Samosas
This is a popular snack delight in India that is made with a kind of puff pastry that utilizes a certain vegetable fat. The stuffing is mostly made with vegetables like potato, cauliflower and peas. This one has a place in everyone’s heart in India. Samosas are even known as “love triangles”; an apt name for such a snack.
- Biryani
Does this even need an introduction? It is the most flavorful rice dish made with top quality Basmati which has a divine aroma. The rice is cooked in layers with vegetables and spices. The spices include cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, mace, star anise etc. A request can be made to omit any use of ghee or yogurt in the rice. However, diary is not at all essential in this dish.
- Puri
This is made from the same kind of dough as roti, namely wheat flour. However, the dough in puris is hard. They are flattened into small discs and then tossed into hot oil until they puff up in size. These are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Rotimatic, a fully automated machine is designed to cook oil free puris in seconds which is a great bonus for health freaks. You could look up rotimatic reviews to check out the variety of breads it can make.
Puris are usually served with aloo muttar, sagoo, tomato curry etc.
- Masala dosa
This is a batter that is primarily made from fermented rice and lentils. The battler is gathered with a ladle and poured on the frying pan and the ladle is circled over the batter to make slight dents. This is cooked until it becomes crispy. Masala dosa includes a stuffing made of onion and potatoes with masalas. This is a hot selling dish in both North and South India alike with people queuing up in wee hours of the morning.
- Pakoras
Nothing like biting into a hot pakora on a chilly winter day. Pakoras are made with a variety of vegetables like onion, cauliflower, cabbage, brinjal etc. They are dipped in a batter made with chickpea flour and thrown into hot oil until they turn golden brown. Street stalls all across India serve first-class pakoras especially in the evenings.
- Chole
Chole masala is made by pressure cooking chickpeas until they are soft. They are then cooked in a curry made with tomatoes, onion and chole masala that is sold in stores. The best part about Indian curry powders is that they’re all uniformly vegan. It can be bought straight off the shelf.
- Pani puri
This is hands down the most popular food. Atleast, it ranks in the top five for sure. It is essentially a hollow puri that is filled with a veggie stuffing mostly comprising of mashed potatoes and flavored water like mint and tomato chutney.
- Momos
These are steamed dumplings made from refined flour and could have a variety of stuffing in it, either veggie or meat based. Originally from the North East, momos have become a rave all over the country. It is extremely healthy and one of the best options for a vegan.
