Tasting the street flavours of Mumbai...

I have always felt, that to know a particular place and it's cuisine, it is very important to eat street food there! As much as we believe in hygiene, street food has the true colours, essence, flavours and taste of the local food available in any particular city or country. Do you all agree?

A typical street food "Tapri"

I am a die-hard fan of street food and gorging on all of it, was definitely on the top list on our Mumbai - Pune food trip . So, as soon as we reached home, we kept our bags, said hellos and hugs to parents and went to buy the ever-famous and tasty vada paav from " Vijay Snacks ". Owned by Vijay Salgaonkar, this place exists from the time i was a kid, and have always seen it over crowded. Having an open kitchen, this place serves vadas, dosas, samosas and have also started with their in-house drinks of Amla and kokum sharbat. Me and hubby are big fan of their vada-pav, especially the dry and wet chutney they serve along with and shamelessly ask for extra packets when we pack stuff home. The staff is courteous enough and they know me and my family by now, as we have been regulars since years!!

Located just 5 minutes from the Thane east railway station, this food-joint opposite Mangala High school is a must-visit for Vada pav, masala dosa and patti samosa. The Patti samosa they serve is stuffed with cooked poha. Crispy from outside and soft from inside, this makes a delicious snack and wholesome too.

Vijay Snacks is a great place to have breakfast on the way to office or if you want to have a take-away lunch. School/college students usually hang around the place making it their "Katta" ( a place where they can sit and chill around ), and sipping on some hot piping chai ( Hubby's favourite - udipi style ).

Being a true thane-kar, ( Thanaiite as you can say ), one would surely know about Mamledar Misal in Thane west! This is by far, the best Misal in Maharashtra ( Or i would even go to the extent of saying, best in the country ). This food joint was started (about 60 odd years back by Laxmi Seth) to serve the Thane Police Chowki and the staff of Mamledar's office ( hence the name!!! ) located just next to it and slowly became so famous that it is ever buzzing with people! Misal is one of our favourite road-side food and this oily, spicy yet delicious Mamledar Misal really gets you in that finger-licking mode ! We usually prefer "take-away", as sitting there and eating the "highly-spicy" misal gets you in sweats! They also serve chaas (buttermilk) which feels like a "drink from the heaven" after eating their misal. Ask for the spicy tari( gravy )among the three varieties served, if your tongue can bear eating hot food. I could never finish even a bite of the spicy tari, so i always opt for the medium one. And if you don't like spicy at all, go for the mild one served. Misal served with boiled potatoes ( like a sabzi ) is their trademark, and guess it makes it less spicy. At home, i also add a bit of curd to the misal, as at times, the medium tari also blows me out ! If you are having the misal there, ask for extra tari and keep relishing it with some extra paav, as they serve only 2 paav with the misal. 

Pav or Pao or Paav is a Portuguese word for bread and is distinctively found all over Maharashtra and Gujarat. I have always loved the Mumbai-Paav and since the time i have shifted to Delhi, i have missed eating it. Delhi Paav are like sweet buns as compared to Mumbai paav. So i definitely wanted to eat as much paav as possible when there! Pav bhaji is another yummyliscious, tasti-licious, drool-icious street food of Mumbai and i can eat it almost every alternate day! Juhu Beach in Mumbai is known to serve the best Khada Pav-Bhaji ( Whole vegetables sauteed in masala rather than mashing them ), but i love the mashed version better and one such "Pav-bhaji-wala" in our area is "Jay-ambe" who runs it on a thela ( Cart ). Running almost for over 20 years, this guy Pappu surely knows how to keep customers happy by adding dollops of butter and loads on onions ( yeah, even in those days of recession, and those  of onions burning a hole in the pocket). 

He also makes delicious tava pulao , but the pav bhaji is to die-for. Am sure you will come back for more ! Wearing a chef's apron, and run by 2 people, you can't help but stop at the thela, when the aromas hit your nose and you are transformed into a different "food-world" altogether.

Pav-Bhaji is surely one wholesome meal and we usually parcel it for dinner from him. The bhaji quantity he gives is good enough, so you will require extra paav's for sure! And all this only for Rs. 30-35! Now ain't that real cheap?

You cannot leave Mumbai without tasting the Panipuri which is another famous street food of Mumbai. A thela of pani puri would usually also serve dahi puri, sev puri, ragda pattice, and bhel. Writing all these names is getting my mouth watery. opularly known as "Chaat", it can be defined as : -

So you will usually see people licking all these tasty dishes to the last morsel, particularly the clientele being females :) I vouch for the tastiest dahi-puri at Hanuman in Gaon-devi area of Thane. A visit to thane west wouldn't be complete without dahi-puri at Hanuman. And they still serve some good chaat. But the place really gets crowded and you have to find your way through and at times, gets claustrophobic inside. So, the whole experience of eating "chaat" waves off. And so i prefer eating chaat at a thela in open. And i found the best pani-puri wala in thane east. The pani ( water ) he serves is so tasty that you would want to drink it as it is... a nice blend of spices tasting tangy and sour... it makes a great combination with the Ragda ( cooked chana ) that he serves inside the puri. I love pani puris with ragda instead of the sprouts or cooked moong or boondi that is served at some places. The ragda is always hot and the water cold, so the mixture really bursts flavours in your mouth. This "Gupta Bhelpuri House" is a must visit for "Bhel" and "Pani puri".

Another Pani-puri stall which is worth a mention is on Gokhale road, next to Devang Nasik Kulfiwale. He serves one of the best sev-puri's in thane.

Sandwiches are a common street food all over world. In my recent television viewing of the famous food program "Eat St" on Nat-Geo People which covers food trucks all over US, i see a lot of variety of sandwiches as a part of the menu and cuisine. Every country/ state has their own distinct sandwich mix. Mumbai sandwich is known for it's green chutney and masala toast. You will find sandwichwala's in every nook and corner of town, and people relishing this as a mid-time snack. A usual routine seen everywhere in Mumbai, especially commercial areas of Churchgate and around, people would usually gather around sandwichwala in the mornings and evenings and grab a bite along with sipping masala chai. Sandwich is one easy-on-pocket wholesome snack and healthy too, hence, difficult to resist...:) 

The Sai-Shraddha sandwichwala who sits just opposite the "Gupta Bhelpuri House" near Kali-Mata Mandir, Thane east is famous for his Masala Toast sandwich. And he gives a free hand when you order cheese on top. The new-addition Burger toast sandwich are worth a try too ( since i am a burger fan, i love any kinds of burger ). So this is more of a local burger bun, and served inside is a potato patty with mayonnaise and chutney. This toasted over the flame ( Loved his burger toaster ), tastes super yummy and i didn't regret trying it at all. 

But the Cheese masala toast takes a crown and if you are still hungry, ask for a chutney sandwich. Just butter and chutney spread on bread, sprinkled with some chaat masala, this is one simple flavourful sandwich! The green chutney made from Pudina ( Mint ), Corriander leaves, lemon, green chillies, black salt and pepper adds to the whole taste of the sandwich. 

As much as you can eat, there should always a be a drink alongside to gulp it all down. Isn't it? So here are some street-drinks found commonly on the roads of Mumbai.

Juice : Ahhh, i need not even say what good it does to you and your body ! Nothing compares to a nice cold glass of juice, and getting a good juice isn't a problem in Mumbai. You will find juice centres all over and some of them serve really good combinations. One such juice centre is "Hari Om Juice centre" in Thane east which has been running for 25 years. 

This guy, i have known, serves really thick juices and shakes as compared to others who add ice and water to save on cost. Hence i always loved having the evening quota of juice at this place. His Sitaphal( Custard apple ) milkshake and Strawberry milkshakes are "Melt-in-the-mouth". Yes, i have gulped them down in one go and even have had 3 at a time ( skipping dinner, of course ) but they are so tasty with the fresh fruits that make way into your mouth, that you can't stop at one! This time we went to him on a summer afternoon. So i had my usual favourite of Muskmelon juice and watermelon juice. And hubby tried a new combo named "Boom" juice which was a combination of lemon, sweet lime and khus. Oh, "Awesome" is the word. Hubby is not so much a fan of khus, but the combo with Mosambi ( sweet lime ) did the trick. This place surely gets a thumbs up from me , for always serving the best juice and trying out new combinations every now and then. And don't forget to check the price list!!! :))

Usaacha ras : Ganne ka juice or sugarcane juice is widely consumed as a beverage across Mumbai. In early days people used to extract the juice using a hand machine, but these days the machine runs on power. Though it is said that sugarcane adds to the heat in the body, a glass of cold sugarcane juice is always preferred in summers. Sugarcane juice is high in calories, but is rich in minerals and vitamins. Our favourite sugarcane juice joint in Thane west near Railway station is Trusha Shanti Gruha. 

I love to drink it plain and without ice, but hubby likes it with the "Masala" ( usually consists of chaat masala and/or salt ). Addition of lime or lemon also adds to the taste. 

Lemon Soda: This seems like a "Drink of relief" whenever you are full on stomach. You know what i mean!!! Hehehe... Soda really lightens you down and this is one of the most consumed summer drink in India. Here in Delhi, this is popularly known as "Banta". This guy who sits near the market of Kopri was in a good mood and refilled our glass with some extra soda after we were half-done. Such experiences can only happen on the streets and we totally loved this drink only for INR 15/-

Hmmm... what else? Yes, Nariyal Pani ! There are immense and innumerable benefits of drinking nariyal pani. And though the prices have gone up from Rs.15-20 for one coconut to Rs 35, drinking coconut water still gives a sense of satisfaction!

I always prefer the "Paani-wala" nariyal, meaning to say, there are two varieties of coconuts available. One that has good amount of water and less amount of the "malai" ( the soft-gel like white cream ), and the other vice-versa. I am not too much a fan of the malai, but my mother is and maybe that's the reason of her ever glowing, young-looking skin that she has at the age of 62!!! Yes, the malai surely has some benefits for the skin, that at some spa and parlours, they are used in a face mask too!!! Here is my mom enjoying scraping out the malai right on the streets on a hot summer humid afternoon :-
( She was a part of our food trip throughout and hats off to her enthusiasm. She is full of energy, wonder where she gets it from! And she showed immense patience whenever the food arrived on the table and we had to click pictures first for the blog and then eat...Love to her ) 

And yes, how can i forget the Mumbai Chinese food? The thelewala- gaadiwala Chinese, or so to say, the street-food Chinese which has tons of ajinomoto and spices in it!!! However it is, it does give a kick to the taste buds! We went to dinner at one such small restaurant in thane east called Shubdum Chinese corner. 

The restaurant is small, but a neat seating area and lots of families around enjoying their favourite Manchow soup ( which is what they are famous for). For us, it was a little too spicy so we asked them to cut down on the spice in our main course. But sadly the salt was a bit too much in the Manchurian gravy ( which is served complimentary along with the rice ). So minus the gravy, the Schezwan rice and Seven jewel rice was really nice and tasty. Nothing extra-ordinary, but we got a taste street-side Chinese food served. 

Anything else that you know of served on the streets of Mumbai? Or Any special street food in your region/town? Any of your favourite joints? I would love to hear about them from you!

Note : I have mostly covered places in Thane, as that's where i live and have been brought up. But i know quite a lot of other famous street-food joints in other parts of Mumbai, which i plan to cover in my next trips ! :)

Happy Eating!!!

Tradition meets Modern : A visit to Dastkar

I have enjoyed going to exhibitions always, for the mere joy of seeing something different there from the regular popular hangouts we normally go to, at restaurants, cafes and malls. There is so much of art, culture and moreover, you get to meet the "Creators". Yes, a lot of people host their own stall so they are able to explain the products to their customers better. Its fun talking to them and knowing their backgrounds and how they developed this hobby/ passion or craft. Festival times always invites exhibitions at various places with people willing to splurge on clothes, gift items, jewelry, decoratives and everything you can think of. Not to forget Food!!!! Yes, the food stalls at exhibitions are worth a mention. People normally get tired shopping and stop by to have a snack or drink at the food stall. I was amongst such people until i started this blog. Yes, a visit to Dastkar recently confirmed my love for food and the dedication i have towards writing this blog when i headed straight to the food stall first than seeing the shopping stalls :)))) And i wondered, "Have i started enjoying food more than shopping?", as i literally spent an hour of my time at the food stall seeing all the things around, talking to stall owners and enjoying the delicacies and got very little time to see all the shopping stalls around...( Apart from the fact, that we reached late - just 2 hours before closing time !!! )

Dastkar (http://www.dastkar.org/bazaars-and-exibitions.htm ) is a Delhi based NGO. It organises bazaars and exhibitions to help promote craftsmen from all over India. This year's Dastkar had around 22 states participating and craftsmen were happy to get a platform to showcase their products to the urban crowd. Each year, bazaars are held in Delhi and also in Bangalore and they have been getting tremendous response from the people. I didnt know about this until a friend Sonia Vasudeo mentioned it to me and tagged me in photos of Dastkar exhibitions. I found it really interesting ( especially the hummus with Pita bread photo caught my eye :)) and went to see it with my husband on weekend.

As mentioned, we headed straight to the Food stall and what caught our eye at first was this super colourful "Thela-gaadi" ( Cart ) selling all the sherbets and juices. We wanted to eat something first, so we didnt stop over this stall at first. Though there was a huge crowd of kids surrounding this thela when we went, it is popular with the elders too who want to sip in some fruity flavours ! A quick round through the food stall and we came across " The Kathi's" where they were serving delicious Kathi kebabs, A rajasthani stall serving samosa, kachori, pani pudi ( as they call it ! ), aloo chaat etc.... There was even "Bombay ki bhelpuri" ( still calling it Bombay and not Mumbai :)), and the famous chuski !!! Its called "Gola" in common language...This sweet icy drink is famous from "Bombay" ( !!!! :))),normally on choupatty and beaches ). And yes, This stall did mention " The famous Kala khatta chuski". I wonder why there was so much promotion of mumbai food here in Delhi... But nevertheless, it all was tasty ( No, we didnt try it all... we could make out from the crowd savouring all the delicious dishes from every stall around)

Must - mention is the "Kiki's Kitchen" here...Its an open stall and a sweet smiling lady greeting us always. Specialising in omlettes and sandwiches and burgers, Kiki had it all in a small corner under a tree with just 3-4 work-tables. She had a gas stove and 2 pans to make things warm, a toaster and all the ingredients and herbs you can think of!!! We opted for the "Open sandwich" and were asked for the option of being served with fresh fruits or boiled eggs. Hmmm... Boiled eggs it was !!! And we stood there and watched her make it. It was a delight to watch. There were cherry tomatoes, salad leaves, sun dried tomatoes, pomegranate, bell pepper, cucumber, oregano, salt, and freshly crushed pepper( my favourite )- i dont know if i am forgetting anything... But it was super yummy...Yes, as it looks :))

Being from mumbai, i always crave for the famous vada paav here in Delhi. In fact, the last time i went mumbai was after 6 months of being in Delhi and the first thing i did when i landed was have vada paav :))) I especially dont like the paav that we get here in Delhi. The paav in Mumbai are soft and thin... Here we get packet ones which are not as soft, and they are big...huge (as you can see ). But minus the paav, the vadas were worth it at "The Maharashtra food stall". It had the real taste of Maharashtrian food. Owned and run by Shubhangi Chiplunkar, they also have a permanent stall at Dilli Haat. She was happy to tell me about her 95 % punjabi customers who are regulars and also about the huge orders they get for the Diwali "Faraal" of chaklis, sev, chiwda, ladoos etc. A sweet female, she instructed her cook to make special sev puri for us as we were from mumbai!! Yes, the food was yummy and very authentic. As much as we wanted to try the Shrikhand and Gaakar and pithla, we were full !!! So maybe next time at the stall at Dilli Haat :))

And the last mention is the "JugMug Thela".( https://www.facebook.com/JugmugThela/info) We loved the name, loved the decor and loved the wooden benches kept in front of the stall to sit ! Why JugMug? When i asked him, the owner Jatin said, "Its because of all the jugmug of lights around the stall and also signifies a jug of coffee and a mug of tea!!!" Started in Feb 2013, JugMug thela is a mobile kiosk that serves Artisan chai and coffee from India and around the world. The menu was interesting ! But i prefered being asked  personalised questions of " whether you like your coffee sweet or bitter, whether milky or strong etc..." The coffee was rich, creamy, hot and aromatic, just the way i liked it! They even have coffees and homemade tea masalas for sale. Also some fresh baked cookies and cakes along with your coffee/chai. And yes, not to forget the popular-with-kids Ice pops with flavours of Ginger, Aloe vera, Grapes, Fresh fruits in honey and green Tea.

As much as we are paan and mouth freshner lovers, we headed to the stall of "Mahesh Supari" selling churans and suparis. Some of them were really yummy, especially the "Khatta Meetha", "The gulkand paan" , and our all time favourite "Anaardana". There are pickles and readymade gol gappe puris (fry and serve) and also papads in different flavours. The next stall had very interesting packets of Gajak's (Peanuts in peanut butter, sesame seeds in sugar syrup... its like chikki), Gatte ( Of Rajasthan fame, which i bought a packet of and am going to make the yummy Gatte-ki-sabzi soon. Gatte are basically chicpea flour dumplings dried and then cooked into a gravy) and some Namkeens too.

Finally, we headed to the shopping section and were amazed to see all the different crafted antiques from various parts of India, some from remote villages. Salute to all the artists and craftsmen and i wish more exhibitions like these keep happening all over.

And we love this " Man amongst God "

A fun filled Saturday it was - All Thanks to Dastkar ! :)