The Halal Snack Pack, Food Channel Style
Australian speciality comes to life in our Culinary Center
Ready to try the latest food craze? At least if the online world has any influence (and, it does), the Halal Snack Pack is the latest thing to hit lunch time, snack time, any time.
The Halal Snack Pack (lovingly referred to as the HSP) is a bit of an enigma. It appeared in a few kabob shops around Sydney, Australia as a new offering, creating something highly craveable for late night crowds that was both filling and reasonably priced. Next thing you know, the Halal Snack Pack Appreciation Society is formed on Facebook at the end of 2015, and grew to its now 160,000+ user base who post about, help find, and review HSPs across Australia. As this culinary delight grew in online fame, receiving rave reviews, it also spread beyond Sydney, as more kabob shops began offering variants of the dish, from different sauces to meat combinations.
The most popular HSP offers a bed of crisp fries topped with a sharp cheddar, covered in lamb, chicken, or both. It’s then given a crisscross of what they call “the holy trinity” of garlic, barbecue and hot chili sauce. The result is something out of a late night bar menu’s dream. Yes, we said dream — trust us, you need to try it!
As the dish gains popularity, one of the most interesting things is the debate over whether this is a recipe born out of demand for late night dining, or a dish born out of the internet and the accompanying internet hype. Regardless of the origins, over the past year it has been making rounds Down Under and appearing — partially due to heavy request — at nearly every kabob shop in its path.
While the debate over health concerns continues to swirl around its over-indulgence, people keep demanding more. Go figure. And go make.
Find the full recipe here. Just be sure to snap a photo and let us know how it turns out @FoodChannel.
