Who can forget the nukkad wala’s golgappas we gorged on in our childhood with tears running down our cheeks because the spice was too much to handle, the school canteen’s yummy samosas which sucked our pocket money, the mouth-watering dhabha paranthas we relished after coaching classes, the lavishly buttered roadside chutney sandwich or the vada pao’s you shared with your college sweetheart in Chowpatty.
A smorgasbord of cooking styles and street food that reflects our cosmopolitanism as much as our carbohydrate-fueled work ethic, I try to narrow down 10 must-try foods of India. Trust me, it is pure mouth-watering nostalgia on a plate.
1. Pani Puri
“Bhaiya, thoda spicy kam rakhna”. From girls in the urban Indian cities to kids in small towns asking for “extra pani”, pani puri is a lip-smacking, flavour bomb inside your mouth!
The pani for the puri differs from state to state. While North Indians like it spicy tangy, Gujarati’s prefer it with a mix of sweet chutney and when in Andhra Pradesh, have it with a hint of ginger.
2. Chatpati Chaat
You are not an Indian if you resist chaat!
Chaat has earned its share of global fanfare but it’s used to describe avrange of savory snacks - Papdi Chaat, Ragda Pattice, Dahi Bhalla Chaat, Dahi Puri, Ragda Puri, Katori chaat, Samosa Chaat, Bhelpuri, Sev Puri etc.
3. Bhajji or Pakoras
The best way to celebrate the first rains of the season is to gorge on piping hot pakoras and chai with your favourite rain song playing in the backdrop. Pure, unadulterated nostlagia.
4. Kathi Rolls/Frankie
The term Kathi roll started in Kolkata, where it was invented to make it easy to savor on the go. This roll roll-wrap of parantha or roomali with a kebab and a combination of chutneys is best relished in any north Indian city.
Frankie is a term used for kathi rolls in Mumbai. Be it Mumbai or Kolkata, a kathi roll or a Frankie, it tastes delicious and filling every time I try it.
5. Vada Pav
If don’t know what a vada pav is, you surely landed from Mars. It is the lifeline of Mumbaikars and they sure cannot live without this fried potato dumpling, tempered with mustard, garlic and chilies, shaped into a ball, coated in gram flour batter. Put it inside a pav, coat it with chutneys, like dry chili garlic one or the green chutney and bite it down with green chilies.
6. Momos
From the humble Himalayan regions, Nepal and Tibet, steamy, succulent momos, dipped in spicy red hot chutney, have become one of the most popular snacks in the bylanes of every metro in India.
7. Chhole Kulche
If you ever visited or stayed in Delhi, you must have definitely seen a chhole kulcha seller on the streets. This preparation of chhole is different from the Punjabi chhola bhatura. This is basically made with boiled dry peas blended with onion, tomatoes, coriander, amchur, chillies and tamarind.
Kulcha is baked white flour bread, very similar to pita. Sadly, chhole kulcha ain’t that popular anymore - the younger lot would rather hangout in McDonald’s.
8. Sandwich
The dainty cucumber sandwich or the cheese chutney sandwich or the massive veg masala one, sandwich are abundantly sold in all the sidewalks of Mumbai. Looking at how they are now wrapped in a newspaper and have become a filling-food-on-the-go, it is hard to imagine that this was once served in expensive china during high tea in the British raj.
Grilled or toasted with loads of butter -this food sounds modest, but I know of a sandwich stall owner who became a millionaire by just selling his delicious fare in the maximum city. Believe it or not he comes in a Mercedes to his shop now!
9. Idli/Dosa
Idli and dosa, the staple of the working class down South, is simple, healthy pleasure for your taste buds.
I sill remember my once in a month trip to the newly opened dosa place in my hometown, which used to serve a two meter long paper dosa! At least that’s what I remember. I am still in awe of that.
10. Makhan Malai
I reserved the best for the last!
This heavenly dessert from Lucknow melts in your mouth as soon as you take a spoonful! It is a seasonal dessert prepared only in winters. Makkhan and malai might sound heavy but trust me, this frothy delight is so light and fluffy, almost feels like eating white clouds!
A trip to Lucknow solely for this in winters will be truly worth it. And well, there’s tundey kebabs too.
(Masterchef Kunal Kapur is a well-recognized Indian celebrity chef and restaurateur, best known as the host and judge of the TV series Masterchef India. Winner of several culinary & television awards, he has been recognized amongst the ‘Best Chefs in India’. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and his YouTube channel for a spectacular real-time culinary experience)
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