15 street food favourites you can make at home

The most flavoursome, easy-to-eat food is found on eat streets all over the world. Or in your kitchen…

Bánh mì thit Source: Alan Benson

For many of us the dream is to travel the world, or simply our own city, sampling authentic local eats found off the beaten track. Case in point is Dan Hong, executive chef at Ms G’s and Mr Wong and revered judge on The Chefs' Line, who heads out in Sydney to find a new street food at least once a month. We’re talking Thai fish cakes, Russian chebureki, Belgian waffles, Indian samosas, Vietnamese bánh mì – is your hunger suddenly as large as a plane ticket? 

Put a hold on your wanderlust by learning how to perfect street food dishes at home. It’s not half as tricky as you think to cook up the authentic flavours and textures of traditional everyday global dishes. How you recreate the atmospheric hustle and bustle of the city streets while you eat is entirely up to you…

SamosasImageIndia Quite simply, samosas are crispy, spicy, chewy parcels of yum. They are enjoyed throughout India with a cup of masala tea, but they are equally good washed down with a few Friday night beers. We hear.

SatayImageThailand There are so many ways to satay, with regional variations skewering pork, chicken and beef. This pork version is grilled over charcoal and served with a chilli vinegar sauce instead of the usual peanut sauce.

Amok treyImageCambodia Moreish little makrut lime leaf fish parcels flavoured with coconut, galangal, garlic and lemongrass. This is the kind of food that makes you wonder how we can bring ourselves to eat anything else.

WafflesImageBelgium A yeasty batter comes to life overnight in the fridge, ready to top with maple syrup, chocolate spread, caramelised bananas or icing sugar.

Bánh mì thitImageVietnam Pickle the carrot, whiz up a thick, creamy mayo and marinate the pork: this bánh mì recipe is well worth your time.

Jeonju bibimbapImageKorea There’s an annual festival in Joenju dedicated to this classic Korean rice salad. Not bad for a dish that was originally prepared by farmers to use up leftovers.

ChoripanImageArgentina It’s a sausage sanga, but sadly it’s unlikely the Bunnings crew will be tackling this one anytime soon. Spicy chorizo, salsa and a chimichurri sauce take choripan next-level.

SyrnikiImageRussia You really need to try this Russian breakfast favourite. It uses a speciality cheese called tvorog, but well-drained cottage cheese or quark can be substituted.

Adana kebabImageTurkey There are as many kebab/kebap recipes in Turkey as there are regions, but this one from Adana in the south-east is world-renowned. Set aside time for a lengthy marinade to intensify the flavour of the barbecued spiced lamb.

Pastel de tres lechesImageSouth America Popular all over South America, “three milk cake” is drenched in a mix of evaporated, condensed and full cream milk. It’s so comforting it’s like eating a bed... if a bed tasted amazing.

AranciniImageItaly The traditional recipe with a piece of mozzarella inside remains the favourite, but even Italians have taken to stuffing their arancini with a different savoury filling. Try sun-dried tomato, prosciutto, eggplant, capers or a meat sauce with peas as here.

Pork and prawn potstickersImageChina You can’t go past a bowl of dumplings and the Chinese do them oh-so-well. This recipe makes just the right kind of melty, chewy, sticky dumpling. You should probably make a double batch, just in case.

CrêpesImageFrance You can scoff all kinds of crêpes across the whole of France. Actually, that’s not true: the French would never scoff. This recipe for crêpes de Bretagne aux framboises is from Brittany, regarded as the birthplace of crêpes.

Fish tacosImageMexico Originally from Bajar California – the northern-most state of Mexico – traditional fish tacos consist of deep-fried white fish, shredded cabbage, a sour cream-based sauce, salsa and lime served inside a corn tortilla. There’s a reason this dish has fans all over the world.

TagineImageMorocco You can’t move in Marrakesh without bumping into a tagine seller, and why would you want to? Intense, meaty flavours and a serious hit of heat make this lamb tagine a dish you’ll be determined to master. Have we got your attention and your tastebuds? The Chefs’ Line airs every weeknight at 6pm on SBS followed by an encore screening at 9.30pm on SBS Food Network. Episodes will be available after broadcast via SBS On Demand. Join the conversation #TheChefsLine on Instagram @sbsfood, Facebook @SBSFood and Twitter @SBS_Food. Check out sbs.com.au/thechefsline for episode guides, cuisine lowdowns, recipes and more!Line up