10 Best Indian Street Food & 3 Unique Recipes Must Try

India is renowned for its vibrant and diverse street food culture, where you can find a range of delicious and mouth-watering dishes that are sure to tantalize your taste buds. From spicy chaats to savory snacks and sweet treats, Indian street food offers a unique culinary experience that is not to be missed. 

Here are 10 of the best Indian street food dishes and recipes that you must try now.

Pav Bhaji

This Mumbai favorite is a must-try for all street food lovers. It consists of a spicy vegetable curry, made with mashed vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, and peas, served with buttered pav buns.

Pani Puri

Also known as golgappas or puchkas, these crispy, hollow puris are filled with spicy potato and chickpea mixture and then dunked into tangy and spicy tamarind water.

Dahi Puri

A variation of pani puri, dahi puri is a popular street food dish in Western India. It consists of crispy puris filled with a mixture of potatoes, chickpeas, and yogurt, topped with a sweet and tangy tamarind chutney.

Vada Pav

Often referred to as the Indian burger, vada pav is a popular street food snack in Mumbai. It consists of a deep-fried potato dumpling, known as vada, sandwiched between two slices of pav bread and served with spicy chutney.

Samosas

A classic Indian street food snack, samosas are deep-fried pastries filled with spiced potatoes and peas and served with tangy tamarind chutney.

Bhel Puri

A savory snack that is popular across India, bhel puri is a mixture of puffed rice, vegetables, and chutneys, tossed together to create a sweet and spicy chaat.

Aloo Tikki

Aloo tikki is a popular street food snack made with mashed potatoes, spices, and herbs, shaped into patties, and then deep-fried until crispy and golden brown.

Chole Bhature

A popular dish from North India, chole bhature consists of spicy chickpeas served with fluffy deep-fried bread, known as bhature.

Jalebi

A sweet and crispy dessert, jalebi is made by deep-frying a flour batter into spiral shapes, and then soaked in sugar syrup, which gives it a sweet and tangy flavor.

Kulfi

A traditional Indian ice cream, kulfi is made with condensed milk and flavored with cardamom, saffron, and other spices. It is served in small clay pots and is a perfect dessert to cool down on a hot summer day.

The Recipe For Top 3 Indian Street Food

Certainly, here are the recipes for the top 3 Indian street food dishes:

1. Pav Bhaji Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup green peas
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 teaspoons pav bhaji masala
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• Salt to taste
• 8 pav buns
• Butter for toasting

Instructions:

Boil the potatoes and cauliflower in a pot of water until they are soft. Drain and mash them together. In a separate pan, heat the oil and sauté the onions and garlic until they are translucent.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they are soft. Add the mashed potato and cauliflower mixture, along with the peas, pav bhaji masala, red chili powder, cumin powder, and salt. Mix well and cook for 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the pav buns with some butter. Serve the bhaji with the toasted pav buns. If you want to twist the recipe, then you can add dorito dip at the side of the plate.

2. Pani Puri Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup semolina (suji)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (maida)
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep frying
• 1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes
• 1/2 cup boiled chickpeas
• 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1/4 cup tamarind chutney
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• 1/4 cup mint-coriander chutney
• 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala
• 1/4 teaspoon black salt (Kala namak)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions:

To make the puris, mix together the semolina, flour, and salt. Add enough water to make a stiff dough. Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into small balls and roll them out into thin circles. Cut the circles into small rounds. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Fry the puris until they are crispy and puffed. To make the filling, mix together the mashed potatoes, boiled chickpeas, onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves, red chili powder, roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, black salt, and regular salt.

To assemble the pani puri, make a small hole in the center of each puri. Fill the puris with the filling mixture. Add the tamarind chutney and mint-coriander chutney to a large bowl of water. Dip each filled puri into the water, and then pop it into your mouth. Serve with lemon wedges.

3. Vada Pav Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 4 potatoes, peeled and boiled
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1/2 cup gram flour (besan)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• Oil for deep frying
• 4 pav buns
• Butter for toasting
• Green chut

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, mash the boiled potatoes. Add minced garlic, ginger paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, and chopped coriander leaves to the mashed potatoes. Mix well.

In another mixing bowl, add gram flour, baking soda, salt, and water to make a batter. Mix well until it becomes smooth. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Make small balls of the potato mixture and flatten them slightly.

Dip each flattened ball into the gram flour batter to coat it well. Gently slide the coated balls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Remove the fried vada from the oil and place them on paper towels to remove excess oil.

To assemble the vada pav, slice the pav bun horizontally in the middle and apply some green chutney on one side of the pav bun. Place one vada in the middle of the pav bun and press it lightly. Serve hot with some more green chutney on the side.

These three recipes are among the most popular Indian street food dishes and are loved by millions of people across the country. They are easy to make at home and require only a few simple ingredients. So, if you’re feeling adventurous, give them a try and enjoy the delicious flavors of India.

In Conclusion

Indian street food is not just a meal but an experience that offers a glimpse into the country’s rich culture and traditions. With its unique blend of spices, flavors, and textures, street food has become a favorite of people across the globe. 

Whether you are a food lover or an adventure seeker, these 10 best street food dishes will take you on a culinary journey that you won’t forget. So, the next time you visit India, make sure to try these dishes and immerse yourself in the world of Indian street food.