The cuisine of East Timor consists of regional popular foods such as pork, fish, basil, tamarind, legumes, corn, rice, root vegetables, and tropical fruit. East Timorese cuisine has influences from Malay and Portuguese dishes from its colonisation by Portugal. Flavours and ingredients from other former Portuguese colonies can be found due to the presence of Portuguese soldiers from other colonies in East Timor. East Timorese dishes As agriculture is the main occupation in East Timor, the primary food is rice, which is cultivated widely in this country. Apart from rice, other staple food items that are cultivated in East Timor include sweet potatoes, maize, cassava, and taro. These primary staples are supplemented with beans, cabbage, spinach, onions and cowpeas. The second category of food consists of poultry, pigs, and goats. Most homes in East Timor raise their own food animals for meat. Fish is also a source of animal protein in this country as fishing is also an important occupation after agriculture. Batar daan- A popular dish of corn, mung beans, and pumpkin. Budu- A sauce of tomato, mint, lime, and Spanish onion. Fuuntaul tong and gailong- A popular soup dish, red beans, beef, lettuce, and egg with rice. Ikan sabuko- A Spanish mackerel in tamarind marinade with basil and capsicum. Tapai- A fermented rice dish. It is sweet, sour, and slightly alcoholic. Caril - A mild chicken curry with a roasted capsicum and coconut paste. Feijoada – A common dish of former Portuguese colonies, it is made with pork, cannellini beans and chorizo. Hungry season East Timor's crops rely on the rains that come following the annual dry season. This leads to a period of poor food security called the "hungry season" from November to February due to the unpredictable climate. Many households depend on their own production of food because of the erratic climate conditions, such as droughts. Many families subsist on akar, which is a widely available food source for the poor. It is dried palm tree bark, beaten into a powder, mixed with water to form a jelly and then cooked over fire. This leads to cases where nearly 58% of children under the age of five suffer from chronic malnutrition. Desserts Bibingka- A grilled and layered coconut cake Portuguese tart (pastel de nata)- an egg tart pastry Coffee The coffee of East Timor is organic and a major cash crop for the island nation. Coffee