What is Agra to you? Surely the prompt answer will be the Taj Mahal. One of the Seven Wonders of the World, this ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of river Yamuna takes this city in Uttar Pradesh to a global platform. Whoever it is, from whichever part of the world it is, if he/she plans a trip to India, Agra remains as a must visit on the list. The rich culture and heritage of the city doesn't restrict to its history and beautiful architectures created by the Mughal rulers, it rather translate to its food.
Taj Mahal: One of the Seven Wonders of World
The food culture here is an amalgamation of local flavours of northern India and the Mughal era. Other than the parathas and the Mughlai cuisines, what one should not miss exploring are the lanes of Agra for street foods. The street food of Agra is a gastronomic delight.
Here's A List Of 5 Street Foods That One Must Try When In Agra:
Petha
Agra and petha sync with each other. A trip to Agra can never be complete without 'Agre ka petha'. This sweetmeat is made from white pumpkin or ash gourd and flavoured with nuts, spices and various other flavours. Generally, two types of pethas are available in the market - one is dry and chewy and the other is soft and juicy. So try not to miss petha during your visit to Agra.
Dalmoth
Dalmoth is a tongue-teasing savoury of Agra that can be eaten just like that or alongside petha. The crunch of dalmoth enhances the sweetness of petha. It is a dry snack made with spicy fried lentils (dal) and loads of nuts and raisins. It works best as an accompaniment to tea or sherbet. Pethas and dalmoth are available all over Agra and the most famous franchise is 'Panchi Petha'. However, try to buy from the original Panchi Petha store.
Bedai
When in Agra, make sure you have bedai in your breakfast. It is a puffy kachori with spicy filling inside. It is generally served with spicy aloo sabzi and dahi. The spicy and tangy flavour of the dish gives a happy kick to the mornings. From restaurants to road-side shops, this breakfast combo is available everywhere in Agra.
Kesari Jalebi
Bedai is incomplete without jalebi. Famous in every part of northern India, jalebis are made out of fermented batter, dipped in saffron-sugar syrup. The sweetness of jalebi, the tang of dahi and the spicy bedai - a bite of all the three together gives a burst of flavours in the mouth. Just go to any shop and try bedai-jalebi, they taste amazing.
Bhalla
Bhalla is somewhat same as aloo tikki of Delhi. It is basically fried mashed potato serves with chickpea (kabuli chana) curry, chutney, dahi and spices. Stop by at any chaat corner in Agra during the evening and enjoy the lip smacking bhalla.
Milk And Milk Products
Another thing Agra is known for is the milk and milk products. Thickened milk in kulhad with malai on the top is a favourite drink of Agra. Lassi, dahi and makkhan are equally famous in this city of Uttar Pradesh due good supply of cow milk. Every morning you will find shops boiling milk in a huge kadhai and serving in glasses to the people who wait for this in long queues.
If you want to find all these food in one place, then do visit 'Chat Wali Gali' in Agra's Saddar Bazar. It is a paradise for street food lovers. So, next time when you visit Agra, make sure you experience these foods along with the beauty of the Taj.