The majority of India remains unknown for its innovative and tasty dishes. A land of many cultures, Indian snacks can prove to be surprising to both kin and abroad. We have snacks that have existed for as long as the memory of them remains, for they are just naturally delicious!
13 Indian Snacks That Can Suit Any Palate
1. Shakar Paras
Shakar Paras, sweet pastry squares made from a simple dough of plain white flour and clarified butter, cut into pieces and deep-fried in bubbling oil. These diamond-shaped crackers are then coated in sweet sugar syrup that goes well with masala milk tea. Taste them once and you’ll taste the sweetness of sugar, taste twice and you’ll be relishing the deep crunch of the fry and look! They disappear onto your tongue before you think, making them the perfect snacks for a sweet afternoon!
2. Fenugreek Fritters/ Methi Pakoras
Healthy is always bitter… Or so they say. But Fenugreek Fritters or Methi Pakoras for the desi lovers is a snack that contains the best of both worlds. Fenugreek is known to reduce sugar blood levels, good for diabetics and most of all, helps in reducing the pain from menstrual cramps!
To prepare this dish, fenugreek leaves are first mixed with chilli pepper, ginger, onions, green chilli, turmeric, baking soda, asafoetida and mixed in with gram flour to create a batter that is deep-fried and served fresh on a plate with tamarind chutney or ketchup.
3. Banana Chips
Sliced raw banana is pan-fried into sizzling oil, ultimately with a little salt to season for a short snack. Simple to bring about and delightful to taste, homemade Banana Chips or better recognized as Kerala Banana Wafers can be a fresh twist to an otherwise normal snack time!
4. Zucchini Muthiya
Indian food is greatly flexible and accepting of tastes all around the world. Zucchini Muthiya is one such healthy combination, a hybrid of Western influence to Indian delicacy that gave rise to a splendid result no one expected. A staple Gujarati dish, made with cooking zucchini with ground lentil flour and mixed with zucchini, spices, yogurt, and oil before they are steamed and served for a crispy healthy snack to beat the hunger between a fierce study session.
5. Khakhras
Khakras is a health-oriented relative to crispy crackers native to Gujarati and Rajasthani cuisines. Often made from wheat doughs, Khakhras are scattered into simple circles and roasted till they’re crunchy. Khakhras, while conveniently available in a store near you are also fun to make. They make perfect travel partners as well as movie buddies for a night full of board games and fun!
6. Mango Shrikhand
What others call exotic, India calls a staple; Mangoes, the yellow juicy fruit is called liquid gold for its shiny exterior and the sweetness of its pulp. Mango Shrikhand is a sweet delicacy whipped from fresh yoghurt and mango pieces, with sugar to give it a bright gold appearance. Eaten alone or eaten with the bread of choice, Mango Shrikhand is the one absolute sweet snack you wish you knew beforehand!
7. Layered Dhoklas
Many Gujarati dishes have graced themselves on this snack list yet this one is here to mark its spot. Layered Dhoklas are made from batter separately fermented rice and daal mixed with chili and ginger, poured into a pan to steam until they form soft cushiony cubes. These two separate diamonds are then sandwiched together with a little green chutney in the middle for a hint of spice. Layered Dhoklas are simple to make and what’s better, eating them feels like munching on soft clouds!
8. Thattai
Thattai is a prominent snack in the South Indian region, prepared during the festivities of Krishna Jayanthi. The dough for this deep-fried snack is made by mixing rice flour, urad dal flour, soaked chana dal, curry leaves, asafoetida, green chilies, salt and butter. Folded in little flat circles, the dough is then deep-fried to a golden color for a spicy-sweet taste!
9. Nipattu
Nipattu is similar to Thattai, the earlier item on the list and contains similar ingredients as well. However, what makes this different is its dotted texture and the use of crushed peanuts in the dough with extra spices like a green chili pepper. The bright yellow crisp is made by rolling the dough into flattened circles, making small holes using a fork on its exterior and then baking them until they break with a small pull!
10. Chakli/Chakri
A unique shaped snack, Chakli is the one that gets your eyes moving along its spiral lines. Chakri is the thorned flower of the east, known for its spiral silhouette with a thorned texture. It is typically made from urad dal flour or rice flour. The dough is placed in a circular motion before it is fried in fresh oil to create this crispy delicacy.
11. Sev
Oh? Fried Noodles? Yes, if we like them soft and savory, we enjoy them crisp and crackling just as much! This Indian snack is made from chickpea flour paste, seasoned with turmeric, cayenne, and ajwain, eventually deep-fried in oil. Unlike noodles, spices lie in the dough of Sev, reducing the need for any accompaniment.
12. Kathi Rolls
Coming from Kolkata, Kathi Rolls are a street food originally meant to be grilled kebabs rolled into parathas, easy to eat on the go. However, Indians love innovation and experimentation. Kathi Rolls, now similar to crepes, can be made using any cooked kebab variant, or cooked paneer and vegetables for a vegan option, rolled into fresh bread like rotis and eaten on the go!
13. Dim’er Devils/Egg Croquettes
The last on the list, Dim’er Devils are a little special. Posing as a packing snack and even a quick meal, these Devils are a good package of nutrition, crisp spiciness, and the filling borne of meat. The Dim’er Devils can be prepared by first kneading dough of cooked chicken and mashed potatoes, dividing them into little parts and covering half an egg each. With a teaspoon of salt, garlic, and black pepper powder poured into bread crumbs, the prepared croquette is then rolled and deep-fried for the perfect crisp golden-brown texture!
India is often branded as the curry country, a grossly miscalculated joke in comparison to the many wonderful recipes that India preserves. Healthy and tasty, the snacks on this list bring you a new choice just when you’re stuck on a roulette of what to eat!
Read also – 13 Delightful German Vegetarian Dishes To Explore
