RAG Demo

Tag: Street Food

  • Aloo Tikki Chaat

    Aloo tikki is the heart of Delhi chaat. Vendors in Chandni Chowk, Lajpat Nagar and every neighbourhood market cook big potato patties slowly on wide, shallow iron tawas, pressing them flat until a thick crust forms. They are then broken open on a leaf plate and loaded with toppings in a rapid, practised sequence.

    The tikki should be crisp and golden outside and soft inside, with a lightly spiced potato filling. The toppings bring every taste at once: sweet tamarind chutney, spicy green chutney, cool sweetened curd, warm chickpea ragda, crunchy onion, sev and pomegranate. Chaat masala and roasted cumin tie it together. Nothing is subtle about it.

    It is an evening snack, eaten standing at a stall or made at home for parties. Some versions stuff the tikki with spiced chana dal or peas for extra texture. The tikkis and ragda can be made in advance, and the toppings laid out so everyone can build their own plate. A wide, heavy tawa and a little patience are the only secrets to a crust as good as a street vendor's.

    At a glance

    RegionDelhi
    CuisineDelhi street food
    DietVegetarian
    CourseStreet food
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time60 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspotato / white peas / curd / tamarind chutney

    Ingredients

    For the tikki

    • 5 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and grated
    • 3 tbsp cornflour or arrowroot
    • 1 green chilli, finely chopped
    • 1/2 inch ginger, grated
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
    • 1/2 tsp chaat masala
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • Oil or ghee for shallow frying

    For the ragda

    • 1 cup dried white peas (safed matar), soaked overnight
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
    • 1/2 tsp chaat masala

    For topping

    • 1 cup thick curd, whisked with 1 tbsp sugar
    • 1/2 cup tamarind-date chutney
    • 1/2 cup green chutney
    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • 1/2 cup fine sev
    • 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
    • Chaat masala, roasted cumin powder and red chilli powder
    • Chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the soaked white peas with turmeric, salt and 2 1/2 cups water for 3 whistles until soft. Mash a few peas, add cumin and chaat masala, and simmer 5 minutes to thicken.
    2. Mix the grated potatoes with cornflour, green chilli, ginger, coriander, cumin, chaat masala and salt. Knead into a smooth dough.
    3. Divide into 8 portions and shape into patties 1.5 cm thick with smooth edges.
    4. Heat a heavy tawa on medium and add 3 tbsp oil or ghee. Place the tikkis on it and cook without moving for 6 to 8 minutes until a deep golden crust forms.
    5. Flip carefully, add a little more oil around them and cook the other side for 6 to 7 minutes, pressing gently with the spatula. They should sound crisp when tapped.
    6. To assemble, place 2 tikkis on a plate and press them open slightly. Spoon ragda over them, then curd, tamarind chutney and green chutney.
    7. Top with onion, sev, pomegranate and coriander, and finish with a sprinkle of chaat masala, cumin and chilli powder. Serve at once.

    Tips

    • Use floury, older potatoes boiled a few hours ahead; fresh waxy potatoes make sticky tikkis.
    • Low, steady heat builds the crust; high heat burns the outside before it crisps.
    • Assemble only when ready to eat, or the tikkis lose their crunch.

    Serve with

    Extra chutneys on the side and a cup of masala chai.

  • Pani Puri

    Golgappe in Delhi, pani puri in Mumbai, puchka in Kolkata: the snack has as many names as cities. North Indian vendors carry a large earthen pot of spiced water and a basket of puris, and customers stand in a semicircle as the vendor fills and hands out one puri at a time until they say stop. Delhi's version usually has two waters, spicy and sweet.

    The puri must be paper-thin and crisp so it shatters in the mouth. The filling is boiled potato and kala chana or boondi, and the pani is a sharp, cold blend of mint, coriander, green chilli, tamarind, black salt and roasted cumin. The pleasure is the burst of cold, tangy, spicy water with the crunch of the shell.

    It is street food eaten in the evening, and at home it is a party favourite, with a counter set up for everyone to fill their own. Bought puris are common, but homemade ones are well worth trying. Good puris and well-chilled pani make all the difference, so plan ahead and chill the water for a few hours.

    At a glance

    RegionDelhi
    CuisineDelhi street food
    DietVegan
    CourseStreet food
    Prep time45 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time75 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientssooji / potato / mint / tamarind / black chickpeas

    Ingredients

    For the puris (about 50)

    • 1 cup fine sooji (semolina)
    • 2 tbsp maida
    • A pinch of baking soda
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • About 1/3 cup water
    • Oil for deep frying

    For the teekha pani

    • 1 cup mint leaves
    • 1/2 cup coriander leaves
    • 3 to 4 green chillies
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 3 tbsp thick tamarind pulp
    • 2 tsp roasted cumin powder
    • 1 1/2 tsp black salt
    • 1 tsp chaat masala
    • 1/2 tsp regular salt
    • 5 cups chilled water
    • 2 tbsp boondi (optional)

    For the meetha pani

    • 1/2 cup tamarind-date chutney
    • 1 cup water
    • 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
    • A pinch of black salt

    For the filling

    • 3 potatoes, boiled and diced small
    • 1/2 cup kala chana, soaked and boiled
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
    • 1/2 tsp chaat masala
    • Salt to taste
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. For the puris, mix sooji, maida, soda and salt. Add water little by little and knead into a stiff dough. Cover with a damp cloth and rest 30 minutes, then knead again for 2 minutes until smooth.
    2. Roll a portion of dough very thin, about 1 mm, and cut out 5 cm discs. Keep the cut discs under a damp cloth so they do not dry.
    3. Heat oil to hot, around 180 C. Slide in 5 to 6 discs and press each gently with a slotted spoon so it puffs. Fry 1 to 2 minutes, turning, until crisp and light golden. Drain and cool completely.
    4. For the teekha pani, blend mint, coriander, chillies and ginger with 1/2 cup water to a smooth paste. Mix with tamarind pulp, spices and chilled water. Strain if you prefer clear pani, and chill for at least 1 hour. Add boondi just before serving.
    5. For the meetha pani, whisk the tamarind-date chutney with water, cumin and black salt.
    6. Toss the potatoes and chana with chilli powder, cumin, chaat masala, salt and coriander.
    7. To serve, crack a hole in the top of a puri with your thumb, add a teaspoon of filling, dip it in teekha or meetha pani and eat in one bite.

    Tips

    • Puris that do not puff were either rolled too thick or the oil was not hot enough.
    • Store cooled puris in an airtight tin; re-crisp in a warm oven for 5 minutes if they soften.
    • The pani tastes best ice-cold and made a few hours ahead, so the spices infuse.

    Serve with

    Extra chilled pani and a final sukha puri sprinkled with chaat masala.

  • Papdi Chaat

    Papdi chaat is one of the oldest and most loved chaats of Delhi, sold from carts and halwai shops all over the city. Its origins are often linked to Mughal-era Delhi, where chaat (from chatna, to lick) was believed to be a tasty remedy for the city's heavy food. Today it is the standard order alongside dahi bhalla and aloo tikki.

    The base is papdi, thin flaky crackers of maida flavoured with ajwain and fried crisp. They are topped with diced potato, boiled chickpeas, whisked sweetened curd and two chutneys, then showered with sev, onion, pomegranate, coriander and chaat masala. The magic is the contrast of crisp and soft, cold and spicy, sweet and sour.

    It is eaten as an afternoon or evening snack and is a fixture at weddings and parties. Assemble just before eating; papdi softens quickly under the curd. The papdis, chutneys and boiled potatoes and chickpeas can all be prepared in advance, so the final plate comes together in two minutes. Adjust the balance of sweet and green chutney to suit your taste, and do not forget the final shower of chaat masala.

    At a glance

    RegionDelhi
    CuisineDelhi street food
    DietVegetarian
    CourseStreet food
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsmaida / curd / potato / chickpeas / tamarind chutney

    Ingredients

    For the papdi

    • 1 cup maida
    • 1/2 tsp ajwain
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp oil or ghee
    • About 1/4 cup water
    • Oil for deep frying

    For the topping

    • 2 potatoes, boiled and diced
    • 1 cup boiled kabuli chana
    • 1 1/2 cups thick curd, whisked with 2 tbsp sugar and a pinch of salt
    • 1/2 cup tamarind-date chutney
    • 1/3 cup green chutney
    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • 1/2 cup fine sev
    • 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
    • Chaat masala, roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder
    • Chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Mix maida, ajwain and salt. Rub in the oil until the flour looks like breadcrumbs and holds when pressed.
    2. Add water gradually and knead into a stiff dough. Rest 15 minutes.
    3. Roll the dough thin, about 2 mm, and cut into 5 cm discs. Prick each disc several times with a fork so it does not puff.
    4. Heat oil on medium-low, around 150 C. Fry the papdis in batches for 4 to 5 minutes, turning, until crisp and pale golden. Low heat keeps them flaky. Drain and cool completely.
    5. Season the potatoes and chickpeas with a little salt, chaat masala and cumin.
    6. To assemble, arrange 6 to 8 papdis on a plate. Top with potato and chickpeas, then pour over generous spoonfuls of curd.
    7. Drizzle with tamarind and green chutneys, scatter onion, sev, pomegranate and coriander, and finish with chaat masala, cumin and chilli powder. Serve immediately.

    Tips

    • Papdi keeps for 2 weeks in an airtight jar; make a big batch.
    • Whisk the curd until completely smooth and chill it – cold curd over crisp papdi is the point.
    • Add boiled moong sprouts for extra crunch and protein.

    Serve with

    A cup of masala chai or chilled nimbu pani.

  • Dahi Bhalla

    Dahi bhalla, the North Indian name for dahi vada, is a dish of festivals and summer afternoons. In Delhi it is sold in large trays at chaat shops, the bhallas swimming in curd, and at home it is a fixture of Holi, Diwali and family functions. It has ancient roots; dishes of lentil fritters in curd appear in early Indian texts.

    The bhallas are made from soaked urad dal ground to a light, airy batter, fried and then soaked in water so they become soft and sponge-like. Squeezed and submerged in sweetened, lightly salted curd, they turn melt-in-the-mouth. Tamarind chutney, green chutney, roasted cumin and red chilli add contrast. Everything is served well chilled.

    It is served cold, as a snack or as part of a festive meal, and is especially welcome on hot days. Bhallas can be fried a day ahead and soaked shortly before serving. A well-beaten batter is the secret to soft bhallas, and it is worth taking the time to whisk it by hand. The finished dish keeps well for a day in the fridge, though the toppings are best added just before serving.

    At a glance

    RegionDelhi
    CuisineDelhi street food
    DietVegetarian
    CourseStreet food
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time55 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsurad dal / curd / tamarind chutney / cumin

    Ingredients

    For the bhallas

    • 1 cup skinless urad dal, soaked 5 to 6 hours
    • 1/2 inch ginger
    • 1 green chilli
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • A pinch of hing
    • 1 tbsp chopped raisins and cashews (optional)
    • Oil for deep frying

    For the curd

    • 3 cups thick curd, chilled
    • 3 tbsp powdered sugar
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp black salt
    • 1/4 cup chilled milk

    To serve

    • 1/2 cup tamarind-date chutney
    • 1/4 cup green chutney
    • Roasted cumin powder
    • Kashmiri red chilli powder
    • Chaat masala
    • Chopped coriander and pomegranate seeds

    Method

    1. Drain the urad dal well and grind with ginger and green chilli using as little water as possible, 2 to 3 tbsp, to a smooth, thick batter.
    2. Add salt and hing and beat the batter vigorously with your hand in one direction for 5 minutes until it turns light and fluffy. A small drop should float in water.
    3. Stir in the raisins and cashews. Heat oil on medium. Drop spoonfuls of batter, or shape round bhallas with wet hands, into the oil.
    4. Fry on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, turning, until light golden and cooked through. Too hot and they stay raw inside.
    5. Transfer the hot bhallas straight into a bowl of lukewarm water with a pinch of salt. Soak 20 to 30 minutes until they are soft and swollen.
    6. Whisk the curd with sugar, salt, black salt and milk until smooth and creamy.
    7. Press each bhalla gently between your palms to squeeze out the water, place on a serving dish and pour the curd over to cover completely. Chill 30 minutes.
    8. Before serving, drizzle with both chutneys and sprinkle cumin, chilli powder, chaat masala, coriander and pomegranate.

    Tips

    • Beating the batter well is what makes the bhallas soft; no soda is needed.
    • Do not let the batter turn runny while grinding – add water a spoon at a time.
    • Fried, unsoaked bhallas freeze well; thaw and soak in warm water before using.

    Serve with

    Served chilled on its own, or alongside papdi chaat and aloo tikki.

  • Amritsari Fish

    Amritsar's fish shops, especially around Lawrence Road, have been frying fish in roadside kadais for decades, and the winter queues are part of the city's identity. Traditionally the fish was singhara or sole caught in the rivers of Punjab, cut into boneless pieces and fried in a seasoned gram flour coating.

    What sets Amritsari fish apart is ajwain. Carom seeds in both the marinade and the besan batter add a sharp, thyme-like note and help with digestion of the fried food. The coating is thin and crisp, reddish from chilli, while the fish inside stays moist and flaky. A dusting of chaat masala and a squeeze of lemon finishes it.

    It is eaten as an evening snack or a starter, wrapped in newspaper on the street or served on a platter at home with mint chutney and sliced onions. It is at its best eaten within minutes of frying. In winter many Punjabi families make it at home for guests, frying batches while everyone gathers in the kitchen.

    At a glance

    RegionPunjab
    CuisinePunjabi
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseSnack
    Prep time40 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time60 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsfish / besan / ajwain / lemon

    Ingredients

    For the first marinade

    • 500 g boneless firm white fish (sole, basa, singhara or surmai), cut into 5 cm pieces
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 tsp salt

    For the batter

    • 1/2 cup besan (gram flour)
    • 2 tbsp rice flour
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp ajwain, crushed lightly
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 egg (optional)
    • Salt to taste
    • 3 to 4 tbsp water

    To finish

    • Mustard oil or any oil for deep frying
    • Chaat masala
    • Lemon wedges

    Method

    1. Rub the fish pieces with lemon juice and salt and set aside 15 minutes. Rinse lightly and pat completely dry with kitchen towel – this removes the fishy smell.
    2. In a bowl mix besan, rice flour, ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric, ajwain, garam masala, lemon juice and salt. Add the egg if using and enough water to make a thick batter that coats a spoon.
    3. Add the fish pieces and coat each one well. Rest 20 minutes in the fridge.
    4. Heat oil in a kadai to about 175 C. If using mustard oil, heat it to smoking first and then let it cool slightly.
    5. Fry 5 to 6 pieces at a time on medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp. Avoid moving them too much in the first minute so the coating sets.
    6. Drain on a wire rack or paper. For extra crunch, fry again for 30 seconds in hotter oil just before serving.
    7. Sprinkle generously with chaat masala and serve with lemon wedges.

    Tips

    • The batter should be thick; a runny batter slides off and gives an oily finish.
    • Rice flour is not traditional in every shop but makes the coating stay crisp longer.
    • Use a firm fish that will not flake apart in the hot oil.

    Serve with

    Mint-coriander chutney, sliced onion rings and lemon wedges.

  • Tarri Poha

    Tarri poha is Nagpur's own breakfast, sold from carts outside railway stations, colleges and offices from dawn. Plain, lightly spiced poha is topped with tarri, a thin, fiery gravy of black chana floating with red oil. The combination of soft, mild poha and spicy chana curry is unique to Vidarbha.

    The poha is cooked simply with onions, turmeric and mustard seeds and kept soft and slightly sweet. The tarri is sharp, garlicky and spicy, with a thick red oil layer from slow-cooked onion and dry coconut masala. Raw onion, fine sev, coriander and a squeeze of lemon on top add crunch and freshness.

    It is eaten for breakfast or as an evening snack, with a cup of hot tea. At home, the chana tarri can be made the night before and reheated in the morning. Stalls near Nagpur railway station and Sitabuldi are known for it, and a plate costs very little, making it a filling and cheap start to the day.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineVidarbha
    DietVegan
    CourseStreet food
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time40 minutes
    Total time60 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspoha / black chana / onion / dry coconut

    Ingredients

    For the chana tarri

    • 1 cup black chana, soaked overnight
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup oil
    • 2 onions, sliced
    • 1/4 cup dry coconut, grated
    • 8 garlic cloves
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 4 cups hot water

    For the poha

    • 3 cups thick poha
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 8 curry leaves
    • 2 green chillies, chopped
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 3/4 tsp salt

    To serve

    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • 1 cup fine sev
    • 1/4 cup chopped coriander
    • Lemon wedges

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the soaked chana with salt and 3 cups water for 5-6 whistles until soft.
    2. Heat 1 tbsp oil and fry the sliced onions until dark brown, about 10 minutes. Add coconut, garlic, ginger, cumin and coriander seeds and roast for 3 minutes. Grind to a paste with a little water.
    3. Heat the remaining oil in a pot on medium. Add the paste and fry for 6-8 minutes until oil separates.
    4. Add turmeric, red chilli powder and garam masala and stir for 30 seconds. Add the chana with its water and 4 cups hot water.
    5. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes until a thick layer of red oil collects on top. The gravy should be thin and soupy.
    6. For the poha, rinse in a colander, drain and toss with sugar and salt. Heat oil, crackle mustard seeds, add curry leaves, chillies and onion and cook until soft. Add turmeric and the poha, toss, cover and cook on low for 2 minutes.
    7. To serve, place poha in a bowl, pour tarri generously over it with some chana, and top with raw onion, sev, coriander and a lemon wedge.

    Tips

    • The tarri should be thin and oily, not thick like chole.
    • Skim the red oil from the top and drizzle it over the poha for the classic look.
    • Add sev only when serving so it stays crunchy.

    Serve with

    Hot tea and an extra lemon wedge.

  • Pav Bhaji

    Pav bhaji began in the 1850s as a quick, cheap lunch for textile mill workers and cotton traders in Mumbai, who needed something hot and filling during long shifts. Vendors mashed leftover vegetables with tomatoes and spices on a large flat tawa and served them with bread rolls. Juhu beach and Girgaum Chowpatty stalls made it famous across the country.

    The bhaji is a thick, spicy mash of potatoes, cauliflower, peas, capsicum, onion and tomato, cooked down in butter with pav bhaji masala until everything melts together. It is bright red from Kashmiri chilli and rich from the butter. The pav is split and toasted on the same tawa with butter and a pinch of masala until crisp at the edges.

    It is evening food, eaten at the beach, at fairs and at family get-togethers. Serve it with raw onion, lemon wedges and another knob of butter on top. Leftover bhaji becomes a filling for toasted sandwiches. Juhu stalls also offer cheese pav bhaji and khada pav bhaji, where the vegetables are left in chunks rather than mashed, but the classic smooth version remains the favourite.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMaharashtrian
    DietVegetarian
    CourseStreet food
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time35 minutes
    Total time55 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientspotato / tomato / butter / pav

    Ingredients

    For the bhaji

    • 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
    • 1 cup cauliflower florets
    • 1/2 cup green peas
    • 1 small carrot, chopped (optional)
    • 4 tbsp butter, plus more to finish
    • 1 large onion, finely chopped
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 green capsicum, finely chopped
    • 4 large tomatoes, finely chopped
    • 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
    • 2 1/2 tbsp pav bhaji masala
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric
    • 1 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 3 tbsp chopped coriander

    For the pav

    • 8 pav
    • 3 tbsp butter
    • 1/2 tsp pav bhaji masala
    • 1 tbsp chopped coriander

    To serve

    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • Lemon wedges

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the potatoes, cauliflower, peas and carrot with 1 cup water for 3 whistles until very soft. Mash coarsely with a potato masher, keeping the cooking water.
    2. Heat 4 tbsp butter in a wide, heavy pan or tawa on medium. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft and pale gold. Add ginger-garlic paste and stir for 1 minute.
    3. Add the capsicum and cook for 3 minutes until it softens. Add the tomatoes and cook for 6-8 minutes, mashing, until they break down into a pulp.
    4. Stir in chilli powder, pav bhaji masala, turmeric and salt and cook for 2 minutes until the butter starts to separate and the masala smells fragrant.
    5. Add the mashed vegetables with their water. Mash everything together vigorously with the masher for 4-5 minutes, adding hot water to keep it at a thick, spoonable consistency.
    6. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, stirring and mashing occasionally, until the colour deepens and it tastes cohesive. Finish with lemon juice, coriander and a spoon of butter.
    7. For the pav, melt butter on a tawa with pav bhaji masala and coriander. Slit the pav, press them cut side down into the butter and toast for 1 minute, then flip and toast the outside until crisp.

    Tips

    • Kashmiri chilli gives the signature red colour without too much heat. A teaspoon of beetroot is the vendor trick for deeper colour.
    • Keep mashing as it cooks; the smooth, homogeneous texture is what distinguishes good pav bhaji.
    • Do not skimp on butter at the end; it carries the masala flavour.

    Serve with

    Butter-toasted pav, chopped onion, lemon wedges and a cube of butter on top.

  • Vada Pav

    Vada pav was born in the 1960s near Dadar station in Mumbai, when Ashok Vaidya started selling batata vadas inside pav to mill workers who needed something cheap, filling and quick. It became the city's signature street food and an emblem of Mumbai itself, sold at thousands of stalls from early morning to late night.

    The vada is a ball of mashed potato tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves, plenty of garlic, ginger and green chilli, dipped in a thin besan batter and fried until crisp. It goes into a soft, split pav smeared with red dry garlic chutney and a tangy green chutney. Bits of fried batter, called chura, are often sprinkled inside for extra crunch.

    It is eaten on the go, standing at the stall, with a fried green chilli sprinkled with salt. At home it makes a good monsoon evening snack. The vadas can be made ahead and fried just before eating. The garlic chutney is the soul of the dish, so make a good batch with dry coconut, garlic and red chilli and store it in a jar for weeks.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMaharashtrian
    DietVegan
    CourseStreet food
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientspotato / besan / pav / garlic

    Ingredients

    For the potato filling

    • 4 medium potatoes (about 500 g), boiled, peeled and coarsely mashed
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 10 curry leaves
    • 8 garlic cloves, 1 inch ginger and 3 green chillies, pounded coarsely
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1 tsp lemon juice

    For the batter

    • 1 cup (100 g) besan
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric
    • 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
    • A pinch of baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • About 3/4 cup water

    To assemble

    • 8 ladi pav
    • Dry garlic chutney (lasun chutney)
    • Green coriander chutney
    • 8 green chillies, slit
    • Oil for deep frying

    Method

    1. Heat oil on medium, crackle the mustard seeds, then add asafoetida, curry leaves and the pounded garlic-ginger-chilli. Saute for 1 minute until the raw garlic smell fades.
    2. Add turmeric, then the mashed potatoes and salt. Mix well for 2 minutes, turn off the heat and stir in coriander and lemon juice. Cool, then shape into 8 balls slightly flattened.
    3. Whisk the besan, turmeric, chilli powder, soda and salt with water into a smooth batter, thinner than pakora batter, that coats a spoon in a thin layer.
    4. Heat oil to medium-hot, about 175 C. Dip each vada in the batter, coat fully and slide into the oil.
    5. Fry 3-4 at a time for 3-4 minutes, turning, until the coating is crisp and light golden. Drain. Drizzle a little leftover batter into the oil to make crunchy chura and drain that too.
    6. Fry the slit green chillies in the same oil for 30 seconds until blistered, then toss with salt.
    7. Slit each pav horizontally without cutting through. Spread green chutney on one side and sprinkle dry garlic chutney generously on the other. Add some chura, place a hot vada inside and press lightly.

    Tips

    • Mash the potatoes by hand, not in a mixer, so the filling has texture and does not turn gluey.
    • A thinner batter gives the thin, crisp shell of the street version; thick batter makes it doughy.
    • Warm the pav on a tawa for a few seconds if it is a day old.

    Serve with

    Fried salted green chillies and cutting chai.

  • Mirchi Vada

    Mirchi vada is Jodhpur's other famous fried snack, sold alongside pyaaz kachori at stalls across the old city. Large, thick-walled green chillies, locally called bhavnagri or simply vada mirchi, are slit, stuffed with spiced potato, coated in gram flour batter and fried. The chillies are fleshy and fairly mild, so the heat is a warm background rather than a punch.

    Vendors fry them twice: once to cook the chilli and set the batter, and again just before serving so the crust is shatteringly crisp. The potato filling is sharp with amchur and fennel, which balances the green, slightly bitter flavour of the pepper. Each bite gives crunch, then soft chilli, then the tangy mash.

    They are best eaten hot, during the monsoon, with a cup of strong chai. In Jodhpur the vada is often sliced and stuffed into a pav or served with a sweet tamarind chutney and a sprinkle of chaat masala. Two make a filling snack. Leftovers can be revived in a hot oven for five minutes, though nothing beats one straight from the kadhai.

    At a glance

    RegionRajasthan
    CuisineRajasthani
    DietVegan
    CourseStreet food
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time55 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientslarge green chillies / potato / besan / amchur

    Ingredients

    For the chillies and filling

    • 8 large, thick bhavnagri chillies
    • 3 medium potatoes (about 350 g), boiled and mashed
    • 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
    • 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp amchur
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1 tbsp oil

    For the batter

    • 1 cup (100 g) besan
    • 1 tbsp rice flour
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric
    • 1/2 tsp ajwain
    • A pinch of baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • About 1/2 cup water

    To fry and finish

    • Oil for deep frying
    • Chaat masala to sprinkle

    Method

    1. Wash and dry the chillies. Make a lengthwise slit in each, leaving the stem and tip intact, and scrape out the seeds with a small spoon.
    2. Heat 1 tbsp oil on medium, add the crushed fennel and coriander for 20 seconds, then add the mashed potato, powdered spices and salt. Mix for 2 minutes and stir in coriander. Cool.
    3. Pack each chilli firmly with filling so it bulges slightly and the slit closes over it.
    4. Whisk besan, rice flour, turmeric, ajwain, soda and salt with water into a thick batter that coats the back of a spoon heavily. Beat for 2 minutes to aerate.
    5. Heat oil to medium-hot, around 170 C. Hold a chilli by the stem, dip it in the batter to coat fully, and lower it into the oil.
    6. Fry 3-4 at a time for 4-5 minutes, turning, until the batter is set and pale gold. Drain and rest for at least 10 minutes.
    7. To serve, heat the oil to hot, about 185 C, and fry the vadas again for 1-2 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain and sprinkle chaat masala.

    Tips

    • Choose straight, fat chillies with thick walls; thin chillies blister and split in the oil.
    • The double fry is what keeps the crust crisp for longer. The first fry can be done an hour ahead.
    • If your chillies are hot, soak them in salted water for 15 minutes after deseeding to tame them.

    Serve with

    Sweet tamarind chutney, green chutney and hot masala chai.

  • Dhuska

    Dhuska is the signature breakfast of Jharkhand, sold hot from roadside kadhais in Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad, and made at home for festivals and Sunday mornings. It belongs to the Adivasi and Sadan food traditions of the Chota Nagpur plateau, where rice and pulses are the everyday staples. A plate of two costs very little at a street stall.

    Rice and chana dal, sometimes with a little urad dal, are soaked and ground into a thick, slightly coarse batter, then ladled into hot oil where they puff into golden, thick discs. The outside is crisp, the centre soft and spongy. Dhuska is almost always eaten with a spicy aloo or kala chana curry, or with ghugni and green chutney.

    At a glance

    RegionJharkhand
    CuisineJharkhandi
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / chana dal / urad dal / green chilli

    Ingredients

    For the batter

    • 1 cup rice (any short or medium grain)
    • 1/2 cup chana dal
    • 2 tbsp urad dal
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 3 green chillies
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • A pinch of baking soda (optional)
    • Oil for deep frying

    For the aloo curry

    • 3 potatoes, boiled and cubed
    • 2 tbsp mustard oil
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 1 tomato, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 1 1/2 cups water
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. Rinse the rice, chana dal and urad dal and soak them together in water for 6 hours or overnight.
    2. Drain and grind with ginger, green chillies and garlic, adding as little water as possible, to a thick, slightly coarse batter like idli batter.
    3. Stir in cumin, turmeric, salt and coriander. The batter should drop thickly from a spoon. Rest for 15 minutes; add baking soda just before frying if you want them fluffier.
    4. For the curry, heat mustard oil, splutter cumin, then fry the onion for 5 minutes until golden. Add tomato and the powdered spices and cook for 4 minutes until soft.
    5. Add potatoes, salt and water, lightly mash a few pieces, and simmer for 8-10 minutes until thick. Finish with garam masala.
    6. Heat oil for deep frying on medium-high. Pour a ladleful of batter gently into the oil; it should sink and rise immediately.
    7. Spoon hot oil over the top so it puffs, fry for 2 minutes, flip and fry another 1-2 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Drain and serve hot with the curry.

    Tips

    • A batter that is too thin spreads and absorbs oil; add a spoon of rice flour to thicken it.
    • Fry one at a time until you get the hang of the ladle movement – pour from close to the oil to avoid splashes.
    • Ghugni (spiced dried peas) is the other classic accompaniment.

    Serve with

    Spicy aloo curry or ghugni with coriander chutney.