25 Indian street foods every desi foodie simply must try

Forget fine dining restaurants and fast food imports. Some of our very best foods are on our streets – in hole-in-the-wall shops and sold off carts. We bring you a scrumptious selection from across the country:

1. Vada Pav

This humble staple is what Mumbai’s massive commuting public virtually runs on.  A fresh ladi pav with 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.  Some places for great Vada Pav: Aram Milk Bar, CST; Graduate, Byculla; Kirti College, Dadar.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Papri 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. Pani Puri

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.

12. 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.

13. 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 Darjeeling.

14. 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.

15. Pav Bhaji

In Mumbai, where the noise never ceases, the clang of spatula on tava has a very special significance. It signals the making of Pav Bhaji, one of the city’s most-loved street food snacks. An unctuous mass of potatoes, veggies and masala is mashed up, topped with a heart-stopping amount of Amul butter and served with fresh pav. It’s a comfort food like no other. Some of the best pav bhaji is available at Canon, near VT, and at Sardar Pav Bhaji in Tardeo. Juhu beach is packed with pav bhaji vendors as well.

16. Dahi Bara-Aloo Dum-Ghugni

Little known outside Odisha, dahi bara-aloo dum-ghugni, is a favourite street snack in Cuttack. Served in eco-friendly leaf bowls, it is a mix of dahi vada, spicy aloo dum and ghugni, which is spiced chickpeas. Chutneys, spices and sev add more zest and texture and then you tuck in, discovering one flavour after another and then a mix of them all.

17. Telebhaja               

The Bengalis love it fried – from fish to cutlets and luchis. Telebhaja 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 telebhaja 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.

18. Dabeli

Who wants boring sandwiches, when you can have a dabeli? A close relative of the vada pav, dabeli comprises spiced potato in a pav, with lots of bells and whistles – including roasted peanuts – added on. It’s cheap, filling and delicious. Karnavati in Maninagar, Ahmedabad, has quite a following for its dabeli.

19. Fafda-Jalebi

Savoury, crisp fafda and sweet jalebis are a breakfast favourite in Gujarat. And Amdavadis consume the stuff by the kilo. During festival like Navratri, there are midnights feasts and brunches of fafda-jalebi and no one seems to tire of this classic combo.

20. Pao Kebab

Bhopal has a fine meat-eating tradition and it finds a perfect showcase at Chatori Galli, in the bustling part of the old city. After sunset, dozens of little stalls and shops come alive, serving up an array of non-vegetarian dishes. One of the most popular is Bhopal’s own take on the burger, or perhaps it is the forerunner. The pao kebab is a soft, fresh pav bun filled with a well-seasoned minced meat patty, most often made of beef.

21. Kakori Kebab

This tender, melting kebab, born in the little town of Kakori, not far from Lucknow, epitomises the elegant kebab-marking traditions of Awadhi cuisine. Naushijaan, near the Lucknow Press Club, has a good street version, though you’ll also find this kebab in upmarket eateries. The gilawati and pasanda are other must-try Lucknowi kebabs.

22. Pyaaz ki Kachori

Kachori fans everywhere, and not just in Jaipur, agree the city makes some of the best versions of this delightful, deep-fried snack. The pyaaz ki kachori with its spiced filling and crisp, flaky crust is a Jaipur speciality. And nearly everyone is in agreement that Rawat Mishthan Bhandar is one of the best places to tuck into a plate of pyaaz ki kachori.

23. Kotthu Parota

Inspired by the ‘kotthu’ of Sri Lanka and possibly brought across by refugees, kotthu parota is now a favourite street food of Chennai. It consists of shredded parathas, meat, eggs and spices tossed together on a vast tawa. A meal-in-one, it’s a regular takeaway food for many Chennaiites.

24. Jigarthanda                                  

Jigarthanda is, yes you guessed it, a cooling thing and much loved in Madurai where the temperatures usually hover close to searing hot. Juice stalls around the ancient and magnificent temple whip up this concoction of thickened milk, China grass jelly and ice cream and most people round off a darshan with a big glass of jigarthanda.

25. 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.

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