International Street Foods to Make at Home

While some are getting better in the kitchen with each day at home, others are becoming expert take-out purchasers — also known as “supporting the local economy.” Whichever category your family falls into, there is always room for some casual international cuisine at home.

Feed the family with flavors of the outside world cooked right in your kitchen. Let the casual style of street fare take you away from your dining room and on to the busy street of your would-be travel destination with this list of international favorites.

Guadalajara’s Torta Ahogada

Missing that Mexican spring break? Guadalajara’s torta ahogada, meaning drowned sandwich, is considered a hangover cure breakfast by locals, and can serve the adults well after a longer-than-intended FaceTime happy hour. While a traditional torta ahogada can only be found in Jalisco, home-bound chefs can skip the traditional birote bread, and make salt-rising instead, like bolillos. Fill the sandwich with shredded pork, or substitute with chicken, beef, beans or shrimp to make the meal work for everyone. Lastly, douse the sandwich in the tomato-based sauce, putting the drowned in drowned sandwich. Try this sauce recipe at home.

Torta Ahogada. Photo: Carolina Arroyo | Dreamstime.com

Uganda’s Rolex

No, not the kind of Rolex you’re thinking, a tastier one. The rolex is actually a rolled egg breakfast dish named for its preparation and is so popular in the capital city of Kampala, they host an annual Rolex Festival. Fill your East African chapati (think thin, flaky flour and omelet-style wrap) with onions and peppers, and roll together like a delicate burrito. It’s a budget-friendly dish consisting of ingredients you may already have, and can be altered for finicky kids. Follow along with David & Ronnie from home and get rolling.

Nanjing’s Mei-Ling Porridge

While that trip to China may be on the backburner, indulging in traditional cuisine doesn’t have to be. Nanjing’s signature porridge is named for Soong Mei-ling, First Lady of the Republic of China — this yam and brown rice mixture was believed to contribute to her great beauty. After steaming and crushing yams, mix into cooked brown rice and add unsweetened soy milk, raw sugar and top with Goji berries. Follow along with this recipe and enjoy a healthy, filling breakfast.

El Salvador’s Pupusa

Considered El Salvador’s national dish, a pupusa is a thick cornmeal or rice flour flatbread to be filled with a variety of toppings, like beans, cheeses and meats. The flatbread is so popular, it is celebrated throughout the country and even made its way into the Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s largest. Test your skills with this recipe — who knows, maybe your family can break the record.

Pupusas. Photo: Benkrut | Dreamstime.com