Foreign cuisines have seamlessly integrated into Dutch daily life. From spaghetti bolognese to goulash, these dishes are everyday favorites—yet their true origins often surprise us.
In the acclaimed TV series De Aardappeleters, host Joris Vermeer traces the authentic histories of popular foreign recipes. The premiere episode, aired Monday, January 9, revealed the roots of babi pangang.
Commonly ordered from Chinese takeaways here, babi pangang actually hails from Lake Toba in North Sumatra—not China. Pork is the sole familiar ingredient; the original sauce features pig's blood.
This discovery reshapes how we view the dish. Watch the babi pangang episode here.
Intrigued by more? Catch De Aardappeleters weeknights at 19:55 on NPO 2. Tonight's episode: spaghetti bolognese, an Italian no-go.
