Foodfessions: Swati Snacks

The last time I was in Bombay was seven years ago, and till this day I crave Swati Snacks, a purely vegetarian (no meat, fish or eggs) fast-food joint that serves hygienic street-food. The place looks exactly the way I remembered it to: steel tables, wooden benches, grey granite flooring, and dishes served on neon yellow, plastic plates. The back area of the restaurant has a huge window that overlooks the kitchen to give it that open-kitchen concept, which I find a great way to keep an eye on the cleanliness!

I order the same four dishes every single time I go: dahi batata puri (Rs. 90), sev puri (Rs. 80), paneer lifafa (Rs. 130), and my absolute favorite, suva panki (Rs. 100).

Dahi batata puri and sev puri are both types of chaat — a broad term that describes bite-size savory snacks that are sold on the road-side. Dahi Batata puri is made of spiced yogurt, potatoes, mung beans and a few sweet, sour and spicy sauces. All of these ingredients are inserted into these spherical puris — hollow, fried crisps —and eaten whole. The mixture of flavors is sensational — each bite tingles your taste buds. Note: make sure to eat them immediately as the puris soften and get soggy.

Sev puri is made of diced potatoes, onions, three chutneys: tamarind, chili, garlic, and sev — crushed pieces of crispy, chickpea-based noodles. The crunch from the sev, softness of the potatoes, and bled of the chutneys is delectable. This is more of a dry snack, whereas dahi batata puri is liquidy. Don't forget to ask them to go easy on the chili unless you are a die-hard spice fan.

Paneer lifafa is basically a wrap with a minty, paneer filling mixed with masalas — a spice mixture that has been ground into a paste. It is served with a cool and minty yogurt sauce which adds an extra punch to it.

Now, onto my favorite snack of all time, suva panki — dill-flavored pancakes that are steamed in banana leaves. I know that sounds weird..but it is fantastic. The way you eat it is by opening up the steaming hot leaves and using a fork to scrape out the pancake filling. The texture of the panki is soft and stretchy, similar to injera — Ethiopian staple bread. It comes with a spicy, green chutney that is important as without it, it may seem a little bland. I enjoy the after-effects of this dish as well because dill is an aromatic herb with a multitude of health benefits. It soothes my stomach which is crucial in a place like India where the food is generally harsh on the stomach due to the fiery spices and rich and creamy ingredients used.