Country: India     
The high: The discovery of several new and delicious dishes. 
The low: You’re hard-pressed to find the majority of the food in India at a restaurant in Canada, so take it all in while you’re there! 

A month-long trip to India was exposure to new Indian dishes, especially those at stalls on the streets in cities, towns, and even outside of the airports. The majority of the dishes on India’s streets won’t be found in restaurants so it’s a different style of cuisine, but either way, get used to eating with your hands. 

Street stalls usually begin serving in the middle of the afternoon, and they’re open well into the evening. Each one specializes in something specific, so you’ll have to shop around if you want to sample a variety of things. Although India has a bad reputation for foreigners getting sick or having stomach issues, it can’t all be attributed to the food, so you might as well eat your way around the country. It’s rare to find meat options on the streets making India the perfect destination for vegetarians. Keep to the stalls that have more customers because that means that locals are eating there and that the food is fresher.

After numerous eating expeditions in Mumbai, Rajasthan, and Kerala, the below street foods are the ones that stick out as favourites: 

Frankie
This wrap hails from Mumbai as a regular staple in the city’s streets. It comes tightly packaged up, making it one of the easier and cleaner things to eat on a food crawl. The Masala Frankie is the classic one – it’s made with ground up potatoes, vegetables , spices and herbs all wrapped into a thin flatbread. The filling is velvety and flavourful, but certain recipes are spicier than others. There’s also the option to get a saucy chicken filling or crunchier vegetables in a Chinese marinade. 

Maggi
These are essentially instant Asian noodles cooked with Indian spices in a wok. The bare-bones version is the noodles with spices, but you can add vegetables, eggs, or meat if you want it to be heavier. The seasoning with the spices is what makes this dish addicting. 

Vada Pav
This mini-burger has a pattie made from fried potato and spices. It’s the same size as a slider in Canada, but it’s vegetarian and usually has a spice kick to it. It’s easy and quick to eat on the go, and you can doctor up the taste with chutneys. 

Aloo Tikki
This is an unexpected treat – patties made from potatoes are fried and then smashed to make for smaller pieces then topped with a chickpea and tomato sauce. They make everything in front of your eyes, and the sauce can be hot at first, so you might have to wait a couple of long minutes! 

Dahi Puri
These bite-size shells are stuffed with a yogurt filling that contrasts the crunchy exterior. You’ll likely want to order a couple because they’re so easy to eat, and are lighter than several other street food options in India. 

Masala Dosa
Hailing from the state of Kerala, a dosa is a big fried crepe stuffed with a curried potato mix. It’s filling, and usually doesn’t cost much, so it’s a good bang for your buck if you’ve got the appetite. Since they’re so large, it’s one of the more difficult street foods to eat without making a mess, but it’s worth every bite. 

Momos
These dumplings are all over India’s street food scene, but you’re lucky if you find a filling different from vegetables, which usually consists of seasoned cabbage. This being said, it’s a safe and reliable treat to grab and go while you’re exploring the country. 

Samosa
Samosas are a more common sight in Canada, but they taste nothing like the ones in India that keep you craving more for days due to the freshness and spice mixtures. Although they taste different at each stall, the ingredients always remain the same: potatoes, onions, peas, and spices. The Indian varieties don’t have meat the majority of the time.  

Lassi 
A beverage that everyone should have the privilege of enjoying once in their lifetime. It’s usually consumed at the end of a meal to replace dessert, so make sure to keep room for it. It has a smoothie-esque texture because it’s a blended drink made with fruit, yogurt, and water. Go for the mango lassi! 

Now you’re ready to eat your way around the streets of India! 

Travel with you soon, 

Andrea