SLC33-W2: My Community, My Story – My Culture Food Stall .

Assalamu Alaikum I Hope everyone is well. Today I am very happy to participate in the“My Community, My Story – My Culture Food Stall” challenge of Season 33, Week 2. Through this challenge, we have been asked to tell the story of a food stall or food stall in our respective areas. Which is somehow related to the food habits, joy and culture of the local people. So today I am going to share my real experience with you about a well-known and popular food stall in my community “Alam Mamar Vhelpuri”. I have eaten here myself and along with my experience, I will try to highlight the food preparation process, taste, environment and why this type of food is so popular with the people of our area.

What is the name of the food stall and community, and where is it located? Share the address information of the place also.

The name of the food shop I chose is “Alam Mamar vhelpuri”. It is located in the College intersection of Lalbagh area of Rangpur city, in front of Carmichael College. Carmichael College is located in Lalbagh area of Rangpur and is a traditional and well-known educational institution in North Bengal. Being in front of Carmichael College, this place is always very lively. Especially students and young people are seen moving here a lot. Many people stop here on their way to and from college to eat vhelpuri and other delicious food. The specialty of this food shop for me is that it is not a big restaurant, but a simple food stall sitting on the side of the road. But because of the taste of its food and the interest of the people, it has become quite famous locally.

What is the traditional or local food you buy or eat from the place?

I ate Bhelpuri at this food shop. Bhelpuri is a popular and delicious street food in our country. This food is especially popular among young people and students. In a busy city like Rangpur, such food shops near markets, colleges or important roads have become a part of people's daily food culture. When I went to Alam Mama's vhelpuri, I saw the scene of making vhelpuri with my own eyes. The picture I took also shows the food being served as well as the various ingredients and spices used to make the food. The food looked as attractive as it was to look at after it was served in front of me, and it was also fun to eat. I especially liked the combined taste of sour, salty and spicy.

Why is the local food popular in your culture or community?

In my opinion, one of the main reasons why vhelpuri is so popular is its delicious taste, ease of availability and relatively low cost. It is a food that does not take much time to eat and can be enjoyed as a light snack at any time of the day. Especially the students of this college like to eat this kind of food during the break from classes or after coming out of college while chatting with friends. To me, vhelpuri does not seem like just a food. It is a familiar part of the street food culture of our city. Especially in places like college areas, such food shops become a kind of happy place for students. I and my two girlfriends went to buy books and ate this vhelpuri there. We really enjoyed eating vhelpuri.

Describe the ingredients, taste, and how the food is prepared briefly with us

The specialty of Alam Mama's Vhelpuri is its chewy and spicy taste. According to what I have seen, to make this dish, first the flour is kneaded and rolled into a thin roti. Then the roti is cut into small pieces or shapes and fried well in hot oil until chewy. This fried chewy part is mixed with pre-prepared lentils, chopped cucumber, onion and various spices. To make the taste of the dish more interesting, sour chutney or sour sauce is added to it. All the ingredients are mixed together well and then served on a plate.

Share with us your experience with the food vendor and the environment.

My experience at Alam Mama's Vhelpuri was really good. I didn't go there alone; I had two other friends with me. The three of us ate vhelpuri there. Since we had never eaten vhelpuri at this shop before, we were a little hesitant and curious at first. We were a little worried about how the food would be, whether we would like the taste or not. However, that worry didn't last long after the food was prepared in front of us. As soon as I took a bite of vhelpuri in my hand and put it in my mouth for the first time, I liked its crunchy, sour-spicy and spicy taste. My two friends also liked the food and they also expressed satisfaction with the taste. We liked the food even more because it was prepared right in front of our eyes. Overall, it was a beautiful and enjoyable experience for us, both in terms of the taste of the food and the atmosphere.

Bhelpuri

Based on your taste and community lifestyle, would you recommend this food to visitors? Why or why not?

Yes, I would definitely recommend this dish to visitors to our area. Because the taste of vhelpuri is not only delicious, but it is also a familiar part of our local street food culture. Especially those who come to Rangpur and want to taste the favorite food of the local people can enjoy this dish. In my opinion, this type of food is quite suitable as a light snack while chatting with friends or while walking around. So, if you come to Rangpur and want to get acquainted with the taste of local food and the food culture of the common people here, visitors can try this Bhelpuri once.

My selfie