Evolution is part of growing up. But have you ever heard of food & the evolution theory of food? You haven’t? Right. Well come to Kolkata & see the amazing food culture prevalent in the streets. It is nothing short of marvellous. From a very limited variety of traditional food that made the streets teeming with the vendors in the 80’s Kolkata today has everything in the streets including Chinese & even continental cuisine .
Go to any street corner of Kolkata & you will spot people of all age groups having their fill. Right from regular office goers, to small time businessmen to the uniformed school kids, there is sumptuous fare for all. The crispy bhelpuri, jhal muri, puchkas flatter the student palate while the older ones cannot resist the chowmein, ghooogni , chop & other variety of irresistible delights.
The BBD baghia is one huge carpet peopled with street food vendors dishing out their amazing fare right in front of you. Rest assured,the food lives up to all the expectations of yummy-ness you could think of, but importantly, for those given to chronic health worries it also meets the standard fare in hygiene.
Check out the spicy Chana-Jor-Garam concocted by expert hands in Gandhi Topis & you will know why womenfolk can never have enough of it. Chana (groundnuts) embellished with Chilli powder & lime is the favourite with all the housewives, students & working women.
Tibetan treats like the Momo & the Thupka are also the flavour of the season in the streets of Kolkatta. The Momo is a dumpling from Tibet in which the Kolkata version has replaced the Yak with the chicken & even vegetables.
The Thupka, a variety of noodle soup in both the vegetarian & non-vegetarian makes it popular across the board.
Stroll onto the Russell Street for delightful Vegetarian & Egg rolls, Chops & the much-loved Ghugni, a mix of ginger, chillies & lime to make your day.
Camac Street has it all. Batata puris, papri chat,moong dal vadas served with Garlic chutney & a slew of other preparations to leave you thrilled with choice & flavour.
You could hardly do without fish once you are in Kolkata. The Bengalis absolutely adore their marine variety. The sheer assortment of fish the Kolkatan’s delight in is astonishing, thanks to the numerous rivers in Bengal. The streets of Bengal are home to some fine fish preparations with Fish Chop, Fish finger, Fish cutlet topping the list. Fish are stewed, steamed or braised to offer an extraordinary fare.
The Moghlai Paratha is one hot favourite in Kolkata. It is served with a variety of sauces, salads & the mouth-watering Dum Aloo to give it a well-rounded feel. Potato, keema, minced meet are used in stuffing the Moghlai Paratha to give it that flavourful dash everyone has come to be mad about.
The over one hundred & thirty year old Chaca’s Hotel unleashes some mean fowl cutlet & mutton chop. Revered Indian freedom-fighter Subash Chandra Bose, to the leading spiritual Guru Swami Vivekanad have graced the Chacha’s in their times.
No place on the map could stuff you up for less than 10 Rupees with regular meal fare like Rice, Dal & Sabzi except the City Of Joy, Kolkata.
Kolkata is also referred to as the “Gastronomical Capital of India” by many & it is easy to see why. Where else will you see food-lovers even during non-regular food hours relishing a bite or two in the streets, but in Kolkata.
You will witness absolute parity restored on the streets in Kolkata where MNC executives stand along with daily paid labourers for their preferred food slaking the fire in their stomach or delighting their ever active taste buds.
Last but not the least is the perennial favourite Bengali Dessert saga including the Rasgulla & Mishti Dohi that makes the Kolkata Streets a virtual food lover’s Eden.
We love it as much as you will.
Mother's Recipe 