Street food of India plays a major role in defining the cuisine of the country. From North to South, if you explore, you will find every region with their unique street foods forming an important component of the food habits of the locals. One great example is the Bengali cuisine. In Bengal, you will find a wide variety of street foods that are hard to give a miss- from rolls to jhalmuri and chop. But what remains the most popular of all is phuchka. The very thought of phuchka makes every Bengali slurp. Available at every corner of the streets, phuchka is one of the first few dishes people try on their first visit to Bengal or at any Bengali society in the metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore et al. If you are someone from Delhi, you must have tried those crunchy and flavourful balls of goodness at the markets in CR Park.
Quite similar to golgappa in Delhi and paanipuri in Mumbai, phuchka is basically crunchy sooji-atta ball filled with spicy aloo and tangy tamarind water. The only difference is- aloo filling in phuchka is well mashed and loaded with spices like roasted jeera, dhania and red chilli powder, black salt and white peas. Some people also add soaked/sprouted black chana in it. And traditionally, the tamarind water for phuchka is made yet more flavourful by adding Bengal's special gondhoraj lebu (a special variety of lemon that is known for its strong aroma- similar to kafeir lime). When the crispy and light papdi (puri) blends with spicy aloo and aromatic tamarind water, the whole experience spells indulgence. Already slurping?
We found the authentic Bengali-style phuchka recipe for you enjoy the popular street food in the comfort of your home. While papdis are easily available in the market, you need to just prepare the aloo and the tamarind water at home. This recipe has been shared by vlogger Ananya Banerjee on her YouTube channel 'The Saree Chef'. Let's take a look.
How To Make Kolkata Street-Style Phuchka:
For Aloo Filling:
Step 1. Take boiled potatoes and boiled white peas in a bowl
Step 2. Add finely chopped coriander leaves and green chillies to it.
Step 3. Add Bengali bhaja masala (mix of roasted jeera, dhania and red chilli), black salt and red chilli powder. Mash and mix everything together.
For Tamarind Water:
Step 1. Take soaked imli water in a bowl.
Step 2. Add powdered sugar and salt to it.
Step 3. Add bhaja masala, red chilli powder and finely chopped coriander leaves and water and mix. Drop a few slices of gondhoraj lebu if you have.
All you need to do now is assemble and take a bite. Enjoy the burst of flavours on your palate!
Watch Here The Complete Recipe Video Of Kolkata's Street-Style Phuchka:
Also Read: Street Foods Of India: From Goli Bhaje To Dhuska, 9 Lesser-Known Street Foods You Must Try