Famous Vegetarian Street Food in Lucknow

Lucknow is known for its non-vegetarian food, you don’t hear much about its under-rated vegetarian food joints. We travelled early last year when we went to witness ardh kumbh in Prayagraj and adjoined by a trip to Banaras.

Our travel style is usually shoestring, and we try to use lots of cheap public transport and try street food wherever we venture out to explore a new city. This time it was Lucknow. Through some research, we had a grand food plan. The idea was to munch our way while immersing in the beauty of Lucknow. We had two full days for sightseeing and food tasting before heading to Banaras.

We have compiled a list of must-visit vegetarian joints in Lucknow area wise:

Vegetarian Street Food Joints in Hazratganj, Lucknow:

1. Bajpai ki Kachori

Bajpai ki kachori Lucknow
Bajpai ki Kachori

We started with breakfast at Bajpai ki kachori, this is an old joint which serves kachori with special spicy chole (Chickpea). So, the very first dish we tasted was Bajpai ki Kachori at Hazratganj.

It’s a very simple shop with a basic setup but this simplicity in making his pooris, kachoris served with aloo sabzi with choley, onion slices and pickle will turn into a mouth-watering delight. It is the spiciness of the sabzi, which we loved. We tried all the dishes; pooris, kachori and samosa, each dish was so perfect in the taste that you would like to have it again and again. This happened to us and we stopped by this joint twice or thrice during our travel. People queue up in front of his shop in great numbers every morning when the shop opens at 8 and you will find the crowd remains till it is closed in the evening.

Timings: 8 am to 5 pm

2. Shukla Chaat House

  • Aloo Tikki Chaat
  • Aloo Tikki

Shukla ji ki chaat is the best joint for the Indian Chaats, it is one of the jewels of our food trial in Lucknow. They serve mouthwatering Golgappe (known as Pani batashe), Dahi batashe, Aloo tikki and Matar ki tikki. It is a tiny roadside stall, no seating facility but the taste will remain in your mind for a long time. Although at first glance it will not attract you if you are a street food lover you must stop here and try all the items. The footfall is quite high so don’t be late 😊

Timings: 6 pm to 10 pm

3. Shukla Tea stall

  • Gol Samosa

It’s a pretty small shop just opposite to Shukla chat house, but it was crowded which drew me to the place. When we entered the shop it looks like a utensils store lots of kettles, mugs, vessels which shows how much tea he sells every day.

So very first famous “Gol Samosa”, I had it at Shukla tea stall and trust me I would say one of the best Gol samosas of Lucknow I have tasted here. Tea quantity is too much and within 10 Rs. I thought it would be too milky, but he boils the tea leaves in a separate container so if you want less milk you can ask for that too.

Timings: 8 am to 9 pm

4. Royal Café

This place is famous for the Basket Chaat, although they served all variety of chat. Basket chaat they served in edible basket shaped made of potato thin flakes. If you are too hygiene cautious then this is the place for you. You can try gol gappas and other snacks too. But we found this place quite fancy and not so pocket friendly.

Timings: 11:30 am to 08:30 pm

Vegetarian Street Food Joints in Lalbagh, Lucknow:

1. Sharma Tea center/ Sharma ji ki chai

  • Gol Samosa and Chai at Sharma ji ki chai

A very famous place in Lucknow for chai and the kind of set up they have, says everything. Tea is good and to enjoy it more you can add bun-maska and gol samosa. They use homemade white butter to spread on the bun with raisins. You will find this place every time packed up, although I found gol samosa taste better at Shukla tea stall.

Timings: 7:00 am to 07:30 pm

2. Sardar Ke Choley Bhature

  • Sardar Choley Bhature

We were roaming in this area and suddenly we saw another crowded place – Sardar ke chole bhature. As the name says, this place is famous for Punjabi style chole bhature and you can try kulcha as well to have a full packed brunch. You can also try “Sooji ka Halwa” made in pure ghee.

Timings: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm

3. GPO Dahi Bada

The next place in Lalbagh area is GPO dahi Bada. Enjoy the super tasty dahi Bada here which was so soft that it melts instantaneously.

Timings: 11:30 am to 10:00 pm

Famous Desserts to Try in Lucknow:

1. Makhan malai at Chowk

  • Malai Makhan
  • One Serving of Malai Makhan

Malai makhan is a special dish in Lucknow and Banaras which you will get during winters. A cream-coloured ethereal sweet-dish that melts in the mouth. The key to makhan malai preparation lies in exposing the milk to dew.

The process begins in the evening with boiling milk in a huge saucepan over a stove. Thereafter, fresh milk cream is added to the boiled milk and it is boiled again. Once the mixture cools down completely, it is filled in buckets and hung under the evening sky for six to eight hours and in the morning sprinkles sugar, and cardamom powder over the portion to mix the layers. That’s the reason you will get this dish during winters only.

Timings: -8:30 am to 11:00 am (Best time to have it)

2. Malai Gilori at Ram Asrey Sweets, Chowk

  • Malai Gilori

Ram Asrey sweets shop is famous for its sweets and the most famous one is Malai gilori or Malai pan. Ram Asrey have another outlet in Hazratganj as well but at chowk it’s the original one from where they have started this shop. This is where I have tasted their most famous Malai gilori. This sweet shop apparently invented the Malai Gilori in 1805. It is located in a quaint little lane very reminiscent of a Ban wali gali. Malai gilori is known with the name of Malai pan as well because of its shape of pan. As it goes in your mouth it melts instantaneously but I found it too sweet, so 1 piece is enough to taste. They sell this sweet on per piece basis and it costs around 25 -30 rs per piece. Although they have a variety of sweets available, I have tasted just Malai gilori which is their speciality.

Timings: – 9:00am to 10:00pm

3. Prakash kulfi, Amenabad

  • Prakash Kulfi Amenabad

Prakash Kulfi is quite a well-known place in Aminabaad. Although Aminabaad is famous for clothing shops, one of the oldest Kulfi shops of Lucknow is Prakash ki mashoor kulfi. It’s a faluda Kulfi and Many flavours are available to taste but if you want the true refreshing classic taste of Prakash Kulfi then you must try ‘Kesar Badam Pista Kulfi’. Space is a bit small, so if it is crowded you must wait for your turn.

Timings: – 10:00 am to 11:00 pm

After so much food tasting, we agreed to say Lucknow food is one of the best and delicious tastes that you can get in India. It is a myth that vegetarians can’t enjoy food in Lucknow since it is primarily known for Awadhi cuisine. But we would say that If you are a lover of local vegetarian food, Lucknow can be nothing less than a treat for you.

     

    DIY Orange Peel Facewash

    This vegan and all-natural facewash is hands-down to be called as the most refreshing facewash which I have made so far. It is so easy and requires no processing. You basically need only two ingredients, the third one is abundantly available and the fourth one is optional.

    Dried Orange peels, Castile soap, Water and Orange essential oil

    Oranges have a high amount of antioxidants which fight free radicals which may slow down the pace of wrinkle production, and can also help in stopping premature ageing. Oranges have a high content of citric acid which aids in skin exfoliation thoroughly improving the overall look of your skin.

    Ingredients for orange facewash

    Ingredients:

    1. 1 tbsp orange peel powder
    2. 2 tbsp Castile soap
    3. 6 tbsp water
    4. 10 drops of orange essential oil (Optional)

     

    Dry Orange Peels in Sunlight
    Here are Orange peels guarded by Jenny 😀

    Process:

    1. Keep the orange peels in sunlight for 3 – 4 days until it is absolutely dry and hard.
    2. Blend it into powder in a grinder.
    3. Mix all the items listed under ingredients.
    4. And, you are done!
    5. Store it in a clean and dry bottle, preferably with a pump for convenience.

     

    DIY Soapnut Shampoo, Laundry and Dishwash

    You can easily make your own cleaners with soapnut/reetha. Chemicals from store-bought detergents go down our drains and into our streams, rivers and oceans causing massive imbalances in the ecosystem.⁠ The recipe I am sharing today is really very old school, my mom remembers using soapnuts as cleansers as a child. So basically detergents, shampoos are just a few decades old.

    Soapnuts are the berries of a Sapindus species tree that grow in subtropical to warm temperate areas and when soaked or boiled with water, produce an amazing natural soap. Which is absolutely natural, easy to make and chemical-free so good for our waterways. It would also help you to save tons of money and will reduce single plastic bottles which come with store-bought products. You can also refer to my DIY toothpaste recipe and DIY orange peel facewash recipe too.

    This is a super easy procedure which uses zero energy and it is a recipe which is actually multi-purpose. 🙂

    You just need two things here:

    Soapnut and water, that’s it.

    • Soak a handful of soapnuts per litre of water for 2 days.

    Soak Soapnuts in Water
    Soak Soapnuts in Water

    • After 2 days, crush them with hands to get all the pulp in the water.

    Crush Soaked Soapnut
    Extract Soapnut Pulp after 2 Days

    • Strain to get rid off the outer shell.
    • And, voila! Use it as a natural shampoo, laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, floor mopping and even giving your pooch a bath.

    DIY Natural Soapnut Cleaner
    My Batch in Reused Bottles for Shampoo, Laundry and Dishwashing! 🙂

    How will one plastic harm? Said 7.8 billion.

    Hi! I am glad you could make it to this blog post. 🙂

    This definitely means that there is a high chance that you are well aware of how terrible is single-use plastic and you want to know what are the ways to reduce plastic use. I have contemplated the idea of writing this blog piece after my recent talk at work. I would keep it very short and to the point to talk about why we need it and what I am doing and what you can start doing from this day!

    So let’s start with this picture:

    Single use plastic bottles in offices

    Looks all normal, nice and convenient?

    Now look at the next one:

    Single used plastic bottles in shops

    This could remind you of the last road trip you took and you stopped by to buy some water and cola.

    The next one is where they end up forever:

    Plastic bottles trash

    But what can you do alone, you ask? Surprisingly all 7.8 billion people ask the same question. 😀

    But before I move on to what can be done or what I am doing; I want to share some stats which I found from Google.

    20,000 plastic bottles are used every second. That’s more than a million bottles every minute.

    300 million tons of plastic is produced each year. And, 50% is one-time use! 9% of plastic gets recycled globally.

    1 million seabirds die every year due to plastic

    83% tap water samples have plastic

    1 fish in every 4 fishes have plastic

    Half of the world’s plastic come from Asia

    Stats can be validated here: WWF Video

    Shocking and depressing isn’t it? Is it overwhelming? Do you feel helpless or do you think there is somebody else who will fix it? It’s complicated. Yes, the govt. and the corporates should stop the origin but in the meantime what can you do to reduce plastic? And, eventually, save money too.

    The truth is, it is almost impossible to get rid of plastic due to our lifestyle and industry usage but we can still start with few things to contribute less to our own carbon footprint.

    I want to introduce ‘The Mantra’ of reducing waste to you. The 5 R’s for waste reduction:

    • Refuse – Avoid single-use plastics and paper products by opting for re-usable.
    • Reduce – Downsize what you purchase, opting to be more mindful of what you really need.
    • Reuse – Always find a way to keep an item out of the landfill by keeping it in great condition, repairing or up-cycling it when it breaks.
    • Recycle – Properly recycle any plastic, paper, glass or metal that comes into your life you cannot refuse, reduce, or reuse.
    • Rot – Set up a compost system for your food scraps, or find a food scrap drop off centre (like a farmers market, or community garden) near your house.

    How to rock at work? aka How to reduce plastic at work:

    Reusable office stuff

    1. Get your own mug for tea/coffee.
    2. Ask cafeteria personnel not to give plastic spoon/straws
    3. Carry your own bottle for meetings all the time
    4. Don’t wrap food in foil, opt for beeswax wrap (if at all)
    5. Reduce paper usage, go digital wherever possible.

    How to chill right at home? aka How to reduce plastic at home:

    Resuable bag for shopping

    1. Use a bamboo toothbrush
    2. Get your own tiffins for takeaways
    3. Borrow/rent plates and cutlery for parties
    4. Always carry a bag for shopping
    5. Use no/less plastic bag at grocery stores
    6. Adopt a menstrual cup or reusable cotton pads
    7. Use reusable diapers for babies
    8. Say no to fast fashion
    9. Stop wrapping gifts

    How to be a pro-traveller? aka How to reduce plastic while travelling

    Plastic pollution due to travelling

    • Carry travel cutlery
    • Keep a reusable water bottle
    • Get your trash back 
    • Cleanup where you travel
    • Take your own toiletries
    • Motivate your friends and family

    Now after all this preaching, the question is – where have I reached in all of this fight against plastic?

    Reusable water bottle

    This was my reusable bottle when I attended a conference recently. In this two day conference, I at least saved 20 of these small monsters. The hotel was more than happy to refill the bottle for me from their filter.

    Above set of pictures denotes my personal use items which are helping me to reduce so much waste while saving me money.

    1. I swear by my reusable menstrual cup which is helping me save almost 50 sanitary pads per year which will otherwise will be on this planet forever.
    2. My reusable cutlery helps me to save so much plastic every time I travel now.
    3. I have started making and using homemade toothpaste and orange peel facewash with no chemicals which don’t come in any new one time use bottles.
    4. And this is my dear bamboo toothbrush will is helping me to send less plastic to the landfill. 🙂
    5. The last picture is how I do takeaways now, I carry my own boxes to get food.
    6. I use homemade soapnut liquid cleaner for shampoo, bathing my dog, dish-washing and laundry.
    7. Honestly, I am quite proud of my small accomplishments. :)As a last takeaway from this blog I want you to remember this picture before you pick up your next single-use plastic.single use plastic disadvantages

    DIY Tutorial: How to Make Your Own Pallet Sofa

    I am so happy and excited to share how we made our own pallet sofa without any knowledge of carpentry in this blog. We were so tired of our 6-year-old L shaped sofa. Our furball Jenny had ruined it so bad and I wanted something more useful and comfortable which meets our lifestyle.

    I first encountered a pallet sofa at a friends place in Italy and then I realised I have seen some in the sitting area of Shacks in Goa. This also made me realise that our generation has made ourselves so much constrained to the trendy stuff available in the mall and online furniture websites and don’t have any creativity left in the fast-paced corporate lives. Anyway, cutting all the philosophy short. Let’s go straight to how you can make your own sofa.

    The most important thing to consider is the dimensions of the pallet you will choose because they come in shapes and sizes. Measure the place as well to visualise how it will fit and look like. We chose two rectangular pallets and decided to do a double layer of it, which means 6 pallets in total. The dimension of one pallet is 6 ft * 3 ft. We wanted to do an L shape which is the most space-saving and is a bit more relaxing and informal. So all of it fits really well.

    pile-of-wood-pallets

    We bought these pallets from a local scrap dealer at throwaway prices, you might even get it for free from the stores who discard them. It is also important to take care that it is in good condition while choosing, it might need a little bit of smoothening which is ok. Once you have finalised the pallets, time to head home. 😀

    Here is the step by step tutorial to getting your sofa ready!

    1. Take sandpaper and smoothen the pallets.
    2. Paint a double coat with your desired colour, we chose cream to keep it neutral.
    3. Laminate the upper area of the pallet to safeguard the mattress. (Totally optional but recommended.)
    4. Make or order a mattress in accordance with the pallet size.
    5. Get the cushions sorted too, it is purely based on your choice and comfort. We wanted to make it very cosy with big cushions so I bought 8, 24-inch cushions to cover the back completely.

    Smoothening the Pallet
    Smoothening the Pallet

    Painting Your Pallet Sofa
    Painting Your Pallet Sofa

    Laminating the Pallet
    Laminating the Pallet

    And, that’ it! I hope you enjoyed reading this small tutorial. Let me know if you have any questions or if you want to share how did you make your own pallet sofa.

    DIY Pallet Sofa
    DIY Pallet Sofa