Chicken Soup for the constipated soul!!!

This piece is dedicated to the street foods of India. Finally, today my team succeeded in going for an outing which we have been planning and postponing for months. We went to Galleria for chaat, while we were waiting for the pani puri and dahi puri to arrive we started discussing the various street foods that can be had. What followed was a deep and insightful conversation around the taste and how it varied according to the proximity of the stall to unhygienic surroundings. All agreed that the closer the stall was to a dustbin or the lousier the personal hygiene of the vendor…the better the taste. Most of these foods are guaranteed to give your innards and you the much needed exercise as you run to and fro to the loo, a sure shot remedy for constipation …I might as well go down in history for coining the phrase “Chicken Soup for the constipated soul”!!!

A is a firm believer that the best non-vegetarian food at Mohemmad Ali Road is at the stall closest to the dustbins…The bigger the dustbin, the bigger the crowds at the stall. A normally cruises down the road and pick the stall which has the aforementioned qualities and attacks the food, satisfaction is guranteed!!!

S2 swears by the puchka at Lake Gardens of South Calcutta, the stall can be found just on top of the drains or manhole covers, usually the vendor is sweating profusely, adding to the Sodium Chloride content of the liquid filling. The fillings of the puchkas are made a special mixture of boiled potatoes with a fine blends of masalas, a liberal helping of the aforementioned and other tame garam masalas.,.S2 swears that you get addicted to a particular stall…I am thinking it is on account of the sodium chloride contributed by the vendor…

S1 is a fan of the chaat served between two gutters in his locality, one of the gutter is used as an open air urinal by the vendor, whether he washes his hands is best left unsaid. But, according to S1 this guy manages to sell Rs.5,000 worth of stuff between 3.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. daily. S1 also patronises as few stall at Khau Galli in Bhuleshwar, all the stalls or bakadas as they are called are over and between the numerous drains that criss-cross the city.

M remembers the Masala Puri she had when she visited down south, one morsel was enough to set your soul and mouth on fire, she remembers tears streaming down her face as she ate the rest of the dish (good girl that she is, wasting food does not go down well with her) …what happened the day after is better left unsaid!!! She also remembers the Pav Bhaji she ate at a proper restaurant after paying an exorbitant price; the same was served with sweet buns!!!

I remember being adventurous and trying the Bhel Puri down south, the same was served with all the possible sprouts, channas and without any chutneys!!!, I am sure all these health conscious chefs who go about selling low-fat Bhel Puri flicked the recipe from this particular stall!!!

You guys are welcome to add your own experiences with these soul foods!!!