Street Food Habit in Kolkata – How is healthy ?
Street food is an integral part of Kolkata’s vibrant culinary culture, offering a wide variety of flavors that reflect the city’s diverse history and tastes. Here are some key street food habits and popular dishes in Kolkata:
### 1. **Variety of Street Foods:**
– **Phuchka:** Known as pani puri or golgappa in other parts of India, phuchka is a must-try in Kolkata. The crispy hollow puris filled with a spicy, tangy tamarind water and mashed potato mixture are a favorite snack.
– **Kathi Rolls:** Invented in Kolkata, these rolls consist of paratha (a type of flatbread) filled with various ingredients like egg, chicken, mutton, or paneer, along with onions and sauces.
– **Jhalmuri:** A spicy puffed rice mixture with mustard oil, peanuts, chopped onions, green chilies, and sometimes boiled potatoes. It’s a quick, flavorful snack loved by locals.
– **Ghugni Chaat:** Made from dried yellow peas, ghugni is cooked with spices and served with chopped onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and tamarind sauce. It’s a popular street food that can be eaten as a snack or light meal.
– **Telebhaja:** Deep-fried fritters made from vegetables like potatoes, eggplant, or onions. Telebhaja is often enjoyed with a cup of tea, especially during the monsoon season.
– **Mughlai Paratha:** A rich, stuffed paratha filled with minced meat, egg, and spices, often served with spicy potato curry or chutney.
### 2. **Habits and Culture:**
– **Tea Stalls:** Tea, or “cha,” is a significant part of Kolkata’s street food culture. Small tea stalls dot the city, serving steaming cups of tea in clay cups, often accompanied by biscuits or snacks like telebhaja.
– **Biryani:** Though traditionally not considered street food, biryani stalls are common in Kolkata. The Kolkata biryani, distinct with its use of potatoes and eggs, is often enjoyed as a hearty street-side meal.
– **Breakfast on the Go:** Many people in Kolkata grab breakfast from street vendors, with items like luchi (deep-fried bread) with aloo dum (spicy potato curry), kochuri (stuffed bread), and cholar dal (Bengal gram lentil curry) being popular.
– **Evening Snacking:** Evening time is prime for street food. People from all walks of life gather around food stalls for a quick snack, making street food an essential part of the city’s social fabric.
– **Festivals and Street Food:** During festivals like Durga Puja, the street food scene in Kolkata becomes even more lively, with special items like rolls, chops, and various sweets being in high demand.
### 3. **Affordability and Accessibility:**
– **Affordable Prices:** Street food in Kolkata is relatively inexpensive, making it accessible to a wide range of people, from students and office workers to tourists and locals.
– **Widespread Availability:** Street food vendors can be found in almost every neighborhood, near markets, offices, schools, and tourist spots, ensuring that delicious food is always within reach.
### 4. **Influence of Cultures:**
– **Anglo-Indian Influence:** Some street foods, like the kathi roll and certain bakery items, have roots in Anglo-Indian cuisine.
– **Bengali Influence:** Traditional Bengali flavors dominate many street food items, such as the use of mustard oil, spices like panch phoron, and ingredients like fish.
– **Chinese Influence:** Kolkata’s Chinatown has contributed to the popularity of Indo-Chinese street food, with dishes like chow mein, momos, and chili chicken being widely available.
Street food in Kolkata is more than just a way to satisfy hunger—it’s a cultural experience that connects people to the city’s history, traditions, and the daily rhythm of life.
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