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SPICY SAUCE IN CHANDIGARH

Every city has its favourite eat streets-those by-lanes that buzz in the evenings with hungry shoppers jostling around stalls dishing out sizzling hot samosas, burgers and tikkis or ice-creams, soups and chaats drowned in spicy sauce. Chandigarh is no exception; it too has its share of pitstops that dole out no-frills but delicious fare.

Meet Azeez, who is one of the biggest stars on Chandigarh’s eat street. The most famous golgappa seller in the city, Azeez says his day typically begins at six in the morning, when the day kisses the night. The whole day, he toils on the preparations for the spices and fillings that make his chaats the chat of the town and come evening, he’s ready at his stall in Sector 23. When the light starts going out, people start coming,” he laughs.

Azeez, who quaintly is also known as Michael, is a rather poetic being. Gesturing towards his abundant spread of golgappas, aloo and chana, he pronounces: “All these things come from the sunlight, the colours of the rainbow and the glory of nature.” Interrupt him to ask him about hygiene and he bristles. “Hygiene is of paramount importance to us. People will never visit us again if they fall ill after having our golgappas. Which is why we keep the ingredients covered and wash our hands before serving customers.”

Regular customer Natasha Sethi wouldn’t dream of having golgappas off a platter served by a waiter in a restaurant anyway. “No fancy restaurant can match the charm of a roadside vend. The real flavour of street food lies in the way it is served-on paper or leaf platters. Making and eating golgappas is an art. In any case, the water used to fill the golgappas is good for digestion,” she says.

Despite the incursion of spiffy retail chains, burgeoning fast food outlets and stringent court diktats, the popularity of street food remains unchallenged. People enjoy getting their hands dirty and watching the vendor prepare the snack-an experience that can’t be matched by the best air-conditioned restaurants where kitchens are strictly out of bounds.

That’s perhaps one of the reasons Mahendra Chopra, a New York-based watch designer, and his wife Yogita, are drawn to Punjab’s street food. Every time they are here, they stop by Ali’s roadside stall in Sector 21. “I don’t think anybody makes better burgers than him,” asserts Mahendra. Ali glows at the warm praise. “My burgers, served with cheese, potatoes and mint chatni are priced at just Rs 5,” he says. New customers invariably come in looking for a menu. Instead, they find a placard which reads “From Ali with Love.” Clearly, this is service with more than a smile.

A favourite with Mohali residents is Rohan’s chicken soup.
Every evening, Rohan can be seen stacking bowls for his loyalists at the corner of Phase 3-B2 and soon, people start pouring in. Though he hardly gets time to chat with his customers, Rohan says he knows each of them personally. Homemaker Harpreet Kaur is one client whose family comes here regularly.” You can’t get better soup at a five star restaurant,” she smiles.

Globe-trotting businessman Parminder Singh says street food represents well-established local culinary traditions and a tour of the local hawkers’ stalls is the quickest way of getting a feel of the local cuisine. Adds professor and historian Gurdev Singh: “Street food is influenced by local climate. A warm climate, like ours, makes culinary operations easier and produces more passers-by.” Whether that’s true or not, the fact is its earthy appeal, delicious taste and aroma, and the personal touch, put roadside eats streets ahead of other fare. People enjoy getting their hands dirty and watching the vendor prepare their snack-it’s an experience that can’t be matched by the spiffiest restaurant.