50 Must-Try Street Foods of India

[thesolar65]

Ye Bhai/Mem Saab log, Sab Maar Dhhadd chod ke thode time ke liya yahaan par aa jao!!

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Vada Pav

This humble delight is what the city’s massive commuting public virtually runs on. A fresh ladi pav, split in two, a well-spiced aloo vada in the centre, a scattering of dry garlic chutney and a deep-fried green chilli or two to spice things up some more – it’s warm, nourishing, comforting and so good. Each area and suburban railway station has its cluster of vada pav stalls. Many are famous with celebrity customers.

Some places for great vada pav: Aram Milk Bar, CST; Graduate, Byculla; Kirti College, Dadar.

Pav Bhaji

Whoever thought of mashing up a whole lot of veggies, including potatoes, with a special masala on a gargantuan tava, topping it with butter and eating it with fresh pav toasted on the same tava with more butter is a genius, you have to agree. The pav bhaji is one of Mumbai’s top street foods, to be eaten with chopped onions and a squeeze of lime. This hearty dish that is an anytime meal is a Juhu beach staple.

Cannon Pav Bhaji at CST and Sardar’s in Tardeo have quite a reputation for their pav bhaji.

Bhelpuri

For Mumbaikars, an evening at Chowpatty, Marine Drive or Juhu Beach is incomplete without a cone of bhel puri. Puffed rice gets tossed with sev, onions, tomatoes, coriander and sweet and sour chutneys to make a crunchy snack that is the taste of Mumbai’s crowded beaches.

Baida Roti

Kebabs, tava parathas, kebab rolls – Mumbai’s busy streets are lined with affordable options for the meat lover. While Mohammed Ali Road is famed for its meaty treats, Bade Miya right behind the Taj Mahal Hotel, is considered the place for Mumbai-style baida roti. It’s maida roti, encasing minced meat and egg, shallow fried to a crisp deliciousness. The baida roti here is so popular the stylish set happily slums it out at Bade Miya.

Bombay Sandwich

An old-fashioned toaster, bread, green chutney, sliced cucumber, onion, potato and tomato, besides lashings of butter is what it takes to make one of Mumbai’s most-eaten street foods. People gather around the sandwich-wala and provide instructions – more chutney, no onions, hold the tomato. And it makes for a cheap and cheerful snack

Bhutta

Come the monsoons, when grey skies roll across the horizon and the rains begin to drench Mumbai, it’s time for hot bhutta, cobs of sweet corn, toasted over coals for a smokey, sweet, crisp, chewy treat that’s all natural. A wedge of lime dipped in salt and chilli powder is rubbed over the bhutta to give it extra zing. A bhutta or two on Marine Drive is a Mumbai monsoon experience, not to be missed.

More to follow:

 

[T90TankGuy]

Had all of the above

 

[thesolar65]

Paratha

Delhi so loves its parathas there’s a whole lane or galli devoted to them. Parathe-wali Galli, in Old Delhi, is where foodies go to for the fix of the stuffed parathas – whether aloo, gobi, mooli or paneer. Fillings are spiked and spiced with condiments and the parathas are cooked while you wait, often with lots of ghee. Check out Babu Ram Devi Dayal’s stall when you’re in these parts.

Paapri Chaat

Delhi’s chaatwalas are in a class of their own. In their deft hands, a mix of simple ingredients – papri, sev, curd,tamarind and coridander chutneys, boiled potatoes – emerges as something delicious that leaves you craving more. The paapri chaat available in Old Delhi is one such fabulous chaat. Order it also at any Haldirams outlet or Nathu’s Sweets.

Samosa

The samosa is a pan-Indian favourite. But Delhi, arguably, does it best, with Kolkata’s singhara coming a close second. It’s all about getting the basics right – first, potatoes spiced to perfection and then wrapping the whole thing in a crisp triangle that isn’t greasy or heavy. A good chutney is a must-have, too. Dilliwalas claim some of the best samosas are available at Gole Market, INA Market, Daula Kuan, amongst various other lanes and alleys.

Dahi Bhalla

A well-made dahi bhalla is a thing of joy. Urad dal wadas are softened and soaked in curd, topped with a perfect balance of sweet and hot chutneys and given a final anointing, a sprinkling of masala powder. On a warm day, this soft, sweet, chilled plateful can calm your very soul. Natraj Dahi Bhalle Wala in Chandni Chowk enjoys top rating.

Kulfi Falooda

India’s very own frozen dessert, kulfi, is not just for after meals; it’s an anytime indulgence. Delhi’s kulfi rates among the best, with its creamy sweetness and adorned with pista, kesar or seasonal mangoes. The kulfi-falooda, takes the pleasures further, with more sweet things added on. Nathu’s Sweets, Roshan di Kulfi and Bengali Sweet House are favourites with the locals.

Chhole Kulche

In Amritsar, there is the magnificent Golden Temple. And then there is the street food, in every street, lane and narrow galli, still being negotiated by cycle rickshaw. If there’s one dish that’s instantly associated with this food-loving city, which thinks nothing of smothering everything in ghee and butter, it’s the heavenly combination of chhole and kulcha. The chhole is dark and aromatic, the kulcha, stuffed, layered, delicious. Some of the best can be had at a place, unsurprisingly, called Famous.

Bun Tikki

Amritsar’s aloo tikkis are a legendary. What transpires between a simple patty of seasoned mashed potato hitting a tawa of sizzling oil is remarkable. Add to it a lashing of green chutney and another of sweet tamarind and you have a delectable snack. The snack stalls of Amritsar take it a step further and place the tikki in a fresh, sweet bun and drizzle it with chutneys. It gives the McAloo Tikki a run for its money to be sure.

Lassi

The Punjab’s dairy produce is top class. In Amritsar the creamy, luscious curd is whipped up into heart-stoppingly thick lassis which are served in huge steel tumblers. You may feel daunted at the sight of it, and that layer of malai adorning the surface. But one sip, and you won’t stop till you’ve polished off all of it. Without argument, Ahuja Sweets is the place for Amritsar’s best lassi.

Jhaalmuri

This is Kolkata’s answer to BombaybBhelpuri. In the maidan, at street corners, on trains, you’ll spot the jhaalmuri seller. He tosses puffed rice, roasted gram, peanuts, onion, green chillies, sometimes boiled potato in a paper cone with an array of masalas he carries about with him, and drizzles the whole with, what else, mustard oil. This is Bengal, remember? A sliver of sweet coconut puts the finishing touch to this delicious snack.

Phuchka

In Delhi it is golgappa, in Mumbai paani puri and in Kolkata it’s phuchka. Large crisp puris are stuffed with spiced mashed potato, sometimes a little black chana, and it’s topped up with a paani that’s usually hotter and tarter than the paani puri version. You eat it all in one mouthful and, of course, you don’t talk while eating

Dimer Devil

There’s nothing hellish about the dimer devil, or devilled egg, one of Kolkata’s favourite snacks – whether from a roadside stall or in a restaurant. It’s no more than hardboiled egg, wrapped in minced meat and then crumb-fried. Bengalis are masters at crumb-frying and it’s never better than in a mouthful of dimer devil.

Chowmein

Kolkata is one of the birthplaces of Indian-Chinese food. Several decades ago, in its Chinatown, Tangra, little eateries began to churn out Chinese food that was influenced by its new home, Kolkata. Those dishes were then trundled out on street carts. And a plate of hot and spicy chowmein is a super value meal-on-the-go when in Kolkata.

Kaati Roll

Every city has its Kolkata-style kaati rolls. And that should tell you about its place in the City of Joy. Whether at the legendary Nizams or in various other stalls in the crowded bazaars, a kaati roll is one delicious thing rolled in another. The rotis are soft and flaky, topped with an egg and then filled with anything you fancy – aloo, chicken tikka, mutton boti kebab or a double dose of these.

Tele bhaja

The Bengalis love it fried – from fish to cutlets and luchis. Tele bhaja is a catch-all phrase for any number of vegetables dipped in batter and deep-fried. The tiny holes-in-the-wall of North Kolkata are where the original tele bhaja is found. Especially delicious are slices of begun, or eggplant. If it all gets a bit much, the good Bengali will take a slug of gelusil and all is well.

Momos

Beginning with China, all through the Far East and in our own North-Eastern states there are many versions of steamed dumplings. In China they are dimsum, in Tibet and beyond, they become momos. Darjeeling has lots of momo sellers – serving them right out of the steamers with a fiery dipping sauce. These are a must-eat on any holiday in Darjeelin

Thukpa

In breathtakingly beautiful Leh, you may well wish to survive on love and fresh air. But, be warned, hunger pangs will strike. And what could be better than a steaming bowl of thukpa, the Tibetan-inspired noodle soup, to nourish you. Besides the noodles and flavourful broth, these could also have meat and vegetables and sauces to spice them up with.

Aloo-palak pakore

With its sanctity and religious fervour, Varanasi certainly feeds the soul. But, make no mistake, this ancient town has a superb array for the stomach as well. Tikkiya and kachori, eaten through the day, are hot favourites in Varanasi. We recommend also the delicious if calorie-laden aloo-palak pakore served up by tiny eateries which compel you to stand and eat on the street. The best ones are in Vishwanath Galli

Tamatar Chaat

Varanasi is definitely chaat country. And nothing says that better than the tamatar ki chaat. It’s a medley of mashed up aloo tikkis, spices, chutneys and, of course, tomatoes. Somehow, this odd combination of ingredients come together to make a yummy snack that is part of the flavour of Varanasi. Check out the version at Kashi Chaat Bhandar.

Thandai

Thandai is an ancient Indian drink of milk to which ground seeds or nuts and spices have been added. It is served cold and is a great pick-me-up. When bhang is mixed into thandai it becomes something else altogether and Holi revellers know what that’s all about. If you’re in Varanasi during Holi or Shivratri and want to drink thandai specify ‘sookha meva’, or you’ll be getting high on bhang.

 

[SrNair]

Had tasted some of the above

 

[Indrani]

I love our street food. Especially mungphalli (both roasted and boiled) and steamed corn.

 

[thesolar65]

 

[+4vsgorillas-Apebane]

Looks delicious!

Moar!

 

[Armstrong]

I've had quite a few of them but where the heck is the MEAT ?

 

[thesolar65]

 

[scorpionx]

Excellent pictures @thesolar65 (Phuchka and Chicken tikka roll are my fav street foods )

 

[halupridol]

yeh iss time pe bohot galat thread khola gaya hae....
me so hungry now

 

[Targon]

Many of them are almost like proper table dishes, looks delicious

I noticed many stuff that looks almost identical to our stuff.

 

[thesolar65]

I've had quite a few of them but where the heck is the MEAT ?

Neeche hai. 3 ya 4 baar!!

 

[anant_s]

from Maharashtra & Gujarat

Dabeli

Misal Pao

Kaanda Bhajiya

Daal vada

Usal Pao

Fafda

 

[Targon]

The colorful, tasty look is what got me, are these from different regions or can be found anywhere ?

You give me the idea of opening Turkish street food topic.