It is irony that a YouTube video suggestion featuring Mithila Palkar (I love her curls) compelled me to write about this topic. It should have been the story that should have done this ideally. Perhaps it depicts the story of misal pav perfectly, in a sense that misal has always been looked down when it comes to culinary discussions. It is only in recent times that it is garnering attention and making people fall in love.

Story of origin for Misal Pav

This is a point which is capable of raging internal wars between different regions of Maharashtra. Some scholars (read in sarcastic tone) also believe that it originated in Gujrat. Amidst the controversy of its origin a fairly educated or enlightened individual will tell you that the misal originated in regions between Khandesh and Western Maharashtra. The present day areas of Nashik and Ahmednagar. But even though the fact remain, there are many regions which claim to be the birth place of misal.

There are two eateries in Nashik, one is famous by the name of Bhagvantrao and another one is Kamla Vijay, the former is more than 75 years old and the latter is more than 100 years old. These places which served misal for many decades and have devotees of their misal who can swear by the taste of the misal offered there are the testimonies to the fact that misal originated in Nashik. No matter how much claim another regions make but for solid evidence they have nothing to prove it.

The present day owner of Bhagvantrao confirms that they stopped selling misal after 1983 because it was hectic back then and paid only a little dividend. Kamla Vijay is a place which survived 2 blazing fires and so many catastrophes only to be closed in 2016 due to the wilting health of the structure. Having said that, most of the owners of such famous places in Nashik do testify that it was food for the daily wage laborers.

Though the places started serving it from 100 years ago, but the dish has been around in Nashik for more than 150 years now. Earlier it was just a combination of different components that was brought together, and the idea was to create a dish which was healthy, fulfilling and affordable. Some places added some khichdi, a dollop of mashed potato veggie, some sprouts cooked in gravy (called the rassa) and topped with chopped onions. But the Tarri (spiced layer of oil, cooked separately) always remained the heart of the dish. A person could eat this without any form of bread.

1 Misal 12 Pav angle of the story

Since the daily wage workers had to survive till dinner, they used to carry their bhakri (Indian flat bread made from jowar or bajra). The tarri was always unlimited and the bhakri would not suffice, thus they started carrying pav along with them. This is where misal met its better half pav. Since that day they have been inseparable. A match so perfect that anybody can go weak in the knees. As I said earlier that the workers used to take 1 misal and ask for tarri refill multiple times and probably ate 12 pav.

This gives birth to the legend of 1 misal 12 pav (read ek misal baaraa pav). Those were the days where the workers traveled to the town of Nashik for work from nearby places and search for daily jobs. They ate their so called brunch of misal pav and worked for the entire day. This is why in earlier days, the misal pav was not as glamorous as it seems now. Yet it ruled the hearts of many alike.

The actual valid classification

Before we digress in the controversial classification that is loved by many. Let me clarify that most authentic classification of misal classifies it in 3 types. Purely on the basis of the colour of the gravy. The red gravy, green gravy and blackish gravy. Lal rassa, hirva rassa aani kaala rassa as what they are called in Marathi. The next classification can be based on the usal. Usal is the sprouted lentil gravy that is used.

Preferred choice of lentil is matka (moth beans), watana (dried pea) and moong beans. But as you keep exploring in the lesser known regions of Maharashtra the choice of lentils will keep surprising you. So a mix and match of the combinations can give you N number of variants to gorge on. After you have a basic understanding of this then only you can move on to read about the regional classifications based on variations.

Region wise Misal Pav classification

Each recipe has a claims for originality, which is true and false at the same time. The reason being any recipe with a different version is imitated from a reference recipe and then yet the subtle variations make it unique. The next point that is debated on this line is about the claim for being the birthplace and at this specific point the spiciness quotient comes to the rescue.

Nashik Misal Pav

As I too believe firmly that Nashik is the birthplace of misal pav, I will start with the Nashik chi misal. Multiple flavours come together and you get a variety of options. The thing that is a signature of Nashik misal pav is the complimentary curd and papad that is served along misal pav. Many places serve it and people just love the combination. This is the reason that Nashik chi misal is one of the best.

Where to eat: Ask anybody in and out of Nashik and they will tell you names like Sadhana Restaurant, Tushar Misal, Ambika Misal, Shyam Sundar and Shree Krishna Misal. I am sure they must be the legends of the dish, but I would like to recommend Sitabai Misal which is a store on brave entrepreneurship spirit. Sitabai is a 93 years old lady who operated a misal joint all by herself for almost 8 decades.

Right from sourcing the material, to preparing them. From cleaning the tables to serving the customers. From billing to licensing, she used to run it all alone. It is only couple of years now that her grandchildren has joined the business and have opened 3 outlets. People just love Sitabai, her misal is so simple that it has no side-effect. She makes it with love and that is her secret for success. So if you plan to detour Nashik for Misal then you should visit Sitabai.

Mumbai Misal Pav

Talking about it and placing it second on this list is by no means an indication of this being the best of best. But just to tell all the non-Mumbaikars that we are not far behind in terms of the competition. The mashed potato veggies is often skipped in Mumbai’s misal but is compensated with a mixture of Farsan instead which adds a new dimension to misal pav. I guess only mamledar’s misal includes the mashed potatoes. Nevertheless I have eaten some great misal pav in Mumbai.

Where to eat: Of course, the list starts with Mamledar Misal from Thane. Followed by Aswad in Dadar which won the award for ‘The World’s Tastiest Vegetarian Dish’ in Mumbai for its Misal Pav at the global Foodie Hub Awards held in London. It surely adds a feather in their cap. The next one is Mama Kane, ask your parents and they will tell you how good their misal was and till date they have managed to live up to the hype.

Personally for me the Misal Pav from Jai Hind at lower Parel is phenomenal. They serve unlimited rassa and tarri and charge only for pav. I have eaten a lot of misal pav when I was in my S.S.C. boards. To know how good it is, you need to visit the place. It is by all means a best deal that you could get on misal in Mumbai.

Kolhapuri Misal Pav

As you must have guessed by the mention of Kolhapur in the name that it must be the spiciest misal of the lot. This perception holds true for most of the misal pav you get in Kolhapur. Apart from the hotness of the spices the Kolhapuri misal is served with slice breads. Only few misal joints serve you pav. Most of the places serve their misal with sliced breads. The other thing which distinguishes the Kolhapuri misal is the heavy dose of onion-garlic masala which adds to the hotness quotient.

Where to eat: The Aahar hotel serves the spiciest misal, followed by the Bawada misal where you will see hundreds of notebooks of great customer feedbacks. If you are visiting the Mahalaxmi Temple then Chorage misal is a must try. The Khausbaug hotel is famous for its misal and is a place where many celebrity and politicians still visit to have a bite of the heavenly misal pav. Last but not the least is the Phadtare misal. The misal made in groundnut oil is heck spicy and has the capability to make you a loyal customer.

Khandeshi Misal

First of all let me ask you, do you know what is Khandesh? It is a North-western region of Maharashtra which includes districts of Nandurbar, Dhule and Jalgaon. It also includes a district from MP called Burhanpur. So this region is famous for a hot and spicy misal. The main ingredients are onion, garam masala and coriander powder along with dried coconut. The black masala is used to make kaala rassa.

Unlike other misal pav in the list the Khandesh region do not boast of famous places, and believe that all the misal joints are unique and serve the best version of Khandeshi misal. I will still try to dig more on this and update this space when I get a lead.

Puneri Misal

A misal made with palatable spices that are mixed with dice potato veggie. The tarri is added and topped with chiwda along with sev, onions and coriander. The misal is a nice blend of flavours ranging from sour to spicy. Many places in Pune used to serve the best misal but the things have change lately. You can read this article from Gouri Dange which tells the sorry state of affair. Still being a foodie, I have hopes that Puneri misal will be back with bang.

Where to eat: Starting the list with Café Durga, Shri Kala snacks, and Ramnath Misal, these places have set a benchmark when it comes to misal pav. Bedekar and serves a slightly sweet misal, Shri Krishna Bhuvan has the best hygiene. The Katakirr misal is more of a Kolhapuri misal in Pune but is highly recommended. If you survive at Katakirr then Nevale misal is your next level of challenge.

A Spectacular Journey

From being a food of the labor class to becoming a heartthrob of the mass. Misal pav has surely come a long way. With a search volume of 4600 on YouTube, it accounts to more than billion watch hours. These include the recipe videos, food vlogs, and documentaries. The success can be underlined from the fact that a giant like Netflix has released 2 episodes on misal pav. Recently even the fine dine restaurants are serving some exciting misal pav recipes.

Closure:

You need to eat a good misal in life, that should be your life’s mission. Misal is a dish which has everything in it. It has proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and fiber. This makes it a complete dose of nourishment. The only trick here is to balance the spiciness and health quotient. It is said that any good misal is worth traveling for. So if you find a misal pav which is the best then please share with others. The legacy of good misal should be kept alive.

I hope you liked this blog and would share this with your friends and families. If you have a feedback then do write to me at foodie_khiladi@sh119.global.temp.domains or DM me at foodie_khiladi007. I would be glad to hear from you. With this your foodie_khiladi signs off for the day in a hope to see you soon in my next blog. Till then keep smiling and spreading the smiles.

So today’s blog is going to be about the Kulfi wala of Mumbai. The Kulfi wala of Mumbai which was pretty much an essence of the chaotic city in a welcoming way. Do you remember these Kulfi wala from of Mumbai? If you have ever been to Girgaon Chowpaty or to any of the Chowpaty of Mumbai for that matter, then I am sure you must have seen these Kulfi walas of Mumbai for sure. He was surely a head turner and crowd puller.

Kulfi wala of Mumbai the signature entry

Like Amitabh Bachhan made the role or porters famous via the movie ‘coolie’, I am sure a movie based on Kulfi wala of Mumbai would have been a hit in the 90s. At the Chowpaty you can easily spot this dude from his uniform, at least till 5 years ago it was the same. He always wore a white full sleeves shirt and a white pajama, the sleeves always folded till elbows and not to miss the majestic Gandhi topi on his head. Above that he had a thick ring made from a towel which was the base where he carried his treasure box.

Actually it was not his treasure box. It was a treasure for people like you and me. The cylindrical tub covered with maroon red cloth, all wet and cool with insulation that could put the modern refrigerators to shame. In the tub it was mostly the large mud pot holding chilled ice mixed with huge amount of salt to maintain the temperature in negative.

Having said that, it was all about the appearance of Kulfi wala of Mumbai, but what made his appearance unique was the unique way he shouted ‘KulfiyO…KULFIIII…KulfiyO….’. Tell me frankly, how many times have you laughed at his voice? How many times have you tried to imitate him? Just like you did with the bhangar wala of your area. Hearing his roar of ‘KulfiyO’ was more fun and maybe it was a trigger that tricked our brain to buy the delicious Kulfi.

Spotting the Kulfi Wala of Mumbai

I deliberately used the word spotting here because, spotting a tiger in Jim Corbett National park has lesser odds than spotting a Kulfi wala of Mumbai. When I was a kid (which I still believe I am), the usual place to find this magician was at the beaches of Mumbai. Be it Girgaon Chowpaty, Dadar Chowpaty, or Juhu Chowpaty.     By the evening when the sunset was good couple of hours away, you would see these Kulfi walas of Mumbai making an uncanny appearance.

Yes uncanny in a sense that a person new to the scene would make out from Kulfi wala’s costume that, he did not belong there. Which was partially true as these Kulfi wala’s were not from Mumbai, I mean there native place was somewhere else, which I will be revealing in few moments. So apart from the Chowpaty areas, Kulfi wala was also spotted at the parks and sea faces. These were the common areas or areas of operation of these low profile entrepreneurs.

Eventually, they started strolling around the residential areas where the middle class families would reside. Going by the rumored hygienic reputations of these Kulfi walas the rich and upper middle class would certainly avoid them in the past. It was the middle class and low income group that would be fascinated by the product called matka Kulfi. So chawls were the common areas for them to operate followed by slums and other areas.

As I am typing this, let me remind you that these spotting of Kulfi wala of Mumbai is a thing of the past now. Since last few years the numbers have dwindled rapidly. You will hardly see the Kulfi wala at these places now. The only places to spot them is the beach, sea face, or famous park. It is not their fault, because as the standard of living increased, the common people started opting for packaged and well-presented stuff.

All of a sudden, the rustic matka Kulfi no longer felt relevant to people. So the profits started thinning out and the Kulfi wala of Mumbai stopped coming to Mumbai to make money for survival. I am not sure how you find this, but for me personally this is a sad state of progress. Somewhere consciously I am too responsible for this. We have collectively evolved to a level where the things that we enjoyed earlier are no longer appreciated just because we found something better.

Kulfi in the making

Though our tastes have changed, but the product they sold were consistent in quality for many years. It was in last few years when the inflation kept rising, the quality lowered a bit. The lowered quality was compensated by them when they chose to still sell the Kulfi at cheap prices as compared to packaged stuff. They weren’t selling Kulfis to become rich, they were selling Kulfi to make the ends meet.

A proper Kulfi which they used to make a decade or two ago was made out of 10 to 15 liter of Buffalo milk. The milk was boiled in large cauldron to reduce it in half. All this had to be done with continuous stirring to avoid the milk from burning and sticking at the bottom. The semi-condensed milk was flavored with cardamom powder and adjusted for sweetness with sugar. Then poured in the steel cones to set them.

What started with just plain malai Kulfi, expanded into a range of flavours like Gulab (rose), Kesar, Pista and Mango. In recent years, the flavours like Sitaphal and Orange were added to the wings just to please the Mumbaikar’s taste buds. The pricing changes a bit with the costing of ingredients. No matter how lavish they make it by adding the dry fruits, or other condiments but the price range is always decided considering the affordability factor. This is how they thrive in a non-conducive environment.

Once set it was all set it was dispatched. To ensure the dose of happiness reached the crowds to end their day on a good note. The skillful display of demoulding the cones and pulling the Kulfi sticks was always a sight to behold. As many Kulfis you saw being pulled out in front you, each Kulfi intensified your craving. Finally when you received your share, you would just get lost in its taste. Being very honest, I have eaten much better Kulfis in the north of India, especially in Rajasthan, but this experience made Kulfi wala of Mumbai unique.

The Magic and the Myths

Yes, it was nothing less of a magic. Being a child it fascinated me, that how can a guy roam in almost scorching heat with a load of frozen deliciousness without letting it melt. The refrigerators in our homes did the same job but also consumed tons of electricity and this dude managed to operate without electricity and with almost excellent efficiency. So I was always curious about the magic he weaved inside the treasure box he carried in cylindrical shape.

Magic didn’t stop there as soon as he engaged the little customers,he would pull the steel cone out and rubbed between his palms to loosen the kulfi. Then he would start opening the steel cones and push the sticks in them. Gently with the same knife he used to slide it from the sides and release the Kulfi and hand it over to the drooling person. I must salute his handling skills, as repeating the same process at a rapid pace was no joke. Interestingly his mind was always in the game as he was well aware of the sold units and never missed to ask for appropriate payments.

The tub in which the large matka was placed always seemed half empty, but the steel cones would never exhaust and he kept searching them one after another and this seemed magical to me. A treasure trove which never emptied. Now when the magic is discussed, I will tell you the myths which were propagated to keep us away from the Kulfi. I am sure you will relate to this.

As the Kulfi wala of Mumbai had a shabby appearance, our elders told us to refrain from eating the Kulfi. The thing that was told to us would make you cringe. I was told that they make the Kulfi from the sewage water and thus it was unhygienic. Coincidentally one day we saw a Kulfi wala draining the water from the melted ice into a gutter nearby and someone from the gang approved the accusations that the Kulfi wala is using the dirty water.

The next myth was laughable but it scared the kids backs then. We were told that they mix something in the Kulfi that can make you unconscious. And when children like us go to buy them alone, they will kidnap us. After hearing this as a 7 year old, would you have dared to go there? At least I didn’t dare. Who wants to get kidnapped when life was all set except for a creamy Kulfi? It wasn’t a bad deal.

But like most of the myths, these myths never lasted enough. I guess I refrained from Kulfi for some months and started enjoying them again. I got the point of our elders that they wanted to limit our intake of Kulfi for health reasons and so I ate Kulfi in moderation after that.

The Story of origin

I knew that this guys do come to Mumbai from some other places. I was not sure about the place, till recently I read another blog written by Sameer who stated that these Kulfi walas hail from a place called Wadhane which is near Phaltan, Maharashtra. These Kulfi walas are basically farmers who travel to Mumbai in off season to sustain their families. They usually travel to Mumbai in a large group and rent a common place.

A place where they take turns for cooking, cleaning and other duties. But they ensure everyone is well fed and in good health. They decide the areas where each one of them will sell the Kulfi. The place where they stay is also used to make these creamy Kulfis and the knowledge of making this Kulfi is ancestral and is passed down through generations. They make the classic malai Kulfi and at times add dry-fruits for some variation.

Closure:

I wish that the legacy of Kulfi wala of Mumbai stays intact for a long time to come. If it takes a special person to organize this sector of business then be it. It would be a great opportunity for a budding entrepreneur to revive the heritage experience of Mumbai Kulfi wala. In returns the Kulfi wala clan can expect increase in footfall. Though the experience will be a bit different but it will not be lost completely.

I would like them to continue to lit up the scenes at the public places so the kids from next generation would have lots of memories just like we do. It is an effort to slow down the automation that is hindering the human touch from our day to day live. Packed ice-creams are those automations and these kulfi walas are the human touches that need to thrive.

What you think? Is this the right way to revive a dying model of business? Or do you have any better suggestions. Comment section is open for you to express your views. If you are shy of speaking publicly then do write to me at foodie_khiladi@sh119.global.temp.domains or just DM me at foodie_khiladi007. I would be happy to hear from you.

With this your foodie_khiladi signs off for the day in a hope that you liked this nostalgic blog post and would share it with your childhood buddies and families. I keep writing such blogs which you can check out on this link. If you haven’t subscribed by now then please do so and encourage others to subscribe please.

Being in the same league as of Lucknow, the Nawabi influence is omnipresent and thus the experimentation has been the key in Rampuri cuisine. Nawabs of Lucknow have often hogged the limelight throughout the pages of history, but the real history tastes so delicious because of the cooks who served these Nawabs. These are the real gems in the story, who are fondly called as Ustaads. Ustaad means a master of the trade. So an Ustaad here refers to a Masterchef basically without the sense of glitterati.

In the age of molecular cuisine which is surprising the millennial guys, there is a cuisine which is full of heritage and is of our own. When was the last time you ate something and it turned out to be something so unusual that it blew your mind? Maybe today when you will read through this blog, your mind will be blown away. So without further delay let us get started.

Just for the starters

Perhaps the Halwas of Rampur are in focus but I wanted to warm you up in context of this write up. So I thought why not drop a hint of what lies ahead. I am sure you love gulab-jamun, and I know how tempting they are at times. You must have tasted different sizes and shapes of gulab-jamun. You must have tasted the combinations as well. Let me ask you have you tasted a gulab-jamun made of minced meat?

I know after reading this your instant reaction was “eww”. I assume it was, but to comfort you or to encourage you I would like to mention that this is one of the popular dishes from Rampur. Now that will give you an idea on how weirdly surprising the cuisine of Rampur is.

Little Background

As a modern day foodie, you are always on the look for something new. New food dishes, new experiences or new places to eat. In the times of globalization it is bound to happen. So when I tell you that Nawabs were the people who were always on their feet to try novelties, you would be a little skeptical. Because in the times of Nawabs, the life was melodiously slow paced and most of the times things took often longer to change.

Yet they sought change in one good thing of life, and it was food. So it was their demand with the Ustaads to taste something new every time. They wanted these surprises. Some experiments were done in order to feed these nawabs with medicines. As most of the herbs taste awful, but as they were recommended for health reasons, the Ustaads had to find a way to put them in dishes in such a way that Nawabs should not be able to find it.

Either to mask the taste or to make them eat for health reasons, the Ustaads of these Nawabs were busy in making and experimenting with dishes and ingredients. On some day it was about health and on other days it was about taste. In both ways the innovation was called for. This is sort of a blueprint that took cuisine of Lucknow and Rampur to new levels. Just a friendly warning that both are similar yet very different. Lucknow has more of Awadhi influence but Rampur has everything of its own.

Types of Halwas of Rampur

Neem ka Halwa

If you are an Indian reading this then you are well aware about neem leaves, they are a class apart in the terms of bitterness. They have so many medicinal properties which include effectiveness against eye disorders, bloody nose, and leprosy, treating intestinal worms, loss of appetite, upset stomach, skin ulcers, cardiovascular diseases, fever, diabetes, gingivitis, and liver problems. So it were the Hakeems (the ancient master who had knowledge of herbs for curing disease), who prescribed neem to be given to the Nawabs.

As the legacy goes that, Nawabs were the finesse enthusiasts and would not even consider eating any bitter substance. So the Ustaad used to invent recipes to incorporate neem in the diet. This is how the neem ka halwa was incepted and made into reality. It is a tedious job to cook it, washing the neem leaves 3 times minimum and boiling for equal times to get rid of the bitterness. Then grinding the neem leaves on stone bed with a special pestle, to make the neem paste.

The neem paste is then shallow fried in desi ghee till the rawness is gone. Then milk is added and cooked till the milk gets condensed. During the milk reduction cardamom and other whole spices are added and cooked to make the halwa fragrant. Once done the sugar is added and then cooked further till done. Finally some chopped nuts are added to the halwa and it is served in earthen ports with edible silver foil topped on it with some dried rose petals. Will you eat neem ka halwa if I cook it someday?

Adrak ka Halwa

Another ingredient to which the Nawab of Rampur was allergic in a sarcastic way. Ginger was prescribed by the hakeems in the winters to enhance the immunity of the Nawab. As usual, the pungent flavor of ginger was not palatable to the finesse loving Nawab. Hence again the onus fell on the Ustaad to find an alternative way to feed ginger to Nawab sahab. Thus this unique Halwa came into existence.

Freshly plucked ginger are very finely chopped and fried in lots of desi ghee till they become mushy and the raw smell is gone. Then gradually milk is added in batches while the stirring continues. Whole spices and sugar is added and everything is cooked till halwa is ready and releasing the excess oils from the sides. In a separate pan chopped almonds and chironji are sautéed in desi ghee and then added to the halwa.

One of the most palatable halwa from the list of halwas of rampur. As ginger is very hot in its properties, it generates lots of heat. So the halwa is served in small portions. So when are you making this amazing adrak ka halwa?

Lahsun Ka Halwa

One more pungent ingredient that nobody can imagine being cooked as a dessert. But hey there if you are in Rampur, you are ought to be surprised constantly. Ideally this dish originates from Mount Abu region of Rajasthan but Rampur is the place where it is still being made. There are 2 versions of this recipe. Rumors say that one was from Mount Abu and the other was modified in Rampur, but nobody knows which one belongs to which place specifically.

One recipe calls the garlic to be chopped and added to the simmering milk and then adding some sooji to it while coagulating the milk with lemon juice. Then the whey is separated and the proteinaceous part is cooked till it becomes dry. Honey is added and then finally some desiccated coconut crush is added to this. It is served hot with a garnishing of dry fruits.

The second method is tedious as it need boiling lots of cloves of garlic in water and discard the water for 7 times. Then it is ground coarsely, and fried in desi ghee. Then as usual milk is added till it is condensed and meanwhile the cardamom powder and sugar is added. At last the finely chopped dry fruits are added to give it a crunchy bite. I would love to try this one out. So far from the list this seems a little less scary.

Mirchi Ka Halwa

You must be surely knowing some people who love Spicy food. Similarly there were Nawabs who were so fond of Chilies that their Ustaad thought of impressing them with Mirchi ka halwas of Rampur. The hot spiciness is mellowed down by boiling the chilies in the sugar syrup which is like blanching the chopped chilies.

Then the chilies are strained and then cooked with sugar, cardamom powder, Khoya till the natural capsaicin starts caramelizing and at this point of time a little milk is added. The mixture is then cooked till the milk condenses. Finally the chopped dry fruits are added to the Mirchi ka halwa and served in Rampuri style. Do you love chilies? Do you love them enough to try this halwa? Let me know in the comments.

Karele ka Halwa

With no specified health reasons, this halwa was made with lots of innovation. The Ustaads were always keen on surprising the Nawabs on every single day. So this halwa is the result of the same thought process. The Ustaad thought of making a halwa of something bitter. Karela is bitter gourd and is generally cooked as a savory dish. Making a dessert out of it is a work of mastery which needs to be recognized and appreciated.

The Karela is chopped and salted so that the water is released from the flesh. It is washed several times and then coarsely ground. It is then further squeezed to release the water. The seeds are dried and used later. The coarse karela is fried in desi ghee for a much longer duration till the bitterness fades away and the natural substances start caramelizing. Finally some milk is added along with cardamom powder.

Khoya is also added to enhance the richness of the dish. Once it is done, the sugar is added with dry fruits sautéed in ghee which include the bitter gourd seeds. It is served chilled in earthen pots with a covering of edible silver foil called vark. If you have made it till here then congratulations. Now you are bound to be shocked, by the rest of the halwas in the list. The most shocking halwas of Rampur.

Fish ka Halwa

If you are making faces, after reading this then probably you are a vegetarian, or you do not love fish (I meant you don’t love to eat fish). Ask a true foodie like Joey Tribbiani from FRIENDS and he will tell you what is not to like in it. Fish…Good, Condensed milk…Good, Dry Fruits…Good. Just put them in and cook it with love and bam, you have something not just out of the box but out of the planet as well.

No matter how you perceive this dessert, but in Rampur it is a seriously proud recipe which adds the feathers to your hat if you are a chef. The fish is boiled then deboned and descaled. The fish meat is then squeezed to remove any excess water, now this crumbly mass is fried in a heavy bottom pan with lots of ghee. Some grated Khoya is added and later some generous amount of sugar is added.

Finally milk is added and one of the most shocking halwas of Rampur is then roasted till it turns reddish. Kewra water and rose water is mandatory to get rid of the smell if any is left behind. All dry fruits are roughly grinded and then added to the halwa. It is served hot with the same typical Rampuri garnishing of desserts.

Gosht ka Halwa

Probably not the ones with weak stomach. You need guts and by guts I mean strong guts here, to eat this dessert. One of the gutsy halwas of Rampur is this gosht ka halwa. This is made from minced meat of lamb or goat. So basically it is a dose of proteins with carbs accompanying it. So if you separate the stigma attached to this concept, then logically it is a very nutritious dish if eaten in moderation.

The minced lamb is cooked in milk from the beginning, which takes away the smell from the lamb. Cinnamon sticks and cardamom are tied in a muslin cloth and added to the mixture. It is cooked till all the moisture dries away and you get crumbly texture. It is then further grinded finely in a mixer. The finely blended mixture is sautéed in desi ghee, till it cooks evenly. Now add some condensed milk and cook with some powdered spices till the oil separates.

I know it sounds weird to know about this, but as we know Rampuri cuisine is weird yet fascinating in its own ways. Here is a video in which chef Suunil Murudkar makes this unique recipe. The way he makes it, will tempt you to try out.

Ande Ka Halwa

If you have bravely survived till here then congratulations to you. The last one of the halwas of Rampur is a little bearable in terms of ingredients. Milks and eggs are often cooked together or are used in baking recipes as well. This Ande ka halwa is one unique recipe which is frequently made in Rampur’s kitchens. But yes it is one of the most time consuming halwa on this list. Plus it need focus and attention to perfect it, a little negligence can lead to a ruined halwa.

Six eggs are added to equal quantity of milk. Some honey is added, almond powder, chopped raisins, chopped pistachios, cardamom powder and desi ghee is added in a bowl and whisked for minimum 30 minutes with hand. No blender to be used, you need to smoothen the mixture and not incorporate air in it. This mixture is added to a wide open pan and you have to stir it continuously. It takes 20-30 minutes to cook to perfection.

A heavy pinch of saffron is added just before it is about to cook fully. Once finished it is garnished with edible silver foil and chopped pistachios. Sounds like an expensive pudding to me. What you think of this recipe? Let me know in the comments.

The Legacy is Ultimate

Rampur is known as the famous place it is from the year 1774 when Nawab Faizullah Khan ruled the place. There was harmony, there was peace and there was comfort. In a conducive environment like this, the khansamas (chefs) whom we called Ustaads were sent to foreign lands to gather knowledge of food and the tastes from different places. This is how they traveled to Europe, middle-east and other parts of India.

This is one reasons that the Rampuri cuisine has influence of Persian, Afghan, Kashmiri and Awadhi cuisine in it. Taking leaf from each of these cuisines the Rampuri cuisine has wrote its own book. The mention of book reminds me that Rampur has Asia’s one of the biggest library called the Raza library which has thousands of books which are in Arabic and Persian. Many cookbooks are in this library which hides the rich food heritage in plain sight of visitors.

It takes the curiosity and interest to unearth them and bring them out to the world. Rampuri cuisine is not famous because the nawabs liked to keep their recipes secret. So that when guest came at their place, they could surprise them with this unique foods and experiences. Off late the cuisine is losing its importance and for the same reason more people are trying to spread a word about it. I hope this legacy continues.

Closure:

You have so much to explore when it comes to Indian cuisine. There are some cuisines which are extremely good but are masked because only handful few know to cook them. I personally feel that these hidden gems need come out in public so that people can appreciate and acknowledge their goodness. These unique Halwas from Rampur were like a revelation to me. I am sure you too were not aware about these bizarre halwas that they eat in Rampur.

If you liked this blog then do share with whomsoever you can. I keep writing such blogs which you can read on this link. With this your foodie_khiladi is signing off for the day. If you want to suggest a topic or get in touch then you can write to me at foodie_khiladi@sh119.global.temp.domains or DM me at foodie_khiladi007.

I will see you soon in my next blog post. If you haven’t subscribed then you can do it here. See you soon, till then take care and keep smiling and spreading the smiles.

Whatever makes it great or legendary but the fact that makes it fascinating is about its ingredients. Potatoes and Pav are the core of Vada Pav and both have been brought to India by Portuguese. This was about its ability to be great, legendary and fascinating but now again I dare to ask, what makes it special? And to this I would expect you to agree on the thing that it represents Mumbai’s true spirit and is truly a Mumbaikar.

A street food that have changed fortunes of so many entrepreneurs. This is the simplest product that have set so many entrepreneurial dreams in motion, even in the times when the word entrepreneur was not even used this much. So let us see what this soft and crisp combination has to reveal in this blog.

History of Vada Pav

Probably this is the kind of history that should be taught to the children and I am serious about it. When I ask you, who invented Vada Pav, you won’t be having an answer. Or did you have any answer? The name of the inventor is Mr. Ashok Vaidya. If you were aware about this then you are a living legend, but not many others would be knowing this. It has been written so many times that Mr. Ashok Vaidya’s credit for inventing Vada Pav is long due.

People knew Vada before 1966, people knew the Pav too. It was Ashok Vaidya’s experiment in that year which changed the scenario of Mumbai’s street food. Not just that but the Vada Pav became the image of Mumbai in terms of famous foods that makes the food map of India. What started as an initiative by Shiv-Sena to encourage the son of soils to get into the business, has truly flourished in a mammoth journey of taste and success over five and an half decades.

When the Sena chief Shri. Balasaheb Thackeray asked the Marathi people to come forward and compete with the Udupi restaurants, the Vada Pav was the main weapon. Mr. Ashok Vaidya sold Vada and Poha in front of the platform no. 1 of Western railway’s Dadar Station. One day he experimented with the Vada and Pav, he sliced the Pav added chutney and placed the Vada inside. As beautiful and tasty as a combination it is, the dish became an overnight success. People started pouring in to his stall from places.

It is said that the main idea behind the invention was to allow the mill working crowd a chance to have a nourishing quick bite. It was never about the rich and poor problem that something like Vada Pav was the answer to. It was always about meeting the demand of the fast life in Mumbai, a city which barely halts and never sleeps. A grand salute to the man who came up with this idea. Even Shri. Balasaheb Thackeray was a fan of Mr. Vaidya Vada Pav and used to visit his stall frequently.

Mr. Ashok Vaidya supplied Vada Pav to the Sena Bhavan so many times, that Shri. Balasaheb Thackeray instructed BMC officials to never trouble him. Mr. Ashok Vaidya passed away and his younger son took over the business and still runs the stall at same place. He sacrificed his wish of becoming a fashion designer, for his father’s legacy and the love of Vada Pav. This story surely deserves attention. It is for Mr. Vaidya’s family that the world got to know Vada Pav.

Eventually the following decade saw a lot of turbulence in forms of mill workers strikes and the mills shutting down. This was the point that many of the mill workers started selling Vada pav for generating income. It was not a means to become rich but to make the ends meet when the disaster struck. Fortunately it resulted in spread of love for Vada pav and some of these mill worker entrepreneurs earned much more than what they imagined and this is how Vada Pav stamped its authority all over Mumbai.

The Vada Pav experience

I have always been a fan of the visuals from the place where Vada Pav is made. You go to any place and you will see a mashed potato bhaaji is kept ready. A person is busy in making the balls or patty out of this potato bhaaji. Another one is busy mixing the besan (roasted gram flour) batter to perfection and then dips the balls in it to coat evenly. Finally theses cold coated balls are dipped in the hot kadhai of oil. Yummm!!! The oil sizzles as it engulfs any water content in the batter and in the process the atmosphere is filled with the aroma that is just on different level of satisfaction.

The people around you including yourself, are just so mesmerized at this point that the hunger and craving intensifies multifold. The Pav are cut with a long thin knife and kept ready with green and sweet chutney slathered on it. But these are not the key ingredients of the Vada Pav, the hero of the dish is the dry garlic chutney that lifts the Vada Pav and makes it immortal. Don’t you agree? Finally the crisp fried batata-vada is out from the oil and rested for half a minute, just before it goes in the well-dressed Pav.

Out of nowhere a paper plate or a piece of newspaper comes into the scene and the Vada Pav is placed on it. A generous amount of garlic chutney is sided with the Vada pav and a couple of fried green chilies are placed on that small tiny platter. Till this time you are drooling and controlling that to your best of abilities. But finally all these torturous moments are worth it when you bite into this taste of Mumbai. You almost get tears in your eyes not because you are too emotional but because the fiery hot Vada Pav intensifies the spicy quotient which you love absolutely.

Famous places to eat Vada Pav in Mumbai

Being honest, 9 out of 10 places will serve you excellent vada pav in Mumbai so you don’t have to travel miles to taste a nice vada pav. But if you are a food connoisseur then here are some very famous places which sell the best Vada Pav and are doing so since many years now.

Ashok Vaidya’s Vada Pav

A place where the Vada Pav story started has maintained the taste in spite of the challenges that they have faced over so many decades. The birth place of Vada pav should be declared as a foodie pilgrimage and if eating food is declared as a religion then every foodies should visit this. At least as a token of appreciation, you should visit this place. Right outside Platform no. 1 in Dadar West. The legacy of original vada pav is still intact.

Aram Vada Pav

Right in front of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, near Azad maidan you will find one of the oldest shop which sells absolutely stunning Vada Pav. The daily sales of around thousands of Vada pav is the credential that have earned them this tag of being the best in business. The Vada is quite above average in size and the garlic chutney is something you shouldn’t miss ever.

Graduate Vada Pav

This one is right outside Byculla station east. The place which was the busiest junction of Mumbai around 2 decades ago has this stall called Graduate vada pav. Nobody has tried to dig in the reasons behind its unique name because the focus was always on its unique taste. Ramesh Pawar came here from Satara where these Vadas were a hit, and so he dared to start this business in Byculla. A family run business like most other Vada Pav stalls this place is surely going to rule longer.

Ashok Vada Pav

Don’t confuse this one with the place of origin. Though it is also a brainchild of another Ashok but the surname is Thakur. Thank God the Vada Pav guys do not believe in IPR and brand protection or else this would have been a case of identity theft. The reason is that, this Ashok Vada Pav near Kirti College gathers huge crowd and is right on the bucks. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Shabana Azmi and Madhuri Dixit have frequented this place. So definitely you should visit this place. Plus the owner is very friendly and greets everyone with warm smile.

Khidki Vada Pav

I haven’t tasted this personally but more than the taste what impressed me is the spirit. As the name goes, this vada pav is sold from the khidki (window) of the house. Mr. Yashawant Moreshwar Vaze and Mrs. Uma Vaze started this business without worrying about renting a place or finding a place, they utilized their home window which eventually became their USP. Visit to Tilak Chowk in Kalyan and ask anyone to reach this place.

Gajanan Vada Pav

A good vada pav can be identified by the chutney it is served with. At Gajanan Vada pav you are served with their unique chutney which is vital in making this vada pav more famous. It is served on a leaf and adds to the appeal. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Road, Thane West, is the place where you can try this vada pav.

Gupta’s at Grant Road

This stall is right outside Grant Road station east exactly diagonally opposite to B. Merwan. Nobody knows it by this name only a loyal few know that it is famous as Gupta’s Vada Pav. I am eating this for around 20 years now. If you like your vada Pav spicy then this is the best bet for you. Just try it and see if your palate can handle the zing. The Vada Pav is huge and the chutney blows your mind away.

This completes the list, there are few others which are also elite enough to be worthy of a mention. Shivaji Vada Pav near Mithibai College, Shri Swami Samarth Vada Pav near Sena Bhavan. Dada cha Vadapav behind Vitthal Mandir Virar which is among my personal favourite and last but not the least is the Mama’s Vadapav near Vartak Tower at Nallasopara east.

I am lucky enough to have tried the Vada pav from most of these places. Have you tried them all?

The Vada Pav Success stories

Personally for me each Vada Pav business which has gained popularity is a success story in itself. A minimalistic food business is how I can define it at the best. A single product is made and marketed to the target audience. They cater to the taste buds of the hungry people and capture the essence of authenticity. While the people keep falling in love and the businesses rake in the moolah (slang for money). Here is video that shows how big the vada pav thing is from a business perspective.

Jumboking

First brand that actually comes to everyone’s mind is the Jumboking Vada Pav which was the brainchild of Mr. Dheeraj Gupta who after completing his MBA, decided to organize the idea of selling vada pav in a customized and hygienic way. Back in the time when he told the world about it, he was left with no solid support and a heck lot of skepticism. So the first step was to convince people about this idea.

Eventually he managed to work around this idea along with his wife Reeta Gupta. She was responsible for marketing and brand positioning of the Jumboking. After a tough initial phase and overcoming lots of challenges the brand is finally a name to reckon. It is not only competing with the local taste but also fighting the likes of Mc Donald’s and KFC. Yet the faith is immovable and Mr. Dheeraj Gupta is good to go further with his Vada Pav specialization.

Goli Vada Pav

Another successful name that pops in my mind is the Goli Vada Pav. Which is a huge success and work of Mr. Venkatesh Iyer. A brand which opened its first store in Kalyan in the year 2004 and today has a customer base of 20 crores all over India. It makes its presence felt in the form of case studies in the syllabus of Harvard Business School, IMD Switzerland, and ISB Hyderabad. This definitely deserves to be called as a success story.

The USP is constant taste throughout all the outlets, hygiene and packaging. Mr. Iyer started the brand with people who were school dropouts. He educated them, employed them and involved them as a vital part of his entrepreneurial journey. These 3 Es are the foundation base of Goli Vada Pav which was named after a slang phrase. “Kya goli de raha hai… (Why are you bluffing)”, which Mr. Iyer heard a lot when he approached investors with his idea of making Vada Pav a corporate entity.

Traffic Vada Pav

This one is a wild card entry on this short list. Mr. Gaurav Londhe started this venture which may not be as big as the previous 2 start-ups, but has certainly hits the right nail in innovation category. Catering to the Mumbai’s traffic which is a pain in all the wrong places, Mr. Londhe started selling Vada Pav in a box with a tissue and a small water bottle. All these for just INR 20. Sophistication of product and creating the demand.

He had given away the boxes for free in the initial days but after few days the idea was a superhit. Now his estimated revenue is 2 lacs per month and he has employed 8 boys to sell Vada pav in the traffic at traffic signals.

There might be many small entrepreneurs who have made fortunes by selling vada pav. I personally know a few of them. Perhaps whenever we are not doing well in life especially in academics or job then selling Vada Pav is the idea that strikes our mind. So for people with struggles, Vada Pav is a hope that makes them feel empowered, and increase their risk taking appetite.

Why it still rules the street?

It started its journey by competing with the Idli and Dosa, later the competition was with Chinese food. Then at some point the cheese fad came in. All the mentioned food items were soaring in fame, while Vada Pav was still competing with the same spirit that makes Mumbai. All the trends came in and went out of fashion but Vada Pav still remained a classic over all these years. In Mumbai, you will find Vada Pav on each and every street or corner. Each place serving the dish in a unique taste and style.

For some it is the breakfast, for some it becomes the lunch and for some it is their dinner. For the strugglers out there, it is the only food that they can survive on. For some it is a privilege. Irrespective of background stories, Vada pav makes a place in the hearts of almost all people. It not only rules the streets of Mumbai but also rules the hearts of Mumbaikars. We have a World Vada Pav day on 23^rd August, which speaks a lot about the stature of this street food.

Conclusion:

So when are you eating your next Vada Pav. Do you want the recipe to one of the legendary Vada Pavs? If you want it, then go and ask at some of the places which sell best Vada Pav. They won’t hold it back. 8 out of 10 guys will give you the recipe, as they are not afraid of competition or something like that. They know that a Vada Pav business thrives in such environment and they welcome everyone to try their luck. For me and you, the more the merrier.

Now if you loved this blog, then do comment in the section about the best vada pav you have ever had. If you liked it to some extent then do share with your friends and families. This is a tribute to the legendary street food which represents Mumbai at global level. With this your foodie_khiladi signs off for the day with another write up on food heritage. If you liked this then you would like to read more here.

If you have anything to say then you can mail me at foodie_khiladi@sh119.global.temp.domains or DM me at foodie_khiladi007. I will see you soon in my next blog. Till then keep smiling and spreading the smiles. You might also like to read an article on vada pav covered by the BBC on this link here.

If you have ever travelled by train on a long distance journey then you will remember how at the remote railways stations they used to sell Chai in the earthen cups. The local specialties were sold by the street smart vendors in the coaches on each railway station. Even if that particular station had a late night halt, you would still wake up to taste the special food it offered. Some railway stations had these famous stalls which sold the best of foods and you or your parents or relatives got down from the train to buy the stuff under 3 minutes or so. That was some thrill.

As a kid, I travelled a lot in the train. Indian railways always fascinated me. So the love for Indian Railway Station foods started early for me. In India where the largest and the most complicated rail network operates, the opportunity to capture the requirement of food is huge. Over millions of food vendors and thousands of food businesses have thrived by catering to this need. No wonder that one of the least explored culinary journey has been of the Indian Railway Station Foods. If any food expert is reading this then this challenge is up for the taking.

So in this blog, I will try to highlight the most famous Indian railway station foods from all the famous places. Some of them, I have tried myself and I know that these foods are not even a bit overrated. Right on the money and forever on the taste buds this is how you can define them.

Famous Indian Railway Station Foods

As I belong to Mumbai, I will try to start from Mumbai and then try to explore away. I maybe or may not be able to cover all the famous places due to lack of resourceful information available. So I would encourage you to lit up the comments section for the details of some delicious foods you have had at the Railway stations. I would be more than glad to add those to the list.

I have tried to cover stations which are not local but where the long distance trains halt. If I get 20 comments on this blog and a page view of 1000 then I will surely make a detailed blog on the foods to be tasted on Mumbai local stations.

Perfect Vadapav at Karjat Station

For Mumbaikars, two of the most nearest weekend getaways are Matheran and Lonavla. Karjat railway station lies en-route to these places. Ask anybody who has travelled on this route about the Vadapav they sell at the Karjat Station. It is just paisa vasool (right on the bucks). I personally do not like monsoons, but many people say that eating this Vadapav in monsoons is a different level of satisfaction.

Fresh Flavored milk at Anand Station

When my dad was posted at Jodhpur, we used to travel many times on this route. Mumbai to Rajasthan via Gujrat. Anand railway station served some ultra-delicious flavored milk. I haven’t been via that route in so many years now, but I know that Anand station is the place for the best flavored milk. My favorite was the Kesar elaichi one. My parents used to wake me up from my sleep to treat me with this wholesome goodness.

Poha from Ratlam Station

I had no doubt that one or more than one stations would be serving this dish. Poha is the best breakfast according to me. Easy to make, easy to digest, healthy in comparison and pocket friendly. So what makes Poha from Ratlam different? The Poha served here is topped with freshly chopped onions, Ratlam sev which is spiced with black pepper and then garnished with some pomegranate seeds and coriander. I am sure you must have visualized a colorful plate of aromatic poha in front of you.

Amritsari Lassi on Amritsar station

Before the use of plastic glasses increased, they used to serve this fulfilling Lassi in the earthen pots call kullhad. Amritsari Lassi is world famous in India. So how can anyone miss this while travelling via this railway station? As far as I remember that people keep bragging about the serving size. So if you drink a glass of this goodness in the morning then you won’t get those hunger pangs till the evening. Only exception is if your next destination is a foodie heaven.

Moong daal ke Pakode, Bareilly

After Kaanda Bhaji (Onion fritters), I guess moong dal bhaji is by far the most liked fritters out there. Bareilly station serves some mouthwatering moong daal ke pakode with mint chutney that nobody wants to miss. No matter how good moong daal ke pakode you must have tried but you need to simply try this.

Aloo Tikki, Tundla Junction

A further journey of approximately 10 hours will take you to this Tundla junction where you will be greeted with one of the best Indian Railway station foods. Do you like Aloo Tikki? Even if you don’t, you will just fall in love with the Aloo Tikki from this place. You know what makes this special? The small towns like this do not sell to become rich they sell this stuff to make you happy and then think about the profit. So the taste is guaranteed.

Biryani at Charbagh, Secunderabad and Shoranur Railway Station

Biryani is also subjected to multiple debates in India. Each place has its own version and claims to either be the best or be the place where it originated. So we do not have 1 or 2 but 3 railway stations that serve some authentic Biryani that the passengers do lay their hands on. Charbagh station at Lucknow is famous for Shahi Biryani. The Secunderabad station is famous for delicious and spicy Hyderabadi Biryani and then the Shoranur station at Kerala is famous for the Kerala’s special Biryani.

When it comes to Biryani it was mandatory for me to include all three stations that sell some excellent Biryanis. Every Biryani is special, don’t you agree?

Rabri at Abu Road Station

A good Rabri is my weakness, and this place serves one of the best Rabri. It is not made out of the pasteurized milk, but from the raw milk that fetches more cream and the fatty layers that are caramelized on slow heat. You know the best part about this one? They serve it inside the train. The vendors bring the supply in the railway coaches and sell this upfront. Chilled in the earthen pots and set to perfection.

Aloor Dum at Kharagpur Junction

First of all you tell me that have you ever tried Dum Aloo? Aloor Dum is nothing but the Dum Aloo served with some Pooris or Parathas. Dum Aloo is made from tiny potatoes that are stir fried in oil then pierced deeply so that the gravy is soaked inside. Then cooked on a slow flame most probably on a coal fired stove. The gravilicious potatoes are just top notch. If you haven’t tried it, then you need to book your tickets soon.

Kadhi Kachori at Ajmer Railways Station

People love Kadhi and People also love Kachori. So some genius person clubbed them together at the Ajmer junction and it was sold within minutes. Kachori is a spicy deep fried food that is mellowed down with the creamy and sour Curd based Kadhi. This is unique combination and as mild as a foodie you are, but you won’t be able to resist yourself if you see someone eating this in front of you.

Maddur Vada at Maddur Railway Station

Probably the only Indian Railway station food that is famous by the name of railway station. Maddur vada is a deep fried fritter made from multiple ingredients. It has onions added to it which imparts a very unique taste to this good food. So if you are visiting Bengaluru or Mysore via this route then you will get an opportunity to try this fried food.

Pazham Pori at Palakkad Station

Bananas from Kerala are unique in themselves, so a fritter made out of these fruits is definitely going to be worth a try. Pazham Pori is a Keralite specialty. It is sold in Banana leaves that adds to the flavour of the deeply fried fritters. Do not confuse it with the banana chips. This food is slightly sweet and is perfect for a snack time with filter coffee.

Chole Bhature at Jalandhar station

The second station on the list with best of Indian Railway station food from Punjab. If you talk about Punjab you ought to discuss Chole Bhature. If you don’t then you are a sinner. So if by any chance your trains is passing via this route then you need to gorge on some sumptuous Chole Bhature that will make your journey meaningful.

Lal Sah at Guwahati Railway Station

Are you a fan of the tea? By tea I am referring here to the special delicate brew without the milk. The Assam tea, is brewed to perfection so that you get a reddish concoction which is mildly sweetened with sugar and served to you. I have heard tales of coffee lovers falling in love with this version of tea. This speaks a lot about the Lal Sah. You should definitely add this to your bucket list.

Chicken cutlets at Howrah

The only thing famous after Howrah Bridge are these lip smacking chicken cutlets. A dish made out of minced chicken and a set of spices which is then fried to make them crispy. The crispiness is not the mark of success for this dish, but a chicken dish getting famous in a place where people breathe and eat fish is what success means. So I won’t brag further about this. You be your best judge.

Pakodas at Chittorgarh station

Platform no. 1 at the Chittorgarh Railway station serves some crispy and tastiest Pakodas made of onions and potatoes. You need a bit of luck to eat them. Not every train halts at platform no. 1. So if you visit this place then ensure that you get down and go to the platform no. 1 to grab some best Pakodas. People risk missing their train for these fried goodness, so it underlines how good these must be.

Fish curry at Jamshedpur’s Tatanagar Station

I don’t know how good this dish is. But people have spoken about it a lot and this is why this dish has made it to this list. I don’t even know which fish they serve. So if you get a chance then do try the fish curry from the Railway canteen and let me know if this was as good as people claim it to be.

Pedas at Mathura station

We have heard it often, even some places do sell Pedhas under this name. How authentic they are we all know. So here is your chance to taste some authentic and original Mathura Pedhas at Mathura station. I have heard that it is so fresh that you can literally coat your fingers from the buttery fat that oozes out of these Pedhas. Now this is how fresh a Pedha should be. Sold in packets and loose, inside the coaches.

Ghee Onion Rava Dosas at Chennai Central Station

Chennai Central Station is the best place to eat South Indian food. The highlight of the feast is Ghee Onion Rava Dosa. They make them at a breakneck pace and serve it with the legendary sambar and magnificent coconut chutney. If you are a fan of south Indian food then you need to eat this one by hook or by crook.

Camel Milk Tea at Surendranagar Station

In the entire list, this one is the only thing that has fascinated me. A chai made from camel’s milk. A camel’s milk is creamier than the cow’s milk and it is slightly salty in taste. From the description I could make out that the chai made from this would taste like an Irani Chai. What are your thoughts on this? Will you dare to try the camel milk? Or will you pass this one? Let me know in the comments below.

Kozhikode Halwa, Calicut, Kerala

You can get this one inside the train, but if you want to lay your hands on some original stuff then you will have to set your feet outside the Calicut Station. This gelatinous sugary dessert is made in coconut oil, deep fried and has lots of dry fruits but people go crazy over it. So you need to try this at least once.

A Lot more to be discovered:

The most common perception about Indian Railway Station food is it being unhygienic. This is an age old perception which is true to certain extent. Based on a small sample size the conclusion is applied to the overall picture. If you investigate by yourself then you will find that the railway canteen food is one of the cleanliest and if anything happens to you after eating that food then you can legally sue them.

Having said that, the food sold by the vendors and hawkers is not covered under this scheme and you need to calculate your risk appetite. Because ‘Risk hai toh Ishq hai…’ If you love your food then you must be willing to take risk. I have eaten on railway stations so many times in my life and never have I ever felt sick.

Now you have a fair list of good foods that are waiting to greet you at various railway stations. These was the list of most famous foods at famous places. Indian railway network is so huge that I believe, we must have some hidden gems waiting to be discovered but only if one takes the road less travelled. I wish someday I get a chance to cover all the train journeys of India so that I can try all the amazingly delicious food and make a detailed guide about the railway culinary cuisine.

Closure:

Do you remember any of the Indian Railway station food that was just outstanding? If you are from Mumbai then on Matunga Central station they serve some brilliant Daal vada with chutneys and the ragda is on another level. Do try it and encourage everyone else to try. With this your foodie_khiladi signs off for the day. I hope you liked this blog and will share it with the people who love train travel.

If you liked this then you might also want to read this nice article from Zac on natgeotraveller. If you know a place that you feel should be on this list then do let me know. You can DM me on foodie_khiladi007 or write to me at foodie_khiladi@sh119.global.temp.domains. I would be happy to hear from you. See you soon in my next blog post, till then keep smiling and spreading the smiles.

I have read debates on French cuisine being overrated and they all are making sense in just one common point that no matter what, but French cuisine can never be underrated. The sole reason behind it is the fact that French cuisine in itself oozes class and elegance that it can never be underrated. Even a culinary novice will also not dare to speak against French cuisine. In many global culinary institutes, the French cooking and French cuisine is viewed as a final frontier that needs to be conquered to enter this prestigious world of cooking.

Today in this blog let me take you along to explore this beautiful cuisine which inspires many cooking enthusiasts. It has set standards around the world especially in the hospitality industry. When we start slicing the dimensions of this, you will find out that French cuisine is not only about food, but so much more. So are you excited?

French Cuisine’s brief history

It all started in the medieval ages with ‘service en confusion’ which meant to serve everything on the table at once and then the whole eating party would eat it with wines flowing the scene and the music upping the ante. Yes the same as you visualized from your memories of Hollywood flicks based on medieval ages. It is said that mustard levels were high in the food, and they all ate with hands. So now this makes me wonder how this journey of transformation have been. It is definitely worth reading about. Don’t you think so?

Moving a little forward on the timeline will take you the period post 15^th century which saw the introduction of the guilds which was restrictive in a sense that it asked people to stick with one guild. It meant a butcher was not allowed to cook and a chef was not allowed to sell and so on. The only bright spot in this guild system was that it introduced ranks in the commercial kitchens like cooks, sous chef, chef and master chef. These ranks still live on in the commercial set ups.

During these centuries ranging from 15^th to 17^th the finesse started to show up. Earliest written works on food that later on were labelled as cook books were written by famous chefs of that era. The exchange of plants, herbs, and other indigenous supplies with the New World (The world outside Europe, especially western) happened in this period. Haute Cuisine had its foundation laid in this period. The Haute cuisine was perhaps the thing where the fine tuning of the meals started.

Then came the period post 17^th Century which saw the French Revolution. This is a liberation period and is credit for expanding the horizons of French cooking. As it abolished the guild system and thus culinary geniuses were free to work in more than one trade. The types of breads came under regulation of the governments to keep them in affordable price ranges. This period also saw the invention of 5 mother sauces that are the backbone of French cuisine till date.

The Era of Georges Auguste Escoffier

Escoffier is deemed as the father of French cuisine by many. The other tags that define him are ‘he king of chefs and the chef of kings’. He further set a template for Haute cuisine and started practices that are still followed in the restaurant kitchens all over the world. I am not sure if the culinary schools have a chapter on him, if not then this would be very ironical. He created the brigade system. This was all while he lived and worked till 1921 starting from 1898.

The brigade system had 5 sections, which had ‘garde manger’ where cold dishes were prepared, ‘entremettier’ prepared the vegetables and starches, ‘rôtisseur’ managed the roasts and grills, ‘saucier’ kept making the sauces which were used in other departments and ‘pâtissier’ was dedicated to make pastry and dessert items. These departments are still intact in any big setup of restaurants. This increased the efficiency as the dishes were made in components in each departments and finally assembled.

So how informative the history have been so far? French cuisine is well respected for all these factors that only few know. The chef who read do know about all these things and for the same reason they admire French cuisine.

Why French Cuisine is bland?

First of all let be clear that the perception of blandness can vary from person to person. It is not necessary that a food needs to have spiciness from chilies to be called tasty.

So whatever we are going to discuss here will be from a point that for different people, the definition of bland is different. For some people blandness is due to lack of salt, for some it is lack of chili, for some it is lack of pepper, so on and so forth. I hope now you are better equipped to understand the complexity of the situation here.

There are quite a few theories and I would like to start with the one that I feel is more logical. Chilies were grown in Latin America and the hot spices like cinnamon and pepper were grown in Indian sub-continents. It was only during the medieval ages, that the spices actually arrived in Europe and France.

Now this is one solid reason that the French people never developed a palate for hot and spicy foods. Rather the focus shifted on mild and flavorful herbs that were used to bring a subtle elegance to the dish. With introduction to the spices, the hotness quotient raised for a while but since the palate was not accustomed to the taste, the chefs re-innovated the cuisine.

French cuisine was redefined, the spices were mellowed down and the goal was to slow cook the raw materials for the shortest possible time. This brings the limelight on actual taste of the raw materials that one has to learn to appreciate in its natural form. These are the few reasons that the French cuisine remains bland. But they take pride in it as the food preparation depends on freshly acquired ingredients that are locally produced or grown. They celebrate the freshness of the ingredients and allow their real tastes to flaunt around on your tongues.

Master the French cuisine with these 5 Mother sauces

French cuisine is based on minimalist cooking of the core ingredients but it is compensated with various sauces that make the dishes interesting. There are multiple sauces which are used in French cooking, but all these sauces are made from 5 sauces and these are called as the mother sauces. If you master these sauces then you will nearly master the French cuisine. So do you want to know about these sauces?

Initially there were only 4, but Hollandaise was so good and impressive that it was added to the family of mother sauces. I haven’t personally tasted any of them, but among these five, Hollandaise is what makes me salivate. It is creamy, it is cheesy, and it is umami. Warning alert, it might not be the best for everyone, as it has egg in it.

All the sauces has one common factor and that is the roux, which is a combination of butter and flour cooked together for roughly 2-3 minutes. That makes a thick and nice paste that thickens the sauce in which it is used. It helps in giving the texture to the sauces which builds of the character of the sauce that impresses the fine diner.

Starting with Béchamel, the roux is used along with addition of creamy milk which is whisked while adding. Then simmer it till it forms a smooth sauce, salt and pepper is enough for this but you can get as creative as you want. The Béchamel is used in making pastas, mac and cheese, some soups and casseroles.

Velouté is the non-vegetarian variant of the earlier mentioned sauce. Instead of adding milk to the roux, you can add chicken stock, fish stock, veal stock or vegetable stock. This sauce is best served with the mains of chicken or vegetables that are pan seared or baked. The dryness of the mains and this moist sauce are the best combinations.

Espagnole this is famously called as the brown sauce in which the roux is cooked a little longer to burn the butter and make it brown. Roasted and simmered veal or beef bones are used to make brown stock. Thus a brown stock is ready to be served as complimentary side with beef and duck meat.

Hollandaise sauce is a visual to cherish while making. 2 egg yolks put in a glass bowl kept on a pot having just an inch of water. Whisking delicately and then adding lemon juice or white wine vinegar into it. Whisk till the volume roughly doubles up and this is the time you need to add the melted hot butter very very slowly.

While adding the butter the constant whisking is must, or else you will ruin the egg yolk and will be left with no sauce. Finally finish with salt and pepper. It is alarmingly addictive. Eggs benedict is the famous dish which uses hollandaise sauce.

Tomato sauce is made with roux, pork, herbs, and vegetables. It is the tangiest sauce that is more palatable to Indian patrons. Ripened tomatoes give you the best results. It is widely used in pastas, roasts, stews, vegetables and other dishes.

See now I told you the recipes to all the mother sauces now you can start your journey of becoming a prestigious French chef. So when are you starting? Make sure you call me to taste.

A day with French Cuisine…

Then imagine for a while, if you master the French sauces and start making French dishes and this is how you become curious with French food. So it is by default that you will add France on your bucket list. Let’s assume you get a chance to tick that off your bucket list soon enough. So here is how your foodie experience in France would be.

Whichever place you choose to stay in, the morning breakfast will have croissants which are not French in origin but this Austrian delicacy has found its home in France. One of the most beautiful bread form you will ever taste. It is a very mildly sweet in taste and more fresh when fresh out of the oven.

As you devour the flaky layers with the cup of coffee, you will be served a French Omelet, and that is so silky smooth and rolled to perfection. You will forget all the omelets you ever had till date. You can also think about croquet madame that is basically sandwich made of buttery brioche, smoked ham, béchamel sauce and a gooey fried egg. Just yummm!!!

Once you had your breakfast you visit the majestic Louvre museum and take a lazy stroll by the time it is noon and you are hungry again after burning few calories. You head to one of the nearby restaurants and choose to sit on the outer seating arrangements. You choose to order few hors d’oeuvres which include a small disc shaped tart having caramelized onions and Roquefort cheese melted on it. The tart is baked and the baking has left the wonderful brown marks on the cheese that makes it an ultimate appetizer.

The next hors d’oeuvre is Escargot served with herbal sauce and that hails from Burgundy region and is a national favorite. Only if you like see food you just devour it wholesomely and the person who doesn’t likes seafood is sitting idle looking at you and hence orders an onion soup to compensate. The soup has some extremely caramelized onions deglazed with dry wine with vegetable stock that is finished with garlic bread and gruyere cheese that is baked on top to give this dish a very satisfying feel. You finish the soup and now are hungrier.

Now moving to mains you order some brilliantly made Cognac Shrimp with Beurre Blanc that is a sauce which is butter and wine sauce that is served with these steamed shrimps and thus has an amazing taste without that typical seafood smell. It is a creamy delight that melts in your mouth. You are have foodgasm by the time your next dish arrives and it is a coq au vin which is a rooster in wine dish that make a beautiful stew which is slow cooked with intricate steps that enhance flavours.

For desserts you have Crème Brûlée that is a sweet and soft custard base topped with caramelize sugar which totally completes your lunching experience in a grandeur. Now you head out to visit the Arc de Triomphe spend some time there and head towards the Eiffel tower by the time of sunset. After spending so much time in roaming, you need a quick bite to keep you going till dinner. So you choose a café which is serving some classic sables (French delicate cookies) and Palmiers (the original little hearts) which are gulped down with coffee and hot chocolate without caring about calories.

Finally you visit the Notre Dame spend some quality time there, click lots of pictures by now and as the street light up to welcome the night, your hunger is back which is now on its peak due to the falling temperature. You head out to one of the best restaurant to end your day on a high. You order ratatouille which was on your mind since you saw the movie by the same name. You order some Spinach Soufflé, Potatoes au Gratin and some lamb chops with cognac Dijon cream sauce. So all vegetarians and non-vegetarians are happy at the end of the day.

The waiter suggest you to try the chicken cordon bleu and you can’t refuse it just by the way of his description. You finish the entire order and are quite full but you decide to push your limits because dining in Paris doesn’t happen often. So finally for desserts you order Strawberry Fraisier with lillet chiffon pastry, mousse au chocolat and few Canelés which are the yummiest cakes you ever had. By the time you finish this yum and awesome treats and move out, you suddenly remember that you didn’t have a crêpe.

So you stop at the roadside vendor who is selling hot crêpes and order some, eat them without any regret and that taste fills your heart with happiness that radiates through your smile. Now finally the love affair with French cuisine is complete. You head back to your hotel room with an immense satisfaction.

Closure:

Now you must be knowing why French Cuisine is so special and has led to an entire restaurant industry to thrive and flourish even in this modern times. It this fast moving world French cuisine teaches use to sit back, relax and let your hair down. Breathe, rejuvenate, spend time with your special ones and then start again. It is a tradition in France to eat together and celebrate even the smallest of occasions with food and with your loved ones. This might be one reason that most of the restaurants there have an outside seating arrangement.

Though not flashy and loud, but French cuisine is surely rich in elegance with simplicity. It relies more on natural flavours of the foods and less on the added condiments and spices. The presentation is top notch and many budding chefs spend years in mastering French cooking. It was introduced to America by Julia Child and eventually became famous worldwide because its cooking style is holistically amazing.

So when are you trying French cuisine? Here is a list of recipes which you can start with. I hope you liked this blog, if yes then do share and subscribe if not done yet. With this your foodie_khiladi signs off for the day in a hope to see you in my next blog soon. Till then keep smiling and spreading smiles.

If you would like to suggest something then you can write to me at foodie_khiladi@sh119.global.temp.domains or DM me at foodie_khiladi007.