When it comes to traveling, there’s no better way to experience a culture’s food than by eating like a local. Locals don’t always visit the high end, stylized food that gets all the press, but more than not, partake in some of the easiest accessible food to them – street food. Think New York hot dogs, Belgian pommes frites, Greek gyros. India boasts entries to this category that rival any of the items that live in the “pantheon” of the food found while roaming city roadways.  It’s from this catalog that Chef Chetna Macawan of Spice Culture Cooking drew from when she graced COOK with her presence.Indian street fare doesn’t let up on the intense, robust flavors that are the hallmark of the region. Utilizing sweet and savory chutneys, Chetna mixed up the first course, bhel chaat with seasonal vegetables, puffed rice, pomegranate, potatoes and dried, crispy noodles. Topping with mango and yogurt chutney, the bowl presented vibrantly and was just as delightful to consume. You can find chaats of varying composition in carts across the subcontinent, but the streetside snack originated in the northern areas near Uttar Pradesh.

While tacos are generally associated with Mexican cuisine, the idea of folded bread with some type of filling exists in just about every culture. Chetna’s Indian-inspired taco base is a bhatura bread – a fluffy disc that brings pita to mind, just puffier. The chicken, done in the style of hariyali, was marinated and cooked in a paste of coriander, parsley, garlic, mint, ginger, curry paste, chili and onion. Needless to say, this was not your usual dry rub.

With over 300 million vegetarians, alternatives to just about every dish exist. The frankie is no different. The variant for this class featured cucumbers, beets, potatoes and a sliced Amul brand Indian cheese.

For dessert, guests were treated to what would typically be considered breakfast: masala chai – black tea and milk steeped with cinnamon and anise – served with jalebi and nankhatai. The jalebi closely mimics an American carnival favorite, the funnel cake. Tossed in a sticky syrup, the batter’s saffron infusion shines through. Meanwhile, the nankhatai is a shortbread cookie flavored with cardamom and sprinkled with pistachio.

One of Chetna’s missions is to make Indian food more accessible. After hearing the raves from Saturday’s group, you can bet that more than a couple of people will be trying these recipes out at home. Chetna’s website features a generous selection of recipes, and you’re encouraged to try them out yourself!