Snack

Kripik are small chips from Indonesia, prepared in sweet and savory versions. They are made with fish, vegetables, or fruit, in some cases the exotic ones such as taro, breadfruit, jackfruit, and snake fruit. The chips are deep-fried in vegetable oil until crispy. The most popular varieties include kripik singkong (cassava chips) and kripik pisang (banana chips). Kripik belongs to the group of krupuk, which are larger chips, while kripik is smaller, but has more variety in its ingredients, so almost any fruit, tuber, vegetable, or nut can be incorporated into kripik. The varieties are endless: durian, sweet potatoes, chicken feet, cassava and chili, spinach, and sea cucumber are just some of the ingredients that can be made into this flavorful and unique Indonesian treat.

Kripik

Belgium

Kroakemandels is a typical Ghent snack consisting of salted peas which have previously been deep-fried in hot oil. Preparing this snack requires 48 hours, and it is available exclusively at Caf&eacute; Folklore on Saturdays &ndash; the owner Jacques makes kroakemandels based on a secret recipe that he obtained from an elderly woman across the road. The snack can be consumed with your fingers or from a cone, preferably while the peas are still warm. It is recommended to accompany kroakemandels with a cold beer or two on the side.

Kroakemandels

Kue nagasari is a traditional snack. It&rsquo;s made with a combination of rice flour, ripe bananas, tapioca flour, coconut milk, vanilla extract, and sugar. In order to prepare this snack, the ingredients are mixed together into a batter that should be thick, yet spreadable. The batter is wrapped in banana leaves, then steamed. Kue nagasari is served warm or at room temperature.

Kue nagasari

Even though lahmacun is popularly nicknamed Turkish pizza, it's origin is disputed and can be traced to Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkiye. It can be found at numerous street stalls as well as in virtually any traditional restaurant, but also in kebab eateries where they typically serve mini lahmacuns as appetizers. The perfect lahmacun is made by rolling a ball of sturdy semolina dough into a thin disc which is only lightly spread with meat - either lamb or beef, minced to a paste together with chili, onions, and other seasonings. The dish is then shortly baked in a super-hot (and preferably wood-fired) oven. Lahmacun is best served hot with a drizzle of lemon juice. It is traditionally enjoyed folded around the crispy onions and a parsley salad known as piyaz. It is recommended to pair lahmacun either with the salty, cold yogurt beverage called ayran, or şalgam suyu, the barrel-fermented juice of red carrot pickles, which is salted, spiced, and flavored with the aromatic turnip called &ccedil;elem.

Lahmacun

Lampreado, also known as payagu&aacute; mascada, is a nutritious Paraguayan cassava fritter that is traditionally filled with ground beef and scallions. In order to prepare it, cassava is first cooked, mashed, then combined with other ingredients, and the concoction is then fried in hot oil until golden brown. Some recipes also include lard, and the dish is best served with a fresh salad on the side. Lampreado is especially popular at the Fiesta de San Juan (St. John festival), which is celebrated annually on June 24.

Lampreado

China

Lop cheung bao is a traditional dish that&rsquo;s usually served as a part of dim sum. These sausage buns are made with mantou buns and Chinese sausage. During the process of steaming, the bread will soak up the oil from the sausage and become a savory snack. These steamed sausage rolls can be found in bakeries or in restaurants as a part of dim sum. The dough is usually wrapped around the sausage in a coiled shape. If desired, oyster sauce, sesame oil, or soy sauce can be added to the sausage filling.

Lap cheong bao

Indonesia

Lemper is a savory snack from Indonesia made by stuffing glutinous rice with either seasoned shredded chicken, fish, or abon (meat floss) which is then rolled in a banana leaf or tinfoil and by doing so, it is transformed into a perfectly packaged snack. The chicken-filled lemper version is called lemper ayam, while other versions similar to lemper include, for example, semar mendem, which is also shredded chicken with glutinous rice, but it is wrapped in a thin omelet.

Lemper

India

This Indian specialty hails from Bihar, but it is also enjoyed in Jharkhand. One part of the dish consists of litti&mdash;small balls prepared with whole wheat flour and filled with a combination of spices and sattu (a flour-like ingredient made with roasted chickpeas). The balls are baked or fried, and before serving, they are traditionally dipped in ghee. The dish is completed with chokha &ndash; a mix of roasted vegetables that usually contains eggplants, tomatoes, onions, and various spices.

Litti chokha

Spain

Marinera murciana is a traditional tapa originating from the region of Murcia. It's usually made with a combination of rosquilla donuts, potatoes, eggs, tuna, anchovies, mayonnaise, carrots, and beans. The potatoes are boiled and cut into pieces, then mixed with hard-boiled eggs, tuna, carrots, beans, and mayonnaise. The salad is chilled in the fridge for about an hour before it's spooned on the end of a rosquilla donut (on the side that the rosquilla's ends connect, otherwise it will fall apart). Finally, the anchovies (whole or cut into pieces) are placed on top of the salad and this classic tapa is ready to be enjoyed. It's important to choose a crunchy rosquilla for this tapa, while the potatoes can be peeled or unpeeled, depending on personal preferences.

Marinera murciana

Matthi is a savory Indian biscuit or cracker originating from Punjab. The crackers are usually made with a combination of flour, salt, oil or ghee, and coarsely ground black peppercorns. The ingredients are mixed with water in order to make a stiff dough. The dough is rolled out into thick disks that are pricked with a fork on one side. They are deep-fried in hot oil on both sides until golden brown. Once drained and cooled, matthi is ready to be enjoyed. The crackers can also be stored in airtight containers to prolong their shelf life. There are many variations on matthi, so it's not uncommon to add carom seeds, semolina, curd, or fenugreek leaves. Matthi is often prepared for festivals and family celebrations.

Matthi

Mbeva, also known as roasted field mice, is a traditional snack in some parts of Africa, particularly in Zambia, Malawi, and some other Southern African countries. This snack is considered a delicacy in certain regions and is often enjoyed as a street food. In rural regions of Southern Africa, roasted field mice, known as mbeva, are prepared by first catching the mice, cleaning them thoroughly, and then roasting them over an open fire until crispy. They are typically consumed whole and often enjoyed as a snack or part of a meal. While mbeva can be a nutritious source of protein and other nutrients, potential health concerns include the risk of zoonotic diseases, but ensuring thorough cooking and proper hygiene can mitigate these risks.

Mbeva

Mekici are popular North Macedonian fritters consisting of flour, salt, baking powder, eggs, yeast, milk, and water. Once the dough is prepared, it is deep-fried in hot oil until mekici develop a golden-brown color on the exterior. The fritters can be made at home or bought in bakeries. Their flavor is similar to that of doughnuts. Customarily, when a baby is born, the grandmother should prepare mekici to celebrate the birth.

Mekici

Greece

This traditional Rhodian treat consists of sesame seeds and aromatic thyme honey, though additional ingredients often include almonds, orange and lemon peel, and various spices. Due to its high nutritional value, melekouni is regarded as one of the healthiest Greek snacks, but it also stands out due to its great flavor. On the island of Rhodes, it is a custom to offer this delicious, crunchy treat at christenings or weddings.

Melekouni

Mexico

Memela (or tetela) is a popular street food dish originating from the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is made from masa flour with the addition of refried beans, pressed together into a (usually oval-shaped) tortilla, then cooked on a hot grill. Once the tortilla is done, it is usually filled with red or green salsa, crumbly cheese such as quesillo, and additional toppings such as fries, nopale cactus, or avocado slices. Memela is traditionally folded in half and eaten with hands, just like a taco.

Memela

Methi na gota is a traditional snack originating from Gujarat. These savory fried balls are usually made with a combination of gram flour, fenugreek, hot peppers, coriander, carom seeds (ajwain), lime juice, asafoetida, baking soda, salt, pepper, sugar, and oil. Once prepared, the batter is dropped into hot oil, piece by piece, until it&rsquo;s golden brown on all sides. Methi na gota is typically served piping hot with fried hot peppers and chutneys on the side. This snack is especially popular during winter and the monsoon season. If properly prepared, it should be soft and fluffy on the inside.

Methi na gota

The first, original plate of nachos consisting of tortilla chips, melted cheese, and jalape&ntilde;os was made for a group of military officers' wives in 1943 in Piedras Negras, Mexico. The ladies of the US Army Air Force base went over to a restaurant in the city, called the Victory Club. Its maitre d', Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya couldn't find the cook, so he combined some readily available ingredients for the ladies and presented them with canapes of tortilla chips, cheese, and jalape&ntilde;o peppers. Nachos were created, and Anaya became the restaurant's head chef a few years later. The dish was named after his nickname, and was advertised on both sides of the border as Nacho Specials. The combination of chips and melted cheese quickly gained popularity, so by the 1960s, it became a staple of Tex-Mex cuisine. Some people credit a man named Frank Liberto for turning the nachos into a global phenomenon, since he is the one who turned the dish into stadium food in the United States, greatly increasing the sales of nachos and boosting their popularity even more. Today, common toppings include ingredients such as beans, elote corn, guacamole, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and meat, and there is even a special event called the International Nacho Festival, held every October in Piedras Negras.

Nachos

Namak para is a traditional crispy snack originating from India, but it's also popular in Pakistan. The snack is made with a combination of wheat flour, ghee, oil, salt, asafoetida, and black pepper, while onions and ajwain seeds are a nice addition, although not mandatory. The ingredients are mixed with water and kneaded into thick dough that's rolled, cut into diamond shapes, and fried in oil until the namak paras turn golden. This snack is typically served with tea on the side.

Namak para

Nang kai thot is a savory Thai snack consisting of deep-fried chicken skin. Chicken skin is first cooked in boiling water, then drained and seasoned with salt and pepper or dredged in seasoned flour before it is immersed in hot oil to fry until nicely colored and crispy. The skin portion of the chicken breasts is regarded as the most suitable for this dish, but any part of the skin can be used. There are no standard seasonings for this snack as each street food vendor uses their own unique seasoning mix, but other than the usual salt and pepper, cilantro powder, garlic powder, chicken flavoring powder, and soy sauce are used most often. A dipping sauce such as sweet chili sauce typically accompanies this crunchy snack. In Thailand, crispy deep-fried chicken skin is a popular drinking snack.

Nang kai thot

Slovenia

Ocvirkove pogačice is a traditional snack originating from the Prekmurje region. The dough is made with a combination of flour, yeast, lard, sour cream, egg yolks, milk, and salt. It is rolled out, then topped with a combination of cracklings, tender lard, and black pepper. The dough is folded twice, left to rest, and it&rsquo;s then beaten with a roller pin, stretched, and topped with the cracklings once more. The dough is cut out with an upside-down glass, and the small snacks are then decorated with a square net pattern on top and baked until golden. Ocvirkove pogačice are enjoyed at celebrations and feasts. They&rsquo;re often served with different kinds of wine. The snack was originally prepared during koline (pig slaughter), when fresh cracklings were abundant.

Ocvirkove pogačice

Italy

Olive ascolane are highly addictive snacks originating from the town of Ascoli Piceno in the Italian region of Marche. These snacks consist of pitted, meat-filled, breaded and deep-fried olives. Ideally, the large, green local Ascolana Tenera variety is used in the preparation, but any large, mild, brined green olives will also do. Each local family has their own recipe for the filling, but it usually consists of three kinds of meat: chicken, veal, and pork, saut&eacute;ed in butter then flavored with Parmigiano and nutmeg. Olive ascolane are very popular throughout central Italy, served as street food, an aperitivo snack, or finger food at cocktail parties.