Another scorchingly hot day and the dust seemed inches thick, coating my flat shoes in a thin layer of grey. The coconut stand stood in the shade of a dusty tree, the green coconuts stacked up row upon row. To my surprise, when I asked for a coconut drink, the stall owner lifted the coconut out from a bath of water - a very clever way of cooling it. Lopping off the top with a huge knife, he put a straw into the small hole and handed it to me. The coconut juice was refreshingly cold - one of summer's little compensations and more thirst quenching than a coke or fanta.
Street food is a part of the urban landscape. Carts on wheels are quickly set up at around 6 p.m., cheap artificial lights cast their bright blue-white light over the impromptu 'restaurant' and people pull-up in their cars, scooters or bikes and stand round in sociable groups, eating the quickly prepared Chaat - crisp pancakes with various masala toppings and chutney or Bhel Puri - a puffed rice with 'sev' mixed with chopped onions, tomatoes, boiled potatoes, green chilies and coriander - Pani Poori is made of little crisp puffs made out of flour and filled with mashed potato, onion, etc. and then filled with spicy water or Pav Bhaji - a bread roll with potato and vegetarian filling!! All these snacks are delicious and are served on a little paper saucer which you have to support with your hand to stop it from sagging. Some of the street food vendors on the bigger arterial roads, provide tables and chairs and crowds of people sit out late into the night in family groups enjoying the 'al fresco' food.
Street food is a part of the urban landscape. Carts on wheels are quickly set up at around 6 p.m., cheap artificial lights cast their bright blue-white light over the impromptu 'restaurant' and people pull-up in their cars, scooters or bikes and stand round in sociable groups, eating the quickly prepared Chaat - crisp pancakes with various masala toppings and chutney or Bhel Puri - a puffed rice with 'sev' mixed with chopped onions, tomatoes, boiled potatoes, green chilies and coriander - Pani Poori is made of little crisp puffs made out of flour and filled with mashed potato, onion, etc. and then filled with spicy water or Pav Bhaji - a bread roll with potato and vegetarian filling!! All these snacks are delicious and are served on a little paper saucer which you have to support with your hand to stop it from sagging. Some of the street food vendors on the bigger arterial roads, provide tables and chairs and crowds of people sit out late into the night in family groups enjoying the 'al fresco' food.
By day there is a kind of hierarchy amongst this street fraternity - from young boys operating the sugar cane press, which requires them to walk round and round turning a long pole, while the attached mangles squeeze and press out the sweet juice into glasses - to old men selling bananas, in what looks like a 'retirement job' - low in stress, but providing an interest. Cash outlay for the entire stock is probably only 500rs and any leftovers are eaten for dinner!
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