Trying new foods and flavors is one of the best parts of traveling. When I experience a jet-setting lull and stay home for a while, I try to bring that experience into my kitchen. Here, check out some of the best frozen meals featuring international flavors that I’ve tried.
Besides, if a vacation is just eating food in a place you’ve never been, then eating food you’ve never tried in a familiar place is a staycation, right?
“In the end, that’s what most vacations are. Just you eating in a place you’ve never been. ‘Why don’t we eat something, then we’ll go get something to eat? Then we should see that thing we’re supposed to see; they probably have a snack bar, so we can get something to eat. But after that, we definitely gotta go out and get something to eat.’”
– Jim Gaffigan, Dad Is Fat
Chef Bombay Mini Vegetable Samosas
Diet: Dairy-free, plant-based, vegan, vegetarian
I love samosas. They are the Southeast Asian cousin of sambusas, my favorite food from Africa. The first time I ever tried sambusas was at a Kinyarwanda language class. The instructor’s wife had made them – a family recipe from Rwanda. The next time I had them was at The Horn, a Nashville coffee shop specializing in Somalian street food. Each time, I reveled in the flaky breading and steamy filling.
These mini samosas from Chef Bombay let me travel back to those moments. They are “mini” – think half-dollar sized rather than handpie-sized sambusas. They are filled with lentils, green peas, and other veggies, and come with a vibrant tamarind dipping sauce. It’s the sauce that really makes the experience, I think. Without it, they just wouldn’t live up to the “real” pastries I’ve had elsewhere.
Where to buy: I purchased this item at Kroger.
Would you like to try your hand at cooking international fare from scratch? Check out our Recipes section. You can filter by region to find just what you’re looking for.
One part Lois Lane, one part Jimmy Olsen, one part Johnboy Walton, and a bit of that Clark Kent secret identity thing thrown in for good measure.
Cara Siera is a freelance writer and photographer with a passion for travel and exotic cuisine. Join Cara, her husband Marc, and one very spoiled German Shepherd on their next great adventure.