Indore beyond Poha and Jalebi

It is a common notion that Indore has an undying obsession for poha and jalebi — be it for breakfast or for high tea. However, a casual stroll at any of the food streets of the city will help you break the notion everyday. From a variety of savouries to choose from, Indore isn’t anything short of a plethora of street food delights at any given time. Pocket-friendly, popular amongst youngsters and Indori celebs, and lipsmacking, here’s a lowdown on the foodie addas and streets that are hot beyond the quintessential poha and jalebi in the city.
Rolls Galore
Keeping the youngsters’ demand for something new, cheap and filling, Rewat Thapa came up with an idea of selling rolls in 2010. Ever since, the stall has been bustling with youngsters gorge on mouthwatering rolls here often. “A team of more than 10 boys work at our stall. We haven’t increased the price of the rolls ever since the stall opened. We will continue to make our customers happy,” shared Thapa. Another attraction of the shop is the style statement of the lads serving the customers. “A veg roll costs `20 and an egg chicken roll costs `50. That is enough to fulfill your hunger pangs,” shares Piyush Sahani, a regular at the roll stall.
The cheap and delicious hot dogs
If you are in desperate search of some palatable dish and aren’t willing to splurge a lot, Johnny Hot Dog is a must-visit. One of the small eateries at the famous 56 Dukaan, this joint can be easily missed, except for the cacophony of youngsters enjoying their hot dogs. The food joint has been serving people since four decades and has become a lifeline for youngsters off late. “When I first started the shop, the price of a veg hot dog was just `1 and now it is sold for `25. We believe in selling one thing and making it our USP. That is why we have been selling only hot dogs since we opened shop,” shared Vijay Singh, owner of the shop. He further added, “We sell almost 500-600 hot dogs in a day. The team of six workers is my backbone.”
Quintessential and flavoured paani puris
Paani puri can be termed as the national street food of the country! No matter where you go, this quick desi snack can help kill hunger pangs like no other dish. And serving authentic paani puris with a twist is TNT, which boasts of nine flavoured pani puris. Located behind 56 Dukan, there are nine flavours that one can relish, ranging from khatta meetha, hajma hajam to kachhi kairi.
Mohini Bansal, a regular at the stall, shares, “The USP of the stall is the way the owner serves the paani puri by announcing the flavours he serves, in a very unique voice. It’s fun to hear the stall owner shout out, ‘ye heeng’, ‘ye lehsun’ and ‘ye hajma hajam’. One plate costs you `20 and the hajma hajam flavour remains my favourite.”
Joshi ji’s tricked dahi Wada!
Joshi Ji Ke Dahi Wade, a shop in Sarafa market, has been catering to dahi wada lovers over four decades now. Joshi Ji, from the eatery, is well known in the city for playing tricks with the bowls of dahi wadas, when he throws the dish in the air for mixing the chutney, masala and curd well. “I was awestruck when I went to this shop for the first time and saw Joshi Ji doing his usual tricks with the bowl. One plate costs you `50 and it is a must try,” opines Ajit Sharma, a BBA third year student.
Sabudana Khichdi
Sabudana khichdi is another popular street snack that may cost you `10 to `20 per plate. You can usually find small thelas serving this quick snack on the streets of old markets of Indore like Chhawani Bazaar, Vijaynagar, Sarafa and Rajbada. Sabudana, garnished and mixed with a lot Indori namkeen, makes this snack an all-time fave among Indoreans.
Celebrities speak about their obsession
Shubhangi Atre, who was in her hometown a few days ago, couldn’t resist going on a street food eating spree. She said, “Sarafa market is one of the most famous places to eat street food in Indore. I remember during my exams, my friends and I would meet up for group studies in the night and often end up going to Sarafa to satisfy our midnight hunger-pangs, since the market is open till 2-3 am.”
Indorean Gaurav Bajaj, shared, his love for the lal balti kachori teamed up with mirch ki chutney. “I have been eating this kachori since my childhood and the taste remains the same. The speciality of the place is a hanging bucket with a red bulb inside it. The shining red bucket signifies the availability of the kachoris. I make sure to carry dozens of kachoris back to Mumbai for friends whenever I visit Indore.”