Genevieve Taylor - MasterChef: Street Food of the World

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the amazing world of MasterChef street food!

The proliferation of street food is perhaps the foodie phenomenon of the past decade and one thats been pretty much impossible to miss. Culinary entrepreneurs across the globe are bringing towns and cities alive with hip food trucks, buzzing night markets and thronging food festivals. It seems we just cannot get enough of this carefree, sociable way of eating and its popularity continues to rise and rise.

Yet street food is far from a recent fad. There is evidence of Aztec markets having had vendors selling snacks to hungry shoppers, including the still very much beloved guacamole! In ancient Rome food was normally bought and eaten on the street by the urban poor who didnt have kitchens of their own to cook in, whilst in medieval London, fresh oysters, pies and baked apples were all commonly eaten on the roadsides.

In these pages myself and 13 MasterChef champions from around the globe bring you a collection of mouthwatering recipes spanning a kaleidoscope of colours, flavours, textures and sheer taste sensations.

So why bother to make street food at home when theres so much good stuff out there on the real streets? For me and our MasterChef contributors its about bringing a bit of adventurous spirit into your kitchen and transporting you to another place, perhaps stretching yourself from a cooking point of view into unknown territory. If you love food then surely one of the most tantalising parts of travelling is to immerse yourself in the edible delights and eating on the street can connect you to a culture in a way dining in a fancy restaurant never will. And whilst you might not have the time, money or inclination to go roaming the world for tasty things to eat, you can really easily bring a sense of adventure and wanderlust into your home kitchen.

With a lifelong passion for travel, some of the most memorable meals of my life have been eaten on the go. My mind was blown by a fragrant Malaysian curry eaten at a bustling night market in Borneo and a steaming hot dog from a sidewalk cart in New York, slathered in vivid yellow mustard, was perhaps the best Id ever eaten. I will never forget the ginger-heavy seafood stir fry at the crab market in Kampot in Cambodia, devoured greedily whilst watching the fishermen haul their catch onto land, or for the incredibly simple but impossible to beat fresh pomegranate seeds tapped from the shell into my cupped palms by an elderly woman on a Cretan roadside these are just a fraction of the things lodged deep in my mind.

This book is divided loosely by the continents of the world, and within these vibrant pages you will find the very best examples from the streets of the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, India and Asia. Some recipes will be instantly familiar such as Marc Boissieuxs to name just a few.

Think of a street food experience and its perhaps the cuisine of hot climates that spring to mind first the intense tropical flavours of Jamaican from Argentina, which are perfect for a summer barbecue, but taste just as fabulous on a cold day alongside a generous glass of hearty red (Argentinian, of course!). There is plenty of year-round inspiration to be found within these pages.

Many of the recipes are straightforward and can be knocked up with ease, but others are quite involved and might stretch the cook a little. This is a MasterChef book after all, so you expect that, right? However, whether the recipes are simple or challenging, what characterises them all is a laid back approach to their eating. Street food is not food that stands on ceremony, its chilled, casual and low key, eaten messily with hands or scooped from big bowls. This is food that celebrates the very best things in life, family and friends, eating, drinking, laughter and sharing.

Let your culinary global adventure begin happy cooking!

Genevieve Taylor

CONVERSION TABLES

Weights

Liquids

Length

Useful conversions

1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons

1 level tablespoon = approx. 15g or oz

1 heaped tablespoon = approx. 30g or 1oz

1 egg = 55ml / 55g / 1fl oz

THE AMERICAS

Think of classic American street food, and no doubt the first thing that springs to mind is a delicious fully loaded burger or a steaming hotdog, dripping with sweet onions and zingy mustard, but once you include central and south America into the mix the food is as colourful and varied as anywhere on the globe. With recipes stretching from Canada to Argentina and pretty much everywhere in between, this is a continent that embraces street eats with both hands.

The state of Louisiana excels at tasty things stuffed between bread, and hole-in-the-wall sandwich shops are wildly popular. Try the brilliantly named muffeleta, an Italian inspired layered cheese and meat supremo, or the legendary braised beef po boy, a full fat, dripping down your chin extravaganza! Head down into central and South America and ground corn often replaces wheat as the carb of choice. Try the comforting steamed cornbread tamales, or my favourite, white maize arepas think of them as sturdy, slightly chewy pitta pockets into which you can stuff all manner of delicious fillings. Claudia Sandoval offers a great take on a Mexican fish taco definitely one to try. While in the Caribbean, the Indian influence is easy to spot, such as the chickpea curry in the trini doubles or the exquisite spicing on jerk chicken.

America has always been an epicentre for immigration, and this is mirrored in the street food, with cultural influences from far and wide. Simply put, in this diverse continent you can get whatever kind of food you want, whenever you want to eat it.