11th National Street Food Fest, Delhi

The much-awaited National Street Food Festival, 2019 is soon to kick start in the capital. It is the 11th National Street Food Fest, Delhi, and just like the preceding events, this food festival will also bring you a plethora of flavorsome cuisines from all over the country. This food festival is the best platform for all the foodies who wish to relish the scrumptious street food from across the country. Delhi, the city which is known to be the melting pot of cultures, boasts of a rich culinary legacy. Hence, this festival is a perfect occasion to taste the best of the cuisines from every nook and corner of India.

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This year, the festival will be held from 25th to 29th December, which means you will get to enjoy four days of lip-smacking street foods like gol gappas, aloo chaat, Ram Laddoos, Vada Paav, Bhelpuri, and poha among others. Delhi, a city that is known for its amazing street food fair, is inviting famous food vendors from all across India at the National Street Food Festival. The National Street Food Festival, 2018, featured an extremely popular segment called legends where 20 very popular food vendors from all over the country put up stalls. This year we will also get an opportunity to taste the legendary cuisines across India. According to the website of NASVI, “The purpose of the festival is to bring street food vendors in the mainstream food scene so that they get their deserved space in the cities and respect by people.”

This will be the eleventh edition of the National Street Food Festival that has always been organized in Delhi and has seen heavy footfalls from food lovers. The festival, to be held at JLN Stadium, has also become a platform where various representatives and functionaries from departments of health, food processing, tourism, labour, and employment come together to discuss the various avenues in the food industry. It celebrates the vibrant and eclectic food culture and varied tastes of cities of India and is an absolute delight for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. With options like Kashmiri chaat and namkeen tea from Jammu and Kashmir, mawa kachori and special kulfi from Rajasthan, chicken pakora and chhena jalebi from Bihar and ghugni and fish paturi from West Bengal, you’ll be spoiled for choice and certainly walk out of the venue feeling stuffed and blissfully satiated. You will have options from the northernmost part of India to its southernmost corners. Besides the popular names, you will also get to taste some of the hidden treasures of India, and the best part is that everything is made using authentic ingredients. So, you will get to experience the traditional taste of Pan-Indian cuisines.

If you are a food-enthusiast, let me tell you that you will be spoilt for choice here. You will find more than 500 types Of Chaat & regional grub at this street food fest. And since it is a festival, the festivities go beyond food. There’ll be rock band performances, competitions, quizzes and demos by celebrity chefs too, so there’s really lots to look forward to. You can look forward to a scintillating menu with everything from Paav Bhaaji, Imarti Rabdi and Litti Chokha to Rava Idli, Gustaba, Malabari Biryani, and Kacha Gola, and of course winter favourites like Saron da Saag and Makke ki roti, Kahwa, and Tikki, along with some rocking music performances. While you are satiating your taste buds, you will also get to enjoy some soothing music to complement the cuisine. When the food festival in india organized by the National Association of Street Vendors in India, also known as the NASVI Street Food festival was in its initial editions, people used to joke that it was a bigger hit than Dhoom3! And it won’t be an exaggeration to say that every time this festival is held, Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium goes houseful!

National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) is a network and advocacy platform of 636 street vendor organizations representing 8,67,426 vendors across 26 states of India. In its advocacy efforts, NASVI adopted a new strategy by organizing the National Street Food Festival in Delhi bringing the food vendors from different parts of the country on one platform. Coupled with fun, music, and entertainment, it is one of the signature events of Delhi. Entry Tickets to the festival are available online at Book my Show and also at the entry gate during the festival. 

India’s rich street food culture

India is not just a country; it is an experience in itself. It boasts of an inimitable cultural and historical heritage, and every historical era has brought with itself its distinctive style of architecture, palaces, places of worship, and food. We have assimilated cuisines from almost every global culture and added our own twist to it. The street foods of India are a sensation all over the world. You enter a market, and the first thing you feel is the fragrance of food shooting up your appetite. You stop by to have that mouth-watering Paani Puri, the Dahi Bhallas, the Chaat Papdi and the next moment you see yourself getting drenched in the flavours. When it comes to street food, India tops the charts. Food and beverages that are usually sold on streets by hawkers and vendors in portable stalls and carts are what is termed as street food. The street food in India has moved beyond the usual aloo chaats and tikkis, and though they are irresistibly delicious, the Indian subcontinent has equally tasty cuisines to offer from different corners of the world. These cuisines are relatively less known but that rank high on the taste quotient, and that’s why when you visit the National Street Food Festival, Delhi, you should try these culinary delights!

Some of the exciting cuisines that you should not miss are:

Daulat ki Chaat

When we hear ‘Chaat’ we imagine a plateful of chutney and spices, but Daulat ki chaat is different. It is sweet! Daulat Ki Chaat is one such street food item, which only makes an appearance during the bone-chilling winter months. And since the NASVI food festival is being held during the month of December, it will be an apt time for you to taste this cuisine of the kings. This fine dessert is known by different names in different cities, such as Daulat ki chaat in Delhi, malayo in Varanasi, nimish in Lucknow, and malai Makhan in Kanpur. It is mildly sweet, and its cloudy texture is derived by whisking sweetened milk for hours. The chaat is topped with malai, khoya, pistachio, and powdered sugar.

Kanji Vada

Kanji Vada is a popular local delight in Rajasthan as well as Gujarat. It contains moong dal vadas immersed in a tangy mustard liquid called kanji. This famous street food is not only delicious but also aids digestion. Kanji Vada is full of flavors and can work wonders in detoxifying your liver and thereby, aiding digestion. It consists of small moong dal vadas immersed in tangy mustard flavored fermented liquid called Kanji. Traditionally, the Kanji or the ‘Rai ka paani’ needs to be prepared a day in advance to get a slight tang due to the fermentation process. The soft yet crisp fried vadas are dipped into the kanji the next day just before serving.

Mirch Bajji

Mirch Bajji comes to you straight from the land of Charminar! Yes, you guessed it right- it is Hyderabad’s street food. Hyderabad is a land that offers a gastronomically fulfilling experience. Though this city is particularly known for its biryani, its culinary brilliance extends far beyond that. Mirch Bajji is like any other street food item you’d have eaten before. It looks like Mirch ka pakora but nothing beats the bajjis that are fried in typical Hyderabad flavours. A burst of spices served with onion and lemon, this street food dish will become your favourite in no time! 

Chole Bhaturey

Now I know that this cuisine is quite popular, and not less-known as I had mentioned earlier, but it is one of the most loved cuisines in India. Coming straight from the hearty and loving streets of Punjab, this food has captured the hearts of every North Indian street food lover. This dish has made its way to South India too, and now you will find many upscale restaurants in South India serving it under their Punjabi cuisines section. However, the best version of this dish is served in the streets. Each bite of chole bhature is a paradise of flavours. The onion and chilly salad along with pickle make it all the way more yum.  

Kathi Rolls

Kolkata is arguably the food capital of India. It thrives on its delicious and spicy Kathi rolls. Made with a delectable filling of kebabs and raw veggies, Kathi rolls are not only a treat to the eyes but to the palate as well. The filling is stuffed inside a maida-based paratha, which is flaky and crispy. If you want the authentic taste of Kolkata Kathi Rolls in Delhi, then you should definitely visit the National Street Food Festival!

The National Street Food Festival is a one-of-a-kind event in the entire country. Not just the residents of Delhi and nearby but people all over India come to Delhi to experience it. This year it is being held from 25th to 29th December at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium, Delhi. Tickets are available on BookMyShow. Reserve your spot now!