“You are what you eat.”
Food is so much more than 3 square meals a day. Heritage, history, and culture of a place can be tasted in its cuisine.
A huge part of traveling consists of dining. Therefore, good food contributes to a great experience. And, what better place than India to experience food!
Indian food is not just spicy. It is also an amalgamation of numerous elements. India is certainly the land of spices.
Therefore, the majority of spices used across the globe are from India. It is also home to more varied spices than any other country. Visiting India and not dwelling into its flavors is a trip half made.
India is a geographically and culturally diverse nation. Therefore, a traveler can experience a vast variety of food.
This can even occur within the neighboring regions. Also, every city has something unique to offer to the food-lover in you.
All that’s left to do is to pack your bags and book yourself flight tickets to India.
Here are 5 lip-smacking Indian destinations very food-lover needs to visit these at least once in their lives.
1. New Delhi
Delhi is a multicultural Indian capital. It has abundant eating options. Delhi offers Gol Gappe to gourmet and everything else in between.
Also, it serves you with vegetarian delicacies and non-vegetarian delights. The choices are going to spoil you at this culinary destination. So, book flights to Delhi and delve into the local food scene.
Must-Eats
Vegetarian
- Parantha: Paranthe is Indian bread. It can be plain or with different varieties of stuffing.
- Chole Bhature: Chole Bhature is a Delhi-favorite. It is an Indian bread. You can pair it with flavorful chickpeas curry. Also, you can enjoy it with diced onions.
Non-Vegetarian
- Nihari: It is a must-try for meat-lovers. This is a slow-cooked meat stew. It is cooked along with bone-marrow.
- Galouti Kebabs: Galouti is a mouth-melting delicacy. People make use of minced-meat to prepare it. Also, a food-loving and a toothless king was the reason for its first preparation.
Honorable Mentions
- Fried-fish fitters, Kesar Lassi, and Daulat ki Chaat
2. Kolkata
If you have a sweet tooth, then you should book flight tickets to Kolkata without second thoughts.
Kolkata has a wide array of great vegetarian food to choose from. Also, it is the dessert paradise of India. However, it is especially renowned for its mouth-watering fish dishes.
Must-Eats
Vegetarian
- Jhalmuri: Jhalmuri is a street snack. It is prepared out of puffed rice. Also, it makes use of a variety of spices and vegetables.
- Alur Torkari: Alur Torkari is potato curry. It comes with a Bengali-twist. Moreover, you can serve it with fried Indian bread, Lucchi. It is a famous street food that is loved by locals and travelers, alike.
- Sweetmeats: A visit to Kolkata is bland without sweetmeats. These include Rasgulla, Mishti Doi, and Sandesh.
Non-Vegetarian
- Macher Jhol: Macher Jhol is the fish curry of Kolkata. It sure is unlike anything you’ve ever tasted. You can prepare this tender fish with potatoes and tomatoes.
- Chelo: Chelo Kebab is the national dish of Iran. It is famous in the city. Chicken and mutton lovers should not miss it.
Honorable mentions
- Kosha Mangsho, Cholar Dal, Chomchom, and Shukto.
3. Chennai
Chennai is amongst the world’s best food destinations. Want some authentic South-Indian cuisine? Catching a flight to Chennai is your best bet. Travel to the Indian city for the best Dravidian flavors. Also, Seafood lovers need to pay a visit here.
Vegetarian
- Sundal: Sundal is popular amongst drinkers. It is a bar snack. Also, it is a hit amongst the city’s street-food scene. This stir-fried dish is prepared from chick-peas. Also, it can be paired with dosa or idli. Both of these are a must-try when in south India.
- Murukku Sandwich: Murukku Sandwich is an innovative sandwich. Also, you are sure to love this food. It is made from a local crispy bite-sized snack, murukku.
Non-Vegetarian
- Nethili Fry: Nethli marinated and shallow-fried gave birth to a local specialty known as Nethili. You can relish it with your favorite cold beverage.
- Thalapakkatti: Thalapakkatti Biryani is no ordinary biryani. It has a unique flavor. This is because of the masala or spices used to cook it. However, only a trip to Chennai can satisfy your desire for it.
Honorable Mentions
- Parotta, Vada, and Karandi omelet.
4. Gangtok
Gangtok is a beautiful tourist destination. Moreover, it is full of hospitable people and healthy food.
You can taste Nepalese and Tibetan influences with a touch of China here. Also, this creates an interesting and innovative Gangtok cuisine.
The city is sure to please the taste buds of any food traveler.
Vegetarian
- Gundruk: Gundruk is Nepal’s staple diet. It is a healthy and leafy dish. It is also vegan-friendly. Also, it helps maintain metabolism. The food streets of Gangtok are the best. You can taste authentic gundruk here. It cooked in earthen pots.
- Churrpi: Churrpi is a type of soup. It makes use of cottage cheese. Also, it is a well-known street food among tourists.
- Thukpa: Thukpa originated in Tibet. It is a healthy noodle soup. Also, It is full of veggies. These include carrots, capsicum, cauliflower, spinach, and more. However, it also comes in the non-vegetarian version. It is equally delicious. It is present in almost every eating joint within the city.
Non-Vegetarian
- Phagshapa: Up for something spicy and non-vegetarian? Then Phagshapa will serve you the best. Its ingredients include pork, chili, and radish. Also, you can pair it with steamed rice or chapatti.
- Thenthuk: Just like Thukpa, Thenthuk is a standard Gangtok dish. You can enjoy it at any cafe or restaurant in the city. And, it is also available in vegetarian and non-vegetarian versions.
Honorable Mention
- Sinki, Kinema Curry, Sha Phaley and Momos.
5. Madhya Pradesh
The central states of India have a cuisine which is a mixture of other Indian states. Regardless, it has a unique and delightful taste of its own. Experience all of it by booking cheap flight tickets to India.
If you have food on your itinerary do not forget to visit Madhya Pradesh. Also, the staple diet of the population here includes maize, wheat, and jowar.
Vegetarian
- Bhutte Ka Kees: Bhutte Ka Kees is a spicy corn dish. You can find it at any food alley, cafe, or restaurant in the city of Indore. It is cooked in skimmed milk. It packs a punch because of a variety of masala or spices in it. These also include mustard seeds and green chilies.
- Malpua: The City of Jabalpur is famous for its desi Malpua. It is a pancake with an Indian twist. Firstly, flour preparation is cooked in Ghee. It is a kind of clarified butter invented in ancient India. After that, it is dipped in sugar syrup. then, it is dressed in saffron. It can be enjoyed when paired with Rabdi, a sweet and very flavorful milk-based dish.
Non-Vegetarian
- Seekh Kebab: Seekh Kebab is an example of Mughal culinary influence. People cook it over a coal fire. Shammi Kebabs are popular amongst tourists. The city of Bhopal is an ideal place to savor them.
- Bhopali Gosht Korma: Bhopali Gosht Korma is a slow-cooked mutton dish. It tastes like heaven. Whereas, some families in Bhopal have their own secret recipes. They pass the recipes on from generation to generation.
India has always been a culinary melting-pot. Moreover, it is amongst the oldest civilization of the world. But, that alone is not a reason enough to book flight tickets to India. Its food is one of the key contributors to Indian tourism.
Also, the country has been a part of global trade and travel networks for many years. Hence, it is cognizant of world cuisine.
Moreover, India has adopted methods from various other countries to add style and variety to its dishes.
Exploring equals Eating! So, visit India and explore it. Also, apart from the cities mentioned in the article, India has some more destinations to satisfy all your hunger needs.
- North prepares the best Tandoori
- South likes the food, hot and spicy
- East is the curry epicenter
- West is where seafood reigns
- Central India is a concoction of all
