18 Worst Rated Indian Street Food

Ganthiya is a popular Indian deep-fried snack made from gram flour. It has origins in the Indian region of Gujarat, where it is commonly served with tea. Unlike most other Indian snacks, ganthiya is not crunchy, but soft and puffy. It can be found throughout Gujarat at numerous street stalls, but the snack is especially popular during Diwali. There is also a sweet version of ganthiya, called mitha ganthiya, while the plain version can be additionally flavored with red chili powder.Expand

Amritsari fish is a traditional fish dish and a popular street food originating from Amritsari. It’s usually made with a combination of freshwater fish, ginger-garlic paste, ajwain, red chili powder, garam masala, amchur mango powder, lemon juice, salt, gram flour, turmeric, and oil. The fish is coated with a mixture of gram flour, spices, lemon juice, and curd. Once coated, it’s fried in hot oil until golden and crisp. Amritsari fish is then served piping hot, and it’s enjoyed on its own.Expand

Sev is a crispy, savory, noodle-like Indian snack that is made with gram flour and seasoned with spices such as ajwain and turmeric prior to being deep-fried in oil. It is believed that the word sev is derived from siv, meaning sewing, referring to the snack's thread-like appearance. Sev is so popular in India that it even rivals peanuts as the most popular snack. The snacks can be found throughout India, sold by street vendors boasting with an array of these freshly-made fried noodles. Some of them may be thick as spaghetti and very spicy, while others are very thin, and may be unseasoned. Apart from street vendors, sev can also be bought packaged in stores, but it can also be easily prepared at home and served as a teatime snack.Expand

Kathi roll is a popular Indian street food consisting of flatbreads filled with meat, vegetables, or both. This version of a kathi roll features paneer or Indian cottage cheese. The cheese is cut into cubes and it's then usually marinated in a combination of garam masala, dahi, ginger-garlic powder, red chili powder, and salt. It is then fried until golden brown, and often mixed with onions and green peppers. The combination is placed on a flatbread such as roti or paratha, which is then folded and heated with a bit of oil or ghee. Paneer kathi roll is typically sered with a green chutney on the side.Expand

Although it originates from Kutch in Indian Gujarat, this filling snack is also enjoyed in other parts of the country. Dabeli combines toasted ladi pav buns and a filling that is made with mashed potatoes and a spice mix usually consisting of coriander, turmeric, cardamom, fennel seeds, coriander, chili peppers, and other spices. The filling is topped with roasted peanuts, pomegranate seeds, and sev — tiny, crispy noodles made from ground chickpeas, while typical additions also include different chutney varieties. Dabeli, which translates as pressed, is mainly sold and enjoyed as street food.Expand

Bonda is a bite-sized fried Indian snack. Often referred to as potato bonda, it is made with a spicy mashed potato filling that is dipped in gram flour batter, then fried until crispy. It is believed that the original bonda, which includes only mashed potatoes, originated in southern India. However, there are numerous varieties and similar snacks found in almost every Indian state. In the north, a similar variety is known under the name batata vada, and it is commonly offered as a street food snack across the region. Furthermore, in Kerala, there are regional variants which replace the potatoes with tapioca, lentils, eggs, sweet potatoes, or even minced meat, and the gram flour coating is often replaced with plain or rice flour. Regardless of the varieties, these delightful snacks are usually served with coconut or coriander chutneys or tomato sauces. They can also be served as tea or coffee snacks during breakfast, and they are a common staple during the traditional Diwali festival. Bonda should always be freshly prepared and served hot or warm.Expand

Visually similar to a pizza, uttapam is a South Indian dish consisting of a batter (based on rice and lentils) that is fried and topped with chopped vegetables such as onions, tomatoes, carrots, and chiles. There is also a version of the dish called mini uttapam, usually served in four pieces per portion, with variable toppings and a number of side dishes. Traditionally, uttapam is accompanied by sambhar on the side - a rich lentil curry with the addition of onions, coconut, and eggplant.Expand

Bombay sandwich is a traditional sandwich originating from Mumbai, hence the name. In order to prepare it, green chutney is spread on a slice of crustless white sandwich bread, while butter is spread on the other slice. What goes in between the two slices is a medley of vegetables and spices such as sliced boiled potatoes, masala spices (cumin, fennel, black pepper cinnamon, chaat masala), tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion slices. The green chutney is usually made by blending mint, coriander, chili peppers, and various spices. There are many types of Bombay sandwiches, and it can be made with three layers (three slices of bread), but each layer should contain a generous amount of masala spices. These sandwiches can easily be found on the streets of Mumbai, but also in restaurants and casual eateries.Expand

Appam is a popular Indian bowl-shaped pancake made from a batter of rice and coconut milk. Typically consumed for breakfast or dinner, appam is most popular in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, and Kerala, where it is culturally linked to the Syrian Christians called the Nasranis, who bake appam on a stone. According to an American food writer and historian, Gil Marks, the pancake first appeared in the southern tip of India. Although not much is known about the history of appam, some also speculate that it originated from Jewish communities in India. Today, it is traditionally served with spicy condiments such as coconut milk curry. The pancakes can be filled with a variety of ingredients such as steamed eggs, chutneys, fish, meat, and vegetables. Appam is a popular street food item that is mostly consumed as a snack. It can be found throughout Sri Lanka and India, sold by street vendors known as hopper men, who usually serve it in batches of three to eight hoppers per person. With its increasing popularity, there are also a number of variations on appam such as palappam, honey hoppers, and achappam. The sweet varieties are usually prepared on special, festive occasions.Expand

Bhelpuri (also spelled bhel puri) is a type of chaat - a savory snack that is commonly served in cafés and street carts throughout India. There is a lot of debate about what should go in a bhelpuri, but the most commonly used ingredients include puffed rice, ground nuts, potatoes, onions, and chilis. Tamarind or date chutneys are commonly used to give the dish a spicy flavor. The dish is extremely popular in Mumbai, where it is usually enjoyed as a beach snack or comfort food. Although there is no clear evidence about the time of bhelpuri's origin, it is believed that the snack was invented by an unknown Gujarati migrant.Expand