10 Asian Dishes You Have Never Heard Of

Move over chow mein, banh mi, and dumplings. If your go-to Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, and Taiwanese dishes are getting a bit stale, The Daily Meal presents 10 Asian dishes you've never heard of. Each palate-pleasing dish is sure to whet your appetite for more.

See 10 Asian Dishes You've Never Heard Of (Slideshow)

We've compiled 10 Asian dishes that are popular in their home countries but obscure to many Westerners. Those who have ventured to the Far East are likely to have sampled several of these savory dishes either by happenstance or through friends in the know, but now you can try them for yourself — either on your next trip abroad, closer to home, or at home.

From jianbing (a Chinese-style crepe served on Beijing's streets) to kongguksu (wheat noodles submerged in cold soybean broth), these are the dishes that locals crave and rave about. 

It was a culinary challenge to whittle the list down to 10, but this simple start to introduce classic Asian dishes may just make you put them in heavy rotation when you order Chinese takeout, dine at your neighborhood Indian restaurant, or make them at home.

To learn what Vietnamese bún chả looks like, and to get our easy-to-follow recipe for it, and to find out where you can find the Taiwanese comfort food lu rou fan without leaving the States, click through our slideshow of 10 Asian Dishes You Have Never Heard Of.

Lauren Mack is a freelance travel and food writer. Follow her on Twitter @lmack.