Indian street food offers a delicious mix of spices and flavours. Not only does it represent bold, unrestricted flavours, it is also a reflection of our diverse culture and tastes in different parts of the country, always bringing alive some familiar childhood memories and evoking nostalgia.Looking to recreate the same aromatic spread but in cleaner environs, JW Marriott Chandigarh is hosting a 10-day food festival celebrating the street foods of India at The Café@JW, the all-day dining restaurant of the hotel.

A team of chefs have drawn authentic recipes from the bylanes of Indore, Chennai, Lucknow and Amritsar. So diners can relish lip-smacking favourites like Khaman Chaat from Indore, iconic Tundey Kebab with Warqi Parantha from Lucknow, Vegetable Kurma from Chennai and Amritsari Phirni all under one roof.

“The Street Food of India festival is designed specifically for the cosmopolitan diners of the tricity as it explores a unique diversity of flavours from across the country. Each city in our country has a distinctive character and culture, the most vivid illustration of which is its street food. Rich in flavours and abundant use of local produce and spices, street food in India is a treasure of priceless recipes, many of which have been preserved and cherished for over a century now. Others have evolved over the years, customised according to the likes of people, as delightful fusion recipes,” remarked Chef Naveen Handa, Executive Chef, JW Marriott Chandigarh.

Food from Indore, for instance, has been influenced by Rajasthani, Gujarati and Maharashtrian cuisine. At the food festival, one can enjoy coconut stuffed patty known as Khopra Patties. The flavours of freshly grated coconut in Khopra Patty with potato, crushed peanuts and green chillies are mouth-watering. There’s also the Indori Pineapple Sev, which is a fusion of traditional Ratlami Sev and the sweet and tangy flavour of pineapple. It teams best with the Indian Kombucha or Kanji Wada.
From Lucknow, the chefs are rolling out the delicately spiced Nihari, a tender lamb dish cooked over low heat to infuse the curry with the flavours of the meat. Another delectable Lucknowi street food favourite is the tangy and spicy Khasta Kachori served with Bhaaji, a popular evening snack in the region.

The street food from Chennai, on the other hand, represents the street food from different corners of South India with favourites like the stuffed Kuttu Parantha in vegetarian and non-vegetarian variants, Panyaram as well as Dosa and Kurma. A must try from the Chennai kitchen is Kozhukattai, a tempting festive dessert which pairs coconut with jaggery.

Characterised by traditional flavours and recipes with a distinctive Punjabi touch, Amritsari live counters will feature traditional street favourites like Pithi Poori, Aloo Launji and the quintessential Amritsari Phirni.

The food festival, on till June 24, is open for dinner only from 7:30 pm onwards and is priced at Rs 1,800 per person, including taxes.