We can all agree that the same exotic flavors of street foods cannot be replicated at home by us. No matter how much we try. And, for this very reason, we are willing to spend our precious money on some of these delicacies. With the wide variety of street foods available in India, the common ones like the succulent Momo, spicy chole bhature, tangy Gol Gappas, and many others will always live rent-free in our minds. There’s no way one could get tired of them. If you haven’t had India’s street food, then why are you still waiting? Go and grab a bite!
1. Gol Gappas
People around India have different names for this flavorsome street food; some also call it Puchka or even Paani Puri. Who would believe that a small fried dough ball filled with boiled chickpeas and potato dipped in tamarind chutney and mint water could wake our taste buds so much?
2. Momo
This street food is incomparable. Every street you make a turn for, you are more likely to find a Momo stall. It is not exaggerating when we say that some fight over who will have its last piece. Made from flour and stuffed with vegetables, chicken, or mutton, it melts in your mouth with the first bite. Adding cherry on top is its spicy tomato chutney that will leave you with tears of joy.
3. Aaloo Tikki
Potatoes, known as Aaloo in Hindi, are one vegetable that can be cooked in different forms and served with a bit of twist. A crunchy potato patty dipped in curd, spicy green chutney, and sweet red sauce is the perfect food to give a wonderful blend of both sweet and sour taste.
4 Chole Bhature
This street food right here will always satisfy your tummy content. The bhature with its hot spicy chole (chickpeas) is a go-to meal for office goers and college students during their lunchtime. Squeeze some lemon over the chole to have that sour kick in your mouth.
5. Kathi Rolls
*Chef’s kiss* These are mouth-watering; you get to choose the filling of your choice, be it egg, paneer, chicken, or mutton. The Kathi roll stalls always aim to serve the best to their customers. A crispy Maida paratha with tandoori sauce spread over it is stuffed with a handful of well-spiced fillings. Adding mayo works much wonder by giving it a creamy and smooth texture when eaten.
6 Ram Laddoo
You’ll be surprised after eating this as one always gets confused about its taste by looking at its plain appearance. But, mind you, it’s more than what appears. Small fried balls made with moong Daal served with this spicy green chutney mixed with minutely sliced radish to add some crunch to our bites. Eating a whole ram Laddoo soaked properly in the chutney gives a heavenly taste.
7. Dosa
The process of Dosa cooking is very satisfying to watch. It is a crepe made from a paste of rice and lentils, which is then buttered and stuffed with flavored potatoes. It is then beautifully rolled and served with its signature dips called sambhar and coconut chutney. Street vendors and shops have taken Dosa to another level by offering fillings like noodles and even cheese.
8. Pav Bhaji
You cannot resist licking your fingers after having a taste of pav bhaji. The hot spicy bhaji is made with a variety of veggies ground together on a pan with butter. The pav is then also toasted in butter to give a sweet-salty flavor to it. It is then topped with raw onion and squeezed with a few drops of lemon to make it.
9. Bhutta (Roasted Corn)
Bhutta is a perfect street food that everyone loves to eat during the rainy season. People prefer to munch on it on their way back home. The corn is left to roast on charcoal that gives a smoky flavor to it. It is then rubbed with juicy lemon and spices all over. And, it becomes ready to eat, something simply delicious and nutritious all together.
10. Samosa
How could we not include this? Samosas are like the perfect snacks that have made their name more popular throughout the years. It is more like a triangle-shaped pastry, baked with stuffing’s such as a spicy mixture of potatoes and peas, and is the perfect buddy to our evening tea. It is hard to say no to it once someone serves it to you.
11. Paratha
It is easier to spot a paratha wala’s stall than getting an auto-rickshaw when needed. These stalls are always bustling with people in the morning to get their plate of breakfast. There is a wide range of variety in the fillings inside the wheat flour bread. Potatoes, paneer, and cauliflower are the most common ones. Made in pure ghee or butter; these parathas complement well with plain curd or green chutney.
12.Chowmein
Also called noodles by many, Chowmein has created a large fanbase for itself. It is not a typical Indian food, but instead, we adopted it and gave it our own Indianized flavor. Veggies are stir-fried to give that crunchy munch in our bites, and sometimes tandoori chicken is added too for the nonvegetarian customers.
13. Kachori
At first glance at a kachori, one is sure to be curious about its taste. It is hard and crunchy from the outside but soft from the inside. The masala melts automatically in the mouth. It arrives with hot potato curry on a plate. The correct way of eating a kachori is to immerse it in the curry and break it into bite-able pieces. Doing this allows flavors of both the kachori and curry to intermingle perfectly.
14. Vada Pav
Vada Pav is India’s kind of burger that has no cheese or mayonnaise in it at all, surprising, right? It may sound off to people who have never tasted it, but the people of Maharashtra can account for its taste. The bun is cut through open so that the sweet and sour chutneys can be spread easily on one side each, then comes the crispy potato ball between them and green chili. Tada! It’s ready to be gobbled down.!
15 Bread Pakora
If we were to describe it in simple terms, it’s more like a sandwich with the stuffing inside but dipped in a flavorful gram flour mixture and then deep-fried until fully cooked. There are two types of stuffing that Indians love the most; one is the spicy potato mash and the other a paneer one. Bread pakora is always served with a sweet chutney or a green chili chutney to enhance its taste.
16 Idli Sambhar
You’ll immediately fall in love with it on its first bite. Idlis, made with fermented rice and lentil batter, are steamed until cooked. The steamy Idlis are to drown in a bowl full of the savory sambhar. The texture is so smooth when completely soaked in the sambhar that it can please anybody’s soul.
17 Jalebi
The oldest sweet or dessert that is still to date loved by many Indians. They love to have it on special occasions, but people with a sweet tooth need no auspicious time; they always spare their change coins to get a piece of it. Made from flour batter into spiral shapes and cooked in oil, then leaving it to soak in sugar syrup. It may sound a bit tedious, but the result is all worth it. Eating it while it’s still warm does justice to its true sweet essence and for sure can boost anyone’s serotonin.
18. Bhelpuri
You could say it’s half a salad and half a snack, but it is undoubtedly one of the best street food Indians love. Puffed rice, sev, diced boiled potatoes, tamarind chutney, chopped onions, and spicy green chutney are all dumped in one bowl and mix until every ingredient is mixed. It is, at last, garnished with coriander leaves. The taste of the bhel puri is inexpressible; your taste buds are sure to be rejuvenated.
19 Aaloo Chaat
If you go anywhere around the world, you will notice that potatoes are like the most staple food. They are used in anything and for everything. Aloo chaat is typical Indian street food. Potatoes are diced and deep-fried and then mixed with some tamarind chutney and spices, which gives a pleasing taste altogether. To finish off, it is at last sprinkled with sev and pomegranate to give that crunchy and mildly sweet taste to it.
20 Kulfi
A frozen dessert that originated in the Indian subcontinent itself is being loved by many people, even though we have different flavors of ice creams available in the market. Kulfi is made with thick sweet milk, chopped pistachios, and a bit of Kesar to give off a faint color. It is then poured in thin cone-shaped containers until frozen completely, and then it’s done. So, never miss your chance to enjoy a Kulfi whenever you spot its stall.
So, the above were the most common street foods that are available all over India. They have become a part of our life; it’s hard to say no to them when we have deeply fallen in love with them.
