Street food is part of everyone’s life in India. For most Indians, street food is their answer to everyday meals or snacks. Even for those who do not participate in ogling these spicy, mouthwatering snacks, once-a-week is the norm. So what’re some of the most liked snacks in this country of 1 billion. Well, it will be foolish to say that everyone from Kashmir to Kanyakumari is hooked on to the same thing. While eating a Samosa on the go is like having a gulp of water fro most in the Northern parts of India, Idly or Medu Wada is the go-to dish in the Southern parts of the country. Checkout our Indian street food list and tell us which one is your favorite.
Top 10 Indian Street Food Snacks
Here are some of the most famous, liked, and consumed street food snacks across India. How many have you tried? If you haven’t don’t miss these when you travel across India or to new places within the country on your next vacation.
Samosa Chana
Samosa Chana is a classic new Delhi snack that you will find almost at every corner in the city. Different vendors use different types of Chana. Taste variations not only from the inherent spice mixes for the Samosa and Chana, but also with the different chutney combinations used by the vendors. This is a must-try dish if you are in New Delhi and in need a energy boost.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj6DC9iNdnI
Kachori
Kachori is another versatile snack from North India and is consumed without embellishments and as a base for various Chaat preparations. The classic Kachori hails from Rajasthan and uses a mixture of Gram flour and spices as a filling. A slight variation, which is equally famous, is moong dal Kachori available in North and the central parts of India.
Dhokla
Traveling a bit south to the state of Gujrat, you will see the ubiquitous Dhokla is almost every Sweet shop. The immense popularity of this steamed, easy snack and the traveling Gujratis have made Dhokla a popular street food in India. Served with a combination of Green Chutney and Tamaring Chutney, the Dhokla is just right to tickle your taste buds.
Poha
This somewhat lackluster snack is the street food of the state of Maharashtra. A variation, Choora Matar is equally popular in Uttar Pradesh, but is mainly eaten in winter. In Maharashtra, you will find Poha available in almost every cluster of street side snack counters and is mainly consumed for breakfast. Different variations use curry leaf and peanuts in western Maharashtra while the eastern parts of the state serve Poha with a thin concoction of chana.
Vada Pav
Vada Pav is perhaps the most famous snack in the western parts of the Maharashtra state and is the fuel Mumbai runs on. A stripped down version of a burger, the spicy batter fried potato dumplings are wrapped in a Pao or Pav with some garlic chutney.
Idli Sambhar
If you can smell the fresh steaming Idlis and the curry flavored lentil stew, you are no doubt in the Southern part of India. These fluffy lentil rice cakes are simply irresistible. Once limited to the Southern India, Idli is now one of the most popular breakfast dishes across the country and a permanent fixture in most Indian restaurants around the world.
Paani Puri
Paani Puri is the Indian appetizer that you must try before a grand meal. The peculiar mix of spices accelerates the digestion process and gets your gastric juices flowing. The Paani is the meat of the dish, so to say. Tangy, Spicy, and Sweet the puffed puris are filled with potatoes, spicy water and sweet tamarind chutney and is a flavor explosion in your mouth.
Kathi Roll
Kolkata is a foodies delight. Savory fried fish or lip smacking desserts made from ricotta, the city has something for all food lovers. Kathi Roll is another street food that has made inroads across the country and some versions are big enough to qualify as a complete meal. Kathi means a stick. So this is meat grilled on a stick wrapped in a blanket of eggs and roti. You can call it a Burrito without the rice with Indian version of pickled onions and other condiments.
Hakka Noodles
Indo-Chinese too has its roots in Kolkata. It is believed that the Chinese who migrated to India during the construction of ports on the eastern coast, brought these popular Chinese foods with them. Chinese is the only other cuisine that has gained immense popularity in India. There is no cluster of street food vendors or restaurants without at least one Chinese vendor. Coockes Sichuan style of high flame in iron woks, Hakka Noodles are the most common food for families looking for a change from the routine.
Bhel
Bhel or Bhel Puri is a snack that is identified most with the beaches of Mumbai. But there are various versions of this, one of the notable being Jhal Muri in Bengal. A combination of savory chutneys, dry spices and puffed rice, this one dish that yo can eat at any time of the day.
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