“Dada, aloo te beshi lonka, ar jol kom debe (put more chilli in the potato and less tamarind water),” or “Dada, amake lebu beshi debe, and jhaal ekdom na (give me extra lemon, and no spice at all),” are often requested by the phuchka lovers.
Known by many names across the country, such as panipuri, gup chup and golgappa, phuchka is Kolkata’s favourite. However, Kolkatans don’t just relish it the usual way—with aloo, tamarind water, and chutney. They also love to experiment with it.
Ever heard of a phuchka chop? Or a Thums-Up phuchka? Well, we have.
Speaking with several phuchka sellers, My Kolkata learned that there is more than one way Kolkatans enjoy the beloved phuchka.
Just Imli, please!
Skipping the usual aloo-chana mix, students and locals at and around Baghbazar Women’s College fill their puris with just spicy, tangy and tamarind pulp.
Born a phuchka, raised a chop
Not lost, just deep-fried. At Salt Lake’s FD - Block, this viral chop phuchka is giving the crunchy snack a whole new meaning.
Pani who? chutney rules
Shutterstock
If you are a person who counts carbs in potatoes, this is your go-to phuchka. Filled with only house-special masalas, peanuts, coriander leaves, and sweet chutneys (spicy, tangy, sweet sauces), it’s a flavour bomb you shall find at Baguiati’s Phuchka Man store.
By soul phuchka, by shape a kachori
This club kachori-sized phuchka stuffed with lots of green chillies, boiled potato and served with gondhoraj lebu (Myrrh lemon) flavoured tamarind water is waiting for you at Paikpara.
Ditching carbs, measuring only ‘grams’
AI-generated
Relishing dry puris with only boiled black grams, dry spices and rock salt, the connoisseurs of Southern Avenue can’t help but savour every bite.
Sooji never tasted this sassy
Sagorika Roy
With health-conscious food choices on the rise, sooji phuchka at 26, Burtolla Street, Bara Bazar, Kolkata, has taken over the conventional maida phuchka.
Churmur surprise in every pop!
Sagorika Roy
Often, it becomes hard to decide between phuchka and churmur. To solve this dilemma, the phuchka man in front of Raj Bhavan serves both in one plate, satiating every craving at once.
Phuchka-ing the ‘Thums Up’ way
Often Kolkatans cool their throat with a bottle of chilled Thums Up after every fried or spicy meal. At a stall in Vivekananda Park, the classic phuchka gets a fizzy upgrade, with Thums Up replacing the usual tamarind or pudina water.
While experiments are great, a great traditional phuchka cannot be beaten!