Fuchka, a true emotion of Bengali

India is a sub-continent of diversities. So much to see, feel, experience, and most importantly to eat. This sub-continent is a colorful palate of diverse food. It is vibrant, full of flavors, and outstanding smell. Street food rules the country and it is ‘Fuchka’ that tops the list.

‘Fuchkas’ are crispy fried hollow puff flatbread balls that are stuff with spicy mash potatoes and submerged in spicy tangy water. These puffed balls are available everywhere in India by different names. The taste may differ from State to State but without a doubt, ‘Fuchka’ from the State of Bengal is the best of all the versions.

 Different names:

As we travel around India, we come across different names of these puffed flatbread balls:

• ‘Fuchka’ in the State of West Bengal
• ‘Pani Puri’ in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, the Southern States like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and also in Nepal
• ‘Gol Gappe’ in Northern Part of India
• ‘Pakodi’ in some parts of Gujarat
• ‘Pani ke Batashe’ in Haryana
• ‘Patashi’ in States of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan
• ‘Gup Chup’ in Odisha, South Jharkhand, Chhatisgarh, Hyderabad, and Telangana
• ‘Phulki’ in eastern Utter Pradesh and some parts of Nepal
• ‘Tikki’ in Hoshangabad in Madhya Pradesh, ‘Padaka’ is what the people of Aligarh, UP

Fuchka of Kolkata:

It is rightly said Bengalis are born to travel and eat. People of Kolkata never fail to experiment with different flavors.  It is not surprising to encounter a huge variety of street food in Kolkata. Kolkata is addressed as the ‘Hub of Street Food in India’ and Bengali Pani Puri tops the list.

It is not just a random snack. It is an emotion for the people of Kolkata. You will find fuchkawalas in each and every corner of Kolkata and Bengal.

Now Fuchka has found its place on the Indian wedding food menu because of its popularity.

At every Pani Puri stall in Kolkata, a common dialogue is mandatory to hear from the city dwellers after finish having, i.e. “akta phao dao” (in Bengali), which means an extra fuchka please and the fuchkawalas never argue.

Other snacks: Churmur and Aloo Dum:

Fuchka of Kolkata is full of flavor and can any time give good and tough competition to other variations of different states. It is served with stuffed spicy mashed boiled potatoes and submerged in tangy tamarind water in Kolkata. It is a blast of different flavors inside the mouth.

Two more essential and tasty snacks are available at every fuchka stall – ‘churmur’ and ‘aloo dum’. Talking about churmur, it is a kind of chaat which is a mixture of broken and crumble Gol Gappes, sliced or mashed boiled potatoes, green chili, coriander, chickpea, roasted species, and tamarind chutney ( tangy sauce).

Aloo dum at the Pani Puri stall should not be miss in Kolkata. Whole boil potatoes are cooked in spices and served in a ‘saal pata’ bowl ( bowls made of a type of leaf called saal) with tamarind chutney, coriander, and some roasted spices.

Nowadays a variety of fuchkas are available, e.g, sweet, Chinese, chocolate, Dahi fuchka, etc.

Dahi fuchka is popular in Kolkata. Just like normal Pani Puri, it is stuff with spicy boil and mash potatoes, roast spices, sour curd, sweet and sour chutney, and sprinkle with bhujiyas.

Some Best Pani Puri Stalls In Kolkata:

Though fuchkawalas are everywhere around Kolkata, but a few is mention-worthy:

• Dhakuria, near Dakshinapan shopping complex.
•  Alipore, near Woodlands High Building and Garden Cafe.
•  Camac Street, near Vardaan Market.
• Birsulhaat, C.I.T Road.
•  New Market.
•  Hindustan Park.
• Near Max Muller Bhawan, Park Mansion.
•  Vivekananda Park, Southern Avenue.