YOU HEARD IT ON THE STREET

Ladies and gentlemen, we just had a moment. We cooked up our latest dish and mm mm is it a treat for the street. Tennesee Bourbon glazed Pulled Beef, Mac n’Cheese, all topped up with crushed tortilla chips and jalapenos. It’s a lip smacking, finger lickin’ Daddy of a dish. Yeah, there we go…. every bite’s an experience.

And that’s what great street food should do to you. It’s not just food and fuel.  It’s love, it’s passion, it’s delivering the crispiest, juiciest, tastiest bite in town. And there’s nothing new about taking to the street to pick up a feast.

Since the ancient Greeks first served quick-fried little fish on the streets of Athens, we humans have had a love affair with street food. Usually associated with urban areas and often poor communities, street vendors have always relied on basic facilities and limited ingredients to provide simple, amazing dishes at accessible prices.

Countries like Thailand, India and Mexico have long and distinguished street food histories and vendors still feed millions every day. What do they have in common? All these countries have a culture of homemade food cooked with heart, and the best street food dishes often start with recipes Mama used to make.

In 2016 the world’s first street food Michelin star went to a Singapore street trader who creates universally admiredbraised chicken cooked to a secret family recipe.  Proving, if proof were needed, that world class food can be served on plastic tables at a market stall.

In this country street food is responsible for closing the gap between fast food and high-end dining. So excellent and popular has the street food offering become that even the best-known chefs want to join the party and are taking their food street side with pop-ups.

And just look at what’s happening inside some of those top-end restaurants. They’re bigging up the fun of sharing dishes and bringing the theatre and excitement of street food into the building with the buzz of open kitchens. It’s all about the experience.

But in our view, the UK’s best, most authentic, most soulful street food is still found in street food vans and stalls at markets, festivals and country fairs up and down the country. Wherever they operate, street food vendors are doing us proud, with a consistently high standard of exceptionally tasty food.

Street food is deep in our DNA at Funnybones, and since we got Mexican, Caribbean and American food all wrapped up, we gotta a whole lotta street food recipes to share. Stop the traffic with some of these crackers.

Chilaquiles –a Mexican breakfast favourite that’s funky all day long. Top mixed corn chips with pulled chicken, salsa and grated cheese. Bake till hot n’ oozy and finish with diced avocado, a fried egg and a splash of hot pepper sauce.

Stuffed Johnny Cakes– oh boy, these taste like home if you got the Caribbean in ya soul. Roll up some Grace Johnny Cake Mix, and stuff those bad boys with shredded Irie Eats Jerk Chicken Thighs or Ackee mixed with roasted Peppers. Deep fry and serve with Jerk Mayo.

Vegan sweet potato burrito – Take a large floury tortilla, scatter with vegan cheese, pile on the rice, black beans and sweet potato cooked till soft and juicy with jalapeno and tomatillos, top with chopped avocado, salsa and hot sauce. Wrap. Now that’s comfort food.

Loaded Pulled Chicken Tots– loaded with chicken, loaded with flavour. Toss the Potato Tots in a little Rio Pacific Smoky Butt seasoning and deep fry. Pile on pulled chicken pan fried with a good dollop of Mesquite BBQ Sauce and garnish with sliced gherkins. Yum.