Food Safari - Bahadura Laddu and Ghevar of Gwalior

We visited Gwalior in August 2006. It was the month of Shravan. The Teej festival was round the corner and the sweet shops were selling a delicate sweet which looked like thick papad from a distance. 

Curious as ever, we asked as to what it was and we were told that it was "Ghevar", a sweet made for Teej and Raksha Bandhan. It was yummy and we relished it thoroughly. Bansal Petha Bhandar in Gwalior is a famous shop known for Petha, a sweet made out of ash gourd. But during the month of Shravan, the shop makes delicately tasteful ghevar which is made of ghee, maida and jaggery.

Our gourmet curiosity meant that we explore the other culinary treats of Gwalior. Normally, the first thing we always do when we arrive at a place is to ask locals about local delicacy, the best restaurant and sweet shop in the city. We did the same here too and our next stop  at "Bahadura Sweets" famous for its "Bahadura Laddus" named after the late Bahadur Prasad Sharma the founder of the sweet shop. 

An iconic shop founded 80 years ago, the laddus are made out of boondi which is cooked on coal. Tiny drops of chick pea batter drop into the hot ghee and are taken out with a large perforated spoon, called jhara,when fully fried. The boondi is then immersed in sugar syrup and later rolled into laddus. It should be eaten hot and in the shop.

After eating the laddus don't miss savouring crispy kachoris with tangy chutney in Bahadura Sweets. It is yummy!

Gwalior like other cities in Madhya Pradesh is a gourmet paradise. Whether it is Suleiman chai with Kebab buns in Bhopal or Dahi Vada and Ghamandi Lassi in Indore, Bhang laced Thandai in Ujjain, Kachoris in Rau near Indore, Jalebis in Jabalpur you love travelling in Madhya Pradesh if you love local cuisine.

Next time when you visit Gwalior and finish visiting the magnificent fort, dont forget to have a feast at these sweet shops. Forget dieting while in Gwalior!

If you are a gourmet like us, don't miss reading the following posts in this blog.

Back of the blog - A Checklist for Gourmets on travel in India

Food Streets of Indore

In search of Suleimani chai in Bhopal

Momos in Mirik!

Food Safari in India

Glossary 

Shravan - The month in Hindu calendar in which many festivals occur. Generally in the month of Augsust.

Teej Festival - A Hindu festival. It is observed by women for wellness of their husband.

Raksha Bandhan - A Hindu festival. It is observed by women for wellness of their brothers.

Laddu - A ball-shaped sweet made of flour and sugar with other ingredients that vary by recipe.

Kachori - A spicy and fried snack popular in North India and pakistan. Eaten with or without chutney

Chai - Indian tea

Dahi Vada - Lentil Fritters dipped in Yogurt & smeared with spices

Lassi - Sweet Yogurt, Indian style!

Bhang - A preparation from the leaves and flowers (buds) of the female cannabis plant, consumed as a beverage in the Indian Subcontinent.

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Food Safari - Momos in Mirik!

It was a chilly and cloudy morning when we reached Mirik. Having left Siliguri early in the morning after sipping a cup of tea, we were hungry when we reached this cute little hill station on the way to Darjeeling. A row of stalls selling hot momos, noodles etc beckoned us.

We are not really fond of momos. Poorna keep saying that it is nothing but a version of our own recipe "Kucchida Kadabu". Since we always believe in eating local cuisine on our travel, we decided to try out Momos for breakfast. 

The steaming momos were inviting and Gurkha lady manning the stall invited us to taste the hot momos. Being veggies, we asked her to give us a plate of veg momos. One bite and we fell in love with it. Hot momos with red chilli chutney was yummy. It had never tasted better. These were definitely better than the ones we had tasted in some of the famed restaurants in Bangalore. After eating to our hearts full, we watered down by a hot cup of tea. 

Brinda with a plate of Momos

Then there were big ones as well. We asked the lady what was that. She said that it is the large size momo. This is the standard breakfast in the hills.

Savour these momos when you to Darjeeling or Mirik or Gangtok. They are better than the ones served in the famed restaurants in our cities!

If you love local food while travelling, you should not miss out this series in this blog. Please click here to go on a Food safari......

Food Safari

Food Streets of Indore

In search of Suleimani Chai......

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Food Safari - In search of "Dharwad Pedha"

Have you heard of Dharwad Pedha?

If you haven't, then you are missing something.

If you had heard about it but not eaten, then it is a crime!

If you have sweet tooth like us, it is sinful not to have travelled to Dharwad in search of this delicacy.

While we were on one the numerous road trips, we took a detour from the highway to enter the lovely town of Dharwad in search of this mouth watering delicacy  It was around 9.30 in the morning and the "Thakur's Pedha" on Line Bazar was yet to be opened. There was already a queue in front of the shop and we were tenth in the line. When our turn came, we picked few packets of fresh "Dharwad Pedha". 

Read all about famous Dharwad Pedha of Line Bazar here in this article published in Hindu.

In search of Dharwad Peda

When you happen to drive past Dharwad next time, take a detour to relish your sweet tooth. But be an early bird, lest you will miss the "Pedha".

Food Safari - In search of Udupi Sambar!

Firstly this should have been titled as "In search of Udupi Huli"......

Nevertheless, this is an interesting article for all food lovers who are in search of traditional cuisine of our country.

Mitra Samaj is an Iconic restaurant in Udupi like Mavalli Tiffin Room (MTR) in Bangalore, India Coffee House in Calcutta or Lakshmi Mishtan Bhandar (LMB) in Jaipur.....

It is also interesting to note that there are different types of "Huli" made based on varied recipes. Read more on this in this article published in "The Hindu" newspaper by clicking the link below.

In search of Udupi Sambar

When you are in Udupi, don't miss visiting Mitra Samaj for its famous "Goli Bajjis". Of course, taste sambar as well......

If you are looking for details on visiting Udupi, you may look at this post in this blog.

Karavali Vistas II - Udupi, Mangalore and Bekal

Food Safari - Bandar Laddu of Machilipatnam

We have a sweet tooth. Who doesn't?

One of the agenda on our plate when we travel is to look for the local cuisine and sweets.

What is travel without savouring the local cuisine? Isn't it?

We hadn't heard of the famous "Bandar Laddu" of Machilipatnam till i read this nice article in Food Safari in "The Hindu".

It is mouth watering. We are now looking for someone going to Machilipatnam to pick some for us!

Click on the link to Read more about it and don't miss to pick up some laddus when you happen to go to Machilipatnam next time.

In search of Bandar Laddu

Food Safari - Bhatkal Biryani

We Indians love Biryani. 

Whether it is Hyderabadi or Chettinad or Calcutta or Ambur or Dindigal etc. I had not heard of Bhatkal Birynai - pardon my ignorance - till i  read this article in "The Hindu". 

This is what Wiki say about "Bhatkal Biryani".

" Bhatkali biryani is a special biryani savoured in all parts of coastal Karnataka and forms an integral part of Navayath cuisine. The Bhatkal's biryani evolved from the Bombay biryani which was further refined to give a distinct color taste and flavour. Bhatkali biryani can be of various kind, which include biryani made from either mutton, fish, chicken, or shrimp. The biryani is quite different from others across India in that the onions are used in larger proportions compared to other regions. The dish is cooked with the meat and onion based sauce being at the bottom of the cooking pot with a layers of rice on top, the rice and meat are mixed before serving. Local spices such as cardamom, cloves and cinnamon are used to get the distinct aroma. Served with Bhatkali kachumber. Bhatkali biryani is one of the most common wedding meals in Bhatkal and surrounding towns like Honavar, Murdeshwar, Manki, Shiroor, Byndoor, Gangolli, Kundapur all the way till Mangalore."

I am not sure whether they also make Bhatkali Veg Biryani for veggies like us to savour.
Nevertheless, enjoy the Food Safari article in "The Hindu" on Bhatkal Biryani here.

In search of Bhatkal Biryani

.........and stop over at Bhatkal for a plate of Biryani when you travel in Coastal Karnataka next time.

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Food Safari - In search of Tirunelveli Halwa

Like "Mysore Pak", "Dharwad Peda", "Belgaum Kunda" and "Pathankot Pallang Thod" another sweet which is popular and known by its town's name is "Tirunelveli Halwa". (Halwa is a very popular Indian dessert)

For anyone with sweet tooth, this is a must have. 

Olympia goes in search of authentic Iruttukadai Halwa in Tirunelveli town. Does she get what she want? Here is a fascinating story on the Halwa in the Sunday Magazine of "The Hindu".

In search of Tirunelveli Halwa

The rush in front of Iruttukadai - The famous Halwa shop in Tirunelveli

Halwa under preparation

We picked up some packets of Halwa when we went to Kanyakumari in October last year. Next time when you go to Kanyakumari, don't forget to stop over to pick up some Halwa from Tirunelveli!!

Food Safari - Mysore Pak

A fortnightly column in "The Hindu" newspaper deals with food and the places that made them famous. 

They can be Mysore Pak or Dharwad Peda or Agra Peta or Ambur Biryani or Kumbakonam degree coffee. These write ups makes interesting reading as they go into detail. Being a regular reader of the newspaper, we always look forward to the column. Food and travel is always complementary!

This one is on Mysore Pak. The city of Mysore is famous for the Palace and this ghee rich sweet.

Read more about Mysore Pak by clicking this link.

In search of Mysore Pak

BTW, we strongly feel that the best and authentic Mysore Pak  - honey comb structure, three different colours when you break a piece - is only from legendary Gundappa hotel in downtown Bangalore. Check out these links on this iconic place in Bangalore.

Pamper that sweet tooth at Gundappa's

Sweets @ Gundappa Hotel

Taste that endures

So, if you have sweet tooth, you know where to head when you are in Bangalore next time.......