The pan-fried variety of the Chinese jiaozi dumpling, known as guotie, is a Northern Chinese dumpling typically filled with minced pork, Chinese cabbage, scallions, ginger, rice wine, and sesame seed oil. Crunchy and soft textures are achieved by a special method of preparing; while the bottom of the dumpling is frying, a small amount of liquid is added to the pan which is then covered, thus allowing the rest of the dumpling and the filling to steam.
When it comes to the shape, guotie should always be long and straight as it can stand more easily and it does not fall over during cooking. Goutie can be literally translated as pot sticks, so these dumplings are often nicknamed potstickers, especially in North America.
MOST ICONIC Guotie
View moreSiomay is an Indonesian dish consisting of steamed cone-shaped fish dumplings, eggs, potatoes, cabbage, tofu, and bitter melon. After they have been steamed, all ingredients are assembled on a plate, cut into bite-sized pieces, and generously drizzled with a spicy peanut sauce.
The final touch to the dish is a splash of sweet soy and chili sauce, along with a drizzle of lime juice. Siomay is derived from Chinese shumai, and it is believed to have originated among Chinese immigrants who came to Indonesia during the Dutch colonial period.
MOST ICONIC Siomay
View moreQuesabirria is a popular Mexican street food dish, a fusion between birria (a traditional Mexican meat stew) and quesadillas. The dish originates from Tijuana and typically consists of large tortillas filled with birria-style cooked meat (usually beef) and a generous amount of melted cheese.
The tortillas are cooked on the stove until the cheese melts and the outside of the tortilla becomes crispy. Quesabirria is often accompanied by a side of broth, or consomé, for dipping, adding another layer of flavor to the dish.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Kontosouvli is a traditional dish consisting of large pieces of pork marinated in a mixture of herbs and spices, then skewered and slowly cooked on a rotisserie, much like a gyro or souvlaki. The marinade often contains ingredients such as garlic, oregano, thyme, rosemary, paprika, olive oil, lemon juice, and red wine.
After marinating, the meat is threaded onto a large skewer and roasted over an open flame, which results in a rich and flavorful outer crust with a juicy, tender interior. The cooked meat is typically served in thick slices, often accompanied by pita bread, tzatziki sauce, and horiatiki salad, among other possible accompaniments.
Coming from the North Indian city of Amritsari, Amritsari kulcha is a flatbread stuffed with potatoes, onions, cottage cheese, and spices. The flatbread is commonly garnished with coriander seeds, cilantro, and red chili powder. Thin, crispy, and smeared with ghee butter, it is a staple food in Amritsar, with almost every shop in the city sizzling with the sound of kulchas baked in large tandoor ovens.
Not much is known about the history of this flavorful dish, and even the locals say that kulcha is just something they have always eaten, a variation on numerous flatbreads that the country is known for.
MOST ICONIC Amritsari kulcha
View moreMAIN INGREDIENTS
Garantita is a popular Algerian street food item that is consumed as a snack and prepared as a kind of cake or tart. The dough is made with a combination of chickpea flour, oil, spices, and water. It is then covered with a beaten egg and baked in the oven until it develops a golden-brown color on top.
Garantita is typically served hot, dressed with harissa and cumin. It is believed that the name of this street snack is derived from the Spanish caliantetorta.
Ohn no khao swè, meaning noodles with coconut milk, is a traditional dish that is believed to have inspired the creation of Thailand’s khao sai. It consists of boiled egg noodles and pieces of curried chicken smothered in a creamy coconut-milk-and-chicken soup.
The soup is typically thickened with chickpea flour, and it usually comes with an array of different garnishes and condiments. Typical ingredients added to this dish for enhanced flavor and texture include slices of hard-boiled eggs, crispy fried noodles, bean or chickpea fritters, fresh cilantro, green onions, soaked yellow onions, lime or lemon slices, ngapi fish sauce, and red chili flakes.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Tacos are the national dish of Mexico, dating back to the Mexican silver mines of the 18th century, when the word taco referred to gunpowder that was wrapped in a piece of paper and inserted into rocks. It was used to excavate the precious ore from mines and was called tacos de minero or miner's tacos. Today, the word is widely known to signify the leading street food and fast food item in Mexico – thin, flat griddle-baked tortillas topped with numerous fillings, folded and eaten without any utensils.
A taco is basically anything eaten on a soft tortilla, and there is an infinite variety of them. In Sonora, in the north of Mexico, they eat the classic carne asada - thinly sliced meat grilled over coals and topped with salsa, onions, guacamole, and a lime wedge.
MOST ICONIC Tacos
View moreMarinated and spit-roasted, shawarma is a delicious Middle Eastern meat treat whose origins can be traced back to the Ottoman Empire era, while its name stems from the Arabic pronunciation of the Turkish word çevirme (lit. to turn; turning), and refers to the rotating skewer on which the meat is cooked.
Shawarmas are made with either lamb, turkey, chicken, beef, or a mix of different meats which are slow-cooked for hours and basted in their own juices and fat, gaining an incomparable succulence, but the real secret to a perfect shawarma is in the marinade.
Bánh mì (pronounced 'bun mee') is a popular Vietnamese variety of sandwiches that share the same core ingredient - a baguette. The baguette was brought over to Vietnam during the colonial period, and nowadays it is one of the few happy legacies from the time.
The crusty bread, condiments, and meats are all a legacy of French and Chinese colonialism, while cilantro, chili, and pickles reflect the Vietnamese taste for fresh vegetables and bright flavors. In the beginning, most banh mi sandwiches consisted of bread, meat, and seasonings, with no added vegetables.
MOST ICONIC Bánh mì
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