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Street foods are an all-time favourite when craving something crunchy, savoury and spicy. But apart from being a toothsome refuge, these foods come with a guilt that haunts the feeling regarding health issues. And when you rank street foods around the world in terms of health, India’s street foods might rank last considering the utmost hygiene and immaculate standards.
But what if you find out that there are Indian street foods that are actually safe to eat and also give you a potential health boost? Surprisingly, there are such Indian street food dishes that you can eat guilt-free and can also make your go-to for quick replenishment.
Such street foods often include a lot of vegetables, fruits, and mild spices, which are often eaten raw without the need for deep frying. When prepared in the right way, these street foods can be a joyful treat for your cravings.
Know About These 7 Healthiest Indian Street Foods
1) Bhel Puri
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Bhel Puri is made by combining puffed rice, chopped onions, tomatoes, chillies, coriander, soaked lentils and spices like cumin, chilli powder and chaat masala along with some salt and a drizzle of tamarind and green chutney. Altogether, these ingredients create a nutritious protein-packed snack that offers a refreshing taste in every bite and enchants tastebuds with flavours.
2) Idli Sambhar
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Idlis are steamed rice buns made with a fermented rice batter and seasoned with salt. Sambhar is a lentil soup made by cooking tuvar dal or pigeon peas along with a variety of vegetables like potatoes, drumsticks, carrots, tomatoes, eggplant, and cauliflower. This dish is immensely satisfying and makes you feel whole for a long time.
3) Fruit Chaat
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Fruit chaat combines sweet and tart fruits like apples, mangoes, strawberries, papaya, grapes, bananas, peaches, and guava. The recipe changes according to seasonal fruits, and you can make it with almost any fruit you like. The goodness of all fruits makes it a perfect seasonal treat brimming with flavours. Just chop all the fruits, put them into a bowl, sprinkle some chaat masala and black salt, and enjoy it bite by bite.
4) Sweet Potato Chaat
Sweet potato chaat, or shakarkandi chaat, is made with roasted sweet potatoes. When the potato is roasted completely, it is chopped into dice and covered with vegetable oil, salt, and chaat masala. Then, it is combined with pomegranate seeds, crushed papdi, sev, green chutney, tamarind chutney, and roasted peanuts. This dish is a healthy retreat and gives a new twist to classic roasted sweet potatoes.
5) Sprouts Chaat
Sprouts are known for their protein-boosting properties and this chaat makes it even more delicious to savour. You can make this chaat easily by combining different kinds of sprouts along with chopped onions, tomatoes, mashed potatoes, spices, chaat masala, crushed papdi, and sev. This recipe tastes immensely good, and you can have this as a breakfast, side dish or snack.
6) Pani Puri
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Pani puris are those savoury water-filled balls that you have to eat in one bite. This famous street food is also packed with health benefits and you can use a variety of ingredients to make your custom filling for the puris. Usually, the filling contains mashed potatoes mixed with chopped onions, coriander, tomatoes, and spices, and sometimes boiled green peas. The water is filled with fresh herbs and a tangy flavour, making it a refreshing treat.
7) Chana Chaat
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Chana chaat is made with boiled chickpeas or garbanzo beans mixed with aromatic spices, chaat masala, chopped onion, tomatoes, chilli, coriander, and a drizzle of lemon juice. This chaat combines the wholesome protein-filled goodness of chickpeas with delectable spices bursting tangy and spicy flavours in the mouth. Topping with crispy sev and crushed papdi makes it more flavourful.
These healthy Indian street food delights are a must if you’ve been cutting down on flavours for the sake of health. These dishes can either be an amazing breakfast, a flavoursome appetiser for meals, or an anytime-craving treat.
