Street Food of kolkata

Street Food of kolkata

kolkata

It had been always been in love with the pathways of this city and a maximaum part of that love emanates from the plethora of eating options available here. You get to know some of the best food in the world at a tiny portion of the cost that you’d pay anywhere else. While some food items established  indigenously most have been taken it by the many settlers who came in enamored  by the prosperity of this foreign city. Without further ado let’s plunge in and find out the best available street food in the city and the many places and outlets that will leave you craving for more.

jalebi

Jalebi/ Emarti - Kaali Godaam, not many of us know, is the place where the Birla empire was introduced  by Mr Ghanshyam Das later  in the early 1900′s and just below  that is sold Calcutta’s best crunchy Kesaria jalebi along with hot and spicy sev. They conciet themselves in the purity of asli ghee and real kesar without resorting to any artificial food colouring or flavours .

And if you endeavor further into the same lane you will meet a dying breed of sharbat shops selling wonderful badaam and khas sharbats. For the lord  Shiva followers there’s also bhaang on offer in the same shops.

soota kebab

Soota Kabab - In Choona Gali aka Phears Lane nearby  the famous Alaudin Halwai shop is a small hole in the wall called Adam’s Kabab. This guy, like many others, owes his inherited migration from Lucknow to Wajid Ali Shah’s exile. Little bits of spiced beef mincemeat represent  a seekh (skewers) and tied with a soota or thread and hence the name. Available every day from 3 to 10pm.

Dahi Papdi Chaat

Dahi Papdi Chaat - Entirely sold by Rajasthani shopkeepers this is a wonderful summer dish to replace for a heavy lunch at times when the heat makes you lose your desire. Their papdis are merged  with beautiful masalas and chatnis and finally ice cold yogurt is gaushed over it making for a perfect summer snack. Almost all of them are wonderfull but one of the best ones sits outside the Raymond’s showroom at Poddar Court during office hours.

Gathia

Gaathia - An completely Gujju snack this is formed from fried chickpea batter (besan) and served with raw papaya salad, the dole of which can hardly be registered here. Obtainable from Burra Bazar to Bhowanipore this Gaathia is patronized not just by Guajarati’s anymore. Find one of the extraordinary places for freshly made gathia in the mornings and evenings at Jai Ambica Bhujiawala at the connection of Armenian Street and Mullick St. aka Thaana /Gali because of Burrababazar/ police station.

Dalpuri

Dalpuri - Throughout the Muslim occupied areas of the city you will find dalpuris available as breakfast. He starts at the crack of dawn and is sold out by about 11am. Their jalebis put in  idle of the two hot and crunchy dalpuris make for a complete breakfast.

chai

Chai - Amost every Calcuttan worth his Rabindrasangeet would have his own favourite place for tea but the places that really kick it are Jhuri Singh on Bentinck street, because of his copper vessel for roasting water, and Balwant Singh Dhaba under the Gurudwara, for using mist to cook tea and heat directly. Both these places have their exclusive flavour or cha and are my daily stops .Nowadays Tea Junction of Ambuja’s family is also taking a part in making a good tea for the Calcuttans and is very popular. They have more 50 tiny outlets/stalls in allover Kolkata that serves the Calcuttans a wonderfuil tea with snacks.

chilla

Chilla - Again a Rajasthani / Gujarati mixture but makes for a marvellous snack especially for those tired from daylong shopping. Popular places are near outside Vardaan Market and near Shibuji on Wood Street – Theater Road crossing. Made with many varieties of  dals with the added flavour of caramelised onions this is best expended with healthy dollops of pudina and garlic chutneys.

chowmein

Chowmein – Almost every corners of the city streets serve this genuine Chinese import but the most fun you will get in sitting with backpackers just off Sudder Street and having it from the roadside kiosks . Speaking of which the double and a double chicken roll from Nizam’s is still to be bettered anywhere in the world. Ask for the extra lime to add more spicy flavour.

Puchkas

Puchkas - You may have your favourite puchkawala in every parts of the city but you must some time or the other try the guy opposite Max Mueller Bhavan. His flavours are usually in perfect proportion to the potatoes and when the sweet and sour water is mixed together it goes to another level of divine. If you like the puchkas must / follow up with the ritualised puchka chaat afterward. You can also have a look on New Alipore Puchka Wala near Hindustan sweets who serves the bestest dahi puchka in the world as par many Calcuttans.