5 famous street foods of India

By siliconindia   |   Thursday, 14 July 2011, 00:42 IST   |    1 Comments
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5 famous street foods of India
Bangalore: Are you a food freak waiting to hit some authentic cuisine during your trips. Then you shouldn't miss the street foods at different regions in India.Those makeshift roadside stalls, carts and small establishments such as dhabas represent some exquisite flavours which Indian cuisine is famous for. Moreover, it is considered as a hangout place for family and friends. Though we cannot disregard the hygiene part, these local food joints are quite famous in every region of India. Let us find out what street food is famous in different regions of India. Chats of Delhi The old Dilli or chandni chowk is the hub of street food in Delhi. Chaat is the most famous food. Dahi Bhalla, Kulfi, Faluda and gol gappas are the other famous to-die-for specialties of Delhi. One can find a whole range of eating joints low funds restaurants, cream of the crop restaurants and road side Dhabas that satisfy your taste buds with authentic Dilli cuisine. The one exclusive feature however about Delhi eating joints is that the city has a few streets and lanes that are totally dedicated to food. Some of the popular road side eateries in Delhi include places like Paranthe wali gali; Annapoorna, Ghantewala, Bengali Market, Greater Kailash and Sunder Nagar are famous for entertaining their gastronomes with kababs, rotis chaat, bhelpuri, sweetmeats and biryani, tikki at Natraj (Chandni Chowk), Shree Balaji Chaat Bhandar (Chandni Chowk), tikki wala (Pitampura), Lala Babu Chaat Bhandar (Chandni Chowk), Prince's Paan & Chaat Corner (Greater Kailash), Roshan di Kulfi (Karol Bagh). Other places for having toothsome kulfis in Delhi include Jeeta Kulfi Wale (Krishna Nagar), Sita Ram Nannumal Kulfiwala (Ajmeri Gate), New Kulfi House (Daryaganj), Vijay Variety Kulfiwale (Chandni Chowk), Raj Chole Bhature and Lassiwala. For lovers of chicken tikka roll and kebabs, Khan Chacha's Kebab Corner (Khan Market), Karim's (Jama Masjid), Peshori Kebab (Rajouri Garden), Afghan (Lajpat Nagar) and Bhatti Kebab (Defence Colony) are the best places. Pavs of Mumbai Mumbai, a culinary delight for any traveler is a myriad of cuisines. Similarly Mumbai has a delightful variety of food. Some of the recipes have originated in Mumbai itself like pav bhaji, vada pav, ragda patties, bhel puri, sev puri, various veg pakoras, Mumbai toast sandwich, omelets pav, bhurji pav, masala pav etc. are some items you should never miss on your trip to Mumbai Here are a few places you can eat to your heart's fill (till your stomach fills as well!). Khao Galli - Meaning "eat street" in English, both sides of this lane are filled with food stalls. Located near Marine Lines and Church gate railway stations (close to Sunderbai Hall), you'll mostly dig up vegetarian food there. Juhu Beach - There's a cluster of street food stalls right on the beach, as well as several chaat (snack) carts. You can eat pav bhaji here, fresh off the tawa (griddle). Mohammed Ali Road - If you want non-vegetarian food, this Muslim area in south Mumbai is the place to go. Sweets are also available. It's particularly lively at night during Ramadan. Mumbaikers also find egg Bhurji and Paneer bhurji which is sold at the Maker Chamber area irresistible which is about two cross roads away from the Nariman Point. Seafood of Goa Slow-dried in long, liberal strings under the blazing Indian sun, Goa's culinary nod to its Portuguese inheritance appears in its tastiest manifestation in the lunchtime chouricos. You'll find plenty of carts retailing their meaty products throughout the state, many with temptingly ecclesiastical names such as "Virgin Mary Meats" or "Ave Maria Sausages". Spiced with chilly, vinegar, garlic and ginger, chouricos are eaten unaccompanied or with soft Goan pao bread rolls. For the ultimate lunch rush, they're washed down with a glass or two of fiery feni, nap-inducing local liquor distilled from cashew or coconut. However not many know that Goa has an enviable assortment of evening munchies that are both tasty and healthy. Immensely well-liked among locals but barely relished by tourists, Goa's street food is perhaps the best-kept secret in this resort state. A usual favourite is potato chops, filled with minced beef and shallow fried. Today, a 'vegetarian' specialty is available wherein potato is filled with egg and shallow fried. There is the beef chilly fry, a semi-dry preparation with lots of onion rings and thin-brown zesty gravy. We all love the Goan fish curry rice, gulping it with chilled beer and that's our mantra for an ideal holiday! The pot bellies notwithstanding, guzzling beer, fried fish and good prawns' gravy has become a synonym for a typical Goan meal. Jhal muris of Kolkata Stroll through any of Kolkata's busy thoroughfares and you'll find vendors conjuring up cart magic through delicious phuchka (also known as pani puri or (gol gappa), papri chat, jhaal muri, bhel puri, ghoogni, chop and umpteen other eatables. Kolkata means rosogolla, sondesh, dim bhaja (fried eggs), begun bhaja (fried egg plant), labra (mixed vegetable), Khichidi (rice cooked with lentils), alu posto (fried potatoes). Places famous for street food in Kolkata include: Lord Sinha Road -The road outside AC Market is a great place to spend time. After the frantic shopping hours at the AC Market, travelers can have a nippy bite of pav bhaji, phuchkas, bhel puri and jhaal muri. Spicy food lovers can check out the vendors crying "chana garam" The mumbia-style chana mixture will also call for a strong soda shikanji or sweet kulfi. Camac Street-The Vardan Market in Kolkata is a place for foodoholics. There is hardly anyone who can resist themselves from enjoying the taste of moong dal vadas with Pudina or chilli garlic chutney. Other specialties are papri chat and batata puri. Russell Street-Russell Street is popular for the city's best phuchka and chat stalls. One can also take home packets of egg roll, vegetable rolls and chops. Group of friends can have ghoogni chat party on the roads here. The taste of appetizing food in Kolkata has its own magic that compels one to come back for more. Porottas of Chennai Temples and over the top Tamil movies are not the only specialties of madras or now Chennai. Food eats out a major part of what Chennai is famous for. Kothu Parotta (literally, minced parotta), is a delicacy popular and native to Tamil Nadu. It is made using parotta, egg, meat, and salna, a spicy sauce. Other variants of Kothu Parotta are Muttai Kothu Parotta, Chilli Parotta. Ennai kathrikai and vendakkai melagu stands out from the rest and combined very well with the idlis from the Muniyamma idli kadai. Idiappams, appams and dosas too came under the idli kadai section. Sundal (cooked chickpeas, lentils and peas), sprinkled with spices, coconut shavings, finely chopped onion, raw mango pieces and coriander is the most popular snack on the beach here and also outside some schools. Sliced raw mangoes topped with spices make for another fast-moving item on the sands. Mixed Sliced fruits - papaya, watermelon, pineapple and grapes, chikoos and oranges less often, with a sprinkling of salt-masala are very popular too. Kulfi and pusanikai halwa dominates the dessert spread. The pumpkin halwa is always simply lip-smacking. Krishna Boli Stall in Velachery, Brilliants Idli and paratha stall, Chaat outside Karishma Nungambakkam Madras Bhel puri behind Naihaa, Tibbs Frankie Chain, Beach Food, American Corn, Samosa Factory at Anna Nagar and Mint Street are some of the places you shouldn't miss.