Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Bhel Puri: Inspiration at 10:30pm

They say inspiration is never far from you but I did not know it comes in the form of road side bhel puri.

About 10:30 pm last night, I was waiting for my driver to pick me up from the Taj parking. Hungry after work, I saw this bhaiya carrying this heavy platter on his head and called him towards our car.

Bhel Puri, he said without being asked. He seemed like an influential guy and a big hit with all the "badi gadi "drivers that waited outside. My friend gave me the weird stares which were screaming NO. Surrounded by second thoughts about my upset tummy tomorrow, I asked for "one plate". The worst case scenario being, I shall be on holiday the next day (which didn't seem too bad !)

He took good 5-7 minutes to make the bhel, cut the veggies, season it, the works. For 25 rupees, it was brilliant. Although I feel the price was highly influenced by the area he was roaming about. Also, even though my spice tolerance is way higher than a lot of people I know, yet I had to invest in a bottle of water from the adjoining ccd.

No sales strategy, let alone marketing. This guy was a moving banner of his advertisement and the taste of his deliverable built his credibility instantly. I will not be surprised if sub-consciously I am looking for him everytime I am in that area.

I thought, the only barrier(apart from my mom) that kept me from trying something like that from a road vendor was the drilled fear of infection due to unhygienic preparation. If that was regulated, people would be much more accepting to such treats.

There is so much being done for the cottage industries, native weavers, etc in India but what about the food nativity. Yes, places like dilli haat are trying very hard to promote traditional food stalls. But the monopoly is maintained by those who are resourceful enough to get there. What about the others who are doing a great job but don't get enough representation?

Ever tasted the sukarkhand chaat (sweet potato), moong dal chaat or sugar cane sellers, etc etc ? What if the hygiene levels are monitored and ingredients regulated, will not all of us love to atleast give them a shot at surprising us?

I thought early next year, I really want to hold a small event promoting these small vendors. please tell me if you know any other thing that is a street specialty and we are ignoring it?

3 comments:

  1. How bout a taste of Maharashtra's or let alone India's very own burger !!! The pav wada !!

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  2. It is indeed unfortunate that our country has the best to offer in the form of street food, both on taste & nutrition count. Still, foreign and higher society Indians shy away from these delicacies just on the fear of quality & hygiene.

    There are countries like Thailand, Singapore & Malaysia, where street food itself plays a big role in luring foreign tourist to chose these destinations. This is despite the fact that their food lacks the diversity and variety of Indian street food and is also greatly influenced with the cooking and spices techniques of India.

    It is not that street vendors are unwilling to change but the under-mentioned conditions prevailing in India do not permit them implement these changes:

    • Restrictions Imposed On Usage Of Space
    • Long List Of Licenses Required To Open The Smallest Of Eatery
    • Corruption And Red-Tapes
    • High Cost Of Operating A Hygienic Eatery
    • Competition From Low-Cost Vendors Surviving Side-By-Side
    • Day To Day Operating Harassment By Local Police

    I’ve seen in these countries that same market space is used 3 times in a day. From 9 AM to 7PM, there are regular shops. The space outside these shops is occupied by street vendors on a shift basis from 8PM to 12AM and them again from 1AM to 8AM. This novel policy of space usage gives 3 times the employment opportunity on the same commercial space.

    Also the street food vendors have a single license to obtain, which covers all their necessary requirements. Once they have a license and a designated place and timings to operate, they are not harassed by the officials. This creates a healthy business and entertainment environment.

    What is there in these business models that we cannot follow in India???

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  3. I like the idea of wada pao ! thanks aadesh *

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