Indore - Sweet and Tangy Flavours

The city of Indore is imbued with a rich heritage and an incredible cultural mix. Food is an important cultural item reflecting this diversity. The street food of the city is extremely popular across the country and features a blend of Gujarati, Rajasthani and Maharashtrian influences. Major innovations in the culinary sphere took place here during the rule of the Holkar Gharana. The influence of this Gharana is reflected in the food habits as well as the way of life of the people of the city.

The Chappan Dukaan Bazaar and Sarafa Bazaar of Indore are immensely popular among food lovers. Both these markets offer a diversity of delicacies. Sarafa Bazaar is a jewellery market during the daytime and street food haven during the night. It witnesses a complete transformation of ambience post 9 pm and becomes an ideal place for nocturnal culinary escapades. The Chappan Dukaan area which houses 56 food shops has, in fact, been declared as a “clean street food hub” by FSSAI.

Poha (also called pohe) is the city’s signature dish and also a nutritious breakfast option. It is sold all over the city during the morning hours. It is believed that Indore’s introduction to Poha was a gift from its conquerors. The dish is said to have initially originated in Maharashtra. When the Holkars and Scindias (Maratha rulers/clans) came from Maharashtra to Madhya Pradesh, they introduced dishes like Poha and Shrikhand to the Malwa region. Indore's Poha has a tangy and sweet taste because of the use of fennel seeds, peanuts and a special masala called Jeeravan masala. This masala gives it a unique taste. The other ingredients of Poha include mustard seeds, cumin  seeds, curry leaves, onion and green chillies. The preparation is usually similar to what is prevalent in other parts of the country. Indore's Poha is famous for its garnishing and the way it is served. The Poha is often garnished with chopped coriander leaves, onion, pomegranates, Sev and served hot. The garnishing offers an elegant mixture of sweet, tangy and crunchy textures to the dish. The locals relish Poha with hot Jalebis! A great place for Poha in Indore is Head Sahab ke Pohe, which is a small cart outside the Navneet Tower in Old Palasia.

Bhutte-ka-Kees of Indore is relished as an evening snack during the monsoon season. It is also eaten as a side dish, an appetizer, and even for breakfast. Bhutta means corn, and Kees means grated. It is traditionally prepared by grating corn off the cob, roasting it in ghee with mild spices and then simmering it in milk for a creamy consistency. It is served hot after being garnished with lemon juice, chopped coriander leaves and freshly grated coconut. This nutritious dish is said to have originated in Indore. Saawariya ka Bhutte ka Kees in Sarafa Bazaar is a popular spot for enjoying this local speciality.

Indore’s Khopra patties are crispy potato patties stuffed with spicy, tangy and sweet coconut, herbs and dried fruits. These pillowy-soft and stuffed mashed potato patties are an upgraded version of the popular aloo patties. Boiled potatoes are mashed and mixed with cornflour, salt and pepper. Khopra refers to desiccated coconut which is mixed with grated ginger, coriander leaves, chilli, mango powder, raisins, nuts and some salt. Small balls of mashed potato are made and the coconut stuffing is added to the centre. The round balls are deep-fried until they turn golden brown. They are then served with tamarind and green chutney. Vijay Chat House in Chappan Dukaan is the go-to shop for this street food speciality of Indore.

Dal bafla is the best example of Marwari influence on Malwa culture. This snack is a local version of the famous Dal Baati of Rajasthan. Bafla is a handcrafted wheat ball that is cooked in ghee. It has a softer texture than Baati. The ingredients used for making Bafla are almost the same as those of Baati except that some maize flour is added to Bafla. It is served with a simple Malwa Dal which is Arhar Dal with a flavour of asafoetida and is relished as a wholesome meal as well as a popular snack in Indore. When served as a snack, it is crushed and dipped in ghee and served with coriander-mint chutney and mango pickle to enrich the flavours.

In Sarafa Bazaar, a shop named Joshi Dahi Bada House is popular for its flying Dahi-badas. These deep-fried Moong Dal balls with smooth beaten curd and spices are popular throughout India. However, the Dahi-bada in Indore’s Sarafa Bazaar is famous for the way it is served. People flock to this place to watch Joshi Ji prepare a plate of his famous Dahi-bada for the customers. He has a unique technique of preparing a plate of Dahi-bada. He swirls the Bada with curd high, twice, without spilling even a drop. He then goes on to add five different masalas to it.

Fried Garadu is a crispy and tangy version of Aloo-ki-chaat. This speciality of Indore is popular during the winters and known for its nutritious value. Garadu, a yam-variant, is diced and deep-fried till golden brown. This snack is then served with a garnish of chopped coriander leaves and a special Chaat masala called Jiralu masala, and lots of lemon juice. Sarafa Bazaar is the go-to hub to enjoy this street food.

Shikanji in Indore is a thick blend of reduced milk and buttermilk. It is flavoured with saffron, cardamom and aromatic spices like mace and nutmeg. This thick, creamy blend of milk bolstered with dry fruits and spices is completely different from the tangy, lemony Shikanji popular in other parts of the country. This milk-based cooling drink varies in taste and texture from the original lemon Shikanji. Madhuram Sweets in the Chappan Dukaan areas is a highly recommended place to try this drink. It is prepared by boiling full-fat milk until it condenses and reduces to half of its quantity. Saffron is also added to the boiling milk. Once the milk condenses, cardamom and sugar are added to it. It is then kept aside to cool down. Finally, this thick milk is mixed with hung curd and churned till it turns creamy.

Jaleba, as the name suggests, is the scaled-up version of the Indian jalebi. It is a very popular dessert of Indore. A single Jaleba weighs around 700 gms! This extra-large version of Jalebi is saffron-flavoured and served with Rabri in Indore. The combination of crisp hot Jaleba with chilled Rabri is one of the most favourite street foods of Indore. Jai Bhole Jalebi Bhandar in Sarafa Bazaar is famous for this delicacy.

Indore's food is incomplete without the famous Namkeens of the city. Namkeen is the Indian name for savoury. Indore has a large variety of Namkeens and is a part of almost every meal. Indore's Namkeens are sold in packed as well as loose form. It is a popular local food and has a savoury magic as street food. Indore's famous Sev is prepared from chickpea flour paste and special Indore masalas seasoned with turmeric, asafoetida and clove. It is deep-fried in oil. Sev is both eaten as a standalone snack as well as applied as a garnish over other dishes. Some of the varieties that are available in the market are: Ratlami Sev, Hing Sev, Laung Sev, Plain Sev, Palak Sev etc.

Indore perhaps has one of the finest street food repertoires of India. It is a treat for food lovers - both locals and tourists alike.