Delhi Street Food: If You've Not Eaten This, You've Not Known Bliss | HuffPost

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If You've Not Eaten This In Delhi, You've Not Known Bliss

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Former Lifestyle editor, HuffPost India

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Photography by Indian Simmer via Getty Images

Close-up of pani poori is Street food of India.

On a warm summer's day, picture standing under the cool shade of a peepul tree, gulping light, crispy rounds of golgappas dipped in refreshing jaljeera water, and sweetened with tamarind chutney. Imagine gorging on plump samosas, golden and glossy, and then reliving your childhood by slurping on a rainbow-striped chuski, India's answer to the snow cone.

When it comes to Indian street food, there's probably no place better than the national capital to indulge your tastebuds. Delhi plays host to a mind boggling range of street food that's popular all year around, but is really irresistible in the summer. So, why would you even want to head to a fancy restaurant when you can wallow in local decadence?

Here are Delhi's most popular street foods that you cannot afford to skip:

Delhi's Most Popular Street Food

Paani puri(01 of12)

Possibly the most popular snack across India, particularly in Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai and Kolkata, this particular food goes by many names: golgappa, gupchup, puchka, although its simple flavour philosophy is the same. Light crispy mounds (puri) of semolina (suji) or wheat (atta) that are hollow in the centre, are filled with a mixture of chaat masala, chili powder, potatoes, onions and chickpeas. They are then dipped into spicy, flavoured water (paani) and sweetened with tamarind chutney. Small enough to gulp in one mouthful, a plate of paani puri ranges from four to six mounds, and is often followed by downing a bowlful of the flavoured water. (credit:Leisa Tyler via Getty Images)

Bhelpuri(02 of12)

Tangy and savoury, this street food is believed to have generated from Mumbai. It combines puffed rice with sev (a fried-noodle like substance), chunks of boiled potatos, onions, chilis. A spicy green chutney made of coriander and chillies is then poured, along with a thick, sweet tamarind concoction, giving the snack a zesty punch. Finally it is garnished with chopped onions, coriander and a dash of lemon juice. (credit:SOUMITRA PENDSE via Getty Images)

Chholey Bhatoore(03 of12)

A popular Punjabi breakfast item in North India, this dish is made of two items: spicy chholey or chickpeas that are eaten with a type of fried Indian bread (bhatoora) made of flour (maida). Often accompanied with onions, chillies, pickles and garnished with a few choppings of cottage cheese, this is quite a heavy meal. (credit:I am Jeffrey/ Flickr)

Aloo Chaat(04 of12)

There are few things that make better comfort food than golden, crispy potatoes. Douse the whole bunch in mint chutney, shake on some chaat masala, and sprinkle lime juice. That flavour packed punch to your tastebuds is the awesomeness that is aloo chaat. (credit:Souvikdg/ Flickr)

Samosas(05 of12)

It would be safe to acknowledge this savoury snack as the global mascot for Indian street food. Known for its distinct triangular shape, the samosa is a crispy pasty that encases a potato filling with green peas, onions, spices and chilli, and is then served with green chutney and sweet tamarind sauce. (credit:Godong via Getty Images)

Aloo Tikki(06 of12)

If you thought you couldn't survive without meat, this street eat favourite will change your mind. Found in almost every chaat shop over India, patties of potato are fried and served up hot with tamarind and green chutney, as well as yoghurt. They also make for a tasty vegetarian burger when stuffed between two pieces of brief bread with tomatoes and onions. (credit:sumeet.moghe/ Flickr)

Momos(07 of12)

Possibly the only form of street food to boast a non-vegetarian option, momos or dumplings have quickly scaled the rungs of the street food ladder to rise to the top. Of Tibetian origin, momos are a steamed bun made from water and dough, with a meat or vegetarian filling. They are served with a spicy red sauce that balances the blandness of the bun. In spite of their popularity, momos have faced a lot of heat for dubious sources of their meat content. (credit:Lora-Sutyagina via Getty Images)

Pav Bhaaji(08 of12)

Though native to Mhahrashtra, pav bhaaji has become a quick North-Indian favourite. On the heavier side, it includes a geneorus dollop of thick, spicy potato curry flavoured with a fash of lime juice and onions, alongside a bunch of bread, amply fried in butter on all sides. (credit:Manu_Bahuguna via Getty Images)

Chuski(09 of12)

The Indian version of the snowcone, Chuski comes from the word 'chusna', which means to suck. Flavoured syrups ranging from eclectic flavours such as rose and kala khatta to khus are poured onto shaved ice that is stuck on a stick, giving it a delightful visual appeal as well. A few years ago, paan shops in Delhi adopted the trend inventing chuski paan, adding flavoured shaved ice to the areca-nut mixture wrapped in a betel leaf. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

Raj Kachori(10 of12)

It comes pretty close to being called a giant golgappa, sans the tangy water. Here's how to make your own raj kachori at home. (credit:domesticat/ Flickr)

Dahi Bhalla(11 of12)

Creamy yoghurt (dahi) that has been sweetened with sugar and then chilled is poured over soft dough balls (bhalla) made from lentils. Spicy and sweet chutneys are dripped over the offering, followed by a sprinkling of roasted cumin powder, red chili powder, chaat masala, and black salt. Sev, boondi (small rounds of chickpea flour) or pomegranates are generously added as the final touch. (credit:_niki_/Flickr)

Chaat Papri(12 of12)

The crispy dough wafers that form the 'paapris' or the base of this dish are hard enough to resist when munched on their own. However with the addition of sev, potatoes, cumin powder, chilli and chutneys, they seem to exude on an irresistible power that the helpless foodie cannot help but succumb to. Here are some excellent places to eat chaat papri in Delhi. (credit:h-bomb/ Flickr)

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-- This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.

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