France and Switzerland over meringue. Who knew that egg whites beaten with sugar would be in the centre of a long-running turf war? Both nations claim to have invented it. The French meringue isn’t cooked, and therefore, is unstable but lighter. The Swiss one goes into a double-boiler, emerging denser, but just as soft. Variations abound across Europe, uniting the French and Swiss in disdain.

Nigeria and Ghana over jollof rice. The two West African nations feud over food, football and governance. But the fiercest battles are fought over who makes a meaner jollof rice. In Nigeria, they use long-grain rice in a rich tomato sauce and stock, and add chicken, fish cuts, plantain and salad. In Ghana, they use fragrant Thai jasmine rice, and more spices – ginger-garlic paste blended into the sauce base, nutmeg, rosemary and anise. Delicious either way.

Bengal and Odisha over roshogolla. West Bengal won the GI tag for the sweet in 2017. But Odisha has, for decades, claimed to have invented it. The versions don’t taste or look too different, except for variations of size. They’re smaller in Odisha, and just as addictive.

Lucknow and Hyderabad over biryani. It’s Nawabs versus Nizams, north versus south, simple versus spicy. The one-pot meal is slow cooked dum style with succulent pieces of meat marinated in yogurt, herbs, and the meat stock in Lucknow. Hyderabadi biryani uses ground spices, a bit of saffron for colour, and every ingredient is put into the pot raw. The only winners in this war? Us diners.

Mexico and the US over chimichanga. The dish was probably invented in the US in the 1920s when a burrito made with a beef-pork mix, chilli powder, cumin, and garlic was served deep fried. South of the border, the origin story is set in Sonora and the flavours are more pronounced. Either way, it’s a filling snack.

Australia and New Zealand over pavlova. What’s a dessert named after a Russian ballerina doing Down Under? The round, baked meringue, topped with cream and fruits was probably invented in Australia after Anna Pavlova performed there in the 1920s. But variations were served in NZ almost a decade earlier. The Aussies top it with passionfruit and pineapple. The Kiwis with, well, kiwi.

Mumbai and Kolkata over pani puri or phuchka. Who makes crisper puris? Who has better filling? How flavourful is the spiced water? How many can one gobble up by the street? In the West, locals prefer ragda and tangy mint water. In Kolkata there’s spicy potato and black chickpea in the puris and tamarind water. It’s a bloodless fight. Both sides are too busy eating.

China and Japan over fried rice. The Chinese like their rice crispier, made with longer, more fragrant grains like jasmine, and seasoning it with oyster or Szechuan sauces with scrambled eggs added later. The Japanese, however, use shorter, stickier, more starchy rice that’s cooked with the egg to make it creamier, and is seasoned with soy sauce.

Austria and Germany over apple strudel. Both nations were part of the German Confederation until 250 years ago. So, strudel, a dough pocket baked with layers of apple, brown sugar, lemon, cinnamon and nuts, is often mistaken for being German, even if it’s an Austrian delicacy. Meanwhile, Turks laugh in the back. They introduced baklava in 1453, which is when the idea of a strudel was born.

Peshawar and Delhi over butter chicken. This might be the most delicious court-battle of the century (It’s being heard at the Delhi High Court). Popular Delhi restaurant chains Moti Mahal and Daryaganj are fighting over who invented it. The former claims to trace their recipe to Peshawar, in modern-day Pakistan. The latter says it was born in Delhi. We suggest grabbing a plate of it while watching the showdown unfold.

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