Colombia Caribe

Bandeja paisa, also known as bandeja de arriero, bandeja montanera and bandeja antioquena, is Colombia's national dish since 2005, a heavy, caloric meal traditionally served on a big, oval platter and intended to be eaten for lunch.

Originally, the platter provided nutrition and energy to the farmers to keep them going for the whole day and there are a total of 13 ingredients used in the dish, including golden-fried chorizo sausages with lime, hogau sauce, cooked white rice, ground beef, plantain, arepa (a thin, fried corn cake), avocado, stewed red beans, fried pork belly, and a fried egg on top of it all.

This behemoth of a dish is traditionally accompanied by a mazamorra – a milk-based drink that is served chilled and features smashed maize. Bandeja paisa is actually one of the highest protein-packed dishes on Earth and is especially popular in the Paisa region departments of Antioquia and a part of Valle del Cauca in Colombia.

In 2005, when it became the national dish, it was suggested that the name gets changed to bandeja montanera in order to avoid the exclusion of people that are outside the Paisa region, which led to a huge public outcry. Regardless of the name, it is best to unbuckle your belt before having a go at this gigantic meal.