Which is your favorite Khau Galli?
By
Vikram Karve
At present I am searching in vain for a Khau Galli near my new home in Wakad - a "cosmopolitan" suburb of Pune.
As and when I find one, I will tell you about it. And while I keep searching here is something I wrote long ago of my favourite Khau Gallis:
Khau Galli?
What does this mean?
Well, in Marathi, Khau means treat, a food treat.
And Galli means lane, or street.
So Khau Galli means Treat Street, or Food Lane, call it what you like.
Every city, town, neighborhood, locality, and person, has a favourite Khau Galli.
When I used to stay near Churchgate in Mumbai, my favorite Khau Galli was the one near Cross Maidan, on the lane connecting SNDTs Sunderbai Hall to Fashion Street.
Here amidst the teeming crowd, I used to relish to my hearts content, the choicest of street food Pav Bhaji at Lenin Pav Bhaji, Vada Pav, Misal, Juices, juicy syrupy hot Jilebis, and even non-veg delicacies and gravies at the dhaba-like shack towards the Cross Maidan.
In any good Khau Galli, the variety of street food here is awesome you name it and it will be there - all types of cuisine and street food.
But if you are one of those high-falutin snobbish hygiene-maniacs please stay away, for Khau Gallis are meant for the Trencherman with a cast iron stomach.
Mumbai has so many Khau Gallis. And I am sure that every city and town in India has delicious khau gallis.
In Mumbai, during Ramzan, every evening, the entire lane near Minara Masjid off Mohammed Ali Road, transforms itself into a spectacular Khau Galli with mouthwatering aromas wafting through the air and exotic foods, ranging from lip smacking kababs, meats and chicken, nourishing malpuas, refreshing phirnis and cool soothing faloodas its a magnificent gastronomic experience.
In Pune, where I now live, there are a number of terrific Khau Gallis in the heart of the city, and in Pune Camp, but the nearest one to me is the Khau Galli at Sangvi where you can savor Bhel, Dabeli, Pav Bhaji, Tandoori Chicken and Tikkas, Dosas, and , of course, the ubiquitous Chinese fare. There seems to be nothing in Wakad - there is neither a street or a treat over here!
In Delhi, I can never forget the fantastic inimitable Khau Gallis in Old Delhi - the kababs, the biryani, the nihari, the meats and the sweets; and the lip smacking food around Chandni Chowk. Parathe Wali Galli, the unmatched incomparable finger licking syrup dripping lip smacking rich sweet succulent pure ghee jalebi at Dariba Lane.
I'm going crazy just thinking about it, so Ill stop here, before I go into gastronomic raptures and digress!
I'm going crazy just thinking about it, so Ill stop here, before I go into gastronomic raptures and digress!
Dear Fellow FoodieTraveller, Dear Earthy Trencherman - Which are your favorite Khau Gallis? Tell us about the treat-streets you have discovered during your travels all over.
Please do tell us all about your mouthwatering experiences at your favorite Khau Gallis in your town so we too can relish the lip smacking yummy food at the first opportunity and till then vicariously, at least in our mind's eye!
VIKRAM KARVE
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
VIKRAM KARVE educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale, and Bishop's School Pune, is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Manager and Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. His delicious foodie blogs have been compiled in a book "Appetite for a Stroll". A collection of his short stories about relationships titled COCKTAIL is being published soon and Vikram is currently busy writing his first novel and with his teaching and training assignments. Vikram lives in Pune with his family and his muse – his pet Doberman girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog : http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog : http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile of Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
Foodie Book:
Short Stories Book: Cocktail
Cocktail - Short Stories about Relationships :
http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?pages#!/pages/Cocktail-by-Vikram-Karve-APK-Publishers/177873552253247
Cocktail - Short Stories about Relationships :
http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?pages#!/pages/Cocktail-by-Vikram-Karve-APK-Publishers/177873552253247
The khawwu galli which is close to my heart in Pune city is the one that is opposite KEM hospital in Rasta Peth. When we were living in Rasta peth in the early 90s, it was majorly populated by South Indians and still it is. This khaawu galli of Rasta Peth has mouth watering south indian dishes e.g. oopama, steamy idlis, medu wadas, fry idlis and so on. All the hawkers are pure south indians so you get authentic south indian taste. There are couple of south indian mess as well in the lane that is parallel to this khaawu galli. When I was in 8th std there was new addition to this khawu galli Mr. Aaba Pawar. His misal-paaw is i would say better than shree misal of shanipar. The initial pricing of Aaba's misal was just 4 rupees with unlimited sample or paatal bhaaji as typical punekars say ;) Today the misal costs you around 30 bucks but still Aaba has maintained his USP of unlimited sample to have with the misal. (Shreekrishna misal in Tulshibaug charges a hefty 6 ruppes per waati of sample! That's injustice) Now aaba has got a nice shop for selling his misal named as "ShreeKala Misal" Prop. Aaba Pawar. Aaba still parks his cart outside his shop with his sample and stove with boiling red sample in it.... Trust me the sample (paatal bhaaji) of aaba's misal tastes just like kolhapuri mutton rassa :P :P :P Must try when you are in Rasta Peth khaawu galli...
ReplyDeleteP.S. the shop remains open only till 1pm in the afternoon!