Starters, Snacks & Sides from Around the World, Page 4

Not every great dish is the main event. These are the soups, small plates, street snacks and sides that open or round out a meal somewhere on the map: 466 authentic recipes, each with its cultural story, ingredients, and step by step method.
466 recipes · showing 145 to 192
Bajilla (Qatari Spiced Boiled Broad Beans)Doha, Qatar · easy · 13 h 10 minWhole dried broad beans soaked overnight and boiled soft with salt, then served warm with lemon, cumin and chopped hot chili, with bread on the side.
Bajiye (Somali Black-Eyed Pea Fritters)Mogadishu, Somalia · medium · 7 hSoaked, skinned black-eyed peas ground coarsely with onion, tomato, garlic, green chili, coriander and turmeric, fried in small crisp balls and dipped in a sharp green chili sauce.
Bakabana (Surinamese Plantain Fritters with Peanut Sauce)Paramaribo, Suriname · easy · 40 minLong slices of ripe plantain dipped in a light, crisp batter and fried golden, served with a warm Javanese-style peanut sauce spiked with garlic, chili, sweet soy and galangal.
Ballokume (Albanian Cornmeal Cookies from Elbasan)Tirana, Albania · easy · 45 minCrumbly, melt-in-the-mouth cookies from Elbasan made from fine cornmeal, butter, sugar and eggs beaten together hard and baked until the tops crack, the treat of the Albanian spring festival, Dita e Verës.
Bánh Tráng Nướng (Grilled Rice Paper)Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam · easy · 22 minA dry rice paper sheet toasted over the heat until crisp, spread with beaten quail egg and spring onion, scattered with dried shrimp and pork floss, then zigzagged with mayonnaise and chilli sauce and folded to eat by hand.
Bansh (Mongolian Boiled Dumplings)Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia · medium · 1 h 40 minSmall half-moon dumplings of plain flour dough filled with minced mutton or beef, onion and garlic, their edges braided shut, boiled until they float and eaten hot or in milk tea.
BarbagiuanMonaco, Monaco · medium · 1 hMonaco's national bite: little fried pastries stuffed with chard, ricotta, and herbs.
Baya Kyaw (Burmese Split Pea Fritters)Yangon, Myanmar · easy · 8 h 45 minCrunchy little fritters of soaked yellow split peas, half ground smooth and half coarse, with onion, chilli, coriander and turmeric, served hot with a tamarind dip.
Belokranjska Pogača (Bela Krajina Flatbread)Ljubljana, Slovenia · easy · 1 h 10 minA soft, round yeast flatbread from Bela Krajina, scored in a criss-cross pattern, glazed with egg and scattered with caraway and coarse sea salt, torn apart warm and never cut with a knife.
Biltong (South African Air-Dried Beef)KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa · medium · 4.5 daysThick strips of beef cured with coarse salt, toasted coriander, black pepper and vinegar, then hung to air-dry for days until dark outside and still tender within, sliced thin to eat.
BindaetteokPyongyang, North Korea · medium · 50 minPyongyang market pancakes of coarsely ground mung beans mixed with kimchi and pork, pan-fried thick and crisp-edged.
Bis KeemiyaMalé, Maldives · medium · 1 hCrisp fried Maldivian pastry parcels filled with tuna, cabbage, onion and boiled egg, the islands favourite tea-time snack.
Bitterballen (Dutch Beef Ragout Croquettes)Gelderland, Netherlands · advanced · 8 h 45 minBite-sized balls of thick, savoury beef ragout, chilled until firm, breaded twice and deep-fried until crisp outside and molten inside, served with mustard and a cold beer.
Boiled PeanutsLowcountry (South Carolina), United States · easy · 13 h 10 minRaw peanuts in their shells soaked and then simmered for hours in heavily salted water until the kernels are soft as cooked beans, eaten warm from the shell.
Bolani (Stuffed Flatbread)Kabul, Afghanistan · medium · 1 hA thin Afghan flatbread folded around a spiced mashed-potato and leek filling and pan-fried until crisp, served with a mint-yogurt dip.
Brezn (Bavarian Soft Pretzel)Bavaria (Munich), Germany · advanced · 1 h 55 minThe glossy dark-brown Bavarian soft pretzel, chewy-crusted and scattered with coarse salt, dipped in an alkaline bath before baking, carried by the armful at Oktoberfest.
Brochettes au Koura-Koura (Burkinabè Peanut-Crusted Beef Skewers)Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso · easy · 1 h 40 minSmall cubes of beef marinated in peanut paste, chili and oil, grilled over charcoal and rolled while hot in crushed koura-koura, the crunchy peanut cake of Kaya.
Calzones Rotos (Chilean Twisted Fried Pastries)Central Valley, Chile · medium · 50 minStrips of orange-scented dough slit and pulled through themselves into little knots, fried golden and buried in icing sugar, a Chilean treat for tea time and rainy afternoons.
Candied Salmon (Salmon Candy)British Columbia, Canada · medium · 9 h 20 minStrips of wild salmon cured in brown sugar and salt, dried to a tacky skin, then hot-smoked over alder and brushed with maple syrup until sticky, chewy and glazed.
Carimañolas (Panamanian Beef-Stuffed Yuca Fritters)Panama City, Panama · medium · 1 h 30 minTorpedoes of soft mashed yuca dough wrapped round a savory filling of ground beef cooked with onion, garlic, sweet pepper and tomato, deep-fried until crisp and golden.
Catrachitas (Honduran Fried Tortillas with Beans and Cheese)San Pedro Sula, Honduras · easy · 25 minSmall corn tortillas fried until crisp, spread with warm refried red beans and showered with grated dry white cheese, sometimes with pickled onion or hot sauce.
Chai Tow Kway (Singapore Fried Carrot Cake)Singapore, Singapore · medium · 7 h 40 minCubes of homemade steamed radish cake fried until crisp, then tossed with garlic, preserved radish and egg; white with fish sauce, or black with sweet dark soy sauce.
Chamuças (Mozambican Beef Samosas)Maputo, Mozambique · medium · 2 h 25 minCrisp triangular pastries of thin homemade dough filled with minced beef cooked with onion, garlic, ginger, curry and fresh coriander, fried golden and sold on every street corner.
Chäschüechli (Swiss Cheese Tartlets)Bern, Switzerland · medium · 1 h 20 minLittle shortcrust cases filled with grated Gruyère and a nutmeg-scented custard of eggs, milk and cream, baked until puffed and golden, a favourite Swiss bakery snack eaten warm or cold.
ChifrijoSan José, Costa Rica · easy · 50 minA layered bowl of rice, beans, crisp fried pork, and pico de gallo with tortilla chips, Costa Rica's favorite bar snack.
Chigumu (Malawian Banana and Maize Cake)Lilongwe, Malawi · easy · 55 minVery ripe bananas mashed into whole maize flour with a little sugar, salt and soda, then baked into a dense, moist, gently sweet cake with a crusty base, eaten with tea.
Chipa (Paraguayan Cassava and Cheese Bread)Asunción, Paraguay · medium · 50 minSmall rings of cassava-starch dough rich with cheese, egg and lard and scented with anise, baked until golden and sold warm by street vendors all over Paraguay.
Chokladbollar (Swedish Chocolate Oat Balls)Skåne, Sweden · easy · 1 hNo-bake balls of oats, butter, sugar, cocoa and a splash of cold coffee, rolled in pearl sugar and chilled, a fixture of Swedish fika and children’s parties.
Chotpoti (Bangladeshi Spiced Peas with Tamarind)Dhaka, Bangladesh · easy · 9 h 20 minSoft dried peas and potato, warm and tangy, heaped with raw onion, green chilli, cucumber, coriander, grated boiled egg and crushed fuchka shells and drenched in spiced tamarind water.
Conch FrittersNassau, Bahamas · easy · 45 minCrisp golden fritters of chopped conch, sweet pepper, and lime batter with a zippy dipping sauce.
Cong You Bing (Scallion Pancakes)Shanghai, China · medium · 1 h 35 minHot-water dough rolled thin, spread with scallion-scented oil paste and chopped spring onions, coiled into a snail and flattened, then pan-fried until crisp and flaky outside and chewy within.
Cook Islands DoughnutsRarotonga, Cook Islands · medium · 2 h 40 minBig, dense, sweet yeast doughnuts shaped by hand into rings and deep-fried golden, eaten plain and dunked in tea at every Cook Islands gathering.
Coupé-Coupé (Gabonese Chopped Grilled Beef)Libreville, Gabon · easy · 45 minBeef grilled over hot coals, chopped small on the spot and tossed in a smoking pan with onion and chili powder, stuffed into fresh bread and eaten with your fingers.
Covrigi (Romanian Pretzel Rings)Transylvania, Romania · medium · 2 h 10 minChewy rings of lean yeast dough dipped in a hot baking-soda bath, crowned with sesame, poppy seeds or coarse salt and baked golden, Romania’s favourite walk-and-eat snack.
CoxinhaSão Paulo, Brazil · medium · 1 h 10 minTeardrop-shaped fritters of shredded chicken in a soft dough, breaded and fried gold, Brazil’s favorite salgadinho.
Dahi Baray (Lentil Dumplings in Spiced Yogurt)Lahore (Punjab), Pakistan · medium · 8 hLight, fluffy fried urad dal dumplings soaked soft in warm water, then smothered in chilled sweet and salty yogurt and finished with tamarind and green chutneys and chaat masala.
Dibi (Senegalese Grilled Lamb with Mustard Onions)Dakar, Senegal · easy · 1 h 50 minLamb seasoned and grilled over hot coals until charred, chopped into pieces and served on paper with soft mustard onions and bread, the way the dibiteries of Dakar do it.
Eliópittes (Cypriot Olive and Mint Breads)Nicosia, Cyprus · medium · 2 h 45 minSoft yeast breads enriched with olive oil and studded with black olives, spring onion, fresh coriander and mint, shaped into small rounds and baked golden, eaten with coffee as a snack or through the Lenten fast.
Elote (Mexican Street Corn)Puebla, Mexico · easy · 25 minCharred corn on the cob on a stick, spread with mayonnaise, rolled in salty cotija cheese, dusted with chile piquín and finished with a squeeze of lime.
Empanadas ColombianasAntioquia, Colombia · medium · 3 h 15 minCrisp golden corn-dough turnovers stuffed with shredded beef and potato, fried until they shatter and dipped in a bright cilantro ají.
Empanadas de Viento (Ecuadorian Fried Cheese Empanadas)Pichincha (Andes), Ecuador · medium · 1 h 30 minPuffy fried half-moons of buttery dough filled with fresh cheese and chopped white onion, dusted with sugar while hot so every bite is salty and sweet.
Fataye (Mauritanian Tuna Turnovers with Tomato Sauce)Nouakchott, Mauritania · medium · 2 h 30 minHalf-moon pastries filled with tuna cooked with onion, peppers and tomato, fried golden and served with a spicy onion and tomato sauce for dipping.
Fatayer bi Sabanekh (Lebanese Spinach Pies)Beirut, Lebanon · medium · 2 h 12 minSmall triangles of soft yeasted dough sealed around a tangy filling of spinach, onion, sumac, lemon and olive oil, baked until golden and eaten warm or at room temperature.
Fish Ket (Gambian Fried Dough Discs with Onion Sauce)Banjul, The Gambia · easy · 1 h 30 minThin rounds of salted, buttery dough pan-fried until crisp and golden and heaped with a peppery sauce of slow-fried onions, the Gambian street snack that, despite its name, holds no fish at all.
Fricassé (Tunisian Fried Tuna Rolls)Tunis, Tunisia · medium · 2 h 50 minSmall, soft rolls of enriched yeast dough, deep-fried until golden, split and stuffed with harissa, tuna, potato, hard-boiled egg and olives.
Frieten (Belgian Twice-Fried Chips)Flanders, Belgium · medium · 1 h 25 minThick-cut Bintje potatoes fried twice in beef fat, first low until soft, then hot until crisp and golden, shaken with salt and served in a paper cone with a dollop of mayonnaise, as at every Belgian frietkot.
Garrapiñada (Argentine Candied Peanuts)Mendoza, Argentina · easy · 25 minPeanuts cooked in sugar syrup until the sugar turns to a white crust and then melts again into a crackly, vanilla-scented caramel shell, the warm paper cone of the city street cart.
Gata (Armenian Sweet Pastry with Khoriz)Yerevan, Armenia · medium · 2 h 40 minA soft, buttery yeasted sour cream dough rolled around khoriz, a sweet crumbly filling of flour, butter and sugar, sliced, glazed with egg and baked golden, for eating with tea or coffee.
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