Samosas by the Shore
It’s around 9 p.m. at Plaça dels Àngels, where people are perched on the concrete barrier outside the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, though their focus isn't on the art. Drawn by the local skate scene, they gather each evening, surrounded by the distant sounds of traffic and the rhythmic beats of skaters — the whir of wheels on uneven ground, the sharp thuds of landings, and the shuffle of missed tricks. With the crowds come vendors, equipped with six-packs of beer and trays of samosas wrapped in plastic.
Among the various items street vendors offer in Barcelona, from trinkets to fake designer bags, food items are scarce. In the city and across Spain, street vending without a permit is illegal. Recent laws have even prohibited buying from these vendors, with sellers facing fines about 180 times more frequently than buyers. These licensing regulations aim to ensure vendors and shopkeepers contribute taxes and direct sales to licensed vendors. Many unlicensed vendors, often some of the city’s most economically vulnerable residents, limit their operations to busy tourist spots like Plaça dels Àngels, where they can rely on foot traffic and blend into the crowd when authorities arrive to confiscate their goods.
Rashid’s samosa dough consists of wheat flour, water, sunflower oil, and salt, while the filling is typically potato and curry. When he first began, he included peas and onions, but many customers preferred the simpler version, so he now omits them. 'It’s easier for me this way,' he remarks about the streamlined recipe.
Rashid prepares all his samosas in his apartment in the Gothic Quarter, which he shares with fellow Pakistanis to save on costs. 'We eat together and spend very little. Just a room costs over 400 euros. It’s incredibly expensive,' he explains.
In Rashid’s kitchen, cooked samosas sit ready. While they are a hit with customers, he prefers to shop at Pakistani halal stores for his own meals, yearning for flavors from home. 'I miss the food from Pakistan — rice, naan, curry, and vegetables — so many things,' he shares.The most common item sold is beer, followed by bottled water, with samosas coming in third as a popular choice among locals. Samosas are the most accessible Pakistani prepared food, found in convenience stores run by Pakistanis and nearly every doner kebab shop across the city. In Barcelona, the widespread knowledge and appreciation for samosas can be attributed to the significant Pakistani community, which, at over 23,000 residents, is the second-largest immigrant group, after Italians and followed by those from France, China, and Colombia.
The wave of Pakistani immigration started in the 1970s; by 2011, half of all Pakistanis legally living in Spain were in Barcelona. According to Javed Ilyas Qureshi, president of the Association of Pakistani Workers of Catalonia, about 95 percent of Barcelona's Pakistani residents came to Catalunya seeking a better quality of life, escaping dire economic conditions where rent could cost twice their monthly salary. While many Pakistanis work in or own local businesses like greengrocers and computer shops, a significant number earn a precarious living selling souvenirs, beers, bottled water, and samosas on the streets.
As Rashid approaches the square, he notes the challenging working conditions. 'There are often police around who take away my tray and impose fines on me too.' He explains that the lack of social services forces people like him to sell food and drinks to cover rent, electricity, and food expenses, stating, 'The government doesn’t provide any support for people to eat or have a place to sleep.'
Rashid quickly heads out once he finishes preparing the samosas. 'I sell them while they’re still warm to anyone who wants them fresh,' he explains.
Rashid adds a touch of sweet-and-sour sauce to a samosa for a customer. 'People enjoy the sauce,' he notes. Being Muslim, Rashid abstains from alcohol, although he observes that other Muslim vendors in the square do not share the same restriction.At 38, Rashid moved to Barcelona from Islamabad nearly nine years ago. He sells samosas for a euro ($1.15) each in the Plaça dels Àngels to afford a shared apartment in the Gothic Quarter. Whenever possible, he sends money back to his family in Pakistan. He learned to make samosas only after arriving in Barcelona, stating, 'I spend 2 to 3 hours making them, then work 4 to 5 hours selling. I typically make 20 and sell 10 to 15. Sometimes I sell all, sometimes just five. If it rains, there are no customers.'
'It’s Saturday today; I brought 40 samosas, and in the last two and a half hours, I've sold six or seven and that’s it,' Rashid says. At day's end, any leftover samosas are either given away or eaten by him, although he admits he sometimes grows tired of them. In winter, demand drops significantly, and during Barcelona's strict lockdown, it vanished entirely. The night before we spoke in February 2020, Rashid reported earning just 8 euros ($9).
During the city's lockdown, selling samosas in the MACBA plaza became impossible. That’s when Rashid began delivering them instead. After restrictions eased, he launched an Instagram business, delivering samosas and catering Pakistani buffets for groups of ten or more. Now that the plaza has returned to its bustling pre-pandemic atmosphere, he’s back to selling his samosas there. 'I’m here every day,' he says, 'trying to make a living.'
Rashid heads home with ingredients in hand. Although making samosas provides his income now, he hopes it’s not a permanent situation. His dream job is to be a delivery driver for Amazon or Glovo, but he currently lacks a driver’s license and access to a car. 'I’d also like to get a motorcycle license to expand my delivery opportunities,' he shares. 'I have residency, but without a car and a steady job, I’m working on the streets.'Chris Ciolli, originally from the Midwest, has called Barcelona home since 2005. A writer and translator, she has contributed to various local and international outlets, including BUST magazine, Afar, Miniguide, and Fathom. Gerard Moral, a Barcelona native, is a photographer specializing in portrait, travel, and lifestyle photography.
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