Exploring street food is a great way to experience a place's local culture and cuisine. Whether it's a bustling city or a lively night market, street food offers a diverse range of affordable and convenient options that highlight the region's unique flavours. It also provides a sense of community and connection with the locals, making it a delightful and immersive experience for any traveller.
TasteAtlas, an online travel and food guide based in Croatia, has recently released a comprehensive list of the world's 50 most exquisite street food desserts.
One noteworthy aspect of the list is the inclusion of some mouth-watering Indian sweets that are sure to delight food enthusiasts.
In the list shared a few days ago on Instagram, Mysore Pak, a popular sweet dish from southern India, has secured the 14th position.
Following closely behind is the famous frozen dessert, Kulfi, which has been ranked 18th on the list. Additionally, Kulfi Falooda, a variation of Kulfi served with vermicelli and rose syrup, has also made it to the list, securing the 32nd position.
Top 5 street food sweets
According to TasteAtlas, the first five sweets that took the spot were Pastel De Nata from Portugal, Serabi from Indonesia, Dondurma from Turkey, Hotteok from South Korea, and Pa Thong Ko from Thailand.
Pastel de nata is a Portuguese custard tart made with puff pastry and filled with an egg custard that is served with a dusting of powdered sugar and a pinch of cinnamon.
The Serabi from Java, Indonesia, takes the second spot on the list. These Indonesian pancakes are small and made with rice flour. They can be enjoyed either sweet or savoury and can be topped with a variety of garnishes such as chocolate, bananas, and crushed peanuts.
Turkey's Dondurma is globally ranked as the third-best sweet street food. Originating from Turkey, this ice cream is highly regarded for its unique thick and chewy texture, which sets it apart from other ice creams. Along with its delicious taste, it has the unique ability to resist melting, longer than regular ice creams.
Hotteok, sometimes called Hoeddeok, is a type of filled pancake; a popular street food in South Korea.
Pa thong ko is the Thai take on popular Chinese crullers called youtiao. With a crispy exterior and chewy texture, Pa Thong Ko, the Thai fried bread, is a great accompaniment for tea.
Social media reactions
Since this post was shared, the users flocked to post their comments. Some were happy to see the Indian desserts on the list, while others expressed disappointment in not adding particular desserts from their respective countries.
An Instagram user, @shines commented: "Kulfi, Kulfi Falooda are my favourites. I can have them any day and any time. But you should also try gulab jamun and Sandesh; they are so tasty."
Another user, @danielvelez, wrote in a post: "Pastel de nata is the best!"
"If Gulab Jamun is not on the list, then I don't trust it," commented Instagram user, @michaelscofield.
So, which is your favourite city for street food, do let us know. You can write to us at readers@gulfnews.com
