North Indian Street Food
EGGLESS,  INDIAN CUISINE,  SAVOURY,  VEGETARIAN

Papdi Chaat & Bhel Puri … Indian Street Food & Guest Posting!

2011/05/10 / 26 Comments

“Food is a central activity of mankind and one of the single most significant trademarks of a culture.”
Mark Kurlansky

North Indian Street Food Talk street food and it throws up a myriad of colourful pictures in my head. It’s an amazing food group, one that goes deep into culinary cultures and is fast becoming haute cuisine, upmarket and constantly evolving. Yet, hit the streets and you find good old rustic appeal, preserved from the past, especially in the old city areas. You are instantly hit by a culture that time hangs on to. North India is no different; the streets are painted with colour and flavour, heat and dust.North India, Old Delhi Monkeys wander above while cattle languish below, spice sellers plonk themselves under umbrellas sheltered from the sweltering sun, pan walas sit in rows with an engaged clientele. Across the street, chicken tikkas sizzle over red hot coals! The camera works overtime, how much can you possibly capture and, then again,  how much can you blog? As you see, Indian streets are ‘happening’, and Old Delhi holds that eternal charm. North India, Old DelhiThe camera feeds hungrily at as you get transported to a different age. I feel compelled to share some street culture before I go further! A few more pictures … all taken on a day when Mr PAB and I decide to take a train ride into Old Delhi. Didn’t shop, just wandered around clicking, caught up in mixed emotions … North India, Old Delhi We found a water carrier opposite Jama Masjid selling chilled water in engraved silver handmade bowls, the water stored in a stitched and sealed whole goatskin {top left}. Handcarts piled high with plates and plates of neatly sliced pineapple {painstaking job that}… all open air but plenty of takers, dry fruits sold in small sacks, chocolate too{top right}. AMAZING!North Indian & Street Food {Jama Masjid} In North India street food is a quintessential part of our tradition, not always healthy {read nice and deep fried delicious}, and holds eternal appeal. If you literally eat it off streets, with all the heat and dust thrown in, you are bound to be awarded with a Delhi belly, but there are ways of beating that!North Indian Street Food Papdi ChaatWhen Asha, the Fork Spoon Knife gal wrote to me wondering if I would write her a street food themed guest post for her 3rd blogiversary, she heard a resounding YES! After much dithering, I decided on something I could bake, reflective of PABs central theme, and so made the most delicious Papdi / Whole wheat Crackers {if I may say so myself}. I also made some Bhel Puri from a trail mix of sorts! The crackers would make great bases for canapes too, and the trail mix is easily munched on its own.

North Indian Street FoodDo get across to Street Food Month on Fork Spoon Knife for the rest of the post and recipes! Happy 3rd Blogiversary Asha!

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deeba

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About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.

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26 Comments

  • foodwanderings

    2011/05/10 at 6:49 pm Reply

    Love this post. The street scenes and food. heading over to Asha’s site for the recipes. Gorgeous pics. I like them all but my favorites 1. 2, 7 & 8. 🙂

  • Heavenly Housewife

    2011/05/10 at 7:01 pm Reply

    One day I really have to go to India, what stunning pictures! I will go even if its just to catch a monkey (I want a monkey so bad, but Hubbs says no because they would be sad in captivity). I guess he will have to do.
    *kisses* HH

  • Asha@FSK

    2011/05/10 at 7:10 pm Reply

    what a way to kick off Deeba! Thank you soo much for sharing the awesome Chaat recipes for my celebration. I have always loved chaat and what more authentic than from Delhi!! :)))

  • Gloria

    2011/05/10 at 8:38 pm Reply

    I love your pictures dear Deeba I always think in travel some day to India, is a lovely country for me, love the food and has lovely FRIENDS like you, he,he love papdi look delicious! huggs! gloria

  • Karen

    2011/05/10 at 9:44 pm Reply

    Hi Deeba, this is my first time visiting your lovely blog – your recipes and pictures are wonderful! Looking forward to exploring more. Happy cooking, Karen

  • Sally Prosser

    2011/05/11 at 9:13 am Reply

    These are very special pictures – I love your description – the streets are painted with colour and flavour, heat and dust. No wonder you wandered with mixed emotions.

  • indu

    2011/05/11 at 10:28 am Reply

    The pics are superb….Cant take my eyes off all those spices being sold by the roadside. Are those kebabs in the bottom right pic of the second collage? Have heard so much about Delhi and the street food, and these pics make me want to visit more than ever….

  • Sweta

    2011/05/11 at 3:57 pm Reply

    Deeba…you are featured in Pioneer Woman’s website..isn’t great?….and she has said some good words about your website too…..really awesome!!

    m so proud to see your website mentioned in her cooking section….Way to go,Deeba!!!!!! it definitely must have increased some traffic to ur site also…

    All the best!!!…

  • Happy Cook

    2011/05/11 at 6:08 pm Reply

    Wowo you make these at home. I wousn’t know were to start if i tried to make them.
    Should check the recip for this in Asha’s place.
    I think fo street foods India would get first in olypics as no one can beat us in that 🙂

  • Urvashee

    2011/05/11 at 6:38 pm Reply

    I can never resist a dish of papdi chaat…People often refer to it as a snack. I say, forget snack- We sometimes make it my whole meal! Heading over to FSK to check it out soon. Lovely pics as always!

  • Katia

    2011/09/13 at 6:14 pm Reply

    It’s my dream to go to India one day. And that day is not so far. Earlier, it was unbelievable to go there, cause of the money. It was so expensive, no so many people could afford it. Now, if you go with some travel agency costs around 1000 euro, and it’s fine, cause, you don’t go to India every day! 🙂 You’re so beautiful people with amazing country, that offers so much cultural thing and so different kind of food, to us, who live in Europe. And every time, someone goes to India, or Africa, Chine, is not recommended eating on the street. But, how could i feel the real spirit of this county, and not eat street food. Cause, i guess it show the best your traditional taste, right? But, i didn’t know, that you also didn’t used on this food, even you live there. You said, you could also got stomach virus. Well, i love so much this post, and i hope i’ll try all this thing that you wrote about, cause i’ll never had an opportunity to try the real Indian cuisine in my country. Sorry, for the long post, but it inspired me 🙂

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