With Slumdog Millionaire's sweep at the recent Academy Awards all eyes are now firmly planted on Mumbai - the city of dreams. But there's more to the Bollywood hub than slums and poverty. A cosmopolitan city, it also has a burgeoning food scene with almost every cuisine across the world represented.
But the one thing locals hold dear - and would recommend to any visitor - are the street food stalls that service the city's millions during meal times. With a blend of humble fresh ingredients, disparate textures and bold flavours, there's something to please every palate. So if you're brave enough to weather the crowds, roll up your sleeves and eat off carts or makeshift tables, here are some favourites you should try.
Bhel
Popularly referred to as bhel puri, this is a light medley of puffed rice, crisp chickpea flour noodles, boiled potato and cilantro tossed with a sweet and tart tamarind chutney and - depending on how spicy you like it - a mint, chilli and cilantro sauce. A crisp deep-fried wheat flour disc, referred to as puri (or poori), is used as a makeshift spoon to shovel the mix into the mouth.
Batata Wada
This is simply a deep-fried potato (batata) dumpling, spiced with curry leaves, turmeric and mustard seeds served in a fresh palm-sized mini-loaf called pav. Depending on the customer, toppings could include just a fresh pickled chilli, dry red (and fiery) garlic chutney or a cilantro-mint sauce like the one used for bhel.
Pav Bhaji
Cooked on a wide thick griddle the bhaji, which literally translated means vegetable, consists of potato, carrots and peas, mashed into a smooth purée and flavoured with spices like turmeric, coriander, cumin and chilli powder. However, the spice blend depends on the vendor.
It's served topped with cilantro, a dollop of butter and with wedges of lime and chopped onions on the side. The pav is toasted on the griddle with a generous amount of butter. Most Indians swear by the use of the Indian butter brand Amul to get the best flavour. Today, you can also have cheese added to the vegetable mix.
Dosa
A tribute to South India, dosa is a crisp rice and skinned black lentil crêpe prepared on an iron griddle to order. The traditional stuffing is potato-based but creative cooks now include vegetables like beetroot, spinach and peas or ingredients like paneer (Indian-style unripened cheese) and processed cheese. It's served with a lentil stew called sambhar and coconut-based chutneys, which could be white or red.
Frankie
Another crêpe preparation, it was extremely popular in the 1980s and '90s but is a bit harder to find now. The crêpe is dipped in egg and fried on a griddle after which it is stuffed with either a vegetable, chicken or mutton filling. Wrapped in butter paper and a plastic sleeve, its juicy filling is layered with fresh onions and a dusting of spice powder and requires real practise while eating to prevent the juices from dripping onto your clothes.
Bombay Sandwich
These ubiquitous stalls are easily spotted thanks to the loaves of sliced bread that surround them. After a generous spread of butter (usually Amul), the vendors layer on a cilantro, mint and chilli chutney and load the sandwich with vegetables like boiled potato, beetroot and onion along with a sprinkling of chaat masala (that includes dried mango powder, black pepper, asafoetida, etc.). It can be enjoyed as is or toasted. Patrons in an indulgent mood can add some cheese as well.
Pani Puri
Usually available at bhel puri stands, this includes bite-sized puffed wheat rounds that are stuffed with boiled potato, boondi (tiny deep-fried gram flour balls) or green mung beans and topped with chilled, spiced pani (meaning water) that is flavoured with chaat masala, tamarind and chilli. A more adult 'vodka pani puri' is now gaining popularity at weddings and celebrations but is not available at street-side stalls.
Bhajias
This is almost like an Indian tempura with thin slices of potato, onions or whole green chillies dipped in a spiced chickpea flour batter and deep-fried. They are usually served at teatime or as a starter before meals along with some chutney. For a quick meal-on-the-go, some vendors stuff bhajias into pav layered with chutney and butter.
Masala Chai
The inspiration for the internationally famous chai tea latte, this is a sweet concoction of black tea and fresh milk brewed with slices of ginger, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. It's served in small glasses and is the perfect accompaniment to bhajias, especially on a rainy day.
Sugarcane Juice
Made to order, long stalks of sugarcane are processed through a mechanical press in front of the customer. Mixed with fresh ginger and lime juices, it's served chilled with a sprinkling of chaat masala.
