North Indian cuisine brings in flavours that will tantalise your senses. North Indian food carries a lot of culture and heritage. It’s vibrant and diverse. The diverse culinary landscape of North India offers savoury snacks that are popularly termed street food.
This is very popular in the country. It’s delicious and super affordable. You get to dive into the richness of Indian flavours for a fraction of the cost. They’re readily available and come in quantities to satiate you. It’s convenient and accessible. Street food vendors cook in bulk without compromising on the flavour. The ingredients are locally sourced, and the recipes remain the same with the occasional signature twists. These are recognisable dishes that get customers simply because of the familiarity factor. The chatpata element of street food, with small spicy dhamakas, is what gets people reaching out for it over and over again.
Street food legend: Chole kulcha
Chole kulcha is an iconic North Indian street food. It’s a staple food that is perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s a dish made of chickpeas which are cooked in a tomato sauce. It’s a spicy gravy that has a lot of spices added to give it that unique flavour. The kulcha is a flatbread that is baked over the tandoor. It is served with a slice of lemon, chopped onions and pickle.
Preparing chole kulche
The chickpeas are boiled with spices such as – cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli powder. The cooked chickpeas are later mashed and added to the gravy. This gravy has tomato and onion flavoured with an assortment of handpicked spices. The gravy is allowed to simmer till they develop the flavour, and the spices heat up to release their goodness.
The kulche, or the flatbread, is made by mixing all-purpose flour, salt, and some ghee with water. The dough is kneaded till it’s soft and airy. They’re rolled into small balls and then spread into smaller circles. These are then cooked till they’re a beautiful golden brown. They’re brushed with some herb oil when served.
Benefits of chole kulche
Chole kulche is a nutritious dish which comes with chickpeas that give you protein and fibre. The tomatoes bring in some vitamins A and C. The kulche bring in some carbs. Together, this is a plate that will have you full and energised for longer.
The charm of street food chole kulche
Chole kulche must be eaten warm and fresh off the stove. It’s served as all north Indian meals are – some pickle, onion and lemon wedges. You could also get some yoghurt or chutney.
Chole kulche quickly became popular because of how filling and flavourful it is. It’s an easy jump into rich North Indian flavours that’s easy to digest. While chole is made in many households, the luxury of the kulche is what makes it popular in the street food area.
Also read – 6 Unmissable Street Pav Bhaji Destinations in Bangalore for Food Enthusiasts
A food enthusiast and a blogger – someone who likes to eat and write about it. I’m passionate about exploring different cuisines and challenging my palette. I give into my food craving regularly and am often on the hunt to find my new favorite food place in town.