Around the world in... fried pastries

Fried pastry gleefully shouts 'snack time' in every language.

Source: Rachel Tolosa Paz

Any time of day, people all over the world are crunching into a snack-sized fried treat. They might have picked up a borek from a street seller in Izmir; have been dunking their churros into thick, rich chocolate; or got caught squeezing the custard out of their cannoli. Either way, it's a given that they are having a very jolly time.

So, roll out the pastry, heat the oil and get ready to indulge your happy neurons. Because if there's one thing fried pastry guarantees across the globe, it's putting a pastry-flaked smile on your dial.

Malaysia: Curry puffs

Beef, chicken, veggie or fish - however you like you're curry puffs, make loads! Source: SBS Food

Oh, for the love of a good curry puff! They're found all over Asia, but perhaps Malaysia loves them best. This recipe is for beef curry puffs, but you can find other recipes here:

Philippines: Turon

Turon is a classic Filipino street food snack. Source: Adam Liaw

Wrapping fruit (jackfruit and/or banana) in pastry then frying it turns the mundane into the magic. Filipino street sellers have been working this magic via turon for centuries.

Korea: Hotteok

Fresh, spongy doughnuts, a toasted peanut and sunflower seed filling, and salted caramel glaze - what's not to love? Source: Donal's Asian Baking Adventure

Hotteok is like the love child of pancake and doughnut. This recipe makes them into balls, but feel free to flatten them into their pancake mama if you like a crispier sweet.

India: Gulab jamun and samosas

Little wonder that this dessert is popular all over south Asia - including in India, Nepal, the Maldives, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Source: Adam Liaw

Cardamom-scented dumplings happily bobbing in a lemony rose water syrup could well be the perfect finish to any meal. Gulab jamun is especially good after a heavy, spicy curry-like this one.

Samosas are ubiquitous in India. You'll find them on offer in the streets, at parties, pre-dinner, breakfast and even with an afternoon cup of tea. Source: Anjum’s Australian Spice Stories

It's extremely difficult to contain this Indian leg of the journey to just two fried pastries. But if gulab jamun is one, then samosa has to be the other. See also, pakoras.

United Arab Emirates: Lgeimat

There's just something about a fried ball of dough... Source: Chris Chen

A saffron-infused syrup transforms balls of fried dough into a Middle Eastern wonder. Lgeimat is sweet, sticky and oh-so-delicious.

Turkey: Dolmas and borek

Naturally dolmas are best when served with a pot of strong Turkish tea. Source: Bree Hutchins

Apricots, walnuts and lemons flavour these sticky pastries from Turkey. It's like slipping into the Anatolian surf on a sultry summer's day.

Borek are often baked instead of fried - but that would defeat the whole purpose of this list... Source: Adam Liaw

Borek is served all over Turkey, filled with yummy things like spiced potatoes, cheese and spinach, and sucuk. A hearty crunch on eating will let you know you've made them just right.

Greece: Loukoumades

Loukoumades are basically balls of fried yum. Source: Adam Liaw

Every Greek friend you've ever met has a story about their yiayiá making loukoumades for days. That's because they are generally needed in massive quantities. After all, eating 10 is never enough.

Hungary: Cseresznyes gomboc

Cseresznyes gomboc is a simple recipe that results in wonderfully complex flavour and texture. Source: Alan Benson

You make these cherry dumplings in a similar way to making gnocchi. That's right, the cherries are wrapped in a potato mix and fried until soft and pillowy.

France: Beignets

Apple fritters are a really popular regional winter dessert in the southern Alps. Source: Benito Martin

This recipe is for beignets aux pommes, aka apple fritters. They are the shortcut way to apple pie. Other beignet varieties include:

Italy: Bombolini and crostoli and cannoli

Bombolini are quite fiddly to make, but totally worth it, don't you think? Source: Petrina Tinslay

Italy's custard-filled little doughnuts really are a flavour bomb. Nutella makes a decadent substitute for the vanilla custard filling - if you happen to need some variety in your dessert life.

Flavoured with citrus rind and grappa, and sprinkled with icing sugar, crostoli are the lightest ribbons of fried pastry and a must for every Italian gathering. Source: Brett Stevens

Every Italian gathering will have some kind of crostoli on offer. The best ones layer the citrus for a really punchy flavour. It's amazing how much complexity can be packed into a strip of fried pastry.

Cannoli is exactly what fried pastry should be doing for a living. Source: China Squirrel

Okay, so perhaps our stopover in Italy is a tad extended, but we can't possibly travel on without mentioning cannoli. Is there a more satisfying way to end a meal?

Spain: Empanadas

Sometimes they're baked, more often they're fried, but always they're a taste sensation. Source: Paul Hollywood Pies and Puds

Visit any Spanish-speaking country and you get to munch on empanadas. They are popular throughout Spain, Portugal, Argentina and even in the Philippines. One bite and you'll know exactly why.

South Africa: Vetkoek

Like a South African churros and just as delicious. Source: Sarah Graham's Food Safari

Vetkoekies are usually filled with savoury mince, but as this recipe proves, they make an excellent sweet pastry, too. Dip them into a rich chocolate sauce, or drizzle them with syrup. Either way, your tastebuds will shout "heerlik"!

Morocco: Bastilla

Adam Liaw's recipe mixes things up with ricotta and carob rolled through the pastry. Source: Adam Liaw

These sweet fried treats are served on special occasions like Purim and Yom Kippur and are often doused in a honey syrup before serving. Children are cleverly commandeered to do the laborious rolling (the sweet pastry tastes good raw, so that's probably the incentive for small mouths).

USA: Doughnuts

This recipe is for a cinnamon doughnut, but there are plenty more where these came from (see below). Source: Alan Benson

Practically every culture on earth has some kind of doughnut recipe, but the US likes to pretend they invented them and who are we to burst their bubble? They certainly make a good one, so there's that.

Argentina: Tortas fritas and churros

Tortas fritas can be served sweet or salty, and are generally considered an excellent food for a rainy afternoon. Source: Rachel Tolosa Paz

You can make tortas fritas from ingredients you've no doubt already got in the stores: flour, baking powder, salt, lard and milk. What you choose to put on them is entirely up to you!

A quick dunk is all you need. Source: Rachel Tolosa Paz

Once you've eaten churros with your hot chocolate, you'll be hard-pressed to ever go back. They're simply made for dunking.