6 street food recipes from around the globe

If the thing you look forward to the most when you arrive in a new country is its roadside delicacies, these recipes are going to be right up your alley!

Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
1 kg chicken breast, boneless, skinless
Bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water for 2 hours
Oil, for basting
For the marinade:
3 tbsp oil
2 stalks lemongrass, white parts only
2 cloves garlic, peeled
6 shallots, peeled
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp red chilli powder
½ tbsp salt, or to taste
2 tbsp sugar
For the spicy peanut sauce:
1 ½ cup dry roasted peanuts, unsalted
1 tbsp tamarind pulp, soaked in ¼ cup water for 15 minutes
1 cup water
1 tbsp sweet soy sauce
1 ½ tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp peanut butter, optional
For the spice paste:
¼ cup oil
6-8 dried red chilies, seeded, soaked in warm water
3 cloves garlic
3 shallots
2 lemon grass, white parts only,
1 inch ginger
1 tbsp coriander powder

Method
Roughly blend peanuts for the sauce in a food processor.
Blend all the ingredients for the spice paste into a smooth paste. Heat oil and fry the spice paste until aromatic and bubbly.
Add these to the paste, together with tamarind juice, water, sweet soy sauce, sugar and salt; stir to mix thoroughly.
Add peanut butter, if using, and combine well.
Continue to stir until the peanut sauce turns smooth. Take off heat and allow to cool to room temperature before use.
Cut the chicken into small cubes and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
Blend the ingredients for the marinade together in a blender, adding a little water, if required. Marinate the chicken for two hours or overnight.
Thread a few pieces of the chicken onto bamboo skewers that have been soaked in cold water for two hours, and grill for 4-5 minutes on each side until nicely charred. Alternatively, you can broil them in an oven at 190°C.
Serve hot with spicy peanut sauce.
Bruschetta with Garlic Mozzarella Toast

Ingredients
For the bruschetta:
8 medium tomatoes, seeded, cut into small pieces
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
Dash of ground pepper
For the garlic mozzarella bread:
Loaf of baguette or your preferred crusty bread
6-8 tbsp butter, softened
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp basil, chopped
½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Method
Place all the ingredients for the bruschetta in a mixing bowl and toss to combine.
For the bread, mix together softened butter, garlic and basil. Spread on a sliced baguette or bread of your choice.
Place the prepared bread on a baking tray, butter side up, and toast until golden brown under the broiler of your oven.
Remove toasted bread from the oven, top with mozzarella and place it back under the broiler, until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown.
Top the breads with the bruschetta and serve hot.
Pav Bhaji

Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp cumin powder
3 tomatoes, chopped
4 potatoes, cubed
½ cup French beans, chopped
1 cup cauliflower florets
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup green peas
1 capsicum, chopped
2 cups water
100 gm butter
Salt to taste
6 pav buns
1 cup coriander leaves, chopped

Method
In a pressure cooker, heat oil and sauté onions with garlic paste until translucent. Add the spices and sauté on medium heat for two minutes. Cook tomatoes with onions till they turn mushy and the oil start leaving the sides.
Add all the vegetables and mix until coated well with spices. Add water and allow to cook in the pressure cooker for up to 3-4 whistles.
Once the steam has released, place the pan back on medium heat. Simmer till it reaches a thick consistency sauce and mash the vegetables with help of a potato masher.
Add half the butter, and stir till everything is mixed together; check seasoning. It should be a little spicy and tangy.
To serve, slit open the pavs horizontally. Add a teaspoon of butter to a hot flat pan and toast the buns till the bread is crisp and golden. To serve, place bhaji in a bowl, and garnish with a dollop of butter, coriander and onions.
Falafel with Sriracha Hummus

Ingredients
2 cups white chickpeas, canned or soaked overnight
1 red onion, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp pistachios
½ cup green peas, fresh or frozen
5 garlic cloves
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
½ cup coriander leaves, fresh
1 tsp cumin, ground
1 tsp coriander, ground
2 tsp salt or to taste
½ tsp baking powder
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil, for frying
For the sriracha hummus:
1 can chickpeas
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup tahini
1 clove garlic
½ tsp salt
? tsp cumin
2 tbsp sriracha

Method
Drain the chickpeas for the hummus and add to a food processor, along with the olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, salt, and cumin. Process until smooth, adding olive oil as needed for a creamier hummus. Add sriracha and set aside till ready to serve.
Rinse well and drain the canned chickpeas. If using dried chickpeas, soak overnight. Drain water and use.
Place chickpeas in a food processor and add the remaining ingredients for the falafel, except the baking powder, flour and oil. Process to a semi-coarse paste.
Mix in baking powder and flour. Using your palms, shape the falafel mixture into golf ball-sized rounds.
Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Slide one ball of falafel gently into the hot oil to test. If the oil is ready, the falafel will instantly rise to the surface. Turn gently with a slotted spoon and cook until both the sides are evenly browned. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Repeat the same with the remaining falafels and serve hot with sriracha hummus.
Chicken Quesadillas with Tomato Salsa

Ingredients
100 gm chicken breast, cooked, shredded
1 tbsp pickled jalapeno, minced
1 tbsp coriander leaves, fresh, finely chopped
½ cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese
Salt to taste
6 flour tortillas
2 tbsp vegetable oil
For the tomato salsa:
4 tomatoes, ripe, finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/3 cup coriander, chopped
2 green chillies, fresh, deseeded, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime

Method
Place all the ingredients for the salsa in a bowl and mix to combine. Cover for about 30 minutes for flavours to develop.
Combine the chicken, jalapeno, coriander, cheese and salt in a medium bowl and mix well. Spread the mixture evenly over half a tortilla, forming a semi-circle. Fold the tortilla over and press down firmly. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the quesadillas for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel and cut into triangles. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Serve immediately with tomato salsa on the side.
Jerk Chicken with Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients
750 gm chicken thighs
6 Habanero peppers
6 scallions, roughly chopped
2-inch fresh ginger, roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves
2 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp ground allspice
1 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
½ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp lemon zest and ¼ cup juice of 2 lemons
¼ cup olive oil
2 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1 tbsp salt, or to taste
2 tbsp allspice
2 tbsp butter
For the pineapple salsa:
100 gm pineapple, fresh
1 green chilli
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp lemon juice

Method
For the salsa, chop up the pineapple and place in a bowl. Mix with the rest of the ingredients and set aside till ready to serve.
Combine the peppers, scallions, ginger, garlic, thyme, allspice, nutmeg, brown sugar, soy sauce, allspice, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, black pepper and salt in a food processor or a blender. Blend until a smooth purée is formed, about one minute.
Place chicken in a big bowl or in a zip lock bag and mix until thoroughly coated with the marinade. Fill the bag with ½ cup water and refrigerate for at least 10 hours or up to one day.
Preheat oven to 200°C and grease the baking dish. Lay the chicken pieces into the dish and drizzle the marinade on top. Place in the middle rack of the oven for about 45 minutes, until the chicken is well done.
Finish by searing the chicken in a non-stick pan with butter, 2 minutes each side.
Place chicken on a serving plate, drizzle over with leftover juice from the baking dish, and serve with pineapple salsa.

• Food and Dining