KYF- Know Your Food

I hope you all are doing fine and have taken your 1st or 2nd dose of vaccination. Last week was quite hectic and I did not get the time and inspiration to write the blog. But ek kahawat hai na "Jab Jaago Tabhi Savera"

I am a big foodie and this blog is all about food. I think most of you would be familiar with these dishes but do you know about its origin and history? I think you don't. So let me walk you through the 'History' of some of the most unique food items in India.

1. Pani Poori

It is known by different names Pani Poori, puchka, gol gappe etc. It's one of the most famous street food in India and I bet each one of you has tasted it atleast once in your lifetime. But let me tell you something which you don't know. The origin of 'Gol Gappe' can be traced back to the Magadha region (erstwhile Mauryan Empire) when the puritans existed. Some traces of this dish can be found in Mughal texts also. One thing is sure that this dish rules the street food of India.

2. Kathi Roll

A Bengali street food which was started by Nizams of Bengal & Awadh, as handy, quick to serve for office goers had spread like wildfire throughout India. The word Kati or Kathi was added to the Bengali after the demand for rolls rose. As steel "seekh" were costly, Nizams thought of an alternative and used instead "Kathi" as seekh and thus came the name Kathi Kabab. As the popularity of Kathi Kabab spread so did the number of outlets offering it and its taste gets easily blended with regional taste.

3. Chicken Jahangiri

The Mughal Empire ruled for over 200 years. It hugely influenced the art, culture, architecture and food of the subcontinent. Mughliya cuisine is a confluence of Persian, Samarkandi, Uzbekistan and adjoining regions of Timurid Empire, Turko-Afghan food and lastly different Indian cooking techniques like those of the Rajputs, Eastern India, Punjab, Kashmir cuisine. This dish was started as a breakfast meal in Emperor Jahangir time and was widely famous among his courtiers and Harem, hence every bit of this dish manifests India in its true self- of accepting and creating a beautiful mix.

4. Pav Bhaji

"Pav"- a Portuguese word for bread and "bhaji"- a Marathi word for vegetables. The story of pav bhaji is synonymous with the rise of the Indian textile industry during the British Era. This dish was made up of the leftover vegetables cooked together and served along with 'pav' as lunch to the Bombay textile workers. It soon became a symbolic dish representing the 'chawls' and life revolving around it. But later was adopted by regular restaurants and today it's among the most preferred found item in the local restaurants and street food vendors.  

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