From hot dogs to crepes, the food that you find at market stalls can be a huge indicator of what a country’s comfort food really is. The heart of a community is often reflected in the food it produces and some of the world’s most loved cuisines is served on the go. Trying out street food is an important part of travelling to new places and experiencing the real authenticity of the local culture. So when you’re abroad don’t waste time scouting for the local Mc Donalds, try something new and give the street food a chance.
Simit bread, Turkey
If you’re in Istanbul then you’ll see many market stalls dotted around the city selling the most delicious snacks. Simit bread is the traditional bread in Turkey which is sold in street carts all over the country and is often eaten for breakfast on the go. It’s a large ring shape of dough which is baked and covered in sesame seeds. If you have a sweet tooth it goes perfectly with some nutella or accompanied with a cup of Turkish tea.
Egg waffles, Hong Kong
These are known as Gai Daan Jai locally and are often topped with fruit or chocolate and can be found at almost every street vendor. You may think you’ve tried waffles in your own home town but there’s nothing like these tasty egg waffles in Hong Kong.
Bhel Puri, India
Indian street food is packed with intense flavours and tastes and with such a variety of street foods to choose from you’ll neer go hungry. Mumbai is the place to be if you want to try out some Bhel Puri! Bhel Puri consists of puffed rice, fried vermicelli noodles and vegetables drizzled in tamarind sauce.
Ceviche, Peru
Ceviches is Peru’s national dish and is increasingly becoming popular worldwide. The main ingredient here is the completely raw fish which is marinated in lime juice, salt and chilli. Try out the sea bass ceviche with sweet corn and sweet potatoes on the side.
Jerk Chicken, Jamaica
You can pretty much find jerk chicken being sold everywhere now but nothing beats the real deal fresh from a smoky jerk hut. Most jerk chicken recipes are a guarded secret. It’s usually chicken on the bone marinated with all spices, thyme, scotch bonnet chillies, ginger and spring onions. The meat is often left marinated over night to absorb all the flavours before being grilled.