Food · Simraungadh
Bhojpuri street food in Simraungadh
Graze through Simraungadh's market with a local guide: sattu sharbat in the hot months, litti chokha from coal fires, jalebi, samosa and sweet milky tea, the everyday food of the Bhojpuri Terai. Go with a local guide.
The market of Simraungadh comes alive in the late afternoon. Carts sell sattu sharbat, roasted gram flour whisked with cold water, lemon, salt, cumin and green chilli, a drink that keeps farmers going through the heat of April and May. It is sold by the glass from carts, mixed fresh while you wait.
As evening comes, stalls light coal fires to bake litti, wheat dough stuffed with spiced sattu, served with smoky chokha of roasted aubergine, potato and tomato and a drizzle of ghee. Sweet shops fry jalebi in big pans, and tea stalls brew strong, sweet milk tea with cardamom. Snacks are cheap, so try several.
Your guide helps you choose busy, clean stalls and explains the dishes. Eat freshly cooked food, avoid raw salads and unbottled water, and carry small notes. This is cheap, filling, mostly vegetarian food. Late afternoon and early evening are the best times, when stalls are busiest and food freshest. Carry small notes and hand sanitiser.
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Questions
What is sattu?
Sattu is flour made from roasted gram or other roasted grains, a staple of the Bhojpuri and Maithili plains. It is mixed into drinks, stuffed into litti, or eaten with water, salt and onion as a quick meal. It is high in protein and considered cooling in summer.
Is street food safe in the Terai?
Freshly cooked, hot food from busy stalls is generally safe. Choose places with high turnover, avoid raw salads, cut fruit and ice, and drink bottled or filtered water. Carry hand sanitiser. A local guide knows which stalls are reliable. A guide helps with communication.
What language is spoken in Simraungadh?
Bhojpuri is the main language of Simraungadh and the surrounding area, with Maithili, Hindi and Nepali also widely understood. A few words of greeting, such as pranam, are appreciated. Most shopkeepers can manage simple Hindi with visitors. Few people speak English.
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