Anchor COVER STORY

Street Food

A defi nitive guide to street101 food across the country. Words ROCKY SINGH with additional inputs by TEAM DI

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0416-Anchor_ .indd 28-29 25/03/16 11:35 am ood has strong associations with memory, aromas and visual presentation and people love their ‘comfort food,’ as it has come to be known. Food that your mother made, food that was cooked for special occasions at home, food from that little restaurant where the whole family would go to dine at every week. Such food evokes strong reactions in the brain and its taste, therefore, is established as ‘best’ in your mind. The ‘best’ is extremely subjective and everyone disagrees with everyone else as to what is the perfect taste. Reactions, while defending one’s own cuisine and foods, have often been known to get out of hand. Is thereF no meeting ground, one would ask. No taste that everyone considers ‘comfort’? There is and that is the taste of the street. Street food, across the world, has found a dynamic resurgence but perhaps nowhere more so than in India. When my friend, Mayur, and I started doing regional and street foods of India on our show, Highway On My Plate, this country was in the middle of an invasion by the pizzas, the burgers, the chowmeins and the pastas. It seemed to be GOL GAPPAS This is a delicious little fried ball of atta or suji, served with either sweet (more popular) or spicy together with the future of Indian food. But we did not believe that. We believed that Indians love boiled potatoes and and finally dipped into paani (water) which contains numerous spices and, above all, is liquid fire. It encapsulates the palate of in a second as soon as you take a bite. Fresh tasting with coriander and mint, biting, burning hot with regional and street foods the best and if we started showcasing them, we could bring chillies, pepper and chilli powder, sour with tamarind and sweet with jaggery. The gol gappas at the iconic Prabhu Bhandar, also these foods into the mainstream. We tried and, as it turned out, we were spot on. 1 known as UPSC Chaat Wala, on Shahjahan Road are a must-try. Equally legendary are the ones at the various chaat stalls in Shankar Today, street and regional foods rule the roost; thankfully, there’s also space for others Market, near Connaught Place. However, this is one item that is top-notch, no matter where you eat it in Delhi. —R.S. but the street just can’t be beat. Street food is exciting, it uses loud and strong tastes to make an impact. It has no pretensions and therefore it hits the spot every time. In fact, the only rule for street The phuchka in West Bengal is the Jaishankar Pani food is that it should be tasty. This means that, as tastes change over years, street food same beast with subtle differences. Puriwala, a is at the cutting edge of that change. When you demand clean water to drink, the The potato is mashed, the chutneys 3 nondescript little shop 5 are sweeter and the paani has tucked away in Pune’s The Marathi and Gujarati palates PAANI PATASHI The Rajasthani paani of the gol gappas turns to mineral water. When you demand healthier foods, the a completely different character Camp area, serves up respond better to the khatta/meetha version of this chaat is just as masala chips turn into baked soy chips. When you demand less fried food, steamed with a lower chilli quotient. People by far the best paani (sour, tangy and sweet) taste and tasty and the ingredients remain in Kolkata swear by Dilipda’s in town. Not only momos come to rule the roost. Street food is loved because it is ever changing, never the paani puri, as it is called in these pretty much the same. If you’re in Phuchkas in Vivekananda Park. And, is the place pocket- parts, delivers just that flavour. It is the Pink City, hop over to Nand’s changing and the pricing makes it easy to access for all. Like it or not, street food will if you think I’m going to be drawn into friendly, it’s also not unusual to also find yoghurt being or Chawla’s on Fashion Street, the debate of whether they’re better reasonably hygienic. always be king. used a lot to make fabulous variations Raja Park, for a taste of paani than the Delhi gol gappa or not, you’re India has literally thousands of street foods available on street corners all across of this . When in Mumbai, gorge patashi. Is this the best loved and mistaken. I love both. —R.S. the country. Here is a collection of just some that I love dearly. The defi nition I have on paani puris filled with the goodness most popular street snack/food across India? I certainly think so. used here is food that is loved on the streets, can be prepared in minutes or requires a of chickpeas or potatoes at Jai Bajrang, a much-loved establishment 4 Plate for plate, it beats all other minimal amount of assembly and is eaten by thousands every day. 2 in Malad West. —R.S. street foods in the country. —R.S. 30 APRIL 2016 APRIL 2016 31

0416-Anchor_ street food.indd 30-31 25/03/16 11:36 am 10 KATHI ROLL The British loved the taste of Indian street food and were great fans of the and parantha. The problem was, they were not very good at eating this delicious preparation with their hands, or so the story goes. An enterprising young man then decided to put the on a wooden disposable stick or skewer called a kathi. He then proceeded to deliver the parantha (flat pan-fried bread) with onions and chutney at the table for the gora log, along with a single or double kathi with kebabs on it. The taste was amazing and the concept caught on and the kathi roll was born. Visit the original Nizam’s in the New Market area of Kolkata which still does one of my favourite rolls in the city. —R.S. 11 If you can’t stop dreaming about kathi rolls, The Kathis in Delhi with branches in Saket, Greater Kailash and Vasant Kunj, among others, does a killer version of the Kolkata import. If that doesn’t cut it, you can always head to Nizam’s outposts in CP or Noida. 12 Amarjit Singh Tibb’s invention that blends the concept of a Lebanese-style pita wrap with that of an Indian Puffed crispy rice, sweet red and spicy green chutney, fresh chopped onions, chillies and boiled potato, a spoonful of kathi roll resulted in the wildly popular Tibb’s Frankie. roasted peanuts, a little sprinkle of sev (deep-fried besan or flour) topped with fresh coriander. That is what makes for a good Started in Mumbai in the late 1960s, the frankie is now bhel puri. I wish I could be more specific but the recipe changes in many small and big ways for every vendor of this mighty street food available in most cities across India. 6 wherever you go in the country. But nowhere is it as good as on Mumbai’s streets. —R.S.

EGGS India knows the answer to a question that has been boggling people globally. The egg comes first. Come sundown and eggs are boiled, poached, scrambled, added to paranthas, noodles, rice, sandwiches and so on. The 7 variations are endless, but one place where the humble egg reaches its zenith Elco in Mumbai does a version 9 is the Raju Omelette Centre in Vadodara. Any egg you order will be prepared that is easy to appreciate for all OSMANIA BISCUIT & IRANI CHAI 13 with a whole bunch of spices and will float in butter before gliding its way onto comers, no matter which part of the Aslambhai, I might have serious issues your plate. When you go, be prepared to wait, it’s amazingly popular. —R.S. country you are from. Everyone has with your ‘‘Dubai ka chashma and cheen a favourite from Juhu to Chowpatty ki chaddi,’’ but your taste in tea remains and all across Maharashtra and the immaculate. When in Hyderabad you must versatility is impressive. —R.S. visit the Charminaaran, as the Charminar Legend has it that Lovely Omelette Centre, Mussoorie, a hole-in-the-wall is called here, and walk 50 yards on to find joint, is where you get the best omelettes in the country but it’s safe to say Nimrah Café and Bakery. The Osmania their cheese omelettes are to die for. biscuit and Irani chai here will leave a 14 8 lasting impression on you. It’s a legend of Bombay Bhelpuri, a tiny shop Hyderabad and you can choose to grab your in South Extension–I, is where tea and beeskut and step out of the shop to Delhiites get their fix of Bombay- gaze in awe at the spectacular Charminar. style bhel puri. The place has been In fact, start a bit of political chit-chat and it EGG That’s reason enough to drop by Sanjay Omelette, a popular around for over 15 years, and completes the essential street experience of eatery in Bapu Nagar, Jaipur. There are plenty of unique egg dishes on the continues to be popular. India. Biscuit and politics by the street-side menu here, so pick up an egg spring roll or dig into an egg pizza. with a cup of Irani chai. —R.S. 15 32 APRIL 2016 APRIL 2016 33

0416-Anchor_ street food.indd 32-33 25/03/16 11:36 am 20 A Punjabi favourite that spread across India so long ago that its invention is now claimed by Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and a few other states. Though it’s an all-day snack, it serves as in most places. The Nand Di Hatti in Sadar Bazar, Delhi, does the absolute best chole bhature I have ever eaten. —R.S. 21 It’s sacrilege to not pig out on chole bhature and butter chicken when you’re in Punjab. Amritsar is a foodie’s paradise, and the roads here are choc-a-bloc with quaint eateries and . Kanha Sweets is your go-to spot for the ubiquitous chole bhature. 22 It’s common knowledge that the best chole bhature in the capital can be found in its homes. Or in the streets of Paharganj. Sita Ram Diwan Chand Chole Bhature in Paharganj whips up some delicious chole bhature with a side of onions and pickled vegetables.

KULFI Most people think of street foods as savoury and spicy but that truly loved taste, sweet, is extremely popular across India. There are thousands of various sweets available across the country but I have picked the Asharfi of Ahmedabad to represent this taste. A PAAN A betel leaf that encloses a betel nut along with a dash of lime. That’s the basic recipe for paan and from Arunachal 23 variety of flavours and a flair for presentation, Pradesh to Kerala it is available everywhere. It can be bought for a few rupees, though when you try the couples’ paan at this one being shaped like a thick flat coin, Tara Pan Centre in Aurangabad, be prepared to dish out `5,000; there's even a paan for `10,000 here which will reputedly makes this kulfi unique. —R.S. do more for your libido than ISRO did for the Mars Mission. Paan is a favourite post-dinner digestive across India and I 16 daresay you’ll never be more than 30 metres from a paan shop in any city or town. —R.S.

The snaky queue outside New Kulfi Centre Prem Paan Bhandar, the iconic in Chowpatty, Mumbai, is an indication of its paan shop on Mirza Ismail Road, popularity. The kulfis here come in a variety of Jaipur, has been around for more flavours—from chocolate to dried fruit. 17 than 50 years. Premji, the owner, 19 24 Find nirvana in a Banarasi paan—a betel makes about 50 varieties of paan, One of Delhi’s favourite paan leaf sprinkled with kewda water, topped with and his chocolate paan and Lucknowi shops is this little stall outside gulkand and grated coconut, among other paan sell like hot cakes. Claridges on Aurangzeb Road that things, at Keshav Pan Bhandar in Varanasi. dishes out meetha paans expertly. The rabri kulfi at Kuremal Mohan Lal Kulfi Hands down, one of the best paan shops in Wale in Sitaram Bazar near Chawri Bazar the city, it’s also among the oldest. Metro Station in Delhi is legendary. So are their 18 25 custard apple, pomegranate and jamun versions.

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0416-Anchor_ street food.indd 34-35 25/03/16 11:36 am PAV Crunchy sev, mota (fat) sev, puffed rice, onions, chillies, tomato and sev sprinkles are piled up in PICKLES The pickle is a favourite accompaniment to food across a bowl. It’s big on taste and spice and it’s like a nuclear the country but in Delhi, on the way to Shimla from Chandigarh, weapon. We then add a hot thin called the sample the pickle has created a whole little town. Every shop here sells a or rassa which is poured on top and your nuclear weapon variety of pickles but they are most famous for their chicken and 26 is now fully armed and primed. It’s served with a pav or 30 meat pickles which are best eaten with a hot loaf of freshly baked bread though the Bedekar Tea Stall in Narayan Peth in bread in the cool hills. —R.S. Pune serves it with a double or sliced bread. —R.S.

The kata kirr in Pune is almost as good but a Indian highways are full of surprises. One such yummy whole lot spicier and has heated up the 'Best Misal Pav in surprise is the kadam pickle served at Chaurasiya in 27 the World' debate. —R.S. Khundra, on the way to Jabalpur. 31

Never ever pass up an opportunity to demolish an Andhra meal, especially when it’s accompanied by some of the spiciest and tastiest pickles—aavakaaya (mango) and gongura (an Andhra 32 staple). Try the meal with pickles at Ramayya Mess, Vijayawada.

Even if you don’t eat at Grand Sweets, Chennai (although we highly recommend having a sit-down meal here), don’t leave without picking up their assortment of pickles and podis. They have branches across the city. 33

34 MOMO A humble dumpling, versatile because it can be stuffed with vegetables, chicken or almost any other food you like and be served with a fiery hot chilli chutney. The tandoori momo of Delhi at FARSAN To be born in Surat and to die in Yashwant Place Market is extremely Kashi, both ways to heaven are. One of the weird but oh, so tasty. The chocolate momo reasons that saying is so true is the jani farsan in is picking up as a dessert and great momos Surat. Dig into real , locha, fafda, thepla, can be had almost anywhere. —R.S. Chinese and an incredible variety of 28 stunningly delicious . All the food here hits the Gujarati palate spot on but with its khatta/meetha/chatpata flavours it is a heavenly experience for all taste buds. —R.S. 35 Eating them on the street on a cold evening in McLeodganj is a wonderful experience and there’s always the Dalai Lama’s residence to visit afterwards. Food for the body and the soul. —R.S.

If you can’t get enough of farsan, stock up on all your favourite namkeens at Lijjat Khaman in Mani Nagar, Ahmedabad. 29 36 Experience a slice of Tibet in Delhi at Majnu Ka Tila and while you’re at it, don’t miss the momos at the many stalls around the monastery. Tee Dee also serves some great momos. 36 APRIL 2016

0416-Anchor_ street food.indd 36-37 25/03/16 11:36 am Lucknow is the undisputed kebab capital of the country, and for This is a favourite drink for all of India in the hot summer lip-smacking boti kebabs with months. Yoghurt is blended with sugar, ice and several spices 48 50 , head to the Hazratganj such as cardamom, saffron, pistachio et al to produce lassi. BOTI This is simply a piece of meat (chicken, mutton) slow-cooked neighbourhood or sample them The labyrinthine streets of old Drink one of these half-litre and then retire for a relaxed over coals and served hot along with a sheermal (type of bread) at Dastarkhwan. Delhi serve up some of the most 37 afternoon siesta for this fabulous drink, available in most of North or . This immensely popular snack is eaten before dinner and delectable food. If you’re a kebab India, needs you to slow down after gulping it. —R.S. people making their way home will stop by the Shera Cafeteria fan, don’t miss out on the boti in Khayyam Chowk in Srinagar to try it. Here, it is served with four kebabs at Lalu Kababi near the kinds of chutneys and a mix of shredded onions and radish. —R.S. Jama Masjid. The best lassi ever can be had at Amritsar’s most famous lassi 49 shop, Ahuja Lassi. Served with a thick layer of cream in a gigantic glass, this is probably a meal in itself. —R.S. 38

Jaipur’s iconic Lassiwala at Paanch Batti is your best bet if you’re looking for makhania lassi in the city. The lassis are usually 39 sold out by evening, so head there early. —R.S.

When in Allahabad, try the creamy lassi at Shyam Lassi Bhandar in Mundera Bazaar. You won’t be disappointed. —R.S. 40

DOSA This humble and versatile crepe made with lentil and rice batter originated in southern India and has gone on to rule the world. Made in literally thousands of ways, it’s best had on the 41 street at Food Street in Mysore. The paste of red chilli on the inside is what makes the the ‘Mysore dosa.’ —R.S.

Tamil Nadu is Dosa Central. It’s hard to pick a favourite in a city like Chennai where every second restaurant whips up scrumptious , but Mami Kadai, a cubbyhole in Mylapore, does it home-style. The numerous street carts by the city’s 42 beaches are also great options.

Mumbai loves its dosas too, and the best place to sample them in Maximum City is Babulnath Dosa Centre, a uber popular joint DOI BORA The Bengali version 43 in Marine Lines. of this snack comes with a filling 51 of minced meat too and is called 53 keemar doi bora. New Market in The beautiful town of Shimoga in Karnataka is as famous DAHI BHALLA An urad and moong mix is fried to make soft Natraj Dahi Bhalle Wala in Kolkata is the place to sample the for the Jog Falls as for its special masala dosas and the dumplings called bhallas which are then mixed with fresh yoghurt old Delhi is an institution in its city’s best doi boras. Davangare benne (butter) dosa. The ones at Meenakshi and chutneys along with a sprinkling of spice to produce the own right and dishes out stellar Bhavan are worth the trip. 44 mighty dahi bhalla. Good ones are available across the country but dahi bhallas through the day. the ones in Sendra, Rajasthan, on the Ajmer–Jodhpur road, are Govind Ki Bandi near the Charminar in Hyderabad makes probably the best I have ever had. —R.S. 52 the most legendary dosas and people travel all the way from 45 Secunderabad just for a serving of his butter dosas.

AAM PAPAD Mango pulp infused with a variety of spices and dried as sheets which are then chopped up and served with a variety of masalas (spice mixes) and topped with nimbu or fresh lime. The resulting taste will blow your mind. Even though it’s mostly brought in from Uttar Pradesh, try the Lubhaya Ram Aam Papad Wala on Lawrence Road in Amritsar for the 46 best taste in aam papads in India. It's now available at SelectCityWalk in Delhi too. —R.S.

MAMIDI TANDRA The Andhra version of the aam papad has spawned a cottage industry of sorts at Adavinekkalam village, near Vijayawada, which is home to the traditional tandra. Here, you can watch people make it and you can buy it. 47 38 APRIL 2016

0416-Anchor_ street food.indd 38-39 25/03/16 11:37 am BHANG The bhang leaf is a mild natural intoxicant that has been used in religious practices and is sold across the country by government-approved ‘Bhang Shops.’ The one in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, will serve you a wicked bhang lassi or delicious 58 cookies loaded with bhang. Go slow as it takes about half an hour to hit. —R.S. In the holy town of Pushkar, get high on spirituality and bhang, courtesy of the special lassi served at numerous outlets. 59

GAJAK It’s hung on hooks and stretched like good old stretch taffy. It’s If you are feeling particularly adventurous in Varanasi, ask for the (in)famous bhang ki thandai or the bhang lassi at any of the then mixed with peanuts and mild spices lassi shops on its streets, including the wildly popular Blue Lassi Shop. and dried before being served as a hard 60 candy. See it being made and have the 54 best gajak in the world at Asli Kamal Gajak Bhandar in Morena, Madhya Pradesh. —R.S.

Narayanji Gajak Wale in Johari Bazaar, Jaipur, is hands down the best place in the city for gajak goodies. The sheer variety of items here is mindboggling, and the 55 quality of the sweets has remained consistent for over 50 years.

VADA PAV A simple dumpling made of potato and besan is pressed between a fresh pav along with sukhi chutney (a red chilli powder and peanut mix) and served hot 56 from being deep-fried in oil. Best had at the Ashok Pav in the Kirti College lane in Dadar, Mumbai. —R.S.

The narrow lanes leading up to Garden Centre, a rather the Ajmer Dargah are lined with unremarkable-looking stall in the Camp area 61 a number of tiny restaurants and 63 in Pune, serves what many Punekars believe street stalls whipping up the tastiest SEEKH Minced mutton or burra (buffalo) is pasted onto skewers Sarvi, in Byculla, Mumbai, is is the best vada pav in the city. The long and juiciest seekh kebabs. 57 and slow-roasted over coals. The seekh also commonly called among the best places in the city queues are proof. seekh kebab, is the fabulous result. It’s best eaten with a rumali to satiate those seekh (handkerchief) roti and mint and chilli chutney. The Jameel, kebab cravings. Madina and Hakeem hotels at the famous Chatori Gali in Bhopal serve incredible seekhs fresh from the fire. —R.S. 62

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0416-Anchor_ street food.indd 40-41 25/03/16 11:37 am Ghugni or dried white peas are served with a dahi vada and pressure-cooked potatoes 68 along with a perfect blend of spices and condiments. Cuttack has a street vendor who serves this just outside the Barabati Stadium. —R.S.

There’s no dearth of good street food in Kolkata, and Hedua Chat in Hatibagan makes a great dahi vada and aloor dom. 69

Dahi vada dum aloo ghugni may be an Oriya specialty, but step into Royal Café or walk by a roadside stall in Lucknow’s 70 Hazratganj, and you’ll be surprised at how good their version is.

GALOUTI KEBAB They are simply known as 'Tunde Kebab' in Lucknow after a one-armed man who started making them decades ago in Chowk locality. They now have outlets all 71 over India and Tunday Kababi shows how the famous galouti kebab must be done.

Another strong contender for serving Mumbai’s best pav , Cannon 64 in Dhobi Talao near CST, 66 The land of the famous also knows churns out a brilliant version. PAV BHAJI Another popular Mumbai/Maharashtra and The Camp area in Pune has a thing or two about kebabs so when in Gujarat snack that’s gone on to conquer all of India is the pav plenty of good eateries, Hyderabad get your fill of galouti kebabs at bhaji. A hot broth of mixed vegetables mashed with spices and but for pav bhaji head to Siddique Kabab Centre in Kondapur. 72 served with a ton of butter and hot pav gives you the energy to Juice World. keep going all day. The one at Sardar Refreshments in Mumbai 65 is a must-have. —R.S.

For a taste of authentic melt-in-the-mouth Lucknowi galouti kebabs in Delhi, check out 73 Al Rashida’s, tucked away in the lanes of Zakir Nagar. PETHA The humble pumpkin is made into the incredible sweet called the petha. This is the best in the world in Agra and the 67 shop called Panchhi Petha has several outlets across the city. —R.S.

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0416-Anchor_ street food.indd 42-43 25/03/16 11:38 am BUTTER TOAST AND CUTTING CHAI LITTI CHOKHA This is a staple of Bihar. The Across West Bengal and Assam small tea litti are small wheat balls, stuffed with sattu stalls called ‘Café’ come to life as the sun sets. (chickpea flour) and condiments and then People gather to discuss politics, cricket and slow-roasted over coals and served dipped in religion over hot cups of cutting chai (a half-cup ghee or clarified butter. Accompanying them is of tea because the flavour is so strong). At 82 the chokha, made typically of aubergine and/ 74 Netaji Cabin in Siliguri you can enjoy your or potato. Have it at Purani Litti Dukaan in chai with small thick slices of mildly sweetened Patna. —R.S. brown bread, toasted and served fresh with liquid butter poured over. Many people have sugar sprinkled also. —R.S. Sadhu Litti Centre in Ranchi is the bomb in this part of the state; Sadhuji is a household name in Ranchi and his littis are quite the rage At Vohuman Café in Pune, chat with your in town. friends over glasses of cutting chai and bun 83 maska or butter toast. The cheeky humour of its 75-year-old owner, Hormaz Uncle, 75 is a bonus. Snack on this popular Bihari dish at the various streetside stalls at Atta Market in Noida, a There’s a whole sub-culture around cutting 84 post-work haunt of employees in the area. chai, and it’s most visible at the various tea stalls across Kolkata. One such place 76 is Shoban Barwa’s tea stall in Alipore. Eastern Uttar Pradesh is rife with litti chokha and sattu parantha too, and if you happen to be in Varanasi, make sure to dig into a plate of Bustling Mumbai needs a chai break once hot and fresh litti chokha at any of the street in a while too, and the masala cutting chai 85 stalls near the ghats. at Gopal Bhatt Tea Stall in Andheri is perfect for it. 77

IDLI AND CHUTNEY This humble steamed SHIKANJI Come summer and India survives rice dumpling is easy to make but almost on nimbu paani or fresh lime water. The Jain impossible to produce perfectly. The Murugan Shikanji in Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, on the shops across Chennai do the perfect idli. Delhi-Meerut road makes the most memorable 86 They are served with fresh and wonderful 78 shikanji I have ever had. It uses spices to make chutneys. —R.S. a great blend and the spices can be bought to replicate the taste at home. —R.S. Madurai has a staggering range of street food, from kottu parota to the softest , and the stalls around Periyar Bus Stand know how to Indore’s take on this refreshing drink is the do it right. Every single time. Nagori Shikanji, made of shrikand and rabri 87 with subtle hints of cardamom and saffron, among other things. No one does it better 79 The thatte idli is a specialty at Bidadi, Sarafa than . Karnataka; the idlis are the size of plates and hence the name. If you’re on the Bengaluru–Mysore highway, make a pit-stop 88 at Renukamba Hotel in Bidadi for thatte idlis The soda shikanji at Raja Park in Jaipur served with potato sagu and red chutney. is the perfect antidote to the city’s merciless summers. 80 In Chennai, the ubiquitous Amma Canteens make thousands of idlis every day—hygienic, cheap and tasty. 89 If you are walking beside the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, have a glass of soda shikanji at the stalls alongside to refuel The unassuming idli is Karthik Tiffin yourself. Or drop by Shibuji on Camac Centre’s claim to fame. This small shop in 81 Chennai’s Anna Nagar does one thing and Street for a quick recharge. 90 does it splendidly. 44 APRIL 2016

0416-Anchor_ street food.indd 44-45 25/03/16 11:38 am The is stuffed with dal or SANDWICHES In a country as diverse as ours, even the regular, boring sandwich gets a spunky makeover in the hands of onions and usually served with chutneys or as creative street vendors. The ‘Bombay Chutney Sandwich’ is a case in point. While there are plenty of places across the city a chaat. In places like Varanasi, the day begins 97 that do a million versions of the sandwich, Sandwizza in Santa Cruz produces quite popular ones. with a breakfast of kachori-subzi; the town 91 loves the snack so much, there’s even a street named after it—Kachauri Gali. In Chennai, the chutney, egg and cheese sandwiches at Balaji Sandwich Stall right outside Alsa Mall in Egmore have stood the test of time. 98 In Jodhpur, the pyaz kachoris at Janta Sweets are a must-try. 92

And in Jaipur, they don’t get better than 93 the ones at Rawat.

The dal kachoris at Jung Bahadur Kachori Wala in old Delhi’s Chandni Chowk are a class apart. 94

If you don’t mind for breakfast, go to Ravi Swalpahar or Prashant Nashta Corner in Indore for your fix of TODDY This is a fermented drink obtained from palm trees, drunk across Kerala. Some toddy shops will also sell wonderful 99 poha and . 101 and hugely spiced with unique tastes. The best one I have been to is the Mullapanthal (Toddy Shop) Restaurant in JALEBIS Few can resist the lure of a piping And, speaking of jalebis for breakfast, 95 Thrippunithura, Kochi, in Kerala. —R.S. hot jalebi doused in rabri. Old Famous Jalebi Deviram Sweets in Agra serves up a Wala at Chandni Chowk in Delhi nails the art sumptuous bedai (puri) and subzi with of the perfect jalebi. 100 sugary jalebis first thing in the morning. While you’re traipsing around Kottayam, you’ll come across Karimpinkala Toddy Parlour. Pair your toddy here with a local fish curry such as the karimeen pollichathu. 96 Photography ALAMY/DREAMSTIME/SHUTTERSTOCK

An apology is due to the thousands of other street foods not listed. It would take a lifetime to try all of them. We should know, we have been eating for 10 years and barely managed to sample the surface.

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