Diverse desi delights

The small outlets serving authentic North Indian food have become increasingly popular with residents of the city.

June 17, 2015 06:40 pm | Updated 06:40 pm IST

Street food is becoming increasingly popular in the city.

Street food is becoming increasingly popular in the city.

They may not be as fancy as the ritzy restaurants with nattily dressed waiters on hand to pamper customers, but when it comes to a dedicated clientele, the roadside kiosks serving sizzling hot chaats are second to none. The crowd milling around them braving searing heat and pelting rain vouch for their popularity.

The city known for embracing different cultures and lifestyles has never shied away from the accompanying culinary delights either. So, paav bhaaji and theeka ya meetha pani puri now belong as much to the people of this city as the North Indians settled here.

Ajay, a resident of Madhya Pradesh, is one of the many beneficiaries of the growing demand for chaat in the city. “I have been here for 13 years and the most sought after snack is samosa chaat,” he says even as he dishes out more of it at his stall at Pipeline in Thrikkakara. These stalls teem with people once the office and school hours are over. “It’s not just North Indians who come here but there are many native customers and most of them are workers and students,” says Prem Singh, who runs a stall at Vyttila junction.

And it’s not just students, but these delicacies are a big draw even among parents who keep dropping in at these stalls. “It is refreshing to taste something different now and then,” explains Midhun, a businessman, who does not mind bringing his family along whenever he has time to spare in the evenings.

For Sanjay, another frequent customer, there are two things that hook him to these delicacies. “We get delectable snacks at a cheap price and it is fun to watch the speed with which they prepare these items.”. Manu, a die hard fan of chaats , marvels at the different flavours in which a single item is served to suit each customer’s taste.

Even rain does not hamper the business of these vendors. Arjun, a vendor at K.K Road in Kadavanthra said that he clocks a “fair sale” even during rainy days as he hardly ever has to return with unsold items. For those who love to taste chaat but are averse to having it in the open, there are shops selling authentic varieties in a more comfortable and relaxed environment

Quick Snacks is one such shop at Kadavanthra that has been serving a variety of delicacies for the last five years. “Our highlight is masala chai which we usually get only in Mumbai while Mumbai vada paav is the most sought after. Malayalis are the most frequent visitors and they seem to enjoy what we have to offer,” says Pinky, who runs the shop. She brings the ingredients from Mumbai once in a month in order to attain a genuine flavour.

It is this authentic taste that draws in the likes of Deepthi, who is from Mumbai and often longs for delicacies from home. The good hygiene maintained at such shops is another factor that encourages Simi to drop in with her two kids.

“I don’t have to worry about cleanliness as the food here is authentic. These snacks are freshly prepared at their homes,” she said.

Chaats have sneaked into the household menu as well. “We often include pani puris in our dinner as guests seem to enjoy them,” says Geetha Suresh, who runs a paying guest facility at Thrikkakara. These days vendors keep their stalls open late into night, as there are many takers for the sizzling hot samosa chaat and pani puris among those returning from late night movies.

With all the interest city residents have in them, it is no wonder stalls serving these delicacies have come to dot its landscape.

(With inputs from Thamanna Abdul, Latheef C. and Amritha)

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