Taste in Translation: The World's Most Popular Dishes

Think you know the number-one favorite comfort food in USA? How about in China, Senegal or Sweden? On Taste in Translation, Aarti Sequeira tracked down the most popular number-one dishes from around the world.

#1 Comfort Food in the USA: Mac & Cheese

Kraft Foods introduced its boxed macaroni and cheese during the Great Depression. It served four people for 19 cents and Kraft sold millions of boxes in a year.

Get the Recipe: Brunch Mac and Cheese

#1 Comfort Food in Sweden: Frestelse

This popular Easter and Christmas dish of potatoes, anchovies and cream was developed as a Swedish response to the French dish Gratin Dauphinois and is often served as part of a large smorgasbord of other dishes.

Get the Recipe: Jansson's Frestelse

#1 Comfort Food in China: Rice Porridge

Known for its healthful benefits, this versatile dish is a traditional food for people feeling under the weather (like chicken soup in America).

Get the Recipe: Westlake Rice Porridge

#1 Comfort Food in Senegal: Mafe

This peanut butter stew is sometimes made with chicken or lamb but not pork since Senegalese people are Muslim.

Get the Recipe: West African's Finest Mafe

#1 Birthday Food in Honduras: Arroz con Pollo

Along with a pinata, rice with chicken is usually present at a birthday party in Honduras. A big platter can feed the entire neighborhood.

Get the Recipe: Arroz con Pollo

#1 Birthday Food in Brazil: Brigadeiros

Brazil's birthday bonbon tastes like a fudgy truffle and is a huge part of birthday parties in the country.

Get the Recipe: Traditional and Pink Brigadeiros

#1 Birthday Food in China: Long Life Noodles

There is a popular legend in China that if you eat long noodles, you'll live a long life. Each noodle can be about 3 or 4 feet long.

Get the Recipe: Spicy Cumin Lamb "Long Life" Noodles

#1 Lunch on the Go in the USA: Turkey Club

The first sandwich was named for John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich. He was more interested in playing cards than eating, so he tucked some meat between some bread for a no-fuss snack. The popularity grew from there to become one of the world's favorite foods.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Confit Club Sandwich

#1 Lunch on the Go in India: Chicken Tikka Mahkni

Also known as butter chicken, the dish is made with a marinade of yogurt, garlic, ginger and garam masala (a spice mix).

Get the Recipe: Chicken Tikka Mahkni

#1 Lunch on the Go in Vietnam: Banh Mi

The banh mi sandwich usually consists of a baguette stuffed with pork, pickled daikon, carrots and cilantro. This version put the classic filling in a taco.

Get the Recipe: Banh Mi Tacos

#1 Date Night Food in Jamaica: Curried Conch

Conch is known as an aphrodisiac in Jamaica. This dish also includes Irish moss, a form of red algae in the Atlantic Ocean, which is also believed to improve virility.

Get the Recipe: Curry Conch with Irish Moss

#1 Date Night Food in Thailand: Pad Thai?

You may think pad thai is the most popular date night food in Thailand, but actually first dates there usually revolve around a hot pot. A group of friends and family sit around a pot of boiling broth and cook the food together at the table. Pad thai is pretty great, too.

Get the Recipe: Green Papaya Pad Thai