Food plays a significant role in showcasing the culture of India. But there is one place foodies would never miss going, the largest city of Madhya Pradesh and the food capital of India: Indore.
Indore lays out a variety of street food with luscious, mouth-watering chaats, main course and desserts. We have laid out 14 best dishes from Indore you definitely should try when you visit the place!
1. Poha-Jalebi
For the people of Indore, having Poha-Jalebi for breakfast is like a tradition. Poha is a type of beaten rice cooked with onions, peanuts and spices. Although poha is a breakfast item for different regions of India, in Indore it is topped with namkeen and served with a unique combination called jalebi. This dish creates a burst of sweet-spicy flavour in your mouth and keeps you full for long!
2. Khopra patties
Khopra patties are an interesting version of aloo tikkis with coconut stuffing. These patties are deep-fried until crispy and golden brown on the outside and soft, cushy on the inside. Served with a spicy-tangy chutney alongside.
3. Khatta Samosa
Khatta samosa is the lavish version of the existing Indian snack with potato filling. Khatta samosa is much tangier in taste owing to the addition of pomegranate mixed with potato. It is served with sweet-sour tamarind chutney. Swadisht samosa corner is a popular food stall serving khatta samosas and kachori.
4. Dahi vada
If you visit Indore, you cannot afford to miss its Dahi vadas! Deep-fried lentil balls soaked in thick plain yoghurt topped with spices, mint and sweet tamarind chutney make it appetizing street food. Joshi Dahi bada house is one of the oldest and the popular restaurants serving these delicious Dahi vadas!
5. Bhutte ki kees
Bhutte ki kees is a unique speciality of this special city. Bhutta is basically sweet corn in Hindi and kees means ‘grated’ in Marathi. In Indore, bhutte ki tees is a popular street food where corn is boiled, crumbled and mashed topping it with lemon, spices and gram flour and is ultimately fried. Bhutte ki kees is popularly eaten in winters as it keeps you warm and full for a long time.
6. Hot dog
For non-vegetarians, Indore’s famous hot dogs are heavenly! Johnny hot dogs is a popular restaurant which is as old as 50 years serving piping potato, chicken and mutton hot dogs. Unlike traditional American hot dogs, Indore’s hot dogs are more of a burger-sandwich-style served with sliced onions and spicy mint chutney. You cannot have just one!
7. Kulfi-Falooda
All the sweet lovers, we have a must-try dessert for you! Kulfi-falooda is eaten in almost all parts of India and it never gets old. Served in layers with sweet- spaghetti type noodles in the base, kulfi on the top and rooh-afza dripped on the top. This dessert meal looks palatable to the eyes and ravishing to the mouth. Make sure you have enough space to accommodate this jumbo meal!
8. Garadu chaat
Garadu chaat is a common yet delicious dish found in Indore. Garuda is the root of yam found in Madhya Pradesh. It is prepared by frying cubes of crispy yam and sauteing with spices found in the specific region. This dish is eaten as snacks or starters and found seasonally in winters yet, loved throughout the city!
9. Jaleba
Most of you might be wondering if this is a typo but let me clarify, this dish is actually called Jaleba. This is because of its huge size! Hence, this dish is eaten both as a dessert as well as a meal. Chappan Dukan in New Palasia serves warm and juicy jalebas which are not very expensive and becomes a must-try!
10. Indori Dal Bati
Also called daal bafla, Indori dal baati is prepared like the traditional Rajasthani dish, dal baati. Orange sized balls of wheat, curd and spices are baked till crispy, golden-brown and eaten with dal or kadhi. This meal is filling to the stomach and relishing to your taste-buds!
11. Gajak
As winters approach, people of Indore rush to stock up Gajaks in their home for the festive season. Indori gajak is a sweet, crispy and healthy snack. The nutritional value of this delicious sweet is very high as it is made of jaggery, peanuts, sesame seeds. Gajak is a traditional sweet served at the festival of Uttarayan in the month of January. A rich source of energy, gajak will put you into a good mood without having to worry so much about calories!
12. Moong Bhajiya
Moong bhajiyas are crispy lentil fried pastries deep-fried in the kadhai and served piping hot! Mouthwatering, isn’t it? Moong dal bhajiyas are popularly eaten as evening snacks or at breakfast along with a cup of chai. served with spicy-mint chutney and is a perfect snack for rainy days!
13. Sabudane ki khichdi
Sabudana is also known as tapioca seeds or sago and is extremely healthy and tasty. Being completely gluten-free and vegan, sabudana khichdi is amongst the popular food items eaten during the fasting period of navratri. Tossed with spices, peanuts and curry leaves, this dish might look simple but it is one of the most delicious ones! Perfect if you wanna stay on the diet and have something relishing.
14. Doodh pak
Doodh pak is an Indori version of milk cake and it is absolutely delicious! Popularly found in the streets of old Indore, this sweet is prepared from solidified milk made into barfis and topped with dry fruits like cashews and almonds. It is a luxurious mithai served at occasions or at festivals but you cannot resist having it every day!
Indore’s street bustle with all the kinds of food one could ever think of and surprisingly, the most underrated shops serve the tastiest dish! We recommend you to explore the street food of Indore and try out these above-mentioned dishes.
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