One of our favorite things to do in a new country or city is visit the local street food vendors. It’s the only version of fast food that I will endorse. Indian Street food is a perfect way to sample India’s vast cuisine and culture. You get to stand around a food cart and watch the magic of vendors slinging ingredients together to make their local delicacies. You get to see the love and attention that goes into food and food consumption. A good street food vendor will consistently be surrounded by loyal consumers. It also gives you the chance to stand around and chat with the locals whom you already have something in common with… a love of good Indian street food!
Dosa
This is an Indian street food favorite, dosa. It is a very thin, crepe-like exterior (but crunchy), made of rice and black lentils then filled with a concoction of your desire. Most are filled with potatoes, like the one I have here. They are served with dipping chutneys and raita.
To try dosa with chutney and sambhar in typical south Indian style, book Kerala Tour Packages and embark on a culinary journey in the heart of Kerala.
Samosa
This is an extremely large samosa filled with a curried potato mixture. Samosas are probably the most popular Indian snack food. Deep friend dough filled with a spiced potato mixture, they come in many shapes, and with infinite fillings. I’ve even seen them filled with sweet potatoes. :D This one was so crunchy and delicious on the outside and so warm and spicy on the inside…perfection!
Tandoori Nan
This is a tandoori aloo nan. It is made in a clay oven and you dip it into raita (a yogurt based sauce) and some form of curry and top with onions. This one was freshly made and put steaming hot in front of me, and if that was not tempting enough, it was then topped with freshly made butter. It lasted about 3 minutes before I completely destroyed it. Yummy!
Burgers
This Indian burger was very deceiving. I, being wholly American, was in India for weeks when I came across burger on a menu. I panicked and ordered it without thinking. Turned out to be an amazingly delicious mistake. The patty was a succulently mashed and fried potato (no beef here), that was sandwiched between two slices of fresh cheese and topped with a spicy mayo on toasted buns. Everything was so freshly made, that it made my beef-less plight seem not so bad.
Momos
These lil guys turned out to be one of my favorite new found foods. These are momos. Momos are dumplings filled with meat and/or veggies and steamed. The Indian momos get their influence from the Tibetans in the Himalayas. They were delicate and downright delicious.
Jalebi
This is one of Kenin’s all-time favorite foods (and mine as well). This is jalebi. Jalebi is a deep-fried sweet dough that is served hot and most times dipped in a sugary rose water before consumption. Kenin was introduced to this sweet delicacy in Trinidad when we first met and has made it a habit of getting one every time we go. It was amazing to me to eat them in India and compare them to the ones I grew up eating. Fortunately for Kenin, they tasted almost exactly the same.
Hope you enjoyed this tasty tour of Indian delights. Now get out there and try some local grub!
Yeah, an Indian burger just doesn’t sound right!!
Yum! Everything sounds absolutely delicious! Jalebi is new to me and as a result, I can’t wait to try it!
Mary jalebi is so good. There are many different countries that you can find it in. Make sure that you get it fresh. Most vendors are frying the stuff right there in front of you. If you can find it soaked with rose water, all the better :)
You made me hungry. Oh the dosas… I could live off them! But every time I make them myself they fall apart. Nothing like the ones I eat in India. We’ve got an Indian restaurant close by, and not even they make it as tasty as I remember them. The food alone is worth going back. That burger though is new to me ;)
The dosas were so good. I have never tried making them myself. Lauren and I will now have a new task next time we have a kitchen.
you have me soooooooooooo salivating over here! I love Tandoori Nan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Momos looks particularly delightful too!
Momos are now Lauren’s favorite food. Now that we are back stateside, we are going to have to hunt them down. :)
i would like to go to india … Beautiful Culture
Oh my my my! I want to eat them all!
Yum! Looks delicious. I’m a sucker for Indian food especially of the snacky variety.
We are just suckers for food, especially of the snacky variety as well. Lauren’s favorite thing is snacky food night where we veg. out in bed with a bunch of small snacky foods and beer.
Oh man that looks awesome! I totally miss the street food there! It’s never the same in Canada that’s for sure!
We miss the street food there already too. We just have to comfort ourselves in knowing that no matter where we go, we will seek out good street food.
It all looks so delicious! I’d especially like the momos and nan.
Some day I would love to experience real Indian food in India, especially the street food. I love that you panicked and ordered a burger! Sounds exactly like something my husband would do. Glad it was a delicious mistake.
There’s only one word for this post – omnomnomnom! Indian food is some of my favourite on the planet and during my travels there I couldn’t get enough. I didn’t try loads of street food as I was only there for a very shor time so feared the dreaded Delhi Belly might set in an write off the entire trip, but when I eventually spend more time there I’ll definitely be all over this! Thanks for sharing.
The dreaded Delhi Belly!! I’m gonna use that one :) Indian food is now some of our favorite as well. Street food there is a bit tricky for Westerners. Make sure it is freshly made in front of you and you are usually okay.
Oh man I miss Indian food. When we were in Malaysia we ate LOADS of Indian food. It’s so good. Tandoori nan and samosas are definitely my favorites!
Angela, Indian food is one of our favorites as well. Now that I have actually been to India, the food i get here stateside will never be the same :(
Brilliant guide to the Indian street food. I agree Indian burgers are very deceiving, they are not like the ones you get elsewhere but they can be tasty though.
Love my Indian food! They have amazing Indian street food in Malaysia, too. It was such a great surprise.
Great post. Except for the fact that Dosa isn’t exactly a street food, even if it is served in some road side stall. The fried potato thing in burger is called Aaaloo Tikki. I guess you had that one in McDonalds
The definition of street food is that is has to come from a road side stall :) This dosa was street food. And my Aloo Tikki definitely did NOT come from McDonalds. I didn’t even know McDonald’s had potato burgers. This one was made fresh at a street vendor…hence the term “Street Food”.
Ahhh Somosas! =P NOM NOM NOM You are killing me here =P
One of my absolute favorites Tim!
This post (and particularly the photos!) just made me very hungry!
Good thing I’m in India right now and can go enjoy any of the above.. HA! :D
Nothing beats goos ‘ol Indian street food
Excellent post and photos on India’s street food selections. A great part of traveling is enjoying the local culture and their food! Thanks for sharing:)