The World of Phuchka: From the streets to become a global sensation

It is now safe to compare the familiarity of burgers with Phuchkas since the latter spread itself from the South-West Asian horizons to the world. Phuchka is like a fresh American Burger eaten worldwide. The very sensation about Phuchka is that it comes in various flavours, displays, and locations.

Typically, we get to see an array of Phuchka stalls in crowded gatherings on occasions; only one Phuchka stop is more of a local sight, and the sight of multiple Phuchka stops are a thing of huddled places and more common in consideration to what we see more. Thus, the Phuchka selling perspective has something to do with spreading itself from one to another.

The popularity of the Bangladeshi street food Phuchka led to the birth of various kinds of the original spice blended filling, such as Panipoori, Chocolate Phuchka, Goopchoop, Sea-food Phuchka (typically Octopus Phuchka), Golgappa and more!

The dish is entirely vegetarian except for the eggs added. The magic runs in the tastebuds of a hungry human in the busy streets looking for a warm meal that will not lose the wallet and brings along a package of vitamins, greens, and yummy goodness. However, due to the global widening of Phuchka's siblings Golgappa or Panipoori, we now have to either call our very own dish American Phuchka, Sri Lankan Phuchka, Nepalese Phuchka, or Indian Phuchka, depending on the location.

Indeed, Phuchka is on its way to becoming a global sensation due to its spread to the streets and metropolises of India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the UK, USA; you may ask, where in the world is Phuchka unfamiliar? Well, given anyone who knows Indian food knows Phuchka, the wider known synonyms are Golgappa or Panipuri.

In neighbouring countries like Nepal and India, the Phuchka sensation expanded to reels and short videos over the internet. In Nepali style, the Phuchka is adorned comparatively less and more structurally and representationally similar to the Kolkata style Panipoori, consisting of the semolina-made spherical shells that are bigger in shape, lighter and lacking the aromatic black seeds that are present typically in the Bangladeshi version.

The voodoo here, seemingly, belongs to the various flavours used as the tangy sidecar or the filling inside those shells. Similar to the Nepalese version, it is visible in the Phuchka, which one can see on the streets of the Pakistani metropolis.

Sri Lanka knows the calmer Doi Phuchka or Doi Panipuri and pepper-mixed spicier and fiery Panipuri. Quite the same as its Indian cousin, the Sri Lankan Panipoori holds its own as a beloved snack, devoured by crowds at bustling markets and enjoyed as a casual treat.

India attracts tourists, food journalists, and chefs worldwide, statistically more than Bangladesh. The Indian street food is Panipoori or Golgappa and took to their popularity. However, the Indian versions of Phuchka differ from the adorned, spicier, thicker and cooked-to-perfection Phuchka elements like the tangy sidecar, the tamarind tawk eaten typically in the widened population range within Bangladesh, outlets opening in the major towns and cities of Bangladesh.

Phuchka in Kolkata, although similar to Bangladesh, lacks similarity with our more egg-embellished, flavourful, thicker and denser Phuchka presentations.

The New York Times published an article detailing the Phuchka selling expansion spreading in the Jackson Heights area in Queens, New York, in October of 2023, only to claim the uniqueness of the Bangladeshi street food item and its expansion in that area. More variations onto the streets of Dhaka are visible now as we see the spread of Panipoori that comes with different sidecar flavours kept in identical jars (kolosh).

In London, the outlets are more visible than in New York that sell items similar to Phuchka, mostly Panipoori with variations in the tangy flavours of the side drinks, and shreds of evidence are the number of reels and videos on social media from places like Harrow, Cambridge, or London.

Despite the confusion surrounding names and variations, Phuchka's essence remains the same - a delicious and affordable street food experience.

Whether you call it Panipoori, Golgappa, or a location-specific version, the street food item is indeed capable of receiving love from people belonging to lands that are not of our own. As Phuchka continues its global expansion, it's a reminder that food can be a powerful bridge between cultures, sparking conversation and creating shared experiences. We are all set to see more variations and flavours of the beloved dish in different parts of the world.