Halal snack pack

Ahalal snack packis an Australianfast fooddish, which consists ofhalal-certifieddoner kebabmeat (lamb, chicken, or beef) andchips.It also includes different kinds of sauces, usuallychilli,garlic, andbarbecue.Yoghurt or yoghurt sauce,cheese,jalapeñopeppers, andtabboulehare also common additions. While the snack pack was traditionally served in astyrofoam container, it is now most commonly served inmoulded pulpor cardboard containers, as most Australian states have bannedsingle-useplastic packaging.The snack pack has been described as a staple takeaway dish ofkebab shopsinAustralia.
Some Australian restaurant menus refer to the dish as a "snack pack", "snack box" or "mixed plate".The name of the dish was voted by readers of theMacquarie Dictionaryas the "People's Choice Word of the Year" for 2016.InWestern Australia, the dish is often called a "meat box", and inAdelaideit is known as an "AB".The dish also exists in New Zealand, where it is known asmeat on chips.Another notable similar phenomena is the Dutchkapsalon.
The halal snack pack originated in Australia as aculinary fusionofMiddle-Easternand European cuisines. According to some, snack packs date back at least to the 1980s.They have since become a quintessentialAustralian dish.Variations orsimilar dishesexist in other countries; examples include "doner meat and chips" in theUnited Kingdom, "kebab meat on chips" inNew Zealand,"döner teller" ("doner plate") inGermany,kapsalon" ("barbershop") in theNetherlandsandBelgium, "kebabtallrik" ("kebab plate") inSweden,"gyrofries" in theUnited States, and "kebab ranskalaisilla" ("kebab with French fries") inFinland. InAdelaide, the dish is known as an "AB".Meanwhile inPerth, Western Australia the term "meat box" is commonly used.
In late 2015, following the creation of the Facebook groupHalal Snack Pack Appreciation Society, a subculture formed around the dish that was known to bring cultures together.This led to wide coverage of the dish in the media, as well as a notable reference by SenatorSam Dastyariin Australian Parliament during a debate abouthalal certificationwhich is credited for much of the increase in attention paid to this dish.
In July 2016, then-Labor Senator Sam Dastyari invited theOne Nationparty leaderPauline Hansonout for a halal snack pack after she won a Senate seat in the2016 Australian federal election. She rejected his proposal, saying, “It’s not happening, not interested in halal, thank you”. Hanson then elaborated, stating, “I’m not interested in it. I don’t believe in halal certification,” and went on to claim that “98 percent of Australians” opposed it.In response, several Australian restaurants created a Pauline Hanson-inspired halal snack pack.There has also been aGoFundMecampaign to turn Hanson's former fish and chip shop into apop-uphalal snack pack stand.
The "AB" dish in Adelaide isgyrosmeat topped with chips, tomato sauce, chilli sauce, barbecue sauce, andgarlic sauce.The dish is sometimes served with alcoholic beverages.Two restaurants inAdelaideclaim they invented the dish: the North Adelaide Burger Bar (also known as the Red & White) between 1969 and 1972, and the Blue & White in 1989.The "AB" may be placed at the centre of the table and shared.
The Healthy Snack Pack is a variant of the Halal Snack Pack where the chips are replaced by a choice of salad.