Mumbai Street Food

Mumbai Street Food

Mumbai Street Food is a mix of South Indian and West Indian influences and cooking styles, including Mughalai, Punjabi, and Malvani. Mumbai is also home to some of the oldest and most well-known restaurants in India. Restaurants that have an acceptable standard of health and hygiene typically use filtered water or bottled water in their preparation of food, instead of tap water.

Fast food and snacking is very popular in Mumbai, and various light bites and snacks called Chaat are available in many stalls throughout the day. A fast-paced standard of living has given rise to many take-away and delivery services, including online ordering. Tea, fruit juice and coconut water are some of the more common drinks available in Mumbai Street Food.

While the same type of dishes are commonly found in almost every food centre and street side stall, ask locals for the best hygiene-safe examples of each dish. Most of the West Indian dishes are quite uncommon in Singapore, as the more popular Indian cuisines amongst Singaporeans are South Indian and North Indian.

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Aloo Paratha is made with unleavened dough stuffed with a mix of spices, mashed potato and onions, cooked on a hot griddle. The South Indian version of this is the Prata / Roti Prata.

Aloo Paratha

Baked Kabuli Chana Masala is consumed as a snack, and unlike the normal dish version, is completely dry. It can however, be used to make the Chana Masala dish.

Baked Kabuli Chana Masala

Baked Masala Chakli are a common snack, and are slightly healthier than the deep-fried version.

Baked Masala Chakli

Chicken Biryani consists of a flavourful and fragrant spiced Basmati rice, served with chunks of chicken. Somehow, I find the version in India to be more flavourful than the ones in Singapore!

Biryani Chicken 01

 

Biryani Chicken 02

Prawn Biryani consists of a flavourful and fragrant spiced Basmati rice, served with de-shelled grilled prawns. This is an uncommon dish in Singapore, and most eating places here don’t serve it.

Biryani Prawn 01

 

Biryani Prawn 02

 

Biryani Prawn 03

Chicken 65 is made with chunks of deep-fried chicken marinated in a dry spice mix of ginger, cayenne pepper, onions, vinegar and mustard powder. The origin of the name has several variations, but all have to do with the number 65. A common South Indian dish in Singapore.

Chicken 65

Chicken Almond Shorba is a thin chicken soup flavoured with almonds and onions, and has small chicken meat balls within. It is slightly spicy, and great during cold weather. This is yet another dish I’ve yet to see in Singapore.

Chicken Almond Shorba 01

 

Chicken Almond Shorba 02

 

Chicken Almond Shorba 03

Chili Paneer is a type of Indian-Chinese fusion dish, with chunks of paneer cheese deep-fried with green chili, soy sauce, onions, capsicums, garlic, sugar and spring onions. The cheese takes on a soft tofu / beancurd consistency. This has several variations in Singapore, but none with the same consistency and texture.

Chili Paneer

Choler Dal / Cholar Dal is made with black chickpeas and coconut meat, cooked in sugar, bay leaves, garam masala, salt, onions, garlic, powdered cumin, cloves, chili, powdered turmeric, cinnamon sticks, powdered coriander, ginger, pepper and clarified butter (Ghee). This dish can be found in Indian restaurants in Singapore.

Choler Dal / Cholar Dal

Dahi Puri is a popular snack / Chaat, which originated in Mumbai. It consists of crisp, round, deep-fried mini puri shells, filled with a stuffing of mashed potatoes, chickpeas, onions, and chili. Sweet tamarind chutney and sweet yoghurt is poured over, and it is then garnished with coriander leaves, sev and moong dal. It is eaten in one mouthful.

Dahi Puri 01

 

Dahi Puri 02

Dhokla is made with gram flour / chickpeas, ginger, chili, powdered turmeric, lemon juice, black mustard seeds, baking soda, and yoghurt. It is shaped like a cake and steamed, and has a consistency of a sponge cake. It can be eaten for breakfast, as a side dish, as a snack, or as a sweet dessert.

Dhokla

Dum Aloo Kashmiri is made with boiled potatoes, cooked in a mix of spices and yoghurt. The spice that gives it a distinctive reddish gravy and also its name is the Kashmiri red chili, which isn’t hot like regular chillies.

Dum Aloo Kashmiri

Gajar Ka Halwa / Carrot Halwa is a light, nutritious, sweet dessert made with grated carrot, sugar, water, milk, and garnished with almonds and pistachios. Because of its low fat content, vegetarian characteristics, ease of making, medium shelf-life and taste, Gajar Ka Halwa is a popular dessert all over India and often served at most festivals. This is also sold at Indian sweet shops in Singapore, mostly around the Little India area.

Gajar Ka Halwa 01

 

Gajar Ka Halwa 02

Gulab Jaman from Mumbai. It’s a very common dessert on most Indian menus in Singapore.

Gulab Jaman 01

 

Gulab Jaman 02

Indian Tea / Chai is the most popular drink, and is commonly ordered / served at any occasion or meal.

Indian Tea / Chai 01

 

Indian Tea / Chai 02

 

Indian Tea / Chai 03

 

Indian Tea / Chai 04

Kachori Chaat is a snack that is made with flour or dough into a round ball, and stuffed with yellow moong dal, urad dal, gram flour, chickpeas, black pepper, red chili, ginger, and other spices. It is garnished with yoghurt and sev.

Kachori Chaat

Lapsi is a warm, sweet dessert made with broken wheat, raisins, cashew nuts / almonds, powdered cardamom, sugar and clarified butter (Ghee). It has a thick, sticky consistency.

Lapsi 01

 

Lapsi 02

Lassi is a popular yoghurt drink all over India, and comes in several varieties, including plain, sweet, salty, and mango. Lassi is a traditional remedy for stomach flu.

Lassi Sweet

Lemon Coriander Vegetable Tureen is a warm, thick soup / broth / stew. Made by stewing various vegetables, garnished with lemon juice and coriander leaves, this is a healthy and filling dish.

Lemon Coriander Vegetable Tureen 01

 

Lemon Coriander Vegetable Tureen 02

Luchi is a type of deep-fried Indian flatbread made with maida flour, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. I’ve yet to see this sold in Singapore.

Luchi

Malpua / Malapua is a sweet dessert pancake, made with rice flour, sugar, shredded coconut, cardamom, fennel seeds and fried in clarified butter (Ghee). It is served with a sauce of sweetened thickened milk. Another uncommon dessert in Singapore.

Malpua 01

 

Malpua 02

Medu Wada / Medu Vada / Medu Vadai from Mumbai. The Singapore version is almost similar.

Medu Wada / Medu Vada / Medu Vadai

Murgh Bagdhadi / Murgh Baghdadi / Chicken Baghdadi is made with chunks of boneless chicken, stewed in a thick and rich spiced tomato gravy, and topped with a fried egg. Haven’t seen this dish in Singapore yet.

Murgh Bagdhadi / Murgh Baghdadi / Chicken Baghdadi 01

 

Murgh Bagdhadi / Murgh Baghdadi / Chicken Baghdadi 02

Palak Bhajiya / Palak Bhajia is a crunchy deep-fried spinach fritter, made with spinach, rice flour, ginger, gram flour, salt and powdered cumin.

Palak Bhajiya / Palak Bhajia

Pani Puri / Gol Gappa / Puchka / Paani Poori / Pakodi is the most popular street snack in Mumbai. It consists of crisp, round, deep-fried mini puri shells, filled with a stuffing of mashed potatoes, chickpeas, onions, and chili. Sweet tamarind chutney and a slighty sour spiced flavoured water (Pani) is poured over, and it is then garnished with coriander leaves, sev and moong dal. It is eaten in one mouthful.

Pani Puri / Gol Gappa / Puchka / Paani Poori / Pakodi 01

 

Pani Puri / Gol Gappa / Puchka / Paani Poori / Pakodi 02

Papad / Papadum & Mint Chutney is a common starter eaten before a meal. In Singapore, this has a different texture and taste.

Papad / Papadum & Mint Chutney

Pav Bhaji is a fast-food dish that originated in Mumbai. It consists of a small deep-fried buttered bread / bun (Pav), with a thick gravy (Bhaji) of mashed potato, peas, tomatoes, capsicums / bell peppers, cauliflower, carrots and garnished with chopped onions, coriander leaves and lemon juice. It is a light, filling and nutritious meal that can be eaten in a hurry, and is a staple in Indian cuisine worldwide.

Pav Bhaji 01

 

Pav Bhaji 02

Poha is a flattened rice dish, is made by steaming the flattened rice with onions and a fried spice mix of powdered turmeric, mustard seeds and chili. It is most commonly eaten for breakfast.

Poha

Pongal is a rice dish from Tamil Nadu, South India. It is made by boiling white rice, coconut meat, coconut milk and mung beans. There are 2 versions, the sweet version uses white sugar or cane sugar, while the spicy version uses pepper or chili.

Pongal 01

 

Pongal 02

Rasgulla is a dessert from Odisha, East India, that consists of cheese balls made from chhena cottage cheese and semolina, cooked in a light, clear sugar syrup until the syrup permeates the cheese balls. It is sweet, with a crumbly and slightly chewy texture. Some places in Singapore offer this on the menu, but it’s still rather uncommon. 

Rasgulla

Roasted Moong Jor Garam is a delicious and somewhat healthy snack made from mung beans, which are dried, roasted, and tossed in powdered turmeric, black pepper and salt.

Roasted Moong Jor Garam

Sabudana Khichadi is a dish made from soaked sago / tapioca, cumin seeds, peanuts, grated coconut, coriander leaves, potatoes, chili, lemon juice and salt. It has a consistency similar to steamed white rice, slightly sticky, starchy and chewy. I’ve never seen this sold in Singapore. 

Sabudana Khichadi 01

 

Sabudana Khichadi 02

Salli Gosht is a dish of curried lamb / goat, popular in Parsi / Zoroastrian culture. It is made with stewed lamb / goat, onions, ginger, garlic, curry leaves, salt, powdered coriander, chili, cane sugar / white sugar, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon sticks, pepper, cumin seeds, garam masala, potatoes and tomatoes. The resulting dish has a slightly sweet, savoury taste, with tender, fall-off-the-bone meat.

Salli Gosht

Sambhar / Sambar is a thin vegetable soup / broth, made with pigeon peas, tamarind pulp, tomatoes, carrots, okra, potatoes, onions, powdered asafoetida / asafetida, powdered turmeric, salt, coconut meat, lentils, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, pepper and chili. It is very common throughout South India, and is often served as a side dish for a meal. This is also commonly found in South Indian stalls in Singapore.

Sambhar / Sambar

Sevaiyaan Kheer / Seviya Kheer is a sweet dessert made with vermicelli, almonds, milk, sugar, powdered cardamom, raisins and clarified butter (Ghee). This is a dessert that I haven’t seen in Singapore.

Sevaiyaan Kheer / Seviya Kheer 01

 

Sevaiyaan Kheer / Seviya Kheer 02

Sevaiyaan Lemon / Lemon Seviyan Upma / Lemon Semiya Upma is a savoury dish made with vermicelli, mustard seeds, onions, grated coconut, curry leaves, peanuts, lemon juice, chili and salt. It is typically eaten for breakfast.

Sevaiyaan Lemon / Lemon Seviyan Upma / Lemon Semiya Upma 01

 

Sevaiyaan Lemon / Lemon Seviyan Upma / Lemon Semiya Upma 02

Tawa Phulka is a thin, soft, round flatbread made with atta whole wheat flour, water and salt. It is cooked / grilled on a gridle, and is grease free, thus, it is also the most healthy Indian bread.

Tawa Phulka 01

 

Tawa Phulka 02

Vegetable Manchow Soup is a popular Chinese-inspired Indian soup. It is made with spring onions, button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, ginger, garlic, carrot, cabbage, vegetable stock, chili, soy sauce, tofu, salt, corn flour, capsicum / bell pepper, pepper, french beans and garnished with deep-fried crispy noodles. It has a thick, stew consistency, and is slightly sour and spicy.

Vegetable Manchow Soup

Wada Pav / Vada Pav is a popular vegetarian street snack, consisting of a spiced deep-fried potato fritter, chili and a small deep-fried buttered bread / bun (Pav). It is also known as the Indian Burger, and several variations exist.

Wada Pav / Vada Pav

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