Discover the vibrant world of Indian street food! Uncover top 10 must-try dishes & learn to recreate them at home. Dive in!
India, a land of vibrant colours, diverse cultures, and of course, mouth-watering
food! And when it comes to food, nothing beats the sheer joy and explosion of flavours that Indian street food offers.
From the bustling streets of Mumbai to the serene lanes of Kolkata, every corner of India has its own unique street food gems waiting to be discovered.
This article will take you on a delectable journey through the top 10 vegetarian Indian street foods you absolutely must try.
We’ll also give you simple, easy-to-follow recipes so you can recreate that street food magic in your own kitchen. Get ready to tantalize your taste buds and impress your friends and family with your newfound culinary skills!
Pani Puri: The King of Street Food
Pani Puri, also known as Gol Gappe or Puchka in different parts of India, is arguably the undisputed king of Indian street food. These small, crispy, hollow puris are filled with a tangy, spicy, and sweet mixture of flavoured water (pani), potatoes, chickpeas, and chutneys.
The explosion of flavors in your mouth with each bite is an experience that is simply unmatched.
To make Pani Puri at home, you'll need: ready-made puris (available at most Indian grocery stores), potatoes, chickpeas, tamarind chutney, mint-coriander chutney, and of course, the pani.
For the pani, you can use a combination of mint, coriander, green chilies, ginger, black salt, roasted cumin powder, and tamarind pulp. Simply blend all the ingredients together, strain the mixture, and add water to achieve the desired consistency.
Experiment with the amount of each ingredient to create your perfect pani!
Vada Pav: Mumbai's Beloved Burger
Vada Pav is Mumbai's most iconic street food and a favourite of locals and tourists alike. It consists of a spicy potato fritter (vada) sandwiched between a soft bun (pav), along with a generous serving of sweet chutney, spicy garlic chutney, and green chilies.
The combination of the savory vada, the soft pav, and the spicy chutneys is a true delight.
Making Vada Pav at home is easier than you might think.
For the vada, you'll need boiled potatoes, ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander leaves, and besan (gram flour) for the batter. Mash the potatoes and mix them with the other ingredients.
Make small balls of the mixture, dip them in the besan batter, and deep-fry them until golden brown. Serve the vada hot in a pav with your favourite chutneys.
Aloo Tikki: Crispy Potato Patties
Aloo Tikki is a popular North Indian street food that consists of crispy potato patties served with chutneys, yogurt, and spices. These golden-brown patties are incredibly flavourful and make for a satisfying snack or even a light meal.
To make Aloo Tikki at home, you'll need boiled potatoes, green chilies, ginger, coriander leaves, cornstarch, and spices like garam masala and red chili powder. Mash the potatoes and mix them with the other ingredients.
Form the mixture into small patties, coat them with cornstarch, and shallow-fry them until golden brown and crispy. Serve the Aloo Tikki hot with a variety of chutneys, yogurt, and a sprinkle of chaat masala.
Bhel Puri: A Symphony of Textures and Flavours
Bhel Puri is a light and refreshing street food that is perfect for a hot day. It is a mixture of puffed rice, sev (crispy chickpea noodles), chopped onions, tomatoes, potatoes, and a variety of chutneys.
The combination of crunchy, savory, sweet, and tangy flavours makes Bhel Puri an irresistible snack.
Making Bhel Puri at home is a breeze. Simply combine puffed rice, sev, chopped onions, tomatoes, potatoes, and your favourite chutneys in a bowl.
Mix well and garnish with coriander leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice. You can also add other ingredients like peanuts, sprouts, or even chopped green mango for extra flavour and texture.
Dahi Puri: A Cool and Creamy Delight
Dahi Puri is a close cousin of Pani Puri, but with a cool and creamy twist. These small, crispy puris are filled with potatoes, chickpeas, yogurt, chutneys, and spices. The addition of yogurt adds a refreshing element to the dish, making it perfect for those who prefer a milder flavour.
To make Dahi Puri at home, you'll need the same ingredients as Pani Puri, plus yogurt. Arrange the puris on a plate, make a small hole in the top of each puri, and fill them with potatoes, chickpeas, and chutneys.
Top each puri with a generous dollop of yogurt, a sprinkle of spices, and a garnish of coriander leaves.
Pav Bhaji: A Spicy and Buttery Medley
Pav Bhaji is a popular Mumbai street food that consists of a thick vegetable curry (bhaji) served with buttered pav (bread rolls). The bhaji is typically made with a combination of mashed potatoes, cauliflower, peas, carrots, and other vegetables, cooked in a spicy tomato-based sauce.
Making Pav Bhaji at home requires a bit more effort, but the results are well worth it. You'll need a variety of vegetables, along with ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes, onions, and a special Pav Bhaji masala. Sauté the vegetables with the ginger-garlic paste, onions, and tomatoes.
Add the Pav Bhaji masala and cook until the vegetables are soft and the sauce has thickened. Serve the bhaji hot with buttered pav and a garnish of coriander leaves.
Ragda Pattice: A Hearty and Flavorful Combination
Ragda Pattice is a popular street food from Maharashtra that consists of potato patties (pattice) served with a white pea curry (ragda), chutneys, and spices. The combination of the crispy pattice, the flavourful ragda, and the tangy chutneys is a true delight.
To make Ragda Pattice at home, you'll need to prepare the pattice and the ragda separately. For the pattice, follow the same recipe as Aloo Tikki. For the ragda, you'll need dried white peas, onions, tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste, and spices.
Soak the white peas overnight and then cook them until they are soft. Sauté the onions, tomatoes, and ginger-garlic paste, add the cooked white peas and spices, and simmer until the ragda has thickened. Serve the pattice hot with the ragda, chutneys, and a sprinkle of spices.
Chole Bhature: A Punjabi Feast
Chole Bhature is a classic Punjabi street food that consists of spicy chickpea curry (chole) served with deep-fried bread (bhature). The chole is typically made with a combination of chickpeas, onions, tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste, and a blend of spices.
Making Chole Bhature at home is a satisfying culinary experience. For the chole, soak chickpeas overnight and then cook them until they are soft. Sauté onions, tomatoes, and ginger-garlic paste, add the cooked chickpeas and spices, and simmer until the chole has thickened.
For the bhature, you'll need maida (all-purpose flour), yogurt, and baking soda. Mix the ingredients together, knead into a soft dough, and let it rest for a few hours. Roll out the dough into small circles and deep-fry them until golden brown and puffy.
Serve the chole hot with the bhature and a garnish of coriander leaves.
Momos: Steamed Dumplings from the North East
Momos, originally from Tibet, have become a popular street food across India, especially in the North East. These steamed dumplings are typically filled with vegetables or meat, and served with a spicy dipping sauce.
Making Momos at home can be a fun and rewarding experience.
For the filling, you can use a combination of cabbage, carrots, onions, ginger, and garlic. Mix the vegetables together and season with salt and pepper. For the dough, you'll need maida (all-purpose flour) and water.
Mix the ingredients together, knead into a smooth dough, and let it rest for a while. Roll out the dough into small circles, place a spoonful of filling in the centre, and fold the dough to create a dumpling shape. Steam the momos for about 15-20 minutes, or until they are cooked through.
Serve the momos hot with a spicy dipping sauce.
Jalebi: A Sweet and Crunchy Treat
Jalebi is a popular Indian sweet that is a common street food in many cities. It is made by deep-frying maida (all-purpose flour) batter in pretzel or circular shapes, which are then soaked in sugar syrup. The result is a crispy, syrupy, and utterly irresistible treat.
Making Jalebi at home requires a bit of practice, but once you get the hang of it, it’s quite easy. You'll need maida, besan (gram flour), baking soda, yogurt, and sugar for the syrup. Mix the maida, besan, baking soda, and yogurt together with water to create a smooth batter.
Let the batter ferment for a few hours. Heat oil in a pan. Using a piping bag or a clean cloth with a small hole, pipe the batter into the hot oil in pretzel or circular shapes. Fry the jalebis until they are golden brown and crispy. Soak the jalebis in warm sugar syrup for a few minutes.
Serve the jalebis hot and enjoy!
Indian street food is a celebration of flavours, textures, and cultures. So, go ahead, try these top 10 street food delights and bring the taste of India to your home kitchen! Enjoy the culinary adventure!
