Of late my taste bud was craving for sweet sour tease. And to imagine the Indian street style phuchkas or golgappas in NY is no longer a costly affair. For any Indian, Nepali and Bangladeshi this snack is not unknown.
Since my grad I have been switching places all over India and was surprised to discover they got pet names too.From golgappa in New Delhi to puchkas in Kolkatta, pani poori in Mumbai and Phulki in my Uttar pradesh. Dynamic is their taste too. The taste difference usually is in the water used. In western part of India they prefer tamarind and in south and north your mouth will swell with spicy cumin water.
After lot of meandering we stopped at the Thelewala at 112 Macdougal St, Manhatten NY (212) 614-9100
with the menu board labelling 'puchkas'. And when u see this name u know u have landed in West Bengal chaat stall.
So i didnt miss a chance and ordered my fave puchkas. And when the plate was offered it was like DIY, do it yourself. I had to stuff the maida spheres with my own hands with chickpeas and tamarind water. But you are lucky when you got a hubby to DIFM 'do it for me and a pleassseee can make it sound more humble request. About the taste yes it was pleasantly pungent.
My other half who knew more of his homeplace ordered his jhaalmoori that i term as bhelpoori in Uttar pradesh. Just another snack made out of puffed rice, chopped tomatoes and onions garnished with tamarind sauce again. You can now guess we people really have a fetish for sourness. I could have finish up his bowl too only if he wasn't too hungry and i didnt have a bird's belly.
Even the ambience didnt went unnoticed. With the lit ceiling to the walls racked with Indian spices munching was never so fun.
Of course don't forget the masala chai(tea). The ginger flavor worked as sense awakening route and that build us up for journey ahead.
For more visit
www.thelewalanyc.com/
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