Lip-Smacking Delicacies of Indore
Indore – The commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh is also famously known as the “city of
foodies”. This name has been given to Indore because of its flavours; its
variety of chaats and a wide range of street food. Years back when I shifted to
Indore after marriage and having heard so much about the food here, I was all
agog to try it. And what better to commence the delicious food journey than the
quintessential Poha- Jalebi snack which is a ritual when it
comes to breakfast for the people of Indore.
The food of Indore is an amalgamation of Gujarati, Rajasthani and Maharashtrian cuisine. Yet it has a certain added uniqueness with its
different chutneys and sev, and a special spice - jeeravan, which makes it stand out in itself and shows that ‘Indoris’ are not just fond of their food, they are in love with it.
Also, Indore has heaven for those midnight hunger pangs – Sarafa Ratri
Bazaar! Foodie or not, this place is a must-visit for those who visit the city.
From tea and pakodas to chinese, a variety of sandwiches, juices, bhutte ka
kees, ice creams, sweetmeats, you name it and it is there.
Here is a list of certain lip-smacking dishes of Indore one should
definitely try.
POHA JALEBI:
Poha with jalebi sounds weird, right? It did to me too when I first heard
it. But this most popular breakfast of Indore is surely a match made in
heaven. A blend of sweet, juicy, crunchy jalebi and salty, tangy poha topped
with sev is sure to take your taste buds for a whole new joy ride. This dish is
the best example of flavour fusion.
BHUTTE KA KEES:
When I first saw this dish, I found it quite similar to
a Gujarati dish called makai no chevdo, but the typical taste of this dish
proved that it is definitely Indori. Made from boiled and
grated corn, cooked in ghee and topped with hing, desiccated coconut,
coriander, a dash of lime and other spices, this dish is sure to satisfy all your
spice cravings.
SABUDANA KHICHDI:
Yes, the very sabudana khichdi which is prepared in
every household during a fast. So, how
does it taste different is exactly what occurred to me. And I had to give it a
try. Like many other dishes, the unique flavour of this simple dish had the
taste of Indore all sprinkled over it. Soaked sabudana or sago when steamed and topped
with spices, namkeen, fried green chilli and lemon juice simply does not
restrict itself to typical “upvaas ka khana”, but makes it one of the tastiest
and the healthiest food of Indore.
GARADU:
Come winter and people of Indore go all crazy over this
dish. Garadu is a kind of yam, very similar to ratalu of Rajasthan. Almost
every local food stall sells hot garadu in winter. The chopped root after being
double fried is tossed in a spice mixture and topped with lemon juice. This
crispy flavour bomb can surely give fries a run for its money. A perfect snack
to warm your soul on a chilly winter evening.
JOHNNY HOT DOG:
“This is not a hot dog!!” was my reaction when I saw this snack. It can be called an amalgamation of a burger and a sandwich. My opinion: don’t try to figure out what category it belongs to, just lose yourself in the taste.
A crispy vegetable patty, mutton patty or a spicy
omelette is placed between pav which is then shallow fried in butter and served
with sliced onions, ketchup and green chutney. The hot dog has been running around
for decades before the food chains hit the city and still remains one of the
favourites of the youngsters of Indore.
DAL BAFLA:
Dal bafla of Indore can be called an improvisation of
the famous dal bati of Rajasthan. Instead of deep-frying the flour balls like
the bati, the bafla are baked and then drizzled with ghee. The restaurants here serve dal bafla along with kadhi, gatta sabzi, aloo sabzi, two types of
chutney, rice and of course the churma.
The first time I ordered dal bafla I was stunned at the
quantity served in one plate. Just a single takeaway box of the dish is more than
sufficient for three adults. Stuff yourself with this dish and then enjoy the
ghee induced drowsiness. A perfect meal for the holidays.
JALEBA:
No that is not some typo but it indeed is called
‘jaleba’ because of the size of this jalebi. It is the humongous version of the
jalebi. This jalebi is so huge that it is almost impossible for a single person
to finish the whole thing. This crunchy, syrupy delight is like a meal and dessert rolled into one. Must-try sweet heaven for those who are always on the lookout to satisfy their
sweet tooth cravings.
MAWA BATI:
Make way for the big brother of Gulab Jamun. Yes,
like many others I also confused mawa bati with gulab jamun but when tasted the
two are different as once again Indoris have customised a traditional sweet
into a variant. This melt in the mouth mawa bati is smooth and soft on the
outside and filled with crispy nuts on the inside. Another must-have dish
for all those sweet lovers out there.
SHIKANJI:
First time I went to have shikanji I expected it to be
the quintessential lemon drink made with soda. But it was nothing similar to
that. The Indore shikanji is made with thick, flavoured yoghurt mixed with
sugar, dry fruits, saffron, etc. One glass of shikanji is sure to satisfy the hunger
pangs any time of the day.
It can be undeniably said that Indore is a treasure trove for the foodies and those who have still not experienced the food culture here have definitely missed out on something wonderful in life.
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