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the world of

street food
the world of

Couple selling street food, Zhenjiang, China.

JACOB LOTINGA
 street food
Easy quick meals to cook at home by Troth Wells

Churros stall, La Paz, Bolivia.

ERIC LAWRIE/ANDEAN IMAGES
www.andeanimages.com
The World of Street Food
First published in the UK in 2005 by
New InternationalistTM Publications Ltd
55 Rectory Road
Oxford OX4 1BW, UK.
www.newint.org

Cover photograph: Night market food stalls, Bangkok, Thailand

Jerry Alexander/Lonely Planet Images.
Food photography © Kam & Co, Denmark.
email: [email protected]
© all other photographs: individual photographers/agencies.
Text © Troth Wells/New Internationalist 2005 and individuals contributing.
Paperback edition 2006. Reprinted 2007.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for
the purpose of review, without the written permission of the publisher and
copyright owner.

Design by Andy Kokotka/New Internationalist.

Printed by C&C Printing Offset, Hong Kong, China.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.

ISBN: 978-1904456-506

CHRIS STOWERS/PANOS
Acknowledgements
First, special thanks to Dexter Tiranti, the inspiration behind the NI’s books,
for his drive, creativity and support over many years.
Thanks for their great enthusiasm, photos and information to Jacob Lotinga
and his English language students in China; also to José Elosegui, Hersilia
Fonseca and Patricia Pujol in Montevideo, Uruguay. Their excellent descriptions
of food and places helped transport me, in spirit at least, to the streets of
Zhenjiang and parts of Latin America.
I’d also like to thank Anwar and Mahmuda Fazal, Susan Siew and friends
in Penang, Malaysia for their help. Thanks too, to Imran Mirza, Reem Haddad
and all the people who sent in recipes, explaining where and when they ate
them; there are some fascinating stories. Ben Coren and Andy Kokotka both
kindly remembered to find me recipes on their travels. Dinyar Godrej provided
several recipes, embellished with lovely descriptions of his childhood in India.
In the long cold English August of 2004, William Beinart kept me going with
his enthusiasm and cooking skills as we tested the recipes. Thanks also to Bev
Laing, Andy Kokotka, Chris Brazier and other colleagues at the NI.
 contents
The World of Street Food 7
Africa 10
Asia 38
Latin America & Caribbean 94
Middle East & North Africa 140
Resources 172
Index 174
About the NI 176
About the Author 176

Note: recipes marked ‘V’ are vegan;‘Va’ are vegan-adaptable.

Most recipes are vegetarian or can be easily adapted.

Plates of fruit, Old Delhi, India.

 TROTH WELLS (LEFT AND FAR LEFT)
TOP LEFT Food stall in Penang, Malaysia.
JACOB LOTINGA

TOP RIGHT Café in Havana, Cuba.

BOTTOM RIGHT Lunchtime at the World Social Forum,
Mumbai, India.
BOTTOM LEFT Choice of street food, Zhenjiang, China.

6
the world of street fo o d
‘S ee that tree over there?’ said Mohamed, pointing at a straggly
specimen across the busy road in Penang’s George Town.‘That
was where my grandfather used to sell his nasi kandar. He had
two baskets at either end of a pole that he carried on his shoulders to this
spot.Then he’d unwrap one and set up his little fire.The second basket
carried rice and other ingredients.
‘In time, he did well enough to buy a hawker cart. My father took that
on and the business grew, so that he was able to rent a stand in a coffee
shop. And from that, here I am with nasi kandar stalls of my own.’
Mohamed’s grandfather had come from Tamil Nadu, in India, along with
many others. Many Tamils came as indentured laborers for the British, to
work on Malaysia’s rubber plantations. Others became hawkers, eking out
a living in the towns, selling food and other goods.
Malaysia has a rich tradition in street food, not least because of its
immigrant workers.The largest immigrant group in Malaysia is the
Chinese, many of whom came to work on the country’s tin mines. But
an earlier wave of migrants – known as Nonya or Straits Chinese – had
reached Malaysia in the early and middle part of the 19th century. Many
married Malays, and fused their cooking ideas along with their genes to
create some distinctive tastes and flavours.
‘Malaysia is the street-food capital of the world,’ said Anwar Fazal,
when I explained the purpose of my visit. Anwar worked for years with
consumer organizations – not testing fridges or driving the latest car, but
setting up campaigning groups such as Pesticides Action Network, Health
Action International and the International Babyfood Action Network, and
working with the Consumers’ Association of Penang, one of the foremost
VANESSA BAIRD/NEW INTERNATIONALIST

non-governmental groups.
These bodies turn the concept of a Western ‘consumer’ on its head,
for they examine shopping and products in a different way, looking for
example at what damage to workers and the environment is caused by
agro-chemicals.They also focus on the well-documented scandal of baby-
milk being sold to people who can neither afford it nor prepare it safely
because they lack clean water. I’d worked with these organizations briefly
in the 1980s and was pleased to be back again and see familiar faces. The
excellent street food was of course another draw.

7
 TROTH WELLS/NEW INTERNATIONALIST
Street food and stall, Penang, Malaysia.

Anwar had a treat in store: in my room was a copy of Penang Food

Odyssey, a fascinating and detailed tour of the street food vendors and
their specialities... you could almost hear the sizzle and smell the aromas.
The first thing to do is to visit each stall and see who is cooking what
at this time of day. For some of the dishes are strictly breakfast fare, like
nasi lemak, a Malay cuisine speciality.This is coconut rice and curry, with
side dishes of fried anchovies, peanuts, hard-boiled eggs and cucumber. If
you think that is an unusual combo to start the day with, then think how
a plate full of fried egg, bacon, sausage and baked beans might seem to
the uninitiated. Nasi lemak has a kick to get you going, supplied by chili.
From Accra to Bangkok and Mumbai to Mexico City, informal street
trading is a way for many people to make a living. According to Britain’s
JACOB LOTINGA

Natural Resources Institute ‘street-vended food can contribute signifi-

cantly to the food security of those involved in its production, particularly
suppliers of raw produce, food processors and vendors.’ The UN Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO) notes that ‘selling snacks and meals
on the streets is an important way to obtain income.’ In Calcutta, selling
street food is estimated to bring in almost $100 million per year for the
130,000 or so vendors, while in Latin America the monthly sales per
vendor were around $150-500.
Most vendors are people who would otherwise be unemployed. Many
women work in this sector – in some African countries over 80 per cent
of those selling food on the street are women.This is a vital part of the
McDonald’s advertising, China. economy, as women nearly always spend the cash on their families rather
than on alcohol, sex or other diversions.

8
 As well as making a living, the food hawkers and vendors provide
cheap meals to thousands of people who may not be able to afford much
else.Those queuing up for today’s tasty dish may be schoolchildren, and
some school canteens in Thailand and the Philippines buy in food from
the hawkers.
Is there anything bad to say about this thriving and important industry?
Well, there are health and hygiene concerns. Organizations such as the FAO

TROTH WELLS/NEW INTERNATIONALIST

are promoting clean water facilities and health checks for vendors. Malaysia,
like some other countries, licenses vendors to ensure acceptable standards
– and of course to keep an eye on who is doing what, where. In Zambia and
Zimbabwe, hawkers are illegal but in times of economic hardship, people
(both vendors and their customers) have few other survival options.
Local people and tourists alike can enjoy the colorful sights, delicious
smells and bustle that surrounds the food hawkers – such as those busy
at their stands in Penang’s Gurney Drive, one of the city’s most popular
spots to eat.
Here, the way to find your favorite food is to go round the stalls and
see for yourself what is being cooked. Most people speak enough English
to understand what you are asking and will be pleased that you are show-
ing interest in their cuisine.You order what you want and the various
stallholders will bring the dish to you – go on, try several! The food is
cheap and so good that quite often you will find Mercedes cars pulled up
nearby, their occupants as keen on the wonderfully named wanton mee
as the less well-wheeled foodies.
My favorite is roti canai, a Malaysian speciality.The stallholder who
Making chapatis, Penang, Malaysia. makes this is a star attraction as he whirls the dough, making it thinner
and thinner, and slapping it down to cook on a hot griddle. It puffs up;
you break off bits and dip them into the curry sauce.Totally delicious and
highly addictive – an exquisite blend of the known and the exotic, just
like Malaysia itself.
The recipes in this book have been adapted to make them easy to
cook at home, and you can find most ingredients in the shops or specialty
stores – or, now, on the web. And of course you can help support fair
trade and organic producers by purchasing their goods – it really does
make a difference.
Troth Wells

9
Fruit and vegetable stand, Egypt.
JOHN ELK III/LONELY PLANET IMAGES (LPI)

A F R
I C A
Street food 11
 FRANCES LINZEE GORDON/LPI
E T H I O P I A

Lentil wat (stew) V

SERVES 4 PREPARATION: 10 MINUTES COOKING: 20-30 MINUTES

Ethiopians may fast as many as 200 days a year, during

which time they do not eat meat. This has led to many
delicious vegetarian versions of the wats (stews). Light
and lemony.

1 cup / 225 g lentils

1-2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon berbere* or 1 teaspoon
chili powder
Trader carrying butter in a gourd, Ethiopia.
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated,
or 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
3 cloves 1 Put the lentils in a pan with enough water to cover, and bring to
½ teaspoon nutmeg, grated the boil. Skim off any froth with a spoon, and then reduce the heat
juice of ½ lemon and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes until they are cooked and
1 tablespoon parsley or cilantro/ crumbly. They should have absorbed most of the moisture; if not,
coriander, chopped drain off the excess.
salt and pepper 2 Now heat the oil in another pan and sauté the onions, adding
oil the garlic after a few minutes when the onions are translucent.
3 Next, add the berbere or chili powder, the ginger, cloves, nut-
* Ethiopian spicy sauce, available in meg and lemon juice. Stir well to combine the ingredients. Pour in
specialty stores. a little water or oil if the mixture begins to catch.
4 Spoon the lentils into the spice mix and season. Cook over a
gentle heat for 5-10 minutes to let the flavors expand, stirring fre-
quently so that the mixture does not burn. Again, add more liquid
if necessary to keep it moist. Garnish with parsley or cilantro/
coriander and serve with breads or rice.

12 Africa
Street food 13
 E T H I O P I A

Dabo kolo
(fried snacks) Va
MAKES 20-24 PREPARATION: 20 MINUTES
COOKING: 10 MINUTES

Dabo means bread, and kolo is the

word for roasted barley, which is eaten
as a snack, like popcorn. Dabo kolo
are popular in Ethiopia, eaten between
meals, with drinks, and are available
from street vendors and small shops.
The snacks keep well and so are useful
for people on the move. They are usually
made from wheat flour, but can also
be made from tef flour (used to make
Ethiopia’s famous flatbread, injera) or
even chickpea flour.

14 Africa
1 cup / 100 g flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon sugar
¼-½ teaspoon berbere paste *
or cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons oil
water
a little melted butter or margarine +

* Ethiopian spice paste

+ optional

1 Mix all the ingredients together, gradually

adding a little water to form a stiff dough.
Then knead for 5 minutes or so.
2 Next, take up pieces of the dough
roughly the size of a walnut and press
each one out on a lightly floured surface,
using the palm of your hand, to make a
long strip about ½ inch/1 cm thick.
3 Cut the strip into ½ inch/0.5 cm pieces.
Repeat with the other dough strips.
4 Put the cakes on a pre-heated skillet/
griddle or into a frying pan, with no oil,
leaving a little space between them.
5 Cook over heat, turning occasionally,
until golden brown. Leave to cool slightly
and then serve plain, or with melted
margarine or butter poured over if liked.

Street food 15
 G A M B I A A N D S E N E G A L

Mafé (peanut stew)

SERVES 6 PREPARATION: 30 MINUTES COOKING: 20 MINUTES

Mafé, a traditional dish of the Wolof people of Senegal and Gambia, is one of
the many variations of the African groundnut stew. The basic recipe uses meat,
onion, palm nut oil, tomato paste, peanuts or peanut butter, some vegetables,
chilies, bell pepper, salt, pepper and water. It is often made with lamb or
mutton but can also use chicken, fish (fresh or dried) or substitute beans (such
as black-eyed beans) for a vegetarian version. Chop and boil the vegetables
first – then keep the stock to use in the dish.

1 pound / 450 g chicken, 1 Begin by heating the palm oil in a large

in pieces or ½ pound / 225 g cooking pot. Then sauté the chicken and
cooked beans remove the pieces when they are golden on
2 onions, finely chopped all sides.
1 cup / 225 g peanut butter 2 Now fry the onions in the same pan
1 red or green bell pepper, over a high heat. Next, put in the pepper,
chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and chilies. Fry for a
6 tomatoes, chopped few minutes before adding the water/stock,
2 tablespoons tomato paste peanut butter and tomato paste. Stir to mix
1-2 chilies, left whole the ingredients and then simmer gently for a
2 cups / 300 g chopped few minutes.
vegetables, cooked, 3 After this, add the chicken and the cooked
retaining stock * vegetables. Season, and then leave to
water or stock * simmer, covered, for 30-60 minutes or until
½ cup palm oil/oil everything is cooked. Stir frequently and
salt and pepper add more liquid if it becomes too dry. Serve
with rice and sliced avocado or parsley.
* Such as cabbage, carrot, potato,
sweet potato, egg-plant/aubergine,
squash or turnip.

16 Africa
Street food 17
 G A M B I A A N D S I E R R A L E O N E

Plasas or palaver stew

SERVES 4 PREPARATION: 15 MINUTES COOKING: 40 MINUTES

1 pound / 450 g minced lamb Plasas or palaver stew, popular in West Africa, combines greens, meat and
or beef sometimes also dried fish with egusi (pumpkin seed paste), groundnut paste or
2 onions, chopped peanut butter. Plasas is most often found in Gambia and Sierra Leone. Stock
2 pounds / 1 kg greens, cubes and/or the ubiquitous Maggi sauce are widely used.
chopped finely *
1 red or green chili, de-seeded
and chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, 1 Start by heating the oil in a large pan and then brown the onions in it, adding the
chopped meat when the onions are transparent.
½ cup egusi or peanut butter 2 Next, put in the chili, bell pepper and stock cube with enough water to cover the
red palm oil or cooking oil meat. Bring to the boil and then turn down the heat to a simmer. Cook the meat for
1-2 bouillon/stock cubes 20-30 minutes, or until tender.
water 3 Add the greens, cover, and cook until they are soft.
salt and pepper
4 Mix the egusi or peanut butter into the ingredients and stir to combine. Simmer for a
further 10 minutes and serve with rice.
* For example, spinach, collards,
chard or kale.

18 Africa
Street food 19
 G H A N A

Kalawule (spicy fried bananas) V

MAKES 16 PREPARATION: 5 MINUTES COOKING: 5 MINUTES

Plantains or bananas are often fried

without batter. Kalawule – DoDo in
Nigeria – is one example, originally
from Ghana and often sold by street
vendors from trays in the evenings.
A similar snack, but using sugar
rather than spice, is Zitumbuwa from
Malawi. If using dessert bananas you
can shallow-fry them (see #3 below).

4 firm bananas, cut into chunks

½-1 teaspoon grated fresh or
powdered ginger
½ teaspoon cayenne or chili powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
water
palm or peanut oil
salt

1 In a bowl, mix the ginger with the cayenne or chili, pepper,

salt and a few drops of water to combine the ingredients. Stir.
2 Now put in the chunks of banana and coat them well.
3 Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or wok and cook the banana pieces
in hot oil until nicely golden. Drain well on kitchen paper.

20 Africa
Street food 21
 K E N Y A

Cassava chips V
SERVES 2 PREPARATION: 5 MINUTES COOKING: 10 MINUTES

I enjoy the roast maize available on the streets of Nairobi and

most Kenyan towns. It is just white maize roasted over coals in the
upturned lid of a garbage can – which is logical given that the hot
coals are in the can underneath! The maize/corn can be eaten with
any combination of salt, dry red pepper (chili powder) and fresh
lemon juice squeezed over it – scrumptious. Available as a whole cob
wrapped in old newspaper or telephone book pages and munched
as you walk to or from work or stroll along the street.

The same vendor usually roasts cassava too, and runs a knife down
the length of the piece of cassava to sprinkle in salt, dry red pepper
and lemon before serving. From the coastal and lakeside towns of
eastern Kenya comes the delicious dish of cassava crisps or chips,
freshly deep-fried and sprinkled with – what else? – salt, dry red
pepper and lemon juice. Rajen Kantaria

½ pound / 225 g 1 Cut the cassava into ½-inch/1-cm slices.

cassava root * Put them in a saucepan with just enough
chili powder salted water to cover. Bring to the boil and
lemon juice cook until they are tender, about 30 minutes.
water It does not matter if the pieces break up.
oil 2 When they are cooked, remove from the
salt water and drain; dry with paper towels.
3 Heat some oil in a frying pan or skillet and
* Peel the cassava under when it is hot, fry the pieces until they are
cold running water as it crisp and golden all over. Sprinkle chili powder,
discolors quickly. salt and lemon juice over them. Serve at
room temperature with drinks.

22 Africa
Street food 23
 K E N Y A

Maandazi V
MAKES 24 PREPARATION: 5 MINUTES COOKING: 10 MINUTES

I lived in Kenya from 1987 to 1990. Originally a Swahili snack, maandazi – East African fried breads
similar to donuts – are ubiquitous in hotelis (tea shops) all over the country. Like most things, they are
best when fresh from the pan and make a delicious accompaniment to chai masala (spiced tea) for
breakfast but can also be used to mop up a stew. Frankie Meehan, Singapore

¾ cup / 180 ml warm water 1 In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and spice.
1 teaspoon baking powder 2 Mix the water, milk and egg together with the melted margarine.
2 cups / 200 g plain flour If you prefer not to use the milk and egg, substitute water.
¼ cup / 60 g sugar 3 Gradually add this mixture to the flour, kneading into a smooth,
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom * elastic dough. Adjust with more flour/water as necessary to obtain
1 tablespoon margarine, melted the right consistency. Place the dough in a clean bowl and leave
1 tablespoon warm milk aside for about 15-30 minutes.
1 tablespoon beaten egg + 4 When ready, roll the dough to about ½ inch/1 cm thick. Then
pinch of salt cut into triangles or small squares.
oil for deep frying 5 Heat the oil in a deep pan or wok. Slide each dough shape in (only
fry as many as can float without touching each other). Once the
* Or use cinnamon, allspice or ginger. bottom side is golden brown, turn them over and continue frying.
+ optional
6 Remove the shapes with a slotted spatula and drain well on old
newspapers or kitchen paper. Serve warm or cold, but do not store
for more than half a day as they tend to go stale rather quickly.
Sprinkle with icing sugar and cinnamon before serving.

24 Africa
S O U T H A F R I C A

Bunny chow V

JACKIE CLAUSEN
SERVES 2 PREPARATION: 10 MINUTES COOKING: 20 MINUTES

Despite its name Bunny chow has nothing to do with rabbits.

It is the result of an only-in-South-Africa combination of
Asian curry, European bread, and South African apartheid.
‘Malay’ slaves from Indonesia and Malaysia were brought
to South Africa by the Europeans, and later were joined by
indentured workers from India. The cuisine of these peoples
mixed and by the early 20th century there were curry shops
everywhere serving a bowl of curry with bread. As apartheid
enforced segregation, restaurants did not serve black
– African, Malay (‘colored’) or Indian – people. However they
could sell take-away food, so an enterprising cook in Durban
saw a way to keep custom by selling curry tucked into a
half-loaf of bread (this was before paper or plastic plates).
But why ‘bunny chow’? Indian playwright Ronnie Govender
suggests that eating houses in Grey and Victoria Streets in
Durban served a distinctive Gujarati vegetarian dish called a
bhunia and this gave rise to ‘bunny’. And chow has meant
‘food’ since the Chinese workers built the mid-West railways
in the US. Today bunny chow is so chic there are restaurants
serving nothing else, using different breads flavored with
pepper, garlic, cumin, aniseed and sesame. ‘One of the few
good things to emerge from apartheid,’ say locals. Congo
Cookbook Eating bunny chow, Durban, South Africa.

One of my favorites when I was a kid growing up in Durban,

served out of the Himalaya Hotel. David Johnson, Oxford,
England

1 unsliced loaf of bread per two people 1 Cut the bread into two halves. Using a plate or bowl, stand each
lentil curry * half on its end and scoop out the middle.
2 Fill each half with curry. Use the scooped-out bread to mop up
* See p 68 the curry and then eat the remainder with your fingers or a spoon.

Street food 25
 M A L A W I / A F R I C A

Ginger beer V
DI JONES/LPI

SERVES 2-4 PREPARATION: 5 MINUTES COOKING: 10 MINUTES

This popular drink is by no means unique to Malawi or

Africa – it is a favorite in some form or other in all the
tropical regions. And some may remember a different
drink: fizzy ginger beer in ‘hot’ British summers, in its
familiar brown stone jars with the wired stopper tops.

½ cup grated fresh ginger

½-1 cup / 110-225 g molasses or sugar
3 cups / 700 ml water
4 cloves
juice of ½ lemon

1 First, boil the water. Then put the ginger into a bowl and
pour on the boiling water. Cover and leave for at least one
hour – overnight if possible.
2 When ready, strain the liquid off through a sieve or use a
muslin bag. Press the ginger pulp to extract the flavor.
3 Add the molasses or sugar, the cloves and the lemon juice.
Stir well to mix the ingredients. Taste, and adjust the flavors
as desired, adding more water if required.
4 Leave the ginger beer to cool before serving.
Lesotho woman.

26 Africa
Street food 27
 S E N E G A L

Tchedoudiene (rice and fish)

SERVES 6 PREPARATION: 30 MINUTES COOKING: 45 MINUTES

This is one of Senegal’s classic dishes. There are almost as many different versions as there
are names: Ceebu Jën (from the Wolof ceeb, rice; and jën, fish; pronounced cheb-o-djin) is
also spelled Ceebu Jen, Ceeb bu jen, Ceeb u jen, Thebouidienne, Thieboudienne, Theibou
Dienn, Thiebou Dienn, Thiebou Dienne, Thiébou dieune, Tié bou dienne, Thieb-ou-Djien,
Thiebu Djen and sometimes just called Thieb or in French, Riz au Poisson. Feel free to add
or remove some of the vegetables and experiment with flavorings.

6 steaks sea bass or other white fish fillets 1 Chop half of one onion and half the red chili. Add garlic, 1
2 onions, chopped tablespoon of the cilantro/coriander or parsley and a pinch of salt.
1 red chili pepper, de-seeded Pound the ingredients together in a mortar or use a blender until
3 cloves garlic, crushed they form a paste. Make a small slit in each fish or fish fillet and
1 red bell pepper, chopped stuff the paste inside.
4 tablespoons tomato purée 2 Heat the oil in a large stew pot over medium heat. Chop the re-
5 cups / 1.2 liters water maining onions and fry them in the oil. Add the stuffed fish steaks
2 carrots, chopped and fry until golden. Remove the fried fish steaks from the oil and
set aside.
1 sweet potato, chopped
1 egg-plant/aubergine, chopped 3 Stir the tomato purée and the water into the hot oil and bring
1 cup / 100 g pumpkin or zucchini/ the mixture to a boil. Mix in the carrots, sweet potatoes, and
courgette, cut in chunks pumpkin if using and cook for 15-20 minutes. Add the remaining
4 tomatoes, chopped vegetables and the other half of the chili, salt, pepper and bayleaf.
Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Put in the cooked fish for the last
1 cup / 100 g cabbage, finely sliced
5 minutes.
1 pound / 450 g rice
2 limes, cut in quarters 4 Turn off the heat. Ladle off most of the stew liquid into a pot
and add the rice to this; bring to the boil and then simmer, cov-
1 bay leaf
ered, until the rice is cooked (add water if necessary). Keep the
2 tablespoons cilantro/coriander or
vegetables and the fish warm.
parsley, chopped
peanut or red palm oil * 5 Spread the rice evenly across the bottom of a serving dish and
heap the fish and vegetables in the center of the rice. Garnish with
salt and pepper
remaining parsley and serve with limes.
* If at all possible, use red palm oil – this gives a
lovely color and flavor. It is available in Caribbean
and specialty stores.

28 Africa
Street food 29
 S O U T H A F R I C A

Koeksisters
MAKES 16 PREPARATION: 20 MINUTES COOKING: 20 MINUTES

‘Cooked sisters’ – the ‘sisters’ may relate to the fact these donut-type snacks are usually
plaited, suggesting close family ties, or girls with braids. Koeksisters originated in the Cape,
introduced by the ‘Malays’ who were brought in as slaves from the 17th century, mainly from
Indonesia. The Cape Malay cuisine blends dried fruit and spices to create wonderful flavors.
By the way, this is your fat and sugar allowance for the week!

1 cup / 100 g flour FOR THE COATING:

TROTH WELLS

½ teaspoon baking powder ½ cup / 110 g sugar

1 teaspoon mixed spice ½ cup / 120 ml water
½ teaspoon ginger cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt juice of ½ lemon
2 oz / 50 g butter or margarine
1 tablespoon beaten egg
oil

1 Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Cut the margarine
or butter into the mixture or rub until it is like breadcrumbs.
2 Now stir in the beaten egg; mix well and then knead the dough a
little. When that is done, place the mixture on a floured surface and
roll it out to ½ inch/1 cm thick.
3 Cut the dough into circles, triangles or make small balls. Set aside.
Children, Eastern Cape, South Africa. 4 For the syrup coating, boil the sugar and water until thick, stirring all
the time. Add some drops of lemon juice and ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
5 Heat the oil in a wok or deep-fryer and when it is hot, slide the
koeksisters in carefully. Cook until golden; remove and drain on
kitchen paper.
6 Place them on a plate, coat with the syrup and leave to cool.

30 Africa
Street food 31
 S U D A N

Ful (beans)
SERVES 4 PREPARATION: 10 MINUTES PLUS OVERNIGHT SOAKING TIME IF USING DRIED BEANS
COOKING: 20-30 MINUTES (PRESSURE COOKER FOR BEANS)

This dish is also popular in Middle Eastern and other North African countries. In Sudan, it is the
traditional all-day breakfast dish, available in tiny cafés, from street vendors and, most welcome
of all, at bus stops in the desert. The ful beans are large flat brown beans (fava or field beans),
resembling shiny dark brown butter beans, and ful is by no means fast food. At least 24 hours’
soaking followed by 6 hours or so of slow cooking would be considered prudent. In Sudan, the
beans are left to simmer overnight in fat-bellied, narrow-necked vessels on charcoal braziers, but
canned beans can be bought in Greek or Turkish delicatessens.

The Sudanese traders bash the warm beans for a few moments with the base of an old glass fizzy
drinks bottle to slightly break up the beans. A plateful is served with a variety of optional extras. A
swirl of peanut oil, a handful of chopped fresh cilantro/coriander, salt and chili powder to taste is
pretty standard. But the addition of a little grated feta cheese, chopped scallion/spring onion and a
hardboiled egg would set you up for the day. The ful is usually eaten with flat bread, friends eating
from a communal dish. Pippa Pearce, London, England

1 cup / 200 g fava or ful beans, cooked and 1 Place the cooked beans in a serving dish and crush
kept warm them with the end of a rolling pin or spoon.
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro/coriander 2 Pour over some oil and sprinkle on salt to taste.
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced Garnish with the fresh cilantro/coriander.
2 scallions/spring onions, sliced 3 Serve the eggs, scallions/spring onions and feta
1 cup / 100 g feta cheese, crumbled cheese separately, and hand round the lemon juice.
juice of 1 lemon
peanut or olive oil
salt

32 Africa
Street food 33
 T A N Z A N I A

Mango fritters
MAKES 8 PREPARATION: 5 MINUTES COOKING: 5 MINUTES

Tasty snacks of pieces of fruit, vegetable, meat – fritters turn

up on just about every street food menu in the world – from
tempura in Japan, to pakoras in India and apple fritters in
Britain. They are popular snack food in Africa where they
are often made with bananas, maize, pineapple or vegetable
chunks. Mango is a tangy surprise.

2 mangos, peeled and cut into chunks

¾ cup / 75 g flour
1 egg, beaten
2-3 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons sugar
oil

1 Begin by making the batter. Sift the flour into a bowl and
add the sugar.
2 Take the bowl with the beaten egg in it and gradually pour
in the milk, stirring as you do so. Then add this to the flour
and sugar mixture.
3 Coat the mango pieces in the batter. Heat the oil in a deep-
fryer or wok and when hot cook the mango pieces until they
are just brown. Drain on kitchen paper.

34 Africa
Street food 35
 T A N Z A N I A

Kashata V
MAKES 8-12 PREPARATION: 5 MINUTES COOKING 15 MINUTES

This popular snack, somewhere between candy and

FRANCES LINZEE GORDON/LPI

cookie, is of Swahili origin. It is usually made with

peanuts or grated coconut, or both, and cooked on
the stove or over a fire, not in an oven.

¾ cup / 55 g grated or
desiccated coconut
½ cup / 55 g peanuts, roasted
and coarsely chopped
1/3 cup / 55 g sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 Sprinkle the sugar on to a frying pan

and cook it over a low heat, stirring, until
it melts and begins to brown.
2 Add in the coconut, peanuts and
cinnamon; mix well.
3 When the sugar begins to set, remove
the pan from the heat. To test for set-
ting, put a drop of water into the pan
when the sugar is beginning to turn
golden brown. When the drop sets into a
hard ball, remove the pan from the heat.
4 As the mixture cools, remove from
Injera (pancake) baskets, Ethiopia. the pan while it is still soft. Shape into
walnut-sized balls and leave to cool.

36 Africa
Street food 37
Coffee shop, Penang, Malaysia.
TROTH WELLS/NEW INTERNATIONALIST
A
S I A

Street food 39
 C H I N A

Jiaozi (filled dumplings) Va

MAKES 18 PREPARATION: 20 MINUTES COOKING: 15 MINUTES

FOR THE FILLING: I was a volunteer in southern China from 1997-2000 and liked jiaozi, one of
½ pound / 225 g minced pork * the many dim sum on offer – little ravioli-type dumplings with minced pork,
1 cup / 150 g cabbage, garlic, spring onions and salt in tiny ‘parcels’ of pastry made of flour and water
shredded – boiled in broth. Delicious. Alison Coulavin-Simmers, France
½ cup bamboo shoots,
chopped + I ate vegetable dongbei jiaozi at a small shop near the university in Zhenjiang
1 scallion/spring onion, (Jiangsu province). Dongbei is a word for the northeast region, and when I
chopped traveled I got the impression that families sometimes moved from this region
1½ tablespoons soy sauce and set up jiaozi shops in other parts of China. A big plate of 20 jiaozi is served
1 teaspoon sugar and you pick them up with chopsticks and dip in a saucer of vinegar and soy
½ tablespoon toasted sauce mixed together. They can have various fillings (some jiaozi-makers say
sesame oil
they are no good without some meat as well as vegetables, but this was not
salt
the case from my experience); it seemed to me that they were the Chinese
version of Italian tortellini, with soy instead of tomato sauce. Jacob Lotinga,
FOR THE DUMPLINGS:
Beeston, England
2 cups / 200 g flour
½ teaspoon salt
water

TO ACCOMPANY:
1 To make the filling, mix the pork or main filling ingredient with the cabbage, bamboo
soy sauce shoots if using, scallion/spring onion, soy sauce, sugar, oil and salt.
cider vinegar
2 For the dough, mix the flour with the salt and just enough water to make a light
1 scallion/spring onion,
dough. Knead it and then roll out into a long strip about 1 inch/2.5 cm thick.
chopped
1-2 tablespoons toasted 3 Cut pieces 1 inch/2.5 cm long and roll them into round flat thin circles of 3 inches/7.5
sesame seeds + cm diameter.
4 Place half a tablespoon of the filling on one side of the dough circle, and fold over
* Or use the equivalent amount of the other half to make a semi-circle, pressing the edges to seal. Repeat to use up all the
spinach, leeks or cooked beans. dough and filling.
+ optional
5 Place the dumplings in a steamer for 10 minutes, or boil for the same time. Serve
with shallow bowls of soy sauce mixed with the cider vinegar, scallion/spring onion and
toasted sesame seeds, if using, for dipping.

40 Asia
 JACOB LOTINGA
Making jiaozi, China.

Street food 41
 C H I N A

Baozi (steamed filled buns) Va

MAKES 20-24 BUNS PREPARATION: ABOUT 1 HOUR, PLUS 20 MINUTES RISING AND STANDING TIME
COOKING: 15-20 MINUTES

FOR THE DOUGH: I was working in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province,

4 cups / 400 g self-rising flour along the Yangtze River (which makes it sound
2 teaspoons dried yeast far more glamorous than it is). It’s a medium-sized
1 tablespoon sugar city – by Chinese standards, that means over 2
1 cup / 240 ml warm water million people. The street food here is great – if
you find the right part of town, among the older
backstreets, there is a wealth of interesting food
FOR THE SAVORY FILLING: stalls. Across from the university is an area with
½ pound / 225 g mushrooms, finely chopped little shops and simple restaurants that is also busy
½ pound / 225 g cooked pork or chicken + with food hawkers who assail you with their cries.
¾ cup / 125 g bamboo shoots, drained
and chopped *
These popular buns are on sale from early
2 scallions/spring onions, finely chopped
morning. I quickly focused on the doushabao, as a
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped or
use 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
sweet but fairly nutritious breakfast or snack food.
1 tablespoon rice wine
They are filled with red bean paste – excellent for
a little sesame oil
me as a vegetarian. At the baozi stall you can find
soy sauce
other types of these buns, such as roubao, with
sugar
meat, and shucaibao, filled with vegetables. Jacob
salt
Lotinga, Beeston, England

+ optional – replace with cooked beans or chopped

vegetables such as carrots, or just use ready-made red
bean paste.
* Or use other vegetables such as bean sprouts.

42 Asia
JACOB LOTINGA

Baozi buns, China.

1 Begin by making the savory filling. Place all the 5 Place 1 tablespoon of the filling (either the red bean
ingredients in a bowl and mix well, adjusting the paste or the savory one) in the center of each flattened
flavoring and seasoning to taste. circle of dough. Now gather together the edges to meet
2 To make the dough, first dissolve the sugar and yeast at the top around the filling. Twist or press to enclose
in the warm water for 5-10 minutes until frothy. the filling.
3 Then sift the flour into a bowl, and gradually stir in 6 Place the buns, seam side down, on a piece of
the yeast mixture to make a firm dough. Knead for 5 aluminum foil or wax paper. Cover and leave to rise
minutes, cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm in a warm place for about 15 minutes.
place to rise for about 20 minutes. 7 When ready to cook, put the buns on foil on a
4 When ready, remove the dough and knead it on steamer rack over boiling water. Leave at least 1 inch/
a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes before 2.5 cm between the buns. Cover and steam for 15-18
rolling it into a long sausage shape. Cut into 20 or minutes, until done. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds
so pieces and flatten each one with the palm of your if desired.
hand. With a rolling pin, roll out each into a 4-inch/
10-cm circle.

Street food 43
44 Asia
Exploring the Variety of Random
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