Famous Street Food Of West Bengal
How You Can Start Its Business Anywhere
West Bengal gives the tourists a plethora of vivid adventures with its city, Kolkata, a cosmopolitan city or the Sundarbans, a world heritage site of the Royal Bengal Tiger. Coastal areas like Digha and Mandarmani, which attract a reasonable number of beach lovers, are popular tourist attractions in this province.
Hill stations such as Darjeeling, Kalimpong or Labha are thrilling getaways from the plains, known for their distinctive lifestyle and culture, while sanctuaries such as Jaldapara and Gorumara are some of the vibrant biodiversities that capture your curiosity. You get a profound spiritual experience in pilgrimage destinations such as Dakshineswar and Kalighat.
In general, Bengali cuisine is heated and uses many herbs, spices and roots to make deep dishes. However, specific trends are engineered to establish subtle flavours and the fact that dishes differ from region to region is essential to mention. The cuisines of West Bengal and Bangladesh are fascinating because of their typical elements and their intrinsic variations.
Here, we have compiled some of the famous street food of West Bengal:
1. Kathi Rolls
Kathi rolls were said to be created by British officials in Calcutta in the 1930s in a restaurant in Kolkata to reduce hand use when eating kebabs. The Kathi rolls soon spread across the Indian food system after the beginning and are today a particular place amongst India's famous street foods and in the hearts of the world's foodies.
2. Jhal Muri
Jhal Muri is one of Kolkata's most highly regarded and ubiquitous street snacks. You will find a seller selling jhal muri almost everywhere you look. It consists of rice, dal fried, peanuts, random nuts, freshly chopped onions, fresh tomatoes, coriander, a few seasonings with masala, and mustard oil drizzle. Every ingredient is applied to a metal can and agitated to make the mustard fragrance during the mixture. They are eaten like a chips' pack, generally in a newspaper bag.
3. Malpua
Malpua does not need an introduction and is a top Bengali choice. It's like a little pancake served next to a vibrant curry, like mutton. The batter consists of rice, milk, sausage and sugar. Then it is crisped in ghee and dipped into the sugar syrup. Malpua's surface is crispy, while the core appears delicate and tasty.
Malpua is coated with lime; thus, it offers a touch of acidity to prevent overpowering sugar. They may be relatively small, but when it comes to the flavour, they work brilliantly. Bengalis have a variety of delicious street foods that demonstrate the great heritage of the state. Although some came from Bengal, others migrated to the state and became prominent.
4. Chana Ghugni
When you hunt for delicious and satisfying street food in Bengal, you're conscious of Chana ghugni. A spicy snack, usually consumed in the evening, is well-known for its vegetarian option. One characteristic it is known for is that nearly anything can be served with ghugni; for example, the parathas, roti and rice are sufficient for Chana Ghugni. It consists of cooked chickpeas, then cooked with onions and different spices to give it an intense taste. Together they are the appropriate approach for fulfilling your hunger, and no wonder the cuisine is so successful in Bengal.
5. Phuchka
Phuchka is one of the most prominent Indian snacks known by various names around the nation. It is an eruption of twisted flavour and taste with a slathering of watery awesomeness.
The North Indian native Gappa and puchka are small, deep-fried semolina balls filled with a fascinating mixture of mashed, boiled potatoes, masalas and chickpeas. They are eaten with spicy, delicious, plain water from chilli, jeera, pudina and tamarind. Phuchka is a sweet-flavoured delight to reward the taste buds instantly after a bite.
6. Balushahi
Balushahi is sweet with delicious flavours, filled with dessert. It is not unexpected that the Bengalis cherish it. In the south of West Bengal, this dessert is trendy, and each bite is irresistible.
The dessert made of cornflour is filled with slightly sweetened khoya and cardamom and cinnamon spices. Sometimes it is also saffron-flavoured for enhancing its flavour and scent. Then, the undersides are processed and browned to gold. Balushahi is like a glazed doughnut recipe, but it is unique to other desserts due to its flavour and feel.
What makes street food in West Bengal so special?
Bengali food's sweet and flavoursome taste makes us want more and seek to prepare these foods at home. While the Bengalis doi maach or kosha mangsho could be cooked at home, West Bengal's street food is a favourite thing between the busy towns.
The tastes differ much more than the kitchens and range from moderate to spicy, and they are accessible with every texture. No wonder foodies from around the world flock to Kolkata to enjoy their street food. It is a pulsating and rising experience that everyone should encounter at least once.
Guide to start a business with famous street foods of West Bengal
India's street food industry is rising rapidly. There are established retail outlets that have recently built fast-food chains. Tea shops, Pani Puri and even Vada pav are among the most profitable firms. The Indian population's food habits are very region-specific. Each town has a speciality of its own. On the south side of the nation, Dosa, Idli is famous where the Punjabis admire Chhole Bhature a lot with Delhiites favouring Aloo Tikki while Litti Chokha's Bihar food. As such, a lot of delicious but not so healthy foods are widespread across the country.
The capital expenditure on sustainable street food is minimal. Also, the Indians popularly consume much of West Bengal's street food. Therefore, customers are greatly encouraged to get their preferred food accordingly. A stop for food has a substantially lower dependence on funds, making it easier to start and run the street food business.
The minimum investment stands somewhat near 50k to 100k. However, it is entirely dependent on your investment strategy. It would help if you answered the following questions before embarking on the street food business's journey.
- Why should customers come to your place while having a plethora of other options available?
- What makes your menu stand apart from the competitors?
Ascertain the cost of the food items while ensuring that the price matches perfectly with the service quality. It would help if you prioritised customer satisfaction without thinking about large profits. Customers play a massive role in your company's growth and progress. At first, you don't have to invest a lot as higher investments can incur more considerable losses if the business ideal fails anyway.
Bottomline
Economical start-up menus and their versatility attract people; simultaneously, it is a risk that the owners confront up with modern trends and market prospects. But unless you're excited about food and commence with a well-researched and robust strategy, you'll be able to make your street food business a scurrying success.
For consumers, street food is easy and cost-effective and appealing for everyone, be it the residents, travellers, students, professionals, friendly individuals and extended families. It is your responsibility to find the dishes and recipes that will differentiate your business from the others and, above all, help you develop strong popularity and a reputation for quality.
Also Read:
1) Famous Street Food of Kolkata
2) Famous Street Food of Delhi
3) Famous Street Foods in Gujarat
4) Famous Street Foods of Lakshadweep
5) OkCredit: Simple, Paperless & Secure solution for businesses
FAQs
Q. Which is the famous food in West Bengal?
Ans. Alu chop, Telebhaja, and Phuchka are some of the famous foods in West Bengal.
Q. Why is street food so popular?
Ans. The key to such extensive popularity of street food lies in its affordable cost and quicker serviceability.
Q. What are the pros of a street food business?
Ans. The inception of the street food business demands a low start-up cost. With the advantage of little or no restaurant experience, the growing trend of street food helps your business grow and expand in no time.
Q. What are the cons of a street food business?
Ans. The initial days of business demand long hours and night shifts. Also, there is fierce competition and seasonal reliance. Moreover, you need to follow many rules and regulations before you find any location for your trade.