconut milk, also made with goat

Main

Ntsambu

Fermented sago palm starch with coconut milk and grilled fish

Main

Pilaou

Pilaf (us spelling) or pilau (uk spelling) is a rice dish, or in some regions, a wheat dish, whose recipe usually involves cooking in stock or broth, adding spices, and other ingredients such as vegetables or meat, and employing some technique for achieving cooked grains that do not adhere.at the time of the abbasid caliphate, such methods of cooking rice at first spread through a vast territory from india to spain, and eventually to a wider world. the spanish paella, and the south asian pilau or pulao, and biryani, evolved from such dishes. pilaf and similar dishes are common to balkan, caribbean, south caucasian, central asian, east african, eastern european, latin american, middle eastern, and south asian cuisines. it is a staple food and a popular dish in afghanistan, albania, armenia, azerbaijan, bangladesh, bulgaria, china (notably in xinjiang), cyprus, georgia, greece (notably in crete), india, iraq (notably in kurdistan), iran, israel, kazakhstan, kenya, kyrgyzstan, mongolia, nepal, (pakistani cuisine) pakistan, romania, russia, serbia, sri lanka, tanzania (notably in zanzibar), tajikistan, turkey, turkmenistan, uganda, and uzbekistan.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Plantain

Cooking bananas are banana cultivars in the genus musa whose fruits are generally used in cooking. they may be eaten ripe or unripe and are generally starchy. many cooking bananas are referred to as plantains (/ˈplæntɪn/, us: /plænˈteɪn/, uk: /ˈplɑːntɪn/) or green bananas. in botanical usage, the term "plantain" is used only for true plantains, while other starchy cultivars used for cooking are called "cooking bananas". true plantains are cultivars belonging to the aab group, while cooking bananas are any cultivars belonging to aab, aaa, abb, or bbb groups. the currently accepted scientific name for all such cultivars in these groups is musa × paradisiaca. fe'i bananas (musa × troglodytarum) from the pacific islands are often eaten roasted or boiled, and are thus informally referred to as "mountain plantains," but they do not belong to any of the species from which all modern banana cultivars are descended.cooking bananas are a major food staple in west and central africa, the caribbean islands, central america, and northern south america. members of the genus musa are indigenous to the tropical regions of southeast asia and oceania. bananas fruit all year round, making them a reliable all-season staple food.cooking bananas are treated as a starchy fruit with a relatively neutral flavor and soft texture when cooked. cooking bananas may be eaten raw, however they are most commonly prepared either fried, boiled, or processed into flour or dough.

Main

Poulet à l'indienne

Indian-style chicken curry

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Puttu

Puttu (malayalam: പുട്ട്; tamil: புட்டு; sinhala: පිට්ටු) (pronounced [ˈputtu]), alternatively spelled pittu (tamil: பிட்டு), is a dish native to the south indian states of kerala, tamil nadu, and parts of karnataka, as well as northern province in sri lanka. puttu means "portioned" in tamil and malayalam. it is made of steamed cylinders of ground rice layered with coconut shavings, sometimes with a sweet or savory filling on the inside. puttu is usually a breakfast dish served hot with either sweet side dishes such as palm sugar or banana, or savoury with chana masala, chutney, rasam, or meat curries.

Dessert, Sweet

Puttu

Puttu (malayalam: പുട്ട്; tamil: புட்டு; sinhala: පිට්ටු) (pronounced [ˈputtu]), alternatively spelled pittu (tamil: பிட்டு), is a dish native to the south indian states of kerala, tamil nadu, and parts of karnataka, as well as northern province in sri lanka. puttu means "portioned" in tamil and malayalam. it is made of steamed cylinders of ground rice layered with coconut shavings, sometimes with a sweet or savory filling on the inside. puttu is usually a breakfast dish served hot with either sweet side dishes such as palm sugar or banana, or savoury with chana masala, chutney, rasam, or meat curries.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Rice

Rice is the seed of the grass species oryza sativa (asian rice) or less commonly oryza glaberrima (african rice). the name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera zizania and porteresia, both wild and domesticated, although the term may also be used for primitive or uncultivated varieties of oryza. as a cereal grain, domesticated rice is the most widely consumed staple food for over half of the world's human population, especially in asia and africa. it is the agricultural commodity with the third-highest worldwide production, after sugarcane and maize. since sizable portions of sugarcane and maize crops are used for purposes other than human consumption, rice is the most important food crop with regard to human nutrition and caloric intake, providing more than one-fifth of the calories consumed worldwide by humans. there are many varieties of rice and culinary preferences tend to vary regionally. the traditional method for cultivating rice is flooding the fields while, or after, setting the young seedlings. this simple method requires sound irrigation planning but reduces the growth of less robust weed and pest plants that have no submerged growth state, and deters vermin. while flooding is not mandatory for the cultivation of rice, all other methods of irrigation require higher effort in weed and pest control during growth periods and a different approach for fertilizing the soil. rice, a monocot, is normally grown as an annual plant, although in tropical areas it can survive as a perennial and can produce a ratoon crop for up to 30 years. rice cultivation is well-suited to countries and regions with low labor costs and high rainfall, as it is labor-intensive to cultivate and requires ample water. however, rice can be grown practically anywhere, even on a steep hill or mountain area with the use of water-controlling terrace systems. although its parent species are native to asia and certain parts of africa, centuries of trade and exportation have made it commonplace in many cultures worldwide. production and consumption of rice is estimated to have been responsible for 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2010.

Main

Rice

Rice is the seed of the grass species oryza sativa (asian rice) or less commonly oryza glaberrima (african rice). the name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera zizania and porteresia, both wild and domesticated, although the term may also be used for primitive or uncultivated varieties of oryza. as a cereal grain, domesticated rice is the most widely consumed staple food for over half of the world's human population, especially in asia and africa. it is the agricultural commodity with the third-highest worldwide production, after sugarcane and maize. since sizable portions of sugarcane and maize crops are used for purposes other than human consumption, rice is the most important food crop with regard to human nutrition and caloric intake, providing more than one-fifth of the calories consumed worldwide by humans. there are many varieties of rice and culinary preferences tend to vary regionally. the traditional method for cultivating rice is flooding the fields while, or after, setting the young seedlings. this simple method requires sound irrigation planning but reduces the growth of less robust weed and pest plants that have no submerged growth state, and deters vermin. while flooding is not mandatory for the cultivation of rice, all other methods of irrigation require higher effort in weed and pest control during growth periods and a different approach for fertilizing the soil. rice, a monocot, is normally grown as an annual plant, although in tropical areas it can survive as a perennial and can produce a ratoon crop for up to 30 years. rice cultivation is well-suited to countries and regions with low labor costs and high rainfall, as it is labor-intensive to cultivate and requires ample water. however, rice can be grown practically anywhere, even on a steep hill or mountain area with the use of water-controlling terrace systems. although its parent species are native to asia and certain parts of africa, centuries of trade and exportation have made it commonplace in many cultures worldwide. production and consumption of rice is estimated to have been responsible for 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2010.

Main

Riz au coco

Coconut rice, serve with rougaille, curry

Main

Rougail

Tomato-based meat and/or vegetable stew, made with beef, chicken, goat, sausage, seafood, shrimp, wasp larvae, fish, cod, herring, eggs, vegetables

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Samoussa

A samosa () is a fried or baked pastry with a savory filling, including ingredients such as spiced potatoes, onions, and peas. it may take different forms, including triangular, cone, or half-moon shapes, depending on the region. samosas are often accompanied by chutney, and have origins in medieval times or earlier. samosas are a popular entrée, appetizer, or snack in the cuisines of south asia, the middle east, central asia, east africa and their diasporas. the english word samosa derives from hindi word 'samosa' (hindi: समोसा), traceable to the middle persian word sanbosag (سنبوسگ) 'triangular pastry'. similar pastries are called sambusak in arabic; medieval arabic recipe books sometimes spell it sambusaj. the spelling samoosa is used in south africa.

Main

Steamed fish

Whole fish or filets cooked in fish stock with vegetables, wrapped and steamed in banana leaves, tea leaves

Dessert, Sweet

Tambi

Sweet vermicelli noodles with raisins, coconut milk, cardamom, vanilla, serve with tea

Drink

Tea

Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub native to china, india and other east asian countries. tea is also rarely made from the leaves of camellia taliensis. after water, it is the most widely consumed drink in the world. there are many different types of tea; some have a cooling, slightly bitter, and astringent flavour, while others have vastly different profiles that include sweet, nutty, floral, or grassy notes. tea has a stimulating effect in humans primarily due to its caffeine content.tea plants are native to east asia and probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern china and northern burma. an early credible record of tea drinking dates to the third century ad, in a medical text written by hua tuo. it was popularised as a recreational drink during the chinese tang dynasty, and tea drinking subsequently spread to other east asian countries. portuguese priests and merchants introduced it to europe during the 16th century. during the 17th century, drinking tea became fashionable among the english, who started to plant tea on a large scale in india. the term herbal tea refers to drinks not made from camellia sinensis. they are the infusions of fruit, leaves, or other plant parts, such as steeps of rosehip, chamomile, or rooibos. these may be called tisanes or herbal infusions to prevent confusion with "tea" made from the tea plant.