No two Indian states eat alike, and the quickest way to grasp the country’s diversity is with your appetite. Follow the food and the culture follows.
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Punjab and Delhi are the land of tandoors, buttery dal makhani, and stuffed parathas eaten with a glass of lassi. In the old bazaars of Delhi, chaat — a riot of crisp, tangy, sweet and spicy — is a meal in itself.
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Down south, coconut, curry leaves and rice take over. Kerala serves fish moilee and appam; Goa layers Portuguese heritage into vindaloo and fresh seafood. Everything arrives brighter, tangier and hotter than up north.
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Mumbai’s vada pav, Kolkata’s puchka and Ahmedabad’s fafda aren’t a cheap substitute for “real” food — they often are the real food. Stick to busy stalls with visible turnover and you’ll eat some of the best meals of your trip for pocket change.
Come hungry, eat where the queues are longest, and let each region rewrite what you thought Indian food was.
