Describe Your Favourite Food: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

What dish or food item it is?
How it is prepared or cooked?
How common this food item or dish is?
Why it is your favourite?

15 unique answers with expert feedback

What other traditional dishes do you enjoy?

In addition to Maghlouba, I really enjoy dishes like Kabsa and Shawarma. Kabsa is a spiced rice dish with meat, while Shawarma is marinated meat wrapped in pita bread. Both are flavorful and represent the rich culinary heritage of Saudi Arabia.

How do you usually prepare Maghlouba?

I usually prepare Maghlouba by first cooking the chicken with spices, then layering it with rice and vegetables in a pot. After that, I let it simmer until everything is cooked through. The flipping part is always exciting, as it reveals the beautiful layers of the dish.

Do you think food plays an important role in culture?

Absolutely! Food is a significant part of culture as it reflects traditions, history, and social values. Sharing meals brings people together and allows us to celebrate our heritage. Dishes like Maghlouba are not just meals; they are a way to connect with my roots and family.

Band 7

00:00

My favorite food is a bit stereotypical Indian dish. It's butter chicken. I really enjoy the smooth flavor of butter with a bit of spiciness and a hint of creaminess from the cream. Preparing butter chicken is a very linear process. Basically to start with we have to get a chicken in curry cuts and we have to prepare the gravy with boiling tomatoes and then onions sorting onions and then grinding it all up with bunch of spices and then we add chicken to it with lots and heaps and heaps of butter. It's a really common dish in India. You can try it from anywhere from a small restaurant to a five-star hotel and it will taste as good as you can make it at home as well. It never misses. I would recommend trying it at home. It's very it's not particularly easy to make but it's a fun experience.

Follow up questions

What other Indian dishes do you enjoy?

Apart from butter chicken, I really enjoy dishes like biryani, palak paneer, and samosas. Each has its unique flavor and preparation style. Biryani is a fragrant rice dish with spices and meat, while palak paneer is a creamy spinach dish with cottage cheese. Samosas are great snacks!

How do you feel about cooking in general?

I find cooking to be a therapeutic activity. It allows me to express my creativity and experiment with flavors. I enjoy trying out new recipes and techniques. Cooking for friends and family is especially rewarding, as I love sharing my culinary creations with them.

Have you ever tried making butter chicken for someone else?

Yes, I have! I made butter chicken for a family gathering, and it was a hit. Everyone loved the rich flavors, and it was great to see them enjoy something I prepared. It felt fulfilling to share a piece of my culture through food with my loved ones.

IELTS Cue Cards asked last week

Reported by Leap students who gave IELTS

Describe your favourite food at a traditional festival or a special event in your country

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 7.5

Pitampura Test Centre, New Delhi

Answer

I like to taste different types of cuisine. Here I would like to talk about my favorite dish at my traditional festival of Onam which is Sadya. Sadya is popular in my city. We are experimenting these cuisines on Onam festival day. Onam is a famous festival in my city. All family members get together in my home and we make a delicious Sadya. There are many ingredients includes that Sadya. Moreover, we make a big feast that day as well as we create a lot of memories together and we wear that day the traditional dress called Sari and men wear the Dhotis. That festival is really important to us because the whole day we are conducting different kinds of games at our homes and all the family members came together. It's a memorable day in my life. This is the festival. We are making the Sambar and Aviyal. These all the kinds of foods are making with the vegetables.

Talk about a toy you liked in your childhood

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 8

Sector 34 Test Centre, Chandigarh

Answer

The toy which I liked in my childhood was a panda doll, which makes me pleasant and makes me more blush. The pandas are the most beautiful creatures of the world, which looks gigantic and has pooshy cheeks and they are like stars in the clouds and they dream in me. Furthermore, these have been given by my father. My father is a very very beautiful artistic person, who makes me think of that. Every day you will face every difficulties and make you suffer and move forward. Pandas are always seen in Japanese countries. It is my lifelong dream to visit a Japanese country and click a photo with the original pandas, which makes sounds better.

Describe a time you were in a place where you didn't know the local language

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 6.5

Whitefield Test Center, Bengaluru

Answer

As India is a very large country full of diversity, so there are many places which have their own language and speak their native language. The place which I visited and I didn't know about their language was Leladakh, which is about 300 km away from my hometown and it is a very good place as it consists of different kind of trees, animals and have many scenic views and I visited over there last year in summers as it was the best time to visit because it has many, it was cold over there and we had summers in our area so it was the best time to visit over there and I went over there with my whole family.

Describe a time when your friend damaged something you owned

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 7

Begumpet Test Centre, Hyderabad

Answer

When I was a kid, I had a little pencil box which had these four buttons which gave the pencil box an operative use. When you press the button, the box would open up. When you press the second button, a little part of it would slide out. Basically it was just a little electronical and a fun thing to have and I owned it when I was in 6th. One day after break, I was standing and talking there with one of my friends and another friend of mine was running through the hallway and accidentally she pushed my shoulder and my pencil box hit the ground and it broke into multiple pieces to the point that it was not functional anymore.

Describe a book you recently read

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 7.5

CBD Belapur Test Centre, Navi Mumbai

Answer

It Ends With Us is a book I read recently. It's by the author Colleen Hoare. It's mainly a story about two teenagers, Atlas and Lily, and how they just handle their life going through high school, adolescence, and just domestic violence at home. Both of them come from very, very different families. However, they have one common determining factor between them, which is domestic violence. The abuse that they've seen their moms go through is just insane, and they connect through that on a different level. They're actually in the same high school, but they never speak to each other until Atlas actually crashes into an empty house next to Lily's villa. When Atlas is homeless and he doesn't have anywhere to go, he just comes and breaks into the house next to Lily's, and Lily helps him with all the daily necessities like clothes and food, medicines and stuff. Furthermore, their friendship blossoms into love, but it doesn't really fructify as Atlas has to leave. This book really gave me a lot of knowledge about domestic abuse and how to deal with it.

Band 7

00:00

My favorite cuisine is Italian and my favorite food would be spaghetti. I love spaghetti arrabiata and the reason that I like Italian cuisine mainly is because it's very, it's not only flavorful but it's very subtle on the taste. There are no complex flavors. It's a very comforting meal and the main thing I love about the recipe is that you can tweak it accordingly to what available and protein that you have available in hand without having to change the taste, without having to vary the main sauce. Spaghetti arrabiata is basically made with garlic, tomato and basil. It's very easy to cook. It's a very simple recipe. It's pretty straightforward. You boil the spaghetti for the sauce, you grind the tomatoes, add basil and chopped garlic and cook it till everything is well combined and then you just mix the spaghetti in it. It takes about 10 minutes. I usually make it at home whenever I want to just grab a quick bite and I can also just change the recipe based on my preference, not only for the food available but also based on the weather. I can make this recipe even as a cold recipe. There is something called as a cold pasta where you make the sauce in advance and then you keep it in the freezer and let it cool down. It's such an easy dish that you can easily use the same ingredients but just cool the noodles as well as the sauce and just pour the cooled sauce over the noodles and it makes a very refreshing dish. Because of the basil it makes a very refreshing dish to eat even in hotter days. The flavour profile is very simple and the taste is extremely good.

Follow up questions

What other Italian dishes do you enjoy besides spaghetti?

I also enjoy dishes like lasagna and risotto. Lasagna is comforting with its layers of pasta, cheese, and meat, while risotto is creamy and can be flavored with various ingredients like mushrooms or seafood. Each dish has its unique charm, but spaghetti remains my favorite.

How do you usually prepare spaghetti arrabiata for guests?

When I have guests, I like to enhance the dish by adding some grilled chicken or shrimp for protein. I also prepare a side salad and garlic bread to complement the meal. Presentation is key, so I make sure to garnish the spaghetti with fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese.

Do you think cooking is an important skill to have?

Absolutely! Cooking is not just about preparing food; it's a way to express creativity and share love with others. It also promotes healthier eating habits and can be a fun activity to do with family and friends. Plus, it saves money compared to dining out.

Band 7

00:00

Coming from a mixed culture background and living in India, food not only is a part of your daily routine that you consume just to feed yourself, it suddenly becomes an emotion and a way to express yourself. For me, coming from the eastern side of India, I love my cuisine, there is a dish called Biryani, which is made popular in Kolkata. It is usually made with rice, which is garnished with onions, you can add a little bit of chicken in it, you can add any kind of meat in it, it is also made with seafood sometimes. It's a delicacy which is celebrated all over India in different ways and each of the state has its own take in it. Biryani is the food which is introduced to everyone and in every occasion, maybe it's a marriage, maybe it's an engagement, maybe it's a party, everywhere you can find a Biryani lover.

Follow up questions

What other dishes are popular in your region?

In addition to Biryani, other popular dishes from my region include Fish Curry, Puchka, and Mishti Doi. Each dish has its own unique flavors and ingredients that reflect the rich culinary heritage of Eastern India.

How do you think food influences culture?

Food plays a significant role in shaping culture as it brings people together, reflects traditions, and showcases regional diversity. It often serves as a medium for sharing stories and experiences, creating a sense of belonging and identity.

Do you enjoy cooking? Why or why not?

Yes, I enjoy cooking as it allows me to connect with my roots and express my creativity. Preparing traditional dishes like Biryani is not just about the food; it's a way to celebrate my culture and share it with others.

Band 6-7

00:00

Being a foodie person, I can say that there are variety of foods that I like. However, the most favorite of mine is chicken biryani. And I can say this is the favorite one because the aromatic taste of this is very delicious. And the method this biryani is cooked is fabulous. And you can say amazing method that is cooked along with rice and chicken masalas. And there are cloves and other ingredients like onions and capsicums which make it very aromatic in taste. This is the most shopped dish around in India. And I think this is the favorite dish of many people over here. Moreover, there are two types of biryani dishes available. One is called Hyderabadi Biryani which got its name from the city where it was first introduced. And other is Muradabadi Biryani. And the same thing happens with this biryani also. It is also named after the city where it started.

Follow up questions

What other cuisines do you enjoy besides biryani?

Besides biryani, I enjoy a variety of cuisines such as Italian, especially pasta, and Chinese food, particularly dumplings. I also love street food like chaat and dosas, which offer a unique taste experience. Each cuisine has its own charm and flavors that I appreciate.

How do you usually celebrate special occasions with food?

For special occasions, I love to prepare or order a feast that includes biryani, along with other dishes like kebabs and desserts. Family gatherings often feature a big spread, and we enjoy sharing food together, which adds to the festive atmosphere and makes the occasion memorable.

Have you ever tried cooking biryani yourself?

Yes, I have tried cooking biryani a few times. It can be quite challenging, but following the right recipe helps. I enjoy experimenting with different spices and ingredients to make it my own. Cooking biryani allows me to appreciate the dish even more when I taste the final product.

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