Living in Thailand we have got very used to being able to pick up snacks and meals on the street. In place of highstreets there are street markets and that suits me just fine!
India was all that and more; on buses and trains, people would pile on at every stop and walk through the aisles selling tea and snacks. Or often they’d just sell it through the window!
And the best thing? It was all vegetarian so I could eat EVERYTHING!
This food is so cheap that even on a tight travel budget, we feasted daily!
Here are a few of our favourites…
Samosas
Someone said to us that samosas are the national snack of India and in our experience they’re not wrong! You can’t go more than a hundred metres in most towns without spotting one. Tasty and cheaper than chips, they’re the perfect accompaniment to a cup of chai on a long train journey.
Chinese Bhel
A wonderful take on the popular bhel, we were told that this is local to Mumbai. It’s true that we didn’t see it anywhere else which was a shame because it beats the standard bhel hands down!
Puri
It seems that puri can mean many things but this is what we came to know it as. Crispy shells filled with lentils and sauce. Pop it in whole and enjoy the burst of flavour.
Kulle Chaat
I read about this on migrationology.com and searched the streets of Old Delhi until I found a hole in the wall selling it. Fruits and vegetables are hollowed out and filled with chickpeas, pomegranate seeds, lime juice and spices. It’s like nothing else we ate in India – a wonderful explosion of flavour that’s sweet, sour and spicy!
Chai
Technically not food but we drank gallons of the stuff so I thought it deserved a mention. From on the trains to high in the mountains and every street in between, you’ll find someone to serve you a cuppa. It’s the sweetest, milkiest (and weakest) tea you’ve ever had but the best ones are very well spiced.
(*As I was writing this a man walked past me selling tea and we bought a cup each. I DIDN’T EVEN HAVE TO MOVE!)
