Traveling to Indore Then Try The Mouth-watering Must have Indore Food!

I am a self-proclaimed “foodie” and being an Indori by birth just adds on to the eccentricity. For people like me, revisiting hometown is an occasion to look forward to a flavorsome extravaganza which Indore food is world famous for. And yes I won’t feel shy in admitting the fact of having made a list of things to eat during my stay there along with the specific eateries.

Well, the locals would all be well acquainted with most of these ‘addas’ (places), however, I feel refreshing the memories brings one closer to his native land. For the first time visitors definitely the below list of Indore food is a must try one:

So here goes the must-have Indore foods list:

Dal Bafle and Ladoo – all time favorite Indore Food:

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Indore is quite near to Rajasthan and so Dal Bafle and Ladoo is a very similar sweet & savory main course preparation like the Rajasthani dish named Dal-Baati-Choorma. With minor alterations in the recipe, this is a very popular and an indulgent meal for one to have. Try this indulgent lunch or dinner Indore food from Hotel Rajhans or Hotel Santoor especially on Sundays.

Poha-Jalebi:

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Now if you have a friend, relative or acquaintance from Indore, I’m sure you might have heard about this strange combo breakfast food that all Indoris love to have. It’s a kind of staple street breakfast that you can find at most restaurants in the morning. Try Chappan Dukaan area for the most authentic taste of this Indore breakfast food.

Kaju Curry: 

This is yet another unique main course food dish that is quite popular in Indore. Made of Kaju (Cashewnut) as the main ingredient it is just so awesome. I recommend to try it from Gurukripa restaurant near bus stand or Mathurawala’s Chanakya restaurant in Chowni market area.

Tandoori Chicken and Kebabs:

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Having an amalgamation of many cultures, Indore is just not a vegetarian’s delight but a non-vegetarian food lover’s paradise too. Try the brilliantly prepared Tandoori chicken and kebabs from Pichori Dhaba.

Sabudana Khichdi:

This is another street food that you can commonly find on the streets of old markets of Indore like Chhawani Bazaar, Rajbada & Sarafa Market. Made of Sabudana with a lot Indori Namkeen added in it, this Indore food has crossed its limitation of being a fast snack to an all season snack.

Moong Dal Bhajiyas & Imarti:

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An evening stroll in the old markets would lead you to some very old Indore food establishments that sell these freshly prepared quick bites. The spicy moong dal bhajiyas & the sweet Imarti; I must say the combination of the two is fantastic.

Khopra Patties, Kachori & Shikanji:

For this, I can blindly rely on Vijay Chaat House, Indore. Khopra Patties are deep fried munch on food or snack. Kachori, with a stuffing of Moong dal, varies in taste from other cities. Shikanji is a unique cold drink made of milk is delightfully rich!

Pyaz ki kachori/ Fariyali Kachori:

The one and only haven, I know for a distinct Pyaz ki kachori in Indore like this is Ravi Alpahar in Anand Bazar. Earlier they had a branch near Nagar Nigam office selling varied food items but I’m not sure if is still open.

Chaat, Bhutte ka kees, Malpua, Gulab Jamun, Shikanji & more.

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For satiating a hungry soul late in the night visit Sarafa Bazaar. One can find a number of famous local vendors selling varied gourmet Indore food items till late midnight. Read my post about Sarafa Bazaar Food Trail here.

Winter Special:

Deep Fried Garadu:

A type of unique yam found mostly in winters is a tasty snack almost exclusive to Indore region.

Kesar Doodh:

Hot milk with saffron and dry fruits from the streets of old markets like Chhawni is a local drink that warms up your body and provides a lot of energy.

Souvenir/Take Away:

Namkeen:

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Varied varieties of spicy sev, mixture, chiwda, chakli and much more of Namkeen are a big hit when one talks about taking a souvenir from Indore. Famous shops for these accompaniment food items are Khandelwal ke Namkeen, Apna sweets etc.

Sawariya Pede:

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Just outside Khajuri Bazaar is a Bajrang temple and in front of it is a small shop selling these Kesar (Saffron) Pede sweet. They have set up another shop near Anand Bazar recently. The quality is super fine and tastes unparalleled. A perfect sweet take away.

Enjoy!

Photo Courtesy: Self, Wikipedia & Madhya India