For Bangladeshis, rain is a part of daily life. When it rains, the air cools down and is filled with an earthy scent. These are usually enough to remind us of a particular food, a “weather demand” as some call it now.

Bangladeshis often grab a hot cup of cha or a full bowlful of khichuri along with fried ilish bhaja. This leaves one to wonder what others eat elsewhere in the world when it rains. Do they prefer warm, hot, or fried items? Let’s see about this variety of foods people consume in different countries in the world when it rains!

In Bangladesh, rain is often “celebrated” with some specific foods. Khichuri is a popular choice. This dish consists of rice and lentils cooked with spices like ginger and garlic. It is often mixed with scrambled eggs or served with pieces of fried hilsa fish. Fried hilsa fish is common during the monsoon season, and its flavour complements khichuri perfectly.

Another common type of food is telebhaja, often accompanied by khichuri. This term encompasses various kinds of fritters often including deep-fried vegetables such as beguni (fried eggplant slices), peyaju (fried lentil fritters), and alur chop (potato croquettes). These are served hot and are often spicy. And of course, tea is a timeless choice for warming up.

Moving to East Asia, people there also have specific foods they prefer when it rains. In Japan, people tend to crave warm comfort foods including the fan favourite, Ramen. It features a hot broth, wheat noodles, and toppings such as sliced meat and a boiled egg.

Another heartwarming food is Oden. It is a hot pot where ingredients like boiled egg, radish, and fish cakes are simmered in a mild, soy-flavored broth. Oden is also sold in convenience stores during colder weather.

Similarly, in South Korea, Pajeon is a common food of choice. This is a savoury pancake made from flour, eggs, and water, mixed with green onions. Sometimes seafood like shrimp or squid is added. It is cooked in a pan until the outside is crispy and the inside is soft. It is typically served with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce. It is common to eat hot Pajeon with family or friends, sometimes with Makgeolli (a traditional rice wine), while observing the rain.

Now, let’s look at Southeast Asia. In the Philippines, a country with heavy rains, a warm and aromatic dish is often the dish of choice – Arroz Caldo. It is a thick, savoury rice porridge cooked with chicken, ginger, and garlic, sometimes colored with saffron or turmeric. It is usually topped with fried garlic, spring onions, and a squeeze of calamansi (a type of lime). Arroz Caldo is rich and full of flavour. People also eat it when they’re ill, but otherwise it’s a comfort food to enjoy on a wet, chilly day that internally warms you up.

In Indonesia, another country with frequent rains, various fried snacks are popular. Gorengan is a general term for items like fried tofu, fried fermented soybean cakes, vegetable fritters, and fried bananas. These snacks, which can be savoury or sweet, are widely eaten, often with spicy chili sauce.

Another comfort food is Soto. This is a traditional, aromatic soup with rich broths, meat (chicken or beef), vegetables, and a mix of spices. Different regions have their own Soto variations.

Next, we look at the Americas, where both sweet and savoury foods are eaten when it rains. Further south in Chile, a type of fried pastry known as Sopaipillas is popular during rainy weather. They are round, flat fried pastries made from dough that can include pumpkin or squash puree. They are crispy on the outside and soft in the inside.

Sopaipillas can be eaten in two ways: savoury, with pebre (a chili sauce), or sweet, with chancaca syrup (a type of sugar syrup). They are commonly sold by street vendors during winter and rainy seasons.

In Brazil, they have a particular sweet item named after the rain: Bolinho de Chuva which directly translates to “rice cake”. These are sweet, fried dough balls, usually coated with cinnamon sugar. They are light inside and have slightly crispy outer shell. Bolinho de Chuva are often made by older family members on rainy afternoons. They are a simple, warm food, often eaten with coffee or hot chocolate.

Moving to Mexico, two well-known comfort foods are eaten for warmth and cultural reasons. Atole, a hot viscous beverage made from corn masa (dough), sweetened and flavoured with sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, or chocolate, is one of them. It’s creamy, sweet, and warm, so it makes a common cold-weather breakfast beverage.

Another food is Tamales. They are sweet or savoury masa dough, filled with meat, cheese, or fruits, wrapped in corn husk, then steamed. They are moist, flavourful, and warm. Making Tamales is often a shared family activity, which contributes to its sense of warmth.

In the United States, simple and familiar foods are often chosen on rainy days. A warm grilled cheese sandwich with a hot bowl of tomato soup is a common choice. The grilled cheese, with melted cheese between toasted bread, has both crunch and warmth. It is often dipped into the hot, creamy tomato soup.

Another option is Chili. This is a hearty stew made with ground meat, beans, tomatoes, chili powder, and other spices. It is a thick, savoury, and usually spicy meal, good for counteracting the chill of a rainy day, especially when topped with cheese or sour cream.

Finally, in Italy, when the weather is cold and damp, traditional, healthy dishes are selected for comforting and nourishment. One traditional, comforting soup found in many houses in Italy is called Minestrone. It consists of seasonal vegetables, including carrots, celery, potatoes, and tomatoes, sometimes pasta or rice, and beans. It makes a perfect, healthy meal.

Another comforting meal, particularly in northern Italy, is Polenta. This is boiled cornmeal served hot as a creamy meal. It tastes plain with a comforting consistency. It can be consumed soft or cooled and grilled or fried. Polenta can be served up with meat sauces, stews, or mushrooms.

Food can be a simple way to enjoy being indoors, safe and warm. What connects these different food traditions, from Khichuri in Bangladesh to Arroz Caldo in the Philippines, is our shared human love for rain and food globally.

Each culture has its own tasty ways to find comfort and joy when the weather is damp. This connection through food ties people to their culture and to each other. Learning about these global rainy-day foods might even inspire you to try something new. Food, like rain, unites us.