Street food in Mumbai

Savouries to give in to

Freestyle

Tourism

October 22, 2016

/ By / New Delhi

India & You



Rate this post

Aesthetically served on paper plates, these colourful, flavourful street foods from the western Indian city of Mumbai will awaken the glutton in you. So read on and gorge on.

The relentless throwing of butter on a pan and wrapping a pav in it, the sprinkling of sev on a puri , the tossing of vegetables to prepare bhaji, the warming of ragda, the spicing-up of bhel, the sights and smells are salivating at the Juhu beach, in the suburb of Juhu in Mumbai, the commercial capital of India.

The sizzle in the atmosphere around is tempting and inviting; and giving in to the street food of the Maharashtrian capital is a delightful indulgence.

When in Juhu, gorge onto these savouries at the beach and you won’t regret not going to one of the multi-cuisine cafes or diners around the place.

 

vada-pav

Vada pav is one of the cheapest grab-and-go snacks one can find in Mumbai

 

Vada pav: A ball of boiled potatoes mashed with garlic, chillies and coriander- vada is deep fried and stuffed in a pav or bread. The pav is buttered, spread with coriander chutney or sauce, and sprinkled with garlic and chilli powder. For an extra hit of spice, a fried green chilli is served along with the vada pav; and this chilli might not be as hot it may seem but definitely is flavoursome and gives an extra kick to an already hot experience.

 

 

sev_puri

Sev puri- a light yet filling snack makes for a fiesta of flavours and colours

Sev puri: A type of chaat, a term used for tangy or spicy street food, Sevpuri is Mumbai’s speciality. There are numerous stalls at the beach selling the chaat, which is a play of flavours on the palate. The tangy-cum-spicy sev puri is a crunchy treat. Puri, a biscuit like item, is topped with boiled-mashed potatoes, chopped onions and coriander. A mix of mild spices is sprinkled over it and some chutney poured. You can opt from a range of chutneys which include garlic chutney, tamarind chutney and coriander chutney, or go for all of them to experience a fiery fiesta of flavours. The squeezing of lemon juice adds to the tanginess while mellowing down the spices in the chutneys. Garnished with thinly sliced raw mangoes, which also add to the party of flavours, coriander and sev, thin and small bites of crunchy noodles, sev puri is also a treat to the eyes.

 

download

The mushy, thick-gravy of vegetables or bhaji comes loaded with butter which adds to the party of flavours

 

Pav bhaji: Available in many cities across India, Pav bhaji is originally a Maharashtrian delicacy. The pav which is toasted in butter until golden-brown and lightly crispy is served with bhaji. The mushy bhaji, is a mix of several mashed vegetables and is mildly spicy. It’s a hearty and a healthy treat, thanks to the veggies.The loaded butter which melts into the hot, orange-ish coloured bhaji, only makes the dish more appetizing. Traditionally it is served with sliced onion and lemon; and contemporarily, it is generously garnished with grated cheese, if asked for.

 

12568288_588092831338330_657243011_n

Take it as a challenge to gobble the stuffed wheat-balls at one go

 

 

Ragda puri: Unlike sevpuri’s flat, biscuit like puri, crispy balls made of wheat or semolina are used for this chaat. Stuffed with boiled, hot chickpeas (Ragda) and topped with mild spices, tangy chutneys and curd if you like, Ragda puri is a light eat yet filling.The traditional way of relishing the dish might be a challenge to some, as the stuffed portions must be gobbled in whole at one go, one at a time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

olive-bhel-puri-served-in-traditional-newspaper-cone

Light, airy and mildly spicy- bhel puri

Bhel puri: A type of chaat, bhel puri is a mix of puffed rice, crushed puri, mild spices, coriander, and chutneys tossed with diced tomatoes, onions and lemon juice. The tossing of the ingredients is done in a cone rolled out of a sheet of paper which also makes for the plating of this grab-and–go snack. It is lighter and mellower in spices than most chaat variants; however you can ask the vendor to spice it up, if you like so.

 

 

 

“Local foods give you the vibe of the local hospitality. Foods at the corner shacks of Juhu Beach in Mumbai leave you with an indelible urge to return to the city,” remarks Sudipto Roy, a writer and film-maker from Kolkata. “Try the vada pav and the sev puri, which are authentically made and reveal the true Maharashtrian flavours,” he recommends.

Reflective of Maharashtrian culture and cuisine, these staples can be found in various Indian cities, at street shops and even in restaurants, but nothing equals the indulging experience of these quick-bites bought from a shack at Juhu beach.

Similar Articles

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

0 COMMENTS

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *