What is street food?
Just as the name suggests, street food is ready-to-eat food, usually sold at markets, festivals, on the high street and sometimes on the side of the road – there is never a bad time or place to enjoy this type of food. The ingredients are mostly cooked fresh from stalls, campers or vans and are designed to be enjoyed outdoors – using your hands or minimal serving equipment.
Because of where it’s cooked and the limited cooking equipment and storage facilities (compared with an oversized chef’s kitchen), ingredients are usually kept to a minimum, making the recipes super simple but packing in the flavour. Street food is also designed to be cheap. It’s not a sit-down meal with table service; it’s a tasty solution with a buzzing atmosphere. This is also a reason for the ingredients to be minimal and cheap! You’ll often find that countries pull on their widely available ingredients and look to incorporate these into their dishes. This is what makes street food SO good. You’re getting a taste of the local cuisine using fresh ingredients, and you’re not going to spend a fortune doing so.
We know, you’re now thinking, how do I get my hands on this affordable goodness? Where can I find it? Good news! Street food has well and truly taken off in the UK. It’s also popular in many parts of Europe, America and Asia.
Because of the ease and variety of the recipes, not to mention the ability to pull on flavours from around the world, it’s a great style of cooking to add to your at-home cookbook. If you’re throwing a party or a summer gathering in your back garden, cooking your street food-inspired dishes will up the flavour game and please the masses. Plus, you’ll save on washing up because people can use their hands and dig straight in!
Cauldron Street Food Series
How can you incorporate Cauldron products into your street food-inspired cooking? Well, the answer is… easily! As you know, at Cauldron we’re all about tasty flavours, creative cooking and doing things that are better for our planet.
Earlier this month, we launched two new tofu flavours; Smoky BBQ Tofu Block and Hoisin Tofu Pieces. Both of these flavours are inspired by countries that are BIG on street food; America and China. These tofu options also require minimal prep, and the taste is already there and waiting for you, so they’re perfect for whipping up a quick and tasty dish.
It doesn’t end there; all Cauldron products are perfect for street food-inspired cooking. They include worldwide flavours and seasoning, so the sky’s your limit – time to get experimental in the kitchen.
As well as all of our products being certified Carbon Neutral, we love to look for ways that we can do EVEN better for our planet. So, in the Cauldron Street Food Series, we’ve developed recipes that use sustainable serving options. If you give these a go at home, we challenge you to get creative with serving the dishes – in bamboo? In Leaves? The choice is yours!
Vegan Street Food-Inspired Recipes
Hoisin Tofu Bao Buns
Fancy cooking up some seriously fresh, steamed Bao? It’s a’BAO’t time!
Add this recipe to your home cookbook, and you won’t regret it! Our new Hoisin Tofu Pieces are added to steamed buns and topped with fresh veggies and extra spice!
Full recipe
Middle Eastern Mezze
The opportunity to dip and dunk your way into next week!
This Middle Eastern Mezze is a take on Lebanese street food using Cauldron Middle Eastern Falafels on a bed of soft hummus, caramelised onions and charred tomatoes.
Full recipe
Hoisin Temaki Rolls
No need for cutlery! Ditch the plates; these vegan Temaki Rolls are screaming out for you to dig in and enjoy every mouthful.
They’re filled with fresh flavours, sticky rice and tasty Hoisin Tofu Pieces.
Full recipe
BBQ Tofu Tacos
A fresh, vegan take on Mexican’s popular street food – tacos!
These crispy pockets are filled with a homemade bean salad, fried Smoky BBQ Tofu bites, vegan cheese and a squeeze of tangy lime.
Perfect for popping on a board and letting people dig in!
Full recipe
Kalbi Tofu Bahn Mi with Cheat Kimchi
If you’ve never tried a Vietnamese Bahn Mi before (we absolutely recommend that you do) then give this vegan take a try!
Stuffed with Smoky BBQ Tofu, fresh carrot, cucumber, vegan mayo and homemade Kimchi, it’s a loaded sandwich with serious flavour.
Full recipe
Tofish Burger
A vegan take on the classic childhood favourite ‘fish finger sarnie’.
A golden, crispy cut of fried tofu layered with homemade tartar sauce, fresh lettuce, vegan cheese and sandwiched between two soft buns!
A fresh, crispy treat with every mouthful!
Full recipe
Hoisin Loaded Kimchi Pancakes
A vegan, tasty take on Korean Kimchi Jeon, or Kimchi Pancake.
Loaded with fresh, crunchy, tangy ingredients, topped with Hoisin Tofu Pieces and coriander, it’s the perfect street food-inspired snack.
Full recipe
