Travelling somewhere new isn’t the same without experiencing the culture of the area, and one of the best ways you can explore a culture is through your tastebuds.
Fine dining at restaurants is great, but street food can give you a feel of an area. Street food is not only usually cheaper than restaurants, but it’s a tastier and more authentic insight into a country.
Street food has been around for centuries. It was served in ancient Rome to poor urban residents that didn’t have the equipment to cook themselves, and in ancient China to feed the poor and give the ‘well off’ a treat.
Today it’s everywhere, and you’re likely to see a street food stall in any city. Keep reading to find out some of the best street foods and recipes from about the world.
Banh Mi – Vietnam
When France occupied Vietnam in the 19th century, they introduced baguettes.
Shortly after that, Banh Mi was created, sold on the streets, and enjoyed by locals of the streets on Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City).
Banh Mi is made using a Vietnamese baguette, which is a thin bread with a thin crust. The filling can include means such as grilled chicken, Vietnamese sausage, pork belly, and vegetables such as cucumber, white radish, and pickled carrots.
You’ll find Banh Mi in many cities around the world, and are easy to find in the West – although nothing beats authentic Banh Mi from Saigon.
Jerk Chicken – Jamaica
Jerk chicken is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Jamaican cuisine.
Although the meal is available pretty much anywhere, there’s no beating the real deal from a smoky jerk hut.
The delicacy consists of chicken on the bone, which is usually marinated with thyme, chilli, ginger, allspice, and spring onions, but this can vary depending on where you get it.
The chicken is left to marinate overnight and then grilled over a BBQ.
Currywurst – Germany
Amongst beer, bread, and Christmas Markets, Germany is known for its delicious currywurst.
Currywurst is essentially chopped pork combined with a tasty tomato sauce and curry powder and is enjoyed by locals and tourist on the streets of Germany.
The dish is so popular that it even has its own museum in Berlin, the country’s capital – The Deutsches Currywurst Museum.
Quesadilla – Mexico
Although you can order quesadillas and burritos from chain restaurants, there’s nothing quite like a quesadilla prepared right in front of you on the streets of Mexico.
Real Mexican quesadillas aren’t like anything you’ve ordered from your local restaurant – you’ll find fillings such as potato, chorizo, nopal (cactus), huitlacoche (earthy fungus), squash blossoms, and many more delicious ingredients.
Vada Pav – India
The streets of Mumbai are full of culture, and one of the best places you can enjoy vada pav.
Vada pav is an iconic Mumbai sandwich, featuring spiced mash potato deep fried in a tasty chickpea flour batter.
The mixture of tastes truly epitomizes Mumbai life – chilli peppers, peanut garlic, tamarind, mint, coriander are all ingredients in the iconic dish.
Conclusion
With COVID restrictions being lifted, more people will begin to travel so if you are planning a trip, don’t forget to try street foods as they give you an authentic experience of a country.
If anyone has any other suggestions of street foods to try that we haven’t listed, let us know in the comment section.