A wise man once said, ”there is no sincerer love, than the love of food”. What if you were to find a place that is so overwhelmingly full of food that a visit here is no less than a pilgrimage!
Indore – a place that brings together the flavours of Gujrat, the earthiness of Rajasthan, some ingredients from Maharashtra and adds its own punch to it. Be it the famous ‘Chappan Dukaan’ or the ever-lit night food street of Sarafa Bazaar, it is a year-long crazy food festival here.
So here’s bringing to you a list of ‘must have’ delicacies whenever you are in Indore next.
- Poha – Jalebi
The city wakes up to this unlikely combination of these diametrically opposite partners. While anywhere else in India you might cringe at having Jalebis for breakfast, Indoris swear by their Poha-Jalebi. The poha is sightly sweet, served with boondi, sev (salted crispies) a dash of lemon and the legendary ‘jeeravan’ (spices) which brings to it the characteristic taste. The sweet and succulent jalebis work as the best accompaniments as well.
Where to find – Young taran at Chappan Dukaan
2. Batla Kachori
While you might find numerous varieties of kachoris here including dal (lentil) and pyaaz (onion) ki kachori, this one is specifically found only in Indore. Served as a chat along with sweet and sour chutneys, it is quite an explosion of flavours. Fun fact – it gets this interesting name from its shape.
Where to eat – Vijay chat house, Sarafa Bazaar
3. Batla Pattice
Where to find – Vijay Chaat House, Sarafa Bazaar
4. Garadu
What looks like a potato is a delusion though. A chat made out of the Yam root is fondly named as Garadu here. Fried to perfection, topped with spices, chillies, the special garadu masala and lemon juice, it is served piping hot and is quite a crowd puller.
Where to find: On pushcarts on Sarafa
5. Sabudana Khichdi
Borrowing the main ingredient form Maharashtra, Indore gives this ‘upvas faral’ a whole new twist. You will find it being served as chat (yes these people swear by the tangy taste) topped with Indore’s favourite sev, lots of lemon juice, your choice of crisps ( chips, boondi etc) and a handful of coriander. Not to forget the fried chilli on top!
Where to find: Rambaug or pushcarts on Sarafa
6. Johny Hot Dog
World famous in Indore, Johny hot dog is by far the most crowded joint on any morning. Why is it called a hot dog? well, I might have to visit Indore again to find that out. For now, I can tell you that they serve some appetizing banjos and burgers with vegetarian and egg options. What has worked for them through years is the unbeatable service and extremely affordable pricing.
Where to find: Chappan Dukaan
7. Bhutte ka kees
While you walk the streets of Indore you realize how experimental this city is with their food. Another fun exploration is this savoury made out of grated corn. The traditional ‘bhutte ka kees’ is made of grated corn fried in butter along with some spices and a little milk for its creamy texture. But there is stopping these foodies, hence there are these fusion options of mixing this with potato tikki or chole chaat. My recommendation would be to keep them separate.
Where to find: pushcarts on Sarafa, samosa corner on Sarafa
8. Pan varieties ( reccomendation – Butterscoth and ice pan)
Do yourself a favour and try some of these rare flavours in the pan.
Where to find – Chappan Dukaan(corner) or a shop opposite young tarang.
That’s that guys, there is only so much food that one blog ( and one tummy) can stomach.
Anything I have missed out? Share in the comments below and be nice to a co- foodie!
