Street Food of Banaras (Varanasi), India

In the cacophony of car horns, holy drums and mantras lies the oldest city of India, Varanasi.

Varanasi, formerly known as Banaras, is a historic city located in the southeastern state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Dating back almost 6000 years, it holds the prestigious title of being the spiritual capital of the country. This ancient city is revered by Hindus and Buddhists alike.

Varanasi is a significant pilgrimage site for Hindus, who come to bathe in the sacred waters of the Ganges River and perform funeral rites. It also holds great importance for Buddhists, as nearby Sarnath is believed to be the place where Buddhism originated around 528 BCE.

“Agni Pooja” (Worship to Fire) Ganges Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, Varanasi

One of the reasons for visiting this beautifully chaotic city was to try out the delicious street food it has to offer! The combination and variety of sweet and savoury options can satiate even the most hungry and foodie soul. Starting from mouth watering chats to the sweet delights of desserts and thandai, Varanasi is a place for food lovers.

BEST STREET FOODS TO TRY WHEN YOU ARE HERE:

1. KACHORI SABZI

Kachori Sabzi is one of the most popular breakfast options in Varanasi. The Kachoris are made fresh right infront of your eyes and served hot. This breakfast is not for the faint hearted or calorie conscious individual. The Kachoris (balls of dough) are double deep fried in a heavy wok with ghee (clarified butter).

This is done usually by 2-3 people at one time to cater to the high demand. One person rolls the dough balls onto flat round even shapes, the other fries the kachoris ensuring that they are golden on both sides and once done, puts it back in wok to fry them again to attain that perfect crispiness. The third persons job is to take these quickly and serve it with bhaji (A spicy and savoury gravy made of potatoes and peas) in a leaf bowl.

One serving of Kachori Sabzi is enough to fill your tummy up. Follow that up with a nice cup of tea and you are set for the day.

Best Place to eat in Varanasi: Om Shree Ram Bhandar in Nadesar (7.00 am to 10.00 am).

2. TAMATAR CHAT

This was the first street food snack i tried in Banaras (barring the breakfast of Kachori Sabzi ofcourse). When i saw this, it looked anything but what i expected a Tamatar Chat (tomato based sweet & savoury edible concoction) to be. Served in an earthen clay conical bowl, the glistening oil turned out to be desi ghee (clarified butter), hiding beneath it, crispy small fried tid bits and flavourful tomato and potato pieces, garnished with hing (asafetida) and sweet chutney and dhaniya (coriander) leaves.

Best Place to eat in Varanasi: Kashi Chat Bhandar in Godowlia Market. You can also try it out in Deena Chat Bhandar

3. PAANI PURI

These crispy hollow dough balls (Puri) stuffed with mashed spiced potatoes are like mini tangy explosion pockets in your mouth when had along with the spicy-sweet tamarind water (Pani). A plate costing a mere INR 25 serves 6 Puris, ample enough to wet your palate and kick-start your chat journey.

Best Place to eat in Varanasi: Om Shree Ram Bhandar, Kashi Chat Bhandar, Deena Chat Bhandar

4. DAHI PURI

The cousin of Paani Puri, Dahi Puri is an option for those who would like a more sweet flavour to their Puris. The difference lies in the topping. Dahi Puri is served with Dahi (Curd) and a seasoning of Tamarind Chutney and spices. There is no spicy water served along with this. The best way to have this is to take each puri in your hand and put the entire piece in your mouth in one go!

Best Place to eat in Varanasi: Kashi Chat Bhandar, Deena Chat Bhandar

5. PALAK CHAT

Palak Chat is made of crispy fried spinach leaves, garnished with curd, green chutney, tamarind chutney and garnished with coriander leaves and a mix of spices (salt, red chilli powder, cumin and the likes). This chat has the crunchiness and flavour all mixed together beautifully. This one is a must try!

Best Place to eat in Varanasi: Kashi Chat Bhandar

6. CHOODA MATAR

At first glance, this looks like the popular Maharashtrian breakfast – Poha, however this is Varanasi’s own version of Poha. The chiwda or Chooda (flattened rice flakes) is soaked in water and then sauteed in Ghee (clarified butter) with peas and spices, making it a perfect morning breakfast or evening snack. Various shops serve their own variant of toppings to make it more flavourful.

Best Place to eat in Varanasi: Kashi Chat Bhandar

7. GULAB JAMUN

Gulab Jamuns are milk-solid based, deep fried sweet dough balls of deliciousness. No Indian meal is complete if its not finished by gobbling atleast one of these. High in calories but equally high in taste, this is an instant hit with people who have a sweet tooth. It is generally served warm, as its made fresh everyday in many chat and sweet shops in Banaras.

Best Place to eat in Varanasi: Om Shree Ram Bhandar, Kashi Chat Bhandar