French Fry Fans Need To Try This Peanutty Dutch Street Food
For many people, french fries are a delicacy enjoyed when grabbing some takeout. That's especially true in the United States, where Americans eat an unbelievable amount of fries each year at nearly 29 pounds per person, National Geographic reports. Though some of these fry lovers are set in their ketchupy ways when it comes to toppings or dipping sauces for the snack, there are many unique fry accouterments from around the world. Fries are baked into a mixture of eggs and spices in Tanzania, Twisted notes, while fries in Ireland and the U.K. are frequently enjoyed with curry sauce.
Canadians enjoy fries in poutine, in which they're smothered with brown gravy and melty cheese curds, and Kenyans enjoy them with a hearty helping of warmly spiced masala sauce. And yet, even while taking these substantial combinations into consideration, the Dutch may still take the cake when it comes to filling fry dishes — especially for peanut butter lovers. Have you ever tried a french fries and peanut combo? If not, you're going to want to track down this delicious Dutch street snack.
It's called patatje oorlog
As Glutto Digest explains, patatje oorlog, which is Dutch for "war fries," are thick-cut french fries topped with three seemingly incompatible elements: mayonnaise, raw diced onion, and Indonesian-style peanut sauce, which likely made its way to the Netherlands because Indonesia was formerly a Dutch colony, and many Indonesians migrated to the Netherlands in the mid-20th century. However, to many taste buds, these flavors are anything but at war. So many people love the combination that it's one of the most popular Dutch street foods, says Business Insider.
Taste Atlas expands on the description, noting that the satay sauce on the Indonesian-Dutch hybrid often contains sambal oelek, soy sauce, and chili for spice and depth, and the popular drinking snack is typically served in a paper cone and with a cold beer. The article also suggests that the term "war fries" could have something to do with the mess you're likely to make while eating it, causing a spattering of onions and sauces. Seems like a small price to pay for a staple dish — just make sure not to wear your favorite pants when you try it.