A few of these Nicaraguan Street Foods on my list of favorites are sold door to door or business to business by ladies carrying them in a bucket covered in a tea towel. Sold as a single portion, ready to eat mid-morning or afternoon snack they are a perfect accompaniment to your afternoon “Cafecito” (such as a sweet, milky Presto or Torro brand instant coffee – Pura Nica!).
Arroz con Leche
Rice Pudding, a European influence served Nica style and made with a few simple ingredients, such as; rice, milk, sugar, condensed milk, vanilla and raisins, The exact recipe (as with most of this list) will depend a lot on availability and the budget of the vendor.
Buñuelos
A treat made from cooked yuca (cassava) blended with the traditional dry white Nica cheese, made into balls and deep fried. They are usually drizzled with a homemade simple syrup (water, sugar and cinnamon) or sometimes honey and best eaten while still warm.
Carne Asada, Fritanga or simply “Tajada”
The “King of Nicaraguan Street Foods” is Carne Asada, as Nica as Gallo Pinto. Tajadas are the thinly sliced and deep fried plantains served with your choice of grilled meat; chicken, beef or pork. The addition of the zesty cabbage salad topped with a chili dressing (if desired) and maybe some gallo pinto, completes the satisfying “meal in a bag” to take home or eaten at a Fritanga.
Nacatamal
Pre-dating the Spanish Conquest (making it one of the oldest Nicaraguan street foods) the mighty Nacatamal comes from the old language of the region; “Nahualt” and uses the word for meat; nacatl and tamalli; a tamal. The simplest form of this would have been dough made from corn, formed into an elongated shape around the meat filling before being wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaf and steamed. The Nicaraguan version has a particular list of ingredients that go in the middle with the meat (beef, pork or chicken), such as; rice, potato, tomato, onion, green pepper, garlic, achiote (annatto) and of course the hierba buena or good herb which is from the spearmint family.
Pico’s
A simple triangular shaped flat bread with a thin, sweet filling of dry, grated Nica salty cheese and sugar. An unusual flavor combination but their rich flavors work. They can vary in size and texture, depending on how they are baked; from light and soft bread to a well done and crispier pastry. Buy half a dozen, you won’t be able to eat just one.
Pio Quinto
“Pio the Fifth” is a dessert cake rumored to be named after Pope Pius V who was Pope from 1566 to his death in 1572. It is a delicious cake dessert often served on special occasions when it’s soaked in rum and sometimes topped with raisins. The street version (no booze added) is white custard (atol) mixed with pieces of a simple cake and a few pieces of cinnamon and/or cinnamon in powder form sprinkled on top.
Quesillo
Made famous in La Paz Centro and Nagarote (León, Nicaragua), this easy to prepare snack consists of a corn tortilla filled with a string cheese called “Quesillo” which is then placed inside a clear plastic bag before finely chopped onions and a generous pour of “crema” are added.
Raspado
Nicaragua’s answer to the “Snow Cone” often made in front of you by a man on a tricycle with a block of ice in a cooler. He will hand shave the ice off the block and overfill a plastic cup before smothering it with your choice of sugary syrup (which can be home made using local fruits; nancite or pineapple or artificial; like raspberry or cherry).
Vigorón
Created in Granada in the early 20th Century and served on a banana leaf, it’s a blend of three flavors and textures. The soft and creamy boiled yucca, the crispy deep fried pork belly and the tangy cabbage salad that in Granada is mixed with a tart tasting fruit called mimbro (related to the starfruit) combines to provide a filling lunch or dinner. Legend has it that Vigorón was named after a tonic that was advertised all over town. The advertising depicted a male body builder grabbing a bull by the horns and suggested that the tonic gave men their “desired strength”.
Yol Tamal
A sweet tamal made from a mixture of corn, evaporated milk, fresh Nica cheese, some cream, sugar and salt. Great with a good cup of Nica coffee. Modern day cooks will use a food processer to create this mixture which then gets placed in a couple of corn husks (leaves) which are then folded and tied with corn husk strips before being steamed.
