Street food | Page 6 of 7
Stigghiola di Vitello: Sicilian Grilled Veal Intestines
Stigghiola di vitello is thin veal intestine wound around a skewer and grilled over charcoal, street food from Palermo that today belongs to all of Sicily. Off the grill it gets cut into pieces, salted, finished with a squeeze of lemon and eaten with your hands, with nothing on the side. The name traces back to the Latin word for a little gut, the history to the "fifth quarter" - everything left at the slaughterhouse for the poor.
Stigghiola: Sicilian Grilled Lamb Intestines
Stigghiola is a Sicilian street food made from cleaned lamb or kid intestine, wound around a spring onion and parsley and grilled over charcoal. It's part of quinto quarto cooking, the fifth quarter, and it's grilled all over the island - in Messina it's called tajuni. It's served hot, with nothing but salt and lemon, most often in the evening at a stall you find by the smoke.
Vucciria Market: Where Palermo Stays Up Late
The Vucciria isn't the oldest or the biggest of Palermo's markets, but it's the only one that made it into a proverb and into an art gallery. Sleepy alleys with a handful of stalls and permanently wet flagstones by day; grills, smoke, music and crowds after dark. Why the proverb says the market's flagstones never dry, what Renato Guttuso has to do with it, and why I prefer Ballarò.
Lahmacun: Crispy Turkish Flatbread With Meat
Lahmacun is a thin and crispy flatbread spread with a spiced meat mixture. The base of the filling is fattier minced meat complemented by finely chopped onions, garlic, tomatoes, and peppers. The mixture is manually pressed into the almost translucent dough, so the flavors combine even before baking. Cheese never belongs in the authentic recipe.
Midye Dolma: Turkish Stuffed Mussels
Midye dolma are mussels stuffed with aromatic spiced rice. This popular Turkish street food is an inseparable part of the nightlife in Istanbul and other coastal cities.
İçli Köfte: Turkish Stuffed Meatball
İçli köfte is a traditional Turkish stuffed meatball with a crispy shell. The outer layer consists of thin dough made from fine bulgur and semolina. Hidden inside is a rich mixture of minced beef or lamb with onions and walnuts. The dish is served hot; it is a popular street food.
Islak Burger: Turkish Wet Hamburger
Islak burger is a unique type of Turkish hamburger with a moist bun and a juicy slice of ground beef. The dish originates from Istanbul, specifically from the Taksim Square area. The burgers are prepared in advance and stored in steam boxes that ensure a constant temperature and juiciness. Islak burger is a quick, affordable, and surprisingly delicious meal.
Közde Mısır: Turkish Grilled Corn
Közde mısır is a popular Turkish street delicacy in the form of a corn cob roasted on hot coals. Thanks to roasting over embers, the corn acquires an intense smoky aroma. The vendor wraps the hot cob in a piece of paper for you and sprinkles it generously with salt. It is an ideal cheap finger food that you enjoy best standing up or while walking.
Tantuni: Spicy Meat in Cottonseed Oil
Tantuni is a traditional Turkish dish made of finely chopped beef or chicken, which is first briefly boiled and then fried in special cottonseed oil. Tantuni is most commonly served in thin lavaş bread or Turkish baguette. Typical accompaniments include spicy peppers, lemon, and refreshing ayran. The dish originates from the city of Mersin.
Halka Tatlısı: Round Fried Dessert
Halka tatlısı is a Turkish street dessert in the shape of a fried, ridged ring soaked in sugar syrup. It belongs to the most widespread and affordable sweets in the streets of Istanbul. The basis of the dish is a specific choux pastry extruded directly into hot oil. The hot fried pieces are immediately tossed into cold syrup. Thanks to the thermal shock, the surface remains crispy, but the porous inside soaks up the liquid like a sponge. Deep grooves also help trap even more sweet juice.