Rude Food by Vir Sanghvi: Going to the dogs

The hot dog is the one great American snack food that has not travelled well. But it’s easy to make at home

You can never predict how food will travel or which dish will become popular in which country. Who would have thought 20 years ago, that sushi would become a rage in India? And what about the poor Italians and their food? So many globally popular dishes sound Italian but bear little relation to the Italian originals. The pizzas we like are American in origin. Spaghetti Bolognaise, which turns up on nearly every menu, was not invented in Bologna but in the UK.

Though the sausages are made with the cheapest meat and the bun is industrial, something about eating a hot dog on the street is an important part of the New York experience

Should a hot dog have ketchup? No, say many purists. A slice of pickle? Sometimes. Cheese? Only if it is described as a Cheese Dog

Daniel Humm’s Humm Dog, which he created for his hot dog stall pop-up by the lake in Zurich, used Hebrew National beef frankfurters, wrapped in a slice of bacon

You get hot dogs in India. But you have to buy the ingredients and put them together

Sahil Mehta of Paris My Love makes fancy and delicious brioche buns

Hman offers chunky, slightly smoked sausages and sturdy buns that work for DIY hot dogs

Vanshika serves a wide range of hot dogs but her Indian contributions can only be limited to the add-ons

Vanshika Bhatia, one of Culinary Culture’s Top 30 Indian chefs, runs a hot dog outlet