Para a malé taniere

Mara prišla na nočný trh o siedmej. Ulica bola plná svetla, pary a ľudí. Každý stánok predával niečo iné: rezance, taštičky, ovocie na paličkách, studený čaj. Bola hladná, ale nevedela, kde začať.

Mara arrived at the night market at seven. The street was full of light, steam, and people. Every stand sold something different: noodles, dumplings, fruit on sticks, cold tea. She was hungry, but she did not know where to start.

Zastavila sa pri stánku s dlhým radom. Žena varila taštičky na veľkej plochej panvici. Mara sledovala ostatných zákazníkov. Ukázali na jedálny lístok, povedali číslo a zaplatili. Keď prišla na rad ona, ukázala tiež. "Päť, prosím," povedala. Žena prikývla a usmiala sa.

She stopped at a stand with long lines. A woman cooked dumplings in a big flat pan. Mara watched the other customers. They pointed at the menu, said a number, and paid. When it was her turn, she pointed too. "Five, please," she said. The woman nodded and smiled.

Taštičky boli horúce a chrumkavé na spodku. Mara si sadla na malú plastovú stoličku a jedla ich pomaly. Potom išla k ďalšiemu stánku a k ďalšiemu. V ten večer sa naučila najdôležitejšie pravidlo pouličného jedla: dlhý rad znamená dobré jedlo.

The dumplings were hot and crispy on the bottom. Mara sat on a small plastic chair and ate them slowly. Then she walked to the next stand, and the next. That night she learned the most important rule of street food: a long line means good food.