Spicy Things

About this collection

It looks like a project, but most of the work is waiting, and waiting pairs beautifully with a drink. We first ate something like this at a street stall in Istanbul, balanced on a plastic stool, and spent the flight home reverse-engineering it. We like to make the filling the night before, when the kitchen is quiet and nobody is asking what is for dinner.

It reheats well, travels well, and disappears at parties at a frankly alarming rate. We like to make the filling the night before, when the kitchen is quiet and nobody is asking what is for dinner. The crisp edge is what people remember, so be brave with the heat and generous with the seasoning.

1. Garlicky Pork Empanadas

We tested this 11 times in the Snack Crawl kitchen, and the version with panko won every single round.

Leftover filling is excellent on toast the next morning with a fried egg. Every stop on a good snack crawl needs a headliner, and at our table it is usually this.

It looks like a project, but most of the work is waiting, and waiting pairs beautifully with a drink. Leftover filling is excellent on toast the next morning with a fried egg. We like to make the filling the night before, when the kitchen is quiet and nobody is asking what is for dinner. We first ate something like this at a street stall in Athens, balanced on a plastic stool, and spent the flight home reverse-engineering it.

Get the full recipe →

2. Creamy Halloumi Gyoza

There are snacks you eat standing at the counter, and then there are halloumi gyoza — the kind you clear your evening for.

We first ate something like this at a street stall in Seoul, balanced on a plastic stool, and spent the flight home reverse-engineering it. A digital thermometer takes the guesswork out. You are aiming for steaming hot in the centre and audibly crisp outside.

Do not skip the cherry tomatoes; it is the bright note that stops the whole plate from feeling heavy. Season in layers. A pinch at each stage beats a panic-handful at the end.

Get the full recipe →