Street food in Ranchi that will make you drool !!
“There is no sincerer love than the love of street food.” No truer words have ever been said than by George Bernard shaw.
The craziness of street food has burst onto the scene in the last couple of years with its attractive combination of affordability and taste. One of the best known street food cities of India is Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, which has a diverse collection of street cuisines that can salivate any person on a quest to quench their bellies’ desires.
Here is a list of some street food popular in Ranchi:
1. Litti Chokha
Litti is incomplete without chokha (roasted eggplant, boiled or roasted potatoes and roasted tomatoes). It is a dough ball made up of whole wheat flour and stuffed with sattu (roasted chickpea flour), herbs and some spices and then roasted over coal with lots of ghee.
It is a staple food in Eastern India. Since Ranchi is a part of this region, the local delicacies usually match this dish. If you have any relative in Ranchi or if you meet any locals from the city, they will never forget to offer you a Litti Chokha. For any kind of traveler, it’s cheap food.
Though the people of Ranchi are humble, they will never allow anyone to take a single bite of their own litti. So make sure you get a bite of your own!
2. Golgappas
From school kids to working uncles & aunties, everybody has a common favorite street food possibly in the entire India and that is Golgappas (or Pani puris). The spicy bitter taste of the small puffy dough balls stuffed with potatoes and chutney makes it a popular choice of snack all over the nation. You’ll find on every road-side youngsters flocking to these street vendors while walking down to their homes from school or college in the evening, as this is when the appetite for this mouth-watering snack is most desired. The quick service and the spicy taste of Ranchi’s golgappas street vendors allure one and all to them.
3. Chaat – Crowd-pleaser
Chaat was 1st originated in Uttar Pradesh in India. It’s a quick, easy and modern way to prepare a savoury snack. But is now eaten across the Indian sub-continent. It includes many varieties:
- Aloo chaat – A humble variety of chaat in Ranchi and all of Northern India. It consists of fried pieces of steamed potato mixed with chickpeas (chana) and chopped onions and is garnished with spices and chutney.
- Aloo Tikki Chaat – Slightly different from Aloo chaat, it is made from mashed fried potatoes covered with curd (dahi) and chutney and sprinkled with sev. It is a combination of sweet, sour and savoury.
- Dahi vada –The origin of this chaat is unknown as it has been called differently in different cities. Dahi Bhalla in Punjab, Haryana & Delhi, Doi Bora in West Bengal & Bangladesh, Thayir Vadai in Tamil Nadu, Mosare Vada in Karnataka & Perugu Vade in Telangana & Andhra Pradesh.It is a popular snack where lentil dumplings are dunked in a creamy whipped yogurt topped with spicy and sweet chutneys.
The name of a chaat speaks for itself 🙂 - Papdi Chaat – Made from a mixture of papdi(crunched golgappas),curd, chopped potatoes, onions, chutney and garnished with coriander leaves. This variety of chaat originates from Mughal courts and is popular all over northern India today.
- Samosa Chaat – Consisting of smashed samosas doused in curd, tamarind chutney, mint chutney. It has many varieties and its origins in most cosmopolitan cities.
4. Momos – Attention grabber
A real food lover will not give a miss to try the Tibetan delicacies such as momos and Thukpa (Tibetan noodle-soup) which are available on the streets of Ranchi. Momos are famous in the hill cities of the Himalayan region of India. Nonetheless, the people in Ranchi over-eat these snacks owing to the taste and low-calorie content within it.
Even its price is much more affordable than the other crowd favourites, Chinese noodles and chilli chicken.
5. Rolls
A day will not pass where a household in Ranchi will not have chicken or eggs in their meals, which is made in many different forms. This shows their obsession for non-veg & what better way to eat them than in their form of rolls! Chicken and egg rolls are locally called Kathi Rolls in Ranchi, & is also a perfect snack for a picnic and school tiffin. This snack is prepared by stuffing a regular sized roti (flour-based indian bread) with stir-fried chicken, yogurt and a variety of vegetables. One roll is sufficient to fulfill anyone’s appetite.
6. Noodles – A mouthful of happiness
Chowmein, an indo-chinese noodles dish popular in Ranchi is found in every nook and corner of the city. One of the best places to try out chowmein is at Min Mins, a restaurant near Shree Gopal complex, where a plate will cost around Rs.55.
But if someone is looking for a cheaper meal, just around corner is Raju Chinese stalls. It’s got none of the frills or fanciness of high-end restaurants but the taste is even more mouth-watering. A plate of noodles here will cost you just Rs.15, with the chowmein having a palatable reputation.
7. Dhuska
It’s stated as a signature breakfast of Bihar & Jharkhand state. No festival is complete without preparing this dish.As it is very delicious, filling with tomato chutney, served with ghugni (spicy chickpeas curry).
It is made by grinding soaked rice and daal(pulse) with green chillies and garlic. It is a deep fry dish that gives a crispy taste.
8. Desserts
“Khane ke baad kuch meetha ho jaye” [“let’s eat something sweet after a meal”], a line every foodie with a sweet tooth will surely say. Street desserts are generally in various forms of ice-creams ranging from popsicles & choco-bars to the popular Cornettos, all of which are essential in Ranchi since the weather is hot for most parts of the year.
There are a lot more street foods available, apart from the ones mentioned above. Foodies are exploring the streets of this city for something new every time and they don’t just satisfy their tummy with their eyes but use this simple process- slurp, bite, gulp and hoard.
“Food is for eating, and good food is to be enjoyed. I think food is, actually, very beautiful in itself”- Delia Smith.