Samosa Stories: Exploring the World of Indian Street Food
The vibrant and flavourful world of Indian street food is an integral part of the country’s food culture, known for its diverse culinary traditions. From savoury snacks to mouth-watering sweets, the streets of India offer an array of delectable treats that will tantalise your taste buds. From the bustling streets of local Indian markets, such delicacies have made their way into the Shakinah menu. Here’s a taster:
Chaat Delights
Chaat stalls are commonly found in busy markets which are close by to tourist attractions and bustling street corners. The literal translation of ‘chaat’ in Hindi is ‘to lick’, which perfectly describes the finger-licking experience of enjoying these snacks. Although they originated in the north of India, their popularity has swept across the continent and beyond, thanks to their delightful and often tangy flavour.
A star chaat dish that is immensely popular in the Shakinah menu is Aloo Tikki, our boiled and fried potato patties encased in golden breadcrumbs and seasoned with cumin, fresh coriander and ginger. We also cannot leave out the king of street food – samosas – which is a flaky pastry stuffed with cumin-flavoured peas and potatoes. A chaat stall will serve these to you with a variety of toppings such as chutneys and yoghurt, so don’t be afraid to recreate this from our list of sundries.
Tandoori Temptations
India’s street food scene wouldn’t be complete without the sizzling selection of tandoori specialties cooked in a traditional clay oven. The tandoor is a cylindrical oven made of clay or metal which is heated with charcoal or wood to high temperatures. This gives the food a distinct smoky and charred flavour. Some of our most requested tandoori dishes is tandoori chicken, which is marinaded in a mixture of yoghurt and spices such as chilli powder, turmeric, cumin, coriander and garam masala. This is then cooked in the tandoor until it becomes juicy, tender, and infused with the flavours.
Another sought-after meal in the streets of India is Tandoori Paneer Tikka, which is an excellent vegetarian option for those who love the tandoor taste. The marinaded paneer is skewered and cooked in the tandoor until it’s nicely charred.
Kebab Culture
Sheikh kebabs are another street food staple that makes use of the tandoor. These are skewered minced meat which has been blended with spices, onions and herbs. The skewers are then placed in the tandoor and cooked until cooked through with a charred exterior. Our Sheikh kebabs are available with chicken or lamb, which are infused with chopped ginger, garlic, onion and fresh coriander.
Irresistible street breads
Once again, the tandoor oven delivers an array of beautiful carbs to the Indian on the go, as well as our table. Soft and fluffy breads such as roti or naan are slapped onto the inner walls of the tandoor, where it adheres and bakes until it puffs up and develops a slightly charred and smoky flavour. Indian street food breads can also serve as a meal in their own right, especially when stuffed with delicious minces such as Peshwari naan, which is filled with a sweet mince of dried fruit and nuts, or lamb or chicken keema paratha, which is made from whole wheat flour and stuffed with a spiced meat mince.
