A LL YOU N E E D TO KN OW A B O U T
I NDI AN F OOD
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There is no such thing as‚ Indian food, just as there is no language called Indian. The cuisines of the sub-continent are as diverse as its ethnicities, landscapes and climates. You don’t have to be afraid of only finding spicy food and you don’t have to eat only rice and curry. Instead, you can indulge in a variety of spices, a massive selection of vegetables, meats and baked goods as well as a grand range of the sweetest desserts. However, having so many choices can also be quite overwhelming, especially if you don’t know the language and have little to no experience of the culinary world that is unfolding in front of you. That’s why we have created this little guide so you get an idea of what to expect and won’t be entirely oblivious when you read the menu of a restaurant.
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HINTS ABOUT FOOD & RESTAURANTS
Vegetarians 29 to 40% of Indian households follow a vegetarian
curries. But then again, you can just tell the waiters
diet. That makes it the world’s most vegetarian
and they will suggest you on what to eat. You can
country. This is so deeply enrooted in the society that
always order rice instead of a bread!
communities are divided based on what they put on
At Restaurants
their plates. For example, you can find a large number of commercial restaurants that offer an entirely vegetarian menu whereas there are other restaurants which provide a mix of both and all food products served will be marked with either a green dot for vegetarian or a red dot for non-vegetarian. Vegetarian
The water being served in restaurants for free is either tap water (in very cheap places) or filtered water. Drink it only if you are sure it’s filtered or if you are an experienced Asia-traveller who is used to this water quality. Otherwise order and pay for a bottled water.
in India means by the way no meat and no egg.
Indians, especially North Indians, eat their curries and
Then there is the Jain diet: vegetarians that do not
vegetable along with bread and these are served at
consume root vegetables like onions, potatoes, garlic
most places except for a few high-priced restaurants
in their diet. Vegetarianism, Jain or not, has mostly
where the bread has to be ordered separately.
to do with the spiritual beliefs but also with tradition
Restaurants serve onions, lemons and green chutney
and established health concerns.
before a meal as onions are supposed to enhance your taste palette. It’s a little strange but try it, you might enjoy it!
Vegans Being a vegetarian in India is easy but being a vegan not so much. Ghee (cleared butter) or cream is used
Often, they provide a bowl of warm water with a lemon in it. That’s to clean your hands after eating
widely in Indian dishes. However, we have mentioned
with your fingers.
herein the dishes that are vegan or can be prepared
It’s true that most Indians eat using their right hand
vegan. Also, find in the vocabulary the Hindi words for ingredients you can’t eat to tell or show the waiters.
as the left hand is considered unclean. However, it’s not as much of a cultural faux-pas as travel guide books make it to be. You can eat with your left hand and you can also ask for a spoon and a fork without
Gluten or Lactose Intolerant Being gluten or lactose intolerant is also a tough one in India. Most dishes are eaten with bread and milk is a very common ingredient in sweets and even
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being judged. Alcohol is not served in general restaurants, only in so called bars.
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THE BASICS OF INDIAN FOOD Indian breads Naan and Kulcha are a type of leavened flat bread made from maida (wheat flour). Flour dough is rolled into a flat, round shape and baked in an earthen clay
Things you will come across often PICKLE OR ACHAAR
Indian pickles come in all sorts of varieties – mango,
oven until golden brown. You could add butter on
chilli, gooseberries, vegetables, lemons etc... They are
top depending on your diet. Some places also offer
mostly pickled with oil, vinegar or lemon juice. The
to stuff this with onions, cheese and other spices. This
flavour is very unique and not everyone loves it but
is a staple diet for most Indians in North India. The
it belongs to the Indian cuisine like the moustache
southerners prefer to eat rice.
belongs to the Indian man – you might not like it, but it will be served to you anyways!
Roti is a thin rolled whole wheat bread which is called tandoori roti when it is cooked in a clay oven. When it’s cooked on a slow flame over a tava (flat skillet) and if it is light as a feather, then it’s a chapati. It is normally served with dollops of butter on top or ghee (pasteurized butter).
CHUTNEY
Chutneys are basically dips served with snacks. Especially South Indian food does not work without the sauces to enhance the flavour of every dish. The three major chutneys are the coconut, the coriander and the mint chutney. The second and third are often spicy as garlic, onions and green chillies are added. You will also find the sweet tamarind chutneys or tangy tomatoes chutneys or onion chutneys.
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MUKHWAS OR SAUNF
FRIED STREET FOOD
mouth-freshener after a meal. It’s a mix of seeds like
street food is often fried and is full of calories.
fennel, anise, sesame or coriander seeds, sugar-coated
However, this process of frying kills a lot of germs
and flavoured with essential oils. Often sugar pieces
and therefore these fritters are often safe for you to
are added and the sugar coating is very colorful. This
eat. Pakora or Bhajji is the most common dish in this
This is basically a digestive snack that serves as a
generally comes along with the bill at the end of a meal.
This is a savoury snack that comes in many forms but
Especially for British visitors every dish in India is a curry. However, very few dishes are referred to as a curry by Indians. They mostly use the term Sabzi or Sabji which basically indicates a dish with vegetables cooked in gravy or with lots of spices.
A tandoor is
category.
CHAAT
SABZI & CURRY
TANDOORI
Oh, how we Indians love the fried food. The Indian
basically consists of something baked mixed with onions, potatoes, coriander, spices and chutneys. A traveller once called it Indian Nachos and in a way, he really nailed it. The baked goods can be Sev (thin salty noodles) or Puri (flat or round hollow biscuits). It’s often served with yoghurt. This is best consumed at the side of the road as a quick snack and usually
most commonly a clay oven where
food can be cooked or baked in high temperatue
and within its own juices and fat. Tandoori food tastes oven-baked, almost smoky and is time consuming
doesn’t taste as good at the restaurants.
PANEER
Paneer is India’s answer to meat! Most vegetarians in
to prepare. It’s often the most expensive food on the
India will swear by any dish which has paneer in it. By
menu.
itself it is a sort of cheese, often translated as cottage cheese. In specific it is a fresh, acid‐set, non‐melting
TAVA
curd cheese made by curdling heated milk with
A tava is a flat or convex frying pan used to make bread and other dishes. It’s very essential for making Indian food.
lemon juice, vinegar or any other food acids.
DAL
When you take dried lentils, peas or beans strip of their outer hulls and split and boil them to prepare thick stew it is called as a dal. The variety of dals in India is based on the various pulses available. NorthIndians eat dal almost daily.
RICE DISHES LIKE BIRYANI OR PULAO
Rice is often served plain along with another dish (like a curry / sabzi / dal etc...). Consumption of rice in South India is the largest in the country to the extent that one cannot imagine a dish without it. On the other hand, North India serves rice dishes as a main course called Biryani or Pulao. Biryani consists of two layers of rice with a layer of spicy meat in the middle. Many Indians will tell you there is no such thing as a Vegetarian Biryani but you will still find it in most menus. Pulao is a mixed rice dish with vegetables and rarely with meat. The difference between the two is that Pulao has less gravy and is plainer and cooked quicker. A Pulao is also often served as an accompaniment while Biryani is a main dish and way more complex in flavour.
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DIFFERENT CUISINES IN INDIA PARSI OR IRANI The Parsis and Iranis are two small communities that came from Persia (Iran) to India to avoid persecution around 1000 to 1200 years ago. Their cuisine is quite distinct from Indian food and can be put rather in
the oriental category: rice, chicken and mutton, dried fruits, nuts, herbs and spices like saffron and cinnamon. This cuisine can be enjoyed most in Mumbai or Gujarat.
MUSLIM OR MUGHLAI Muslims are the main meat-eaters in India and therefore the experts in non-vegetarian curries, barbecues and biryanis. Don’t leave India without trying a tandoori chicken or kebab. This cuisine is called Mughlai as it was the Mughals’ preferred way
NORTH INDIAN
of eating but it’s not all meat. Even a lot of sweets
North Indian main courses comprise of a vegetable or meat dish cooked in gravy or dry, with dal
like kheer (rice pudding) come from a Muslim background.
(lentils) and served with bread or rice. It’s often quite heavy but rich in flavour. The gravies or sabzis are
mostly prepared with a tadka, the Indian version of
Regional food
tempering spices in oil or ghee (cleared butter) to
To give you a quick overview of very unique regions
release essential oils and flavour. Thereafter, large
when it comes to food, please see below
assortments of powdered spices like coriander, cumin or chilli powder are added.
Gujarati | Vegetarian, less spicy, almost sweet, very rich, lots of milk products. Konkani, Goan, Keralan | Lots of fish and coconut,
SOUTH INDIAN South Indian food normally is more rice oriented and
a lot lighter on the stomach. It consists of 3‐4 different types of lentils served with rice and a healthy portion of curd. Depending on the region or community it can contain meat and fish but that’s considered more of a treat. 7
spicy, lots of rice too. Udupi | Vegetarian, dosa, rice, no onion and no garlic, lots of spices, tomatoes, often served on a banana leaf. Punjabi | Heavy and rich, meat, ghee and oil, tandoori.
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DIFFERENT FOODS Now we could go on and on and explain every single distinguished cuisine you can find in India but we rather introduce you to some delicious dishes you should try once you are in India.
How to read this guide
SOUTH INDIA
PRICE INDICATOR
Kerala Tamil Nadu Karnataka Andhra Pradesh Telangana
INR 20 -80
We have given a price range with every dish but it
We have mentioned a region of origin for each dish but that doesn’t mean you can’t find that dish
can vary: if you order a samosa at a 5 Star Restaurant
where it originates!
street. More often than not the street samosa will be
it will probably cost you 10 times as much as on the
elsewhere. It only means that it is best enjoyed
more delicious!
SPICE METER STREET FOOD | YES SAFE TO EAT | YES
This document not only describes Indian dishes
We have given a spiciness range but that can vary
found in restaurants but also street food which you
too. Often restaurants make dishes less spicy just
can find only on the street - or at least it would taste
because you are a foreigner or at times they will ask
better there! Of course, we encourage caution while
you while ordering: “spicy, non-spicy or medium?”
eating food from street vendors due to the lack of
If you don’t like spicy food learn to say Kam Tikka,
hygiene. Try to choose safe and clean places. We
Hindi for less spicy.
can’t guarantee that you won’t get the Delhi Belly (an upset stomach) but it would also be a pity to
miss out on such an authentic food experience because of the fears we bring along. So, follow the
advices of locals, go to places with an obvious large clientele and trust your intuitions.
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DOSA VEGETARIAN & CAN BE VEGAN A dosa is a crepe made from fermented rice batter. It is served with multiple condiments like sambar (lentils cooked with spices and assorted vegetables), wet chutney (for example coconut chutney, a semisolid paste made up of coconut, dal, green chilli, coriander or mint), Indian pickles, gunpowder or malgapudi (fried
SOUTH INDIA
Kerala Tamil Nadu Karnataka Andhra Pradesh Telangana
SPICE METER
dry chillies, with lentils and a little pasteurized
If had plain it is not spicy at all. The condiments that you use could vary in spice.
butter). Though it is originally from the South, major cities like Mumbai and Delhi serve up a good dosa as well.
PRICE INDICATOR
VARIANTS | A dosa is served in multiple
INR 20 -80
variants, like masala dosa which is the same crepe stuffed with a filling of potatoes and tomatoes cooked with a few Indian spices like
STREET FOOD | YES
cumin seeds, turmeric, chillies etc... In Mumbai,
Specially in Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore.
you get a lot more variants and vendors will
SAFE TO EAT | YES
add cheese and other ingredients to cater to different needs. Cheese makes everything taste better.
Very safe as it is served hot and not too heavy on the stomach. But while having it on the streets be careful with the sambar and chutney as the water used to cook this might not be filtered.
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CURD RICE VEGETARIAN Curd rice, also called yoghurt rice is a dish of India. The word curd as used in India usually refers to sour, unsweetened yoghurt. It is most popular in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telegana, Kerala and Karnataka. In Tamil Nadu, it is called dadhiannam or dadyodanam. Varied spices can be used with
SOUTH INDIA
Kerala Tamil Nadu Karnataka Andhra Pradesh Telangana
SPICE METER
the basic curd rice combination. Curd rice is
Bland to medium as per choice.
often eaten accompanied by South Indian pickles such as those of mango or lime. It is also said to aid digestion and is eaten post dinner in South India.
PRICE INDICATOR INR 20 to 100
VARIANTS | Served in a unique style where rice is boiled, mixed with mild curd and salted and then tempered with a tadka (seasoning) of mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry chillies and urad dal roasted in a spoon of hot oil. Garnish varies with region and ranges from grated carrots, pomegranate seeds, raisins, green and purple grapes, fried cashewnuts to grated raw mango and boondi. It can be served lukewarm or chilled. Another option is a pinch of powdered and roasted asafoetida.
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STREET FOOD | NO SAFE TO EAT | YES
As long as the curd is fresh.
UPMA VEGETARIAN & CAN ALSO BE VEGAN The dish gets its name from the tamil words uppu which means salt and mavu which means flour. Also being called uppumavu, uppuma, uppindi, uppittu, kharabath, upeet, uulanv, upma is usually made with semolina (rava or suji in Hindi). Curry Leaves are added for flavour. While the base remains the same,
SOUTH INDIA
Kerala Tamil Nadu Karnataka Andhra Pradesh Telangana Maharashtra
SPICE METER
people experiment with it in different ways.
Bland to medium.
VARIANTS | A wide range of vegetables may be added and it could also be garnished with a variety of beans (raw or sprouted), cashew and
PRICE INDICATOR
peanuts. For a variation called masala upma
INR 20 - 100
(known as Kharabath in Karnataka), sambar masala or garam masala is added along with red chilli powder, instead of green chillies. The rice upma, popular in South Karnataka is called
akki tari uppittu (rice coarse flour uppittu).
STREET FOOD | NOT USUALLY SAFE TO EAT | YES
This is another variant which is prepared with grated coconuts (and smeared with ghee) instead of onions. Upma made from coarser rava (sajjige) is a dish of Udupi cuisine. Corn upma serves as a healthy breakfast with corn, milk and nuts.
PUTTU VEGETARIAN & NON-VEGETARIAN CAN ALSO BE VEGAN
SOUTH INDIA Kerala Tamil Nadu
Puttu is a breakfast dish of steamed cylinders of ground rice layered with grated coconut, served with side dishes of chickpea curry or
SPICE METER
banana. It is usually spiced with cumin, but
Bland to medium as per choice.
may have other spices and is made by slowly adding water to ground rice until the correct texture is achieved, then spiced, formed and steamed with layers of grated coconut.
PRICE INDICATOR INR 50 - 100
VARIATIONS | Puttu can also be made using other grains such as wheat flour, tapioca and corn flour. The layered filling of coconut can be replaced by egg curry or banana. Puttu prepared in a ball shape is called manipputtu.
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STREET FOOD | NO SAFE TO EAT | YES
MEDU VADA
SOUTH INDIA
Kerala Tamil Nadu Karnataka Andhra Pradesh Telangana
VEGAN Medu Vada, made by soaking lentils overnight, grinding and deep frying them is the Indian answer to the western doughnut with a big difference; it is not sweet. It is nice and crispy
SPICE METER
on the outside and soft on the inside.
Bland to medium. But the condiments could vary in spice.
It’s an essence of Mallyali cuisine of Kerala. It’s served with piping hot sambar and curry PRICE INDICATOR
leaves seasoned coconut chutney.
INR 20 - 50
STREET FOOD | YES SAFE TO EAT | YES
While having it on the streets be careful with the sambar and chutney as the water used to cook this might not be filtered.
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PANEER TIKKA NORTH INDIA
VEGETARIAN
Never meant for Vegans
Big square chunks of cheese is marinated with spices and stuck on a skewer with tomatoes,
Delhi Uttar Pradesh Haryana Punjab
bell peppers and onions. The skewers are then set on a coal grill and served once the outside layer is nice and crispy and the inside is soft
SPICE METER The tikka masala gravy could get very spicy. The paneer tikka itself is not that spicy but be careful with the amount of coriander and mint chutney you consume.
and succulent. Seasoned with lime and some spices. It’s served as an appetizer and tastes best with green mint & coriander chutney and chopped onions. VARIANTS | Adding the grilled paneer with a similar gravy like that of the butter chicken you
PRICE INDICATOR
get a tasty dish called Paneer Tikka Masala to
INR 150 - 400
have with breads like naan, roti etc... It can also be served as a wrap, Paneer Tikka Roll, where the paneer tikka is wrapped into
an Indian bread and served. When the paneer is stuffed with chopped almonds and grilled it is known as the Kashmiri Paneer Tikka. This can be found in a few places. When paneer is cooked alongwith spinach (palak) and a few spices it gives a vibrant green coloured dish called Palak Paneer; quite a healthy dish and can be eaten with roti, naan or steamed rice. In Mumbai, you get Dosa with grated paneer on it as well. Pizzerias like Domino’s Pizza also have that as a topping. McDonalds serves a paneer wrap and a spicy paneer burger.
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STREET FOOD | YES
Especially in Delhi and Mumbai
SAFE TO EAT | NOT ALWAYS
This really depends on where you choose to eat from. Some places on the street might not use the best paneer and this could lead to a slightly upset stomach. So always judge the hygiene of the place and remember that the most frequented place is generally your safest bet.
STUFFED PARATHA
NORTH INDIA
VEGETARIAN & NON-VEGETARIAN CAN ALSO BE VEGAN Stuffed Paratha is a roti (thin rolled wheat bread) with a stuffing of vegetables. It can be any vegetable (potatos, onion, cauliflower, peas etc…) or even cheese, minced chicken
Delhi Uttar Pradesh Haryana Punjab Himachal Pradesh Jammu & Kashmir
SPICE METER
or minced goat meat. It’s usually served with a cake of butter melting all over it, achaar (pickle), chutney on the side along with some kachumbar (which is curd mixed with some thin cut onion, cucumber and carrots). It’s very
PRICE INDICATOR
filling and can serve as a meal by itself. You
INR 30 - 100
get the best of them in North India but they’re pretty good in Mumbai too.
The paratha is not usually spicy but may be in some places. The chutney and aachar can be quite spicy but you have curd to neutralize that.
STREET FOOD | YES
VARIANTS | Baida roti is a similar dish, only the outer covering is made of egg and wheat (or flour). People keep experimenting with the stuffing and you’ll come across all sorts of varieties at different places, especially in Himachal Pradesh. Another alternative is called stuffed kulcha; the softer a Kulcha the
Specially in North India
SAFE TO EAT | NOT ALWAYS
Most of the times it is safe, as long as fresh vegetable are used for stuffing (and not leftovers), good quality water is used for preparing the chutney and fresh curd for the kachumber. Again, this really depends on where you choose to eat from.You could avoid the chutney and kachumbar if they look or smell dicey.
tastier it is.
CHOLE BHATURE
NORTH INDIA
VEGETARIAN & CAN ALSO BE VEGAN
bread called bhatura (made of flour). It is also
Punjab Delhi Uttar Pradesh Haryana Himachal Pradesh Jammu & Kashmir
resembles a puri. It is a heavy snack which
SPICE METER
Chole Bhature, is a combination of chole (spicy chickpeas) in a thick curry and fried flat called Chola Puri since the bhatura somewhat is generally accompanied with lassi. Chole
Can vary from medium to very spicy. Ask for less spice beforehand.
bhature is served with onions and achaar (pickles). VARIANTS | Different varieties are available at
PRICE INDICATOR
choice joints depending on the ingredients
INR 40 to 100
stuffed in it. For example, Aloo Bhatura (stuffed with boiled potato) and Paneer Bhatura
(stuffed with cottage cheese). On many North Indian streets, especially Delhi, you can find Chole Kulcha.
STREET FOOD | PARTIALLY YES
Available in some open chaat joints.
SAFE TO EAT | YES
Since its served steaming hot. Just check if the accompanying onion and lemon slices are freshly cut.
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PANI PURI / GOLGAPPA VEGAN
NORTH INDIA & CENTRAL INDIA
Originated from Magadh region of India (the present day South Bihar) where it is also known as Phoolki. It is a popular street snack which is available almost everywhere in North and Central India with different names such as Golgappa, Pani Puri, Pani ke Bataashe, Puchka etc... – they’re all the same yet different. Puri is
Delhi Uttar Pradesh Bihar West Bengal Maharashtra Gujarat
SPICE METER
an Indian bread which is round, hollow, fried and crisp, filled with a mixture of raw mango and tamarind water (pani) containing chilli, chaat masala, potato, chickpeas and onions.
PRICE INDICATOR
It is small enough to fit completely into one’s
INR 20 to 40 for a plate of 4 - 6 pieces
mouth and promptly crushed with your teeth to enjoy it thoroughly. In several parts of Gujarat and Kutch the puri is called pakodi, not to be confused with pakoda. VARIANTS | In most parts of India, a pani puri is made with flavoured water. Some examples are imli ka pani (tamarind in water), nimbu ka pani (lemon juice in water), pudine ka pani (mint in water) and khajur ka pani (dates mixed in
water). In West Bengal, Orissa, Mithilanchal part of Bihar and the southern part of Jharkhand, many people enjoy pani puris with tamarind juice and spicy mashed potato. However, in parts of Bihar, it is also served along with patta chat which comprises of dried lentils coated with hot freshly grinded green masalas.
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Medium to very spicy. You can tell the vendor how you’d like it and follow it up with masala puri (stuffed with salted mashed potato) to cut the spice.
STREET FOOD | YES SAFE TO EAT | NOT ALWAYS
Depending on where you eat it. Make sure the water is safe, the stuffing is fresh and the person serving it must be clean. Mineral water pani puri are also available in Mumbai for those who are concerned about hygiene.
PAAN VEGAN Traditionally areca nut wrapped in betel leaf, it dates back thousands of years in India. Paan is usually a post‐meal mouth freshener. Betel leaf is basically paan leaf in Hindi and the
NORTH INDIA
Originates from North India but served all over the country
concoction can be made by wrapping all sorts of goodies into it. Choona (slaked lime paste) is
commonly added to bind the leaves. Katha, a
SPICE METER
mouth freshening paste is also added.
Normally sweet or slightly bitter
VARIANTS | The flavour and potency of a paan depends on the betel leaf used. In South India, paan prepared from small and fragile leaves is
PRICE INDICATOR
called chigrlayele. Black paan leaves - ambadi
INR 10 – 50
and kariyele, which are thicker than the green leaves - are often chewed with tobacco. Dried betel leaf filled with powdered tobacco and spices is called paan masala. Meetha
(sweet) paan is betel leaf with coconut, fruit preserves, maraschino cherry, gulkand (rose petal preserves) and various spices. It may also contain candied fruits and candy‐coated fennel seeds. Bengali paan is known as deshi
mahoba, and has a delicate flavour. Maghai paan (served in twos called maghai joda) and
jagannath paan are the signature varieties of Varanasi.
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STREET FOOD | YES SAFE TO EAT | NOT ALWAYS
Depends on whether it contains tobacco or khimam (a euphoria inducing substance made from tobacco plants). Simple paan is a good digestive.
DAL FRY
NORTH INDIA
VEGETARIAN & CAN BE VEGAN
In some Mughlai dishes, it may also include meat
Dal is a thick stew preparation of pulses (dried lentils, peas or beans which have been stripped
Punjab‐based, available all over India, especially North.
of their outer hulls and split) boiled into a soup with water. It is regularly eaten with rice or roti and vegetables. In dal fry the dal is added to
SPICE METER Medium to very spicy as per choice.
fried spices and onion‐tomato mixture. Dal fry tastes the best at dhabas (roadside shacks). VARIANTS | The fried garnish for dal or dal fry
PRICE INDICATOR
is also called chaunk. The ingredients in the
INR 50 – 200
chaunk vary by region and individual tastes. Tadka is slightly different from chaunk or dal fry in preparation, it’s a mixture of chilly and spices which are first fried in oil and then added to the ready dal.
STREET FOOD | NOT REALLY SAFE TO EAT | YES
As long as it’s fresh and served hot.
DAL MAKHANI
NORTH INDIA
VEGETARIAN Dal Makhani is a lentil rich thick soup preparation.
The
dish
differs
from
other
Punjab‐based, available all over India, especially North.
popular Punjabi dal dishes, such as dal tadka, for the fact that the primary ingredients in dal makhani are urad (whole black lentils),
rajma (red kidney beans) and maybe masoor
SPICE METER Bland to spicy as per choice.
(red lentils). It is brown in colour while other dals are yellowish. Due to dal makhani’s rich texture and lengthy preparation process, it’s not available as easily as yellow dals.
PRICE INDICATOR INR 100 – 300
VARIANTS | The traditional preparation of dal makhani involves a very long time‐consuming procedure which can take a whole day. Quicker methods like using the pressure cooker change the traditional taste a bit. People also prefer to use less or no butter sometimes. Dal makhani is also popularly called kali (black) dal.
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STREET FOOD | NO SAFE TO EAT | YES
As long as it’s fresh and served hot.
JALEBI
NORTH INDIA
VEGAN In ancient India, it was called Kundalika or Jalvallika. Jalebi is a melt‐in‐the‐mouth, fried and
Originates in North India but available everywhere
sweet dipped in sugar syrup. It’s a sort of funnel cake, can be thin and crispy or thick and juicy. In some places, big jalebis are called jalebas. They’re best served hot. It is made by deep‐
SPICE METER
frying a wheat‐flour batter in maze‐like circular
Sweet.
shapes and then soaking in sugar syrup. Citric acid or lime juice and sometimes rosewater or kewra water are also added to the syrup.
PRICE INDICATOR INR 15 – 50
VARIANTS | Imarti (red‐orange and sweeter)
and Angoor Aana (grape‐green) are both made from a batter of urad lentil and are common in North India. Chhena Jalebi (made with chhena, which is crushed paneer or cottege cheese) is another popular variant in parts of Rajasthan, Bengal and Orissa.
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STREET FOOD | YES
SAFE TO EAT | MOSTLY YES
Since it is deep fried. The oil used should be good though.
GULAB JAMUN VEGETARIAN Gulab Jamun is a very popular dessert in India. It’s made of khoya and buffalo milk rolled into a
ball with flour, deep fried at a low temperature
NORTH INDIA
Originates in North India but available everywhere.
and then dunked into a sugar syrup flavoured with cardamom seeds, rosewater or kewra and kesar (saffron).
SPICE METER Sweet.
VARIANTS | It’s usually dark brown in colour but you have kala (black) jamun when sugar is added in the dough. Sometimes the inside of a
PRICE INDICATOR
gulab jamun is stuffed with dry fruits. INR 15 – 50
STREET FOOD | YES SAFE TO EAT | MOSTLY YES
Since it is deep fried. The oil used should be good though.
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