“Dilli aayi aur chhole kulche nahi khayi? Aise kaise?” - this is what my friend from the national capital told me the first time I returned from Delhi without having chhole kulche. Well, apart from the ‘sin’ I committed, according to her, this statement clearly indicates the obsession of North Indians with chhole kulche. The delicious and wholesome combo has been winning hearts for ages now.
If you too are chhole kulche aficionado, you must be aware of the craze around this street food combo. Apart from the taste and texture, the method of preparation of chhole kulche is quite unique and it stands in contrast to the other food combos that involve cooking the lentils with spices. The mixing of the boiled chhole with spices just before serving is what makes gravy more yummy. Watching a vendor preparing chhole kulche is a salivating visual in itself. However, there’s one video that will make you break sweat. Here’s why:
The clip, uploaded by the Instagram food blogger @foodie_incarnate, shows a vendor in Agra making the city’s spiciest chhole kulche. The vendor is seen adding chopped green chillies, onion, tomatoes, paneer, potatoes and coriander leaves to a mixing vessel followed by boiled chhole and some typical spices. He empties an entire dabba of red chilli powder into the bowl and starts mixing it. The vendor, who sells one plate of chhole kulche for ₹40, also claims that he was the first one to sell chhole kulche on the streets of Agra.
The video has gathered around 213k views, 20k likes and hundreds of comments from foodies across the country. Some comments are in appreciation of the preparation, while others have complained about the spice level. A user said, “Masala bohot zyada hai bhai, mat khaya karo itna masale daar”, while another commented, “Saare masale kachee hai isliye isko khane k baad sidha hospital pakaa...”.
Will you eat this spicy chhole kulche? Do let us know.