A Tourist’s Guide to Indian Street Foods

Street food is simply food that is prepared, sold and served along the side of a road, or on the street, and thus has become known as street food. It is often cooked and served from portable stalls. Street food is common in many countries, including India.

Indian street food is something that foreign travelers to India shouldn’t miss, for several reasons. First of all, street food is simply a way of life in India, and partaking of it is a great way to experience a bit of Indian life in the same way that the locals do. Secondly, Indian street food is delicious, and easy to find. Simply walk up any busy street in India (as well as some not so busy ones) and you’ll be sure to find local vendors cooking up delicious food. Finally, Indian street food is very inexpensive, and so it’s a great thing for budget travelers, or anyone who wants to tight wad on a meal here or there. Read on to learn about common Indian street foods and how to stay safe while buying food from street vendors in India.

Some Popular Indian Street Food

Pakora

Vegetables that have been dipped in a batter made with chickpea flour, and deep fried. Pakora is often served with cilantro chutney.

Dosas

Dosas are a very thin, crepe-like pancake that are stuffed with a spicy potato mixture.

Samosas

Samosas are pastries that are stuffed with vegetables, dal or in some cases meat. They are shaped like a cone, and as is the case with a lot of Indian street food, deep fried.

Jalebis

Jalebis are deep fried, Indian sweets. From a looks perspective, they remind me of funnel cakes, but have a distinctly Indian taste.

Indian Street Food Safety

Although Indian street food is delicious and inexpensive, there is a downside: you might get sick eating it. Fortunately, India is cracking down on hygiene when it comes to Indian street food, but the standards are still often not quite up to snuff from an American perspective. Therefore, it is important to take care when eating street food in India.

Here are a few tips for eating Indian food without developing tummy troubles:

• Choose to eat at places that are busy. If Indian people are lining up to buy the street food, chances are it is good. Still, the Indian stomach may be more used to eating such foods, so a crowded stall, though a good sign, is only the first thing to consider.

• Pay more attention to the cooks, than to the condition of the stall. For instance, the stall may be pretty battered and worn by American standards, so don’t be put off by the looks of the stall itself. Instead, pay close attention to the cooks. Their clothing should be relatively clean. It may be spattered with food, but shouldn’t be otherwise dirty.

• Take a look at the cook’s fingernails. Clean fingernails are a sign of good hygiene, and since they are handling the food with their bare hands, you want to make sure to purchase the food from a street vendor who has taken care to wash his hands, and cleaned his nails.