Sarafa Bazar – A Place You Cannot Miss While You Are Still Alive
Sarafa Bazar looks like a street which has been created to regale people with a permanent feast. You just need two things to be a hogger at Sarafa Bazaar – an insatiable appetite and a guilt-free approach. Sarafa is an eating expedition of sorts.
By Hariharan Iyer
Sarafa Bazar looks like a street which has been created to regale people with a permanent feast. You just need two things to be a hogger at Sarafa Bazaar – an insatiable appetite and a guilt-free approach. Sarafa is an eating expedition of sorts.
By Hariharan Iyer
“If you take me to Sarafa Bazar, I will come in a day earlier,” I told my friend Amber when he called to invite me for a talk to Indore. “Sure,” he said. The decision was made. I had passed by Indore a few times recently, but couldn't get a chance to visit one of India's most iconic food streets.
Amber, his wife Rishabha and me got into his car as he drove us through the streets of Indore. As he deftly turned into one of the older streets of Indore to park his car, I knew we were very near Sarafa Bazar. After just a few minutes of walking, Lo!, we entered a crowded street where all kinds of food items were being sold and people were gobbling them up with relish.
Amber, his wife Rishabha and me got into his car as he drove us through the streets of Indore. As he deftly turned into one of the older streets of Indore to park his car, I knew we were very near Sarafa Bazar. After just a few minutes of walking, Lo!, we entered a crowded street where all kinds of food items were being sold and people were gobbling them up with relish.
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| Malpua |
From the street where the car was parked to the one we had just entered, it seemed like two different worlds. Entire Indore seemed to have descended on this place made up of bylanes. Amber told me that this street by day is a jewellery market and transforms itself into a food paradise from 8 pm to 3 am.
I quickly realized the `khaoo gallis` of Mumbai faded in comparison. Sarafa Bazar looks like a street which has been created to regale people with a permanent feast. My friend set the mood when he asked me to be prepared to eat like an avaricious foodie. “The best way to enjoy there is to go with a no-holds-barred attitude,” he said. His description of the jalebi was mouth-watering, yet intimidating. “It is dipped in pure ghee – nothing but pure ghee,” he had kind of `warned`.
We began by having some tikkis and moved on to some paani puris. I was not exactly being `safe` as I kept posting pictures on whatsapp to my wife and daughter. But I had to give them a feel, if not the taste. Every stall was crowded, with not an inch of space. We kept moving through the crowd to try out different things. I noticed the name plates of the jewellers, outside which the food stalls were set up.
I quickly realized the `khaoo gallis` of Mumbai faded in comparison. Sarafa Bazar looks like a street which has been created to regale people with a permanent feast. My friend set the mood when he asked me to be prepared to eat like an avaricious foodie. “The best way to enjoy there is to go with a no-holds-barred attitude,” he said. His description of the jalebi was mouth-watering, yet intimidating. “It is dipped in pure ghee – nothing but pure ghee,” he had kind of `warned`.
We began by having some tikkis and moved on to some paani puris. I was not exactly being `safe` as I kept posting pictures on whatsapp to my wife and daughter. But I had to give them a feel, if not the taste. Every stall was crowded, with not an inch of space. We kept moving through the crowd to try out different things. I noticed the name plates of the jewellers, outside which the food stalls were set up.
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| Aloo Tikis |
The most fascinating aspect of the visit was the jalebi stall. These jalebis are not like the ones we are used to seeing in Mumbai. They are large, thick and soaked in ghee. Alongside was malpua, to add to the culinary indiscipline. As my teeth tore into the jalebi, I realised consuming the whole thing was out of question.
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| Jalebis |
You just need two things to be a hogger at Sarafa Bazaar – an insatiable appetite and a guilt-free approach. While my conscience was under check, I, though a foodie, have a relatively limited appetite. So I ate up only as much as I felt comfortable eating.
One of the legends of the Indore food story is the Shikanji. I kept asking for it, but Amber kept saying it was heavy, and so should be consumed in the end. He finally bought me a glass of Shikanji – and heavy it was, with a mix of various ingredients. I thought I was going to drink something, but ended up `eating` it.
The Shikanji was the last straw as far as I was concerned in this extraordinary eating expedition of sorts. We headed back home, satisfied that I had visited one of India's most iconic food streets. The immediate feeling I had after visiting Sarafa was it is a place you cannot miss while you are still alive.
One of the legends of the Indore food story is the Shikanji. I kept asking for it, but Amber kept saying it was heavy, and so should be consumed in the end. He finally bought me a glass of Shikanji – and heavy it was, with a mix of various ingredients. I thought I was going to drink something, but ended up `eating` it.
The Shikanji was the last straw as far as I was concerned in this extraordinary eating expedition of sorts. We headed back home, satisfied that I had visited one of India's most iconic food streets. The immediate feeling I had after visiting Sarafa was it is a place you cannot miss while you are still alive.
