Veggieheadonline.com Travelogue:

Food for the Gods: India

by: Marjorie Asturias-Lochlaer

The train chugs along at a steady pace, sliding smoothly over the tracks and snaking through the southern Indian countryside. As it approaches a station, we catch a glimpse of a dozen or so dark-limbed, wiry teenage boys poised expectantly at the platform’s edge. Barely has the train come to a stop when the station explodes into the railway equivalent of a feeding frenzy.

“Only ten minutes!”

 The conductor’s friendly warning rings in my ears as I dash to the nearest food vendor. He deftly pours a dollop of lentil sauce into a small bowl, wraps four disks of fried bread in newspaper, and hands the lot to a heavy-set Sikh beside me. I point to a pan sizzling with bhajas and yell over the din, “Ten rupees!” Nodding silently, he presents me with another newspaper cone filled with three potato fritters as I give him a ten-rupee note in exchange. Hopping back onto the train, I return to my seat to share the bounty with my traveling companion.

 Say what you will about India’s street fare, but for my money, you can’t get food tastier than samosas fresh from a roving vendor’s pan. Travelers often cite “food” as one of the best things about visiting India, and with good reason – a staggering array of cuisines await the hungry tourist, as the diversity of Indian food encompasses all manner of dishes, from the piping hot momos of Himalayan India in the north, to the tongue-searing xacuti found in Goa in the tropical south.

Mention street food to the wary visitor, however, and the most likely response will be a hand clutching the stomach in mock distress. To most travelers, street food represents all that is bad about the subcontinent: a strange cocktail of spices, far too much oil, and God-knows-what bacteria marinating over an exposed fire. In short, it’s the one thing in India that must be Avoided At All Costs.

 What a pity.

  As in most corners of Asia, vegans will face some challenges searching for suitable foods, as ghee and all manner of dairy products are common ingredients in many dishes. However, even some cursory research and a bit of patience can pay off dividends when searching for vegan meals. Street food in particular can be an educational experience, as much it is often cooked right before one’s eyes, reassuring one not only of the freshness of the dish but also the ingredients that went into it.

 As anyone who has even the most rudimentary knowledge of India knows, India can be a mind-altering experience, and the intrepid traveler would be well-advised to leave her expectations on the airplane upon arrival, as they’re almost certainly going to be dashed. There is, however, one reassuring constant to every journey throughout this vast subcontinent: no matter where you are or where you go, you’ll never go hungry.

Street Treats, Cheap Eats

 

Tourists in India expecting the usual fare found in restaurants back home will be disappointed. Plenty of curries can be found in just about any hole-in-the-wall, but for a real treat, try the multitude of dishes that never quite make it to menus overseas. Street food will definitely fit the bill. Why not sample a handful of crunchy daal (lentils) mixed with a healthy dash of masala (spice blend)? While waiting for your next train, let your nostrils do the walking and follow the heady aroma of pakoras bubbling in a wok of hot oil. Need a bit of liquid refreshment? Water (bottled or filtered!) is a must, but for something different, try a glass of steaming chai from the chai- wallah . Usually, you only have to listen for the wandering tenor droning “chaaaaiiii” to find him. On boiling hot days, watch for the vendors hawking fresh juices, although you might want to be a bit more careful and follow the crowds with these.

 

Listed below are some of the more popular street foods that can be found in most cities and towns throughout India . For simplicity’s sake, the term “street food” refers to the snacks found in train stations as well.

 

SAMOSA . Frequent diners at Indian restaurants will recognize this ubiquitous favorite. Deep fried, triangular pastries filled with vegetables and spiked with a generous pinch of masala, samosas may not necessarily be vegetarian, but those containing meat are relatively rare on street stalls and platform carts.

BHAJA . Round vegetable fritters served with a small helping of chili sauce. The vendor often fries a fresh batch for each customer, ensuring not only a safe snack but a deliriously delicious one as well.

PAKORA . Similar to samosas, these are round fritters made of garam flour and vegetables. An infinite variety of vegetables can be used to make pakoras, with potatoes being a popular choice.

PURI . Disks of puffy dough deep-fried and eaten with sauces, stews or vegetables. Often found in train stations and included with thalis (set meals) served on trains.

IDLI . Fermented Indian rice cake, usually served with chutneys or sambar (daal and vegetable stew) on the side.

NANKHATIE . Mildly sweet and more similar to biscuits than American-style cookies, these can also be found in bakeries and confectionary shops.

DOSA . Crispy, wafer-thin crepes of daal and fermented rice flour. Some regional variations may include thicker dosas, as well as some kind of stuffing, but all are usually served with sambar and chutneys.

LASSI . More common in train stations, these yogurt drinks will be familiar to patrons of Indian restaurants abroad. Sweet or savory, lassis refresh the palate and cool the burning tongue. Street vendors will usually have these in sealed plastic bags fresh from the refrigerator that they’ll tear open for you and provide you with a straw.

CHAI . No visit to India would be complete without at least one glass of chai. Milky and sweet, chai can be found at nearly every train station, restaurant, and market throughout India. Be careful when you take your first sip, however: it’s likely to be scalding hot!

MASALA SODAS . Drink stalls throughout India carry this delightfully cold beverage. A freshly opened bottle of lime soda blended with sugar, salt and spices, it’s the ideal thirst-quencher on an Indian summer afternoon.

 This list is by no means exhaustive –

Indian street vendors sell an enormous variety of snacks and drinks that will satisfy just about any craving a person may have. In addition, the budget traveler will be pleased to find street food to be the best value for one’s money. The price of admission to India ’s most colorful and imaginative banquet is often just a handful of rupees. So swallow your inhibitions, fire up your taste buds, and dive right in. There’s no better way to experience the wonder that is India.

 

A Friendly Word of Caution

 

While I highly recommend that travelers to India try the street food, one should always take precautions to safeguard against the possibility of contracting “ Delhi belly.” Most tourists will be able to get away with just a mild case of the runs, but even a minor illness can wreak havoc on one’s holiday. Common sense and a careful eye towards the vendor’s hygienic practices will go a long way towards increasing one’s chances of maintaining good health.

 

The usual precautions apply: never consume uncooked fruits or vegetables unless you peeled them yourself. Drink only bottled water and plenty of it. It’s available everywhere in India, and I highly recommend using this water not only for drinking but also for brushing your teeth. Make sure the seal has not been tampered with prior to purchase. Eat in restaurants popular with tourists and locals alike, and avoid those that have few or no patrons. Try to eat lightly the first few days after arrival, to allow your digestive system to accommodate itself to this new cuisine.  

 

If you do find yourself under the weather while in India, don’t hesitate to go to the hospital. Contact the concierge of a major hotel nearby to obtain a recommendation for a physician or hospital accustomed to treating foreigners, or call your local consulate for advice. If you find yourself falling sick in a more far-flung area, ask the locals where the nearest Western-style hospital is located.

 

Fortunately, India has an excellent system of modern medical care, with very inexpensive over-the-counter and prescription medications available at chemist shops/pharmacies throughout the country. English is commonly spoken throughout most areas, particularly in the larger cities.

 

Marjorie Asturias-Lochlaer is a freelance writer. She lives in Dallas, Texas, with her vegetarian photographer-husband, Brian Lochlaer, but has spent considerable time living and working overseas. She loves to travel and is currently writing a book about her backpacking journey with her husband through Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia following September 11, 2001.

 

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