Phuchka - The tiny flavour explosion that every Bengali craves

We Kolkatans take pride in our Phuchkas. ”What fun are golgappas?” we say.  The art of mixing the aloo and tok jol in perfect proportion has been mastered solely by the phuchkawalas of Bengal. Good regular phuchkas all have similar reasons why they are good. Very authentic phuchkas with no pretentions, regular tok jhaal phuchkas, well blended potato mash, well seasoned and perfectly spicy and acidic.

In the northern realm of the country, it is known as golgappa, whereas the denizens of the western frontier call it pani puri.The Sultans of the medieval era called it paani ke batashe and the people in Bihar and Odisha call it gupchup. But phuchka, as we call it here, can be regarded as a staple evening snack for the Kolkatans.

A deep fried hollow sphere stuffed with a delicious mix of mashed potatoes and tamarind water is as much a treat to the eyes as they are to the mouth. It doesn't matter if you are a tourist or a resident in Kolkata, but your day in the city is not complete if you haven't been to the street stalls that offer a variety to the food aficionados. And when it comes to street food, phuchka is the indisputable leader. 

ALIPORE

Presenting – PRAVESH PANI PURI!

Now this guy is not your average phuchkawala, he caters to hygiene by preparing the tamarind water with mineral water. Yes, you read that right. And that is not the only interesting part here. What is special about this place is that it serves 17 VARIETIES OF PUHCHKAS. !

The variety includes:

1. Ghugni phuchka
2. Alu dum phuchka
3. Pakori phuchka
4. Dahi phuchka
5. Batata phuchka
6. Chocolate phuchka
7. Dhokla phuchka
8. Schezwan phuchka
9. Bullet phuchka (you will surely feel like a bullet went through your brain, after eating this one)
10. Dahi papri phuchka
11. Chana masala phuchka
12. Chur mur phuchka
13. Sukha special phuchka
14. 4types of water mix phuchka
15. Tomato phuchka
16. Ghugni dhai phuchka
17. Mixed phuchka or rocket phuchka

This young lad has got a set standard and boasts that his work has even taken him abroad. “I have been to Australia, Bangkok and many places in India as part of wedding catering only because of the phuchkas I make.”

For him, feedback is very important therefore while handing you a tissue paper after you relish your sumptuous street food, he makes sure to ask every customer if they enjoyed the phuchkas and even hands them a visiting card if needed.

Pravesh, 20yrs in age, is into this family business since 2007. He claims to be popular in the Alipore State Bank area.

Talking about the interesting facts of his business, he says “I often sell phuchkas outside Lakshmipat Singhania School and whichever child tops their final examinations, he/she would receive a reward of 1yr free phuchkas from me.”

VARDAAN MARKET

Homemade spices and a distinct flavour distinguish the phuchkas that one gets to savour at the streetside kiosk owned by Krisnakant Sharma. Sharma, in his late twenties, inherited the legacy from his father. The aroma of methi, kasuri, dhaniya, ajwain, saunf and jeera invade the senses even before you dig into it. You cough up `20 for six phuchkas. The hard-hitting tangy sensation of the pickled water served along with the phuchka is the result of an amalgamation of pudina, lime and tamarind. "The phuchka here is costly but it tastier than what I get at Burrabazar. It is a delight to the taste buds," says homemaker Taniya Guha, who came down for a quick bite.

VIVEKANANDA PARK

Dilipda's phuchkas are so famous that apparently he has been invited for a party hosted by LN Mittal in Chennai next week! Apart from normal phuchkas (`20 for six), chur mur (`40) and ragada chat (`40), he has a lot more to offer. But his best item is dahi phuchka, garnished with a sweet chutney made from dates, mango pulp and pudina. The water that is had with the phuchka smacks of green mangoes and gondhoraj. "A decade ago, I used to get Marwari customers. But now, Bengalis have also started crowding the stall," he says. Dilipda also makes mutton, chicken and cocktail phuchkas on order.

This apart, he is a stickler for hygiene. He installed a water purifier way back in 1999.

And now, he insists that his customers use hand sanitizers before they gulp those phuchkas.

RUSSELL STREET

Nankuram Gupta had set this shop 30 years ago after coming from Uttar Pradesh. Gupta is very possessive about his phuchkas and doesn't easily divulge the ingredients used in the aloo masala, but would rather let the customers take a guess. His is a kiss-and-tell, err, tasteand-tell affair. "Is it pudina?" "Is it methi?" "No! It must be hing". One gets to explore varied flavours in the item which Gupta puts in your plate. And he will chuckle at you, bemused as you keep get curious. He cheekily adds that the masalas are all made at home using recipes from UP. Pocket pinch? `20 for six pieces.

CHAKRABERIA

If you are a Jain and can't eat phuchkas with mashed potatoes, don't fret. Look for a phuchka stall near Triangular Park in Chakraberia. Upinder, who has been running the business for 40 years, uses mashed green bananas instead of the potatoes to cater to the large Jain community that resides there. It doesn't mean that people belonging to other communities don't flock to the stall. "I also make potato phuchkas. But I use separate ingredients for the item that I pre pare for the Jains," he says. Mineral water, shredded chillies, boiled grams and mashed bananas are the main elements. Other than that, there is tamarind flavoured water with pudina leaves dipped in it."

VICTORIA MEMORIAL

Ram Gupta gets nostalgic as he recalls the time when he would sell 32 phuchkas for `1.With an animated gesture he tells you that the stall was set up during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He now sells four phuchkas for `10.

"Whenever I get an off, I come to this place with my granddaughter. I have been his customer for many years. The price may have increased, but I don't have any complaints," says Manoj Kumar Mondal, a resident of Garia. What makes his phuchka stand out is the tamarind paste and powder, which he mixes in the mashed potatoes.The flavour explodes in your mouth and makes an impact with a sweetness that lingers in your mouth even after the phuchka has reached your stomach.

ROADSIDE LOVE

The people of Kolkata love to take pride when it comes to street food. The most favourite among the classical street food happens to be ‘puchkas’ or ‘pani puri’ as one may call it. The roadsides in Kolkata are tempting enough to resist ‘puchkas’. This culminated into the making of ‘Roadside Love‘ – a utopian place for all puchka lovers. Ask for a topping of your choice and their menu will tumble out an option for you. This unique place in the city serves various varieties of puchkas like the Cheesy maggie puchka,chocolate puchka,cheesy blast puchka,butterscotch puchka along with the orthodox offerings. They have four types of puchka water-jaljeera,pudina,imli,khatta-meetha to take care of your taste buds.