While in India, do as Indians do…

What do Indians do? 🤔 They eat.. and eat a lot… 😆, hence our motto today is “While in India, eat as Indians eat… “

Our team is in full-on mood today, and hogging kathi rolls and momos. So, you know where the thought is coming from!

India has always been in the charts when it comes to street foods 👏

Gol Gappa

Ohohoho.. 7 puris and different flavors of pani, hence also called Pani Puri! This dish is definitely a “heartthrob” of many Indians, young and old alike! Very light to eat, you actually never feel full after eating puchka, but it leaves your mouth with an unbelievably khatta-meetha taste. It seems so incomplete if you don’t order an extra ‘puri without pani’ at the end from bhaiya!!

Kathi Rolls

A crispy maida paratha accommodating various veggies or paneer or aloo or chicken or many other varieties added to the menus recently. Kathi rolls are a perfect blend for your taste and appetite. This ‘hog while you walk’ food type is available almost everywhere across India; however, it is known to be a delight on the streets of Kolkata. I, too hope, to visit the city someday and cherish what is believed to be an integral part of Park Street.

Chaat

Aloo chaat or bhalla chaat – I “chaat” (lick) the entire plate, spoon, and my fingers once I am done eating – it’s so damn delicious! Typically, bhalla papdi chaat accompanies gol gappas to make a fantastic evening snack meal. The snack is relished equally in Pakistan and Bangladesh as in India. Hari n Laal chutneys form part and parcel of chaat garnished with a number of other spices.

Idli Vada Sambar Dosa

Before the pandemic, we had the rule to visit a street food place some few kilometers from the office at least once in a couple of days. I remember the amazing South Indian stuff a vendor used to prepare; it was simply too good. More than 2 years, the taste is still fresh in my memory. Idli is also a healthy breakfast option in many homes and workplaces.

Samosa & Kachori

A foodie is always a foodie, irrespective of age. Something I’ve witnessed in reality at my home. My nani is more than 90 years old, but her mouth waters the same way on seeing a samosa as it used to some 30 years back! Samosa with chutney, samosa and choley, samosa pressed between two bread pieces – are some of my favorite ways of going about a samosa. On similar lines, kachori is served in different fashions by different food joints. While primarily potatoes form the basic ingredient of samosa or kachori, paneer or daal or onion or peas, etc., also are relished by many as key components.

Noodles

Veg noodles or hakka noodles – if you see them jumping off from a pan and elegantly dancing down, you’ll definitely once think about eating them. Spicy and hot, I especially enjoy eating them during winters. While they are extremely delicious with a hot cup of coffee, they are also very soothing with a cold drink! With its origin in China, it is served in a myriad of Chinese restaurants and street food vendors in India. It is chiefly on the cook’s discretion, who may also give it a healthy angle by stuffing it with a lot many veggies.

Chole Bhature

Sssssssssssssh! It is prohibited to talk about calories, diet, and health in this corner. It’s all about taste 😃! From Amritsar to Mysore, I can say from my personal experience that chole bhature are popular everywhere. Ways of cooking, taste, quantity, and specifically the bhatura size are different – but the very sight of it brings delight 😄. Unquestionably, a choice of many, it is truly savored with an empty belly.

Vada Pav / Batata Vada

With its roots in Maharashtra, vada pav has eventually made its way into various parts of India. It’s delicious, light, and an apt option for both morning and evening snacks. Though I usually don’t eat raw chillies, a vada pav plate seems empty if not accompanied by a green chilly.

Pakodas

Often called Avani Raj Pakoda (from Arora 😅), it’s only justified for me to be a pakoda lover 💓. However, I must say it takes skill to prepare tasty pakodas; not all can do that. If cooked skillfully and served with a hot cup of tea!! OMG! I need to finish this quick, go home, and eat something delectable. It’s now becoming heavy to write all this! 😒

Dabeli

One of my personal favorites 💓. I ate first in the city of Pune and then several times in Chandigarh. It is quite popular in Western India, primarily Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, and is quietly spreading its wings to other zones of the country. It’s a simply fried bun filled with namkeen and onions with some chutneys. As simple it may sound, it is utterly mouth-watering and appetizing.

Bhel Puri

Be it a time when you are standing at a street waiting for someone or something and eating it wrapped in a paper for timepass, or relishing it thoroughly prepared by your mother, in a relaxed mode on your sofa, bhel puri could be the best evening time snack. The chatpata taste can make your day and, at times, acts as a good appetizer to make way for other delicious foods.

I think we should call it a blog ☺for now!! There are hundreds of street foods in India and everywhere, and just one write-up won’t be a justified attempt towards it.

So, stay tuned for more in the times to come!! If you want us to write about your favorite mouth-waterers, don’t wait – just fill-up the comments section 👇

Enjoy different flavors till we meet again!

Avani Raj Arora

Image designed by Freepik