Darina Allen: Three Indian street food recipes to try at home

Darina Allen: "Tourists are often scared to eat street food but that’s where one gets the real taste of a country."

Back from India, we fortunately managed to miss a lot of that dreadful weather. We stayed at our beloved Ahilya Fort, overlooking the Narmada River in the small rural town of Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh.

It’s right out in the country, almost two and a half hours by car from Indore. Our bedroom overlooked the ghats on the river’s edge where there is constant activity from pre-dawn to dusk and beyond.

I watched the sunrise from the balcony, then the morning ritual of local women chatting while they wash their clothes in the river, over 150 feet below. Close by on the gurunj (jetties), people are earnestly performing morning pujas and floating little diyas down the river to ask for blessings for loved ones.

Sounds of fervent devotion waft out from the local temples, a group of boys are swimming in what must be properly chilly waters, a cow and a few goats wander nonchalantly along the ghats with a distinct air of entitlement, and bells are tinkling. Children are excitedly feeding the ravenous fish, one gets special blessings for feeding the river fish.

Pilgrims come from far and wide, some over 700km, to worship in this holy place, to give thanks to the Narmada for their life, or to scatter ashes of loved ones in the sacred river. 

Unlike Varanasi, both the ghats and the river are clean, and the ghats are swept regularly with brooms made of twigs. Little stalls sell handmade snacks, plantain fritters and freshly pressed sugarcane juice. Local peddlers sell colourful beads, necklaces, and bangles to the growing number of visitors. 

Gaily coloured boats criss-cross the river to Naratodi, a sleepy little village on the opposite bank of the river. Poja is a favourite breakfast cereal in India, everyone seems to have a different recipe.

Ahilya Fort serves a delicious version, but I also love the time-honoured poha that Devram makes on his stall on the side of the road in Nartodi, in a beloved black kari over a charcoal fire in a clay burner. This year, he greeted me like a long lost friend.

I think he must have remembered my red sun hat from last year. He’s now somewhat of a hero in the village because the word has gotten around that the Irish lady came back once again for more of his poha... He still serves it in little squares of newspaper with a little tin spoon kept specially for visitors. A little way along the road, Nanda Kewat is making kachori from scratch. I accidentally caught a wonderful cooking class right there by the roadside overlooking the river.

The dough was made from local flour, salt, and water, a little oil was kneaded in and left to rest in a well-practised routine. The spicy, super tasty filling was ready, he gave me a taste, then deftly portioned the silky dough, no need for a scale.

He flattened and filled each one with easy, well-practised precision. Meanwhile, the oil was heating in a crusty black iron kari over a single gas jet on a tiny brazier. With his thumb, he made a saucer-like dent in each kachori. Then tucked them side by side into the deep fry.

They took ages to cook, over five minutes on one side. It was mesmerising to watch, after about five minutes, each one started to puff up into a ball. He flipped them over, cooked until crisp and golden on both sides, lifted them out of the oil, then drained and sold them while still hot to a queue of waiting locals.

I managed to get one — you can’t imagine how delicious it was. I love the variety of street food in India.

There’s an altogether different choice at midday and after sunset. In the evening at the end of the street below Ahilya Fort, there’s a pani puri stall, then samosas, pakoras, and saffron milk, all gastronomic delights. Maybe that’s a bit strong, but, for me, they are the authentic taste of India.

Tourists are often scared to eat street food but that’s where one gets the real taste of a country.

The menu changes every day here at Ahilya Fort for both lunch and dinner, much of the food comes from the organic gardens and farm, the village and the local area. Every evening we have a new food adventure with a thali of dishes — a variety of little bowls of deliciousness. Try these Indian street foods at home in your own kitchen.

Ahilya Fort’s Crispy Kachori

recipe by:Darina Allen

These kachori are served in little squares of newspaper and cost just a few rupees at a stall on the side of the streets. Always fry the kachori on a low-medium heat to ensure they are cooked through and crispy. Adding gram (chickpea) flour to the stuffin

Servings

10

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• For the dough

• 300g plain flour

• 2 tbsp ghee

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• ½ tsp salt

• For the filling

• 200g mung beans

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 2 tsp fennel seeds

• 1 tsp coriander seeds

• 2 green chillies, 1 slit lengthways and 1 finely chopped

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 tbsp ghee

• 4 tbsp gram flour (chickpea flour)

• 1-2 tbsp grated ginger

• ½ tsp ground turmeric

• ¼ tsp asafoetida

• 1 ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 tsp garam masala

• oil for frying

Method

1. The day before, cover the mung beans in cold water and allow to soak overnight.

2. Next day:

3. To make the dough, put the flour and salt into a bowl.

4. Add the ghee and oil and a small amount of lukewarm water.

5. Keep mixing and gradually add up to 150ml water, until a soft dough forms with no flour remaining on your hands. Knead the dough on a clean surface. Make into a ball, pop into a bowl, cover with a damp tea-towel and allow to rest for 1 hour approx in a warm place. Meanwhile, make the filling.

6. Toast the cumin seeds, 1 tsp of the fennel seeds and coriander seeds in a small dry frying pan for 3-4 minutes.

7. Allow to cool, then grind the whole spices to a fine powder using a coffee or spice grinder and set aside.

8. Put the soaked and drained mung beans, the slit green chilli and 8 tbsp of water in a food processor. Blitz to make a slightly coarse paste.

9. Heat the oil and ghee in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the remaining 1 tsp fennel seeds and cook for 1 minute until it smells aromatic. Stir in the gram flour – it needs to be roasted to get rid of the raw smell.

10. Cook on a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure it doesn’t burn. Stir in the bean mixture and mix well to ensure there are no lumps.

11. Tip in the ginger, chopped green chilli, turmeric, asafoetida, salt, sugar and 1 tsp of the spice powder you prepared earlier and the garam masala. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes until the water has evaporated.

12. The bean filling should be dry and thick. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Divide the rested dough into 10 equal portions and roll each one into a ball.

13. Take a ball of dough and flatten with both palms into a flat circle, then by pressing your thumb against the ends, to make it thinner and larger in size.

14. Put in the cup of your palm, so the dough takes that shape and fill with 1 tbsp of the cooked filling. Bring the sides of the dough to the centre and pinch the ends to seal (try not to pinch too much of the dough together or that end will be too doughy).

15. Repeat the process for 10 portions.

16. Heat a wok half-filled with oil over a high heat and bring to 180°C or until a piece of the dough dropped in the oil sizzles immediately.

17. Reduce the temperature a little and carefully lower in a few of the kachori and continue to cook in batches for 4-5 minutes each until golden.

18. Remove using a slotted spoon and put on a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain. Serve immediately with your choice of chutney. When served on the street, they are sold in little squares of newspaper.

Bread Omelette or Bengali Bombay Toast

A savoury version of eggy bread.

Servings

1

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 10 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 slice of white bread

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil (they use groundnut oil in India)

• 1 egg

• 1-2 tbsp finely chopped red onion (20g)

• ¼ tsp chopped chilli

• 1 tsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

• ¼ tsp of turmeric, optional

Method

1. Heat a frying pan.

2. Whisk the egg well, add the chopped red onion, chilli and coriander leaves.

3. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and turmeric if using.

4. Whisk again to combine.

5. Dip both sides of a slice of bread in the egg mixture until well soaked.

6. Cook on a smoking hot pan, first on one side, then the other until golden.

7. Cut in quarters, sprinkle with some rock salt and freshly ground black pepper.

8. Wrap in newspaper, charge 10 rupees…next please – so good and filling!

Saffron Milk (Kesar Milk)

recipe by:Darina Allen

In the evening, huge kari full of saffron coloured kesar bubble away on little gas braziers. It has a fluffy crust on top, dotted with strands of saffron. It’s served in glasses, always with a portion of the crust on top – a comforting evening drink and s

Servings

1

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 4-6 strands top quality saffron but could be

• 12-15 strands depending on the quality

• 1 tbsp of milk

• 225ml whole milk

• 1-2 tsp sugar depending on how sweet you like it

• pinch of cardamom (¼ tsp) (8-10 pods crushed)

• slivered almonds and pistachios (optional)

Method

1. Soak the saffron in 1 tbsp of warm milk for 8-10 minutes to release the colour and aroma.

2. Bring the remaining milk to the boil, add every drop of the saffron milk, sugar and cardamom.

3. Simmer for 3-5 minutes so it thickens slightly.

4. Serve warm with a little sprinkle of finely flaked almonds and chopped pistachios.

Seasonal journal

Easter reminder….

There’s still time to make your Simnel Cake for Easter.

Simnel Cake is a traditional Easter cake. It has a layer of almond paste baked into the centre and a thick layer of almond icing on top. The 11 balls represent 11 of the 12 apostles – Judas is missing because he betrayed Jesus (see irishexaminer.com for my recipe).

Don’t forget to order spring lamb ahead from your local butcher (preferably one who buys from local farmers) for Easter Sunday lunch – I’ll include a roast lamb recipe in next week’s column.

Make your own Easter Eggs with the kids

If you wish to make your own chocolate Easter egg, you can source moulds directly from Stuff 4 Cakes based in Co Galway – stuff4cakes.ie – or for more professional equipment, check out chocolateworld.be

Kids Food Revolution

Congratulations to Kids Food Revolution who recently won the top national prize in the Green Communities Fund sponsored by Lidl to progress their food literacy project in West Cork Schools. They are working with local communities to reduce nutrient-poor food; local schools are now co-crafting a pilot with them to develop cookery and gardening workshops so that every child gets to build their practical skills and knowledge within the classroom whilst having fun.

Bravo to all involved.

See kidsfoodrevolution on Instagram to follow their progress.