Enjoying safe Indian street food — How to choose a street food stall, street food spots in Delhi and Gurgaon and practical hygiene principles

Traveler's diarrhea, or so-called Delhi Belly, is not a disease caused by Indian food being particularly dangerous. The cause is usuallyWater/ice, ingredients left behind after cooking, flies/dust, cook's hand hygiene, old frying oilIt goes into five things: If these five things are controlled, the risk level of Indian street food is not much different from night markets in other countries.

Why Koreans should be especially careful

• Differences in intestinal microbial resistance— Local people are exposed to a variety of microorganisms from an early age, so they have a weak reaction to most germs. On the other hand, Koreans in their early days get sick much more easily even if they eat the same food.
• Mineral and bacterial composition of water— Indian tap water varies greatly from region to region, and ice is usually made from tap water. Chutneys, lassi and ice drinks from street vendors are typical risks.
• material sitting time— Tempuras fried in the morning and sold until the afternoon, pre-boiled chickpeas (chhole), yogurt prepared in the morning, etc., become more dangerous the longer they are left at room temperature.

In IndiaFSSAI(Food Safety and Standards Authority of India)Although there is a government agency that oversees the registration and licensing of food businesses, the actual differences at the street vendor level are still large. Ultimately, it is up to the customer to determine safety.

Even those who have just taken office can greatly reduce the probability of stomach upset if they learn the six standards below. If you live in a local area for a long time, you naturally develop the habit of scanning the street stalls based on this standard.

1. Is the turnover rate of local customers high?— Especially in places where office workers and middle-class customers are lining up, materials are turned over quickly and if there is a problem, word gets out right away, so the level of management is naturally maintained. This is the most powerful indicator.
2. Are the ingredients cooked right before your eyes?— Whether fried or stir-fried, the safest option is a menu that is prepared hot and immediately after ordering. Avoid foods that are already prepared and left at room temperature.
3. Is the color of the frying oil clear?— A pot with blackened oil or messy bubbles is a sign that it has been reused for several days. Choose a stall that uses clear, golden oil.
4. Is the source of water and ice confirmed?— Like panipuri water, lassi, and sugarcane juice.Menus containing water or ice as ingredientsis the biggest risk. Visually check whether you are using a bottled water bottle (Bisleri, Kinley, Aquafina, etc.) with a sealed lid. In principle, it is safer to avoid ice.
5. Cleanliness of cooking utensils and dishes— Avoid places where old dirt is stuck on cutting boards, tongs, and ladles, or where reusable dishes are roughly rinsed. These days, more and more places are using paper plates or leaf plates (dona), which are actually more hygienic.
6. UPI·Is POS payment possible?— Cooking food directly after touching banknotes is a common source of contamination at street vendors. Street stalls that accept QR payments are likely to have separate cooks and cashiers. From the beginning of my appointmentUPI payment such as Paytm·PhonePeIt is also advantageous in terms of hygiene to use it skillfully.

One thing to add here:4-7 p.m. time slotThis is the best time to enjoy street food. Since it is the time to prepare new ingredients ahead of the evening business, turnover is quick and you can avoid morning ingredients left at room temperature during the day.

Delhi is a city that can be called the mecca of Indian street food. The spectrum ranges from the alleys of Old Delhi, which have been around since the Mughal era, to tourist markets operated by the government with minimal hygiene differences, to old snack bars in the form of semi-street stalls. If you are trying Indian street food for the first time, there will be less trial and error if you approach it in the order below.

Chandni Chowk (Chandni Chowk) — The heart of Old Delhi

It is Delhi's largest traditional commercial district, established during the Mughal Empire in the 17th century. Representative alleyParanthe Wali Galiis a narrow alley that has been selling freshly baked Indian pancakes called Parathas for over 100 years, with over 20 different fillings including potatoes, radishes, and cauliflower. vicinityChawri Bazar alleyYou can find street vendors making Indian desserts like Jalebi and Rabri on the spot.

However, since the crowds and hygiene differences in Old Delhi are extremely large, if it is your first time, it is safer to take a local guided tour (Old Delhi Food Walk) or visit old stores with stable ratings on Zomato.

Dilli Haat — Government-controlled sanitary market

Located near Delhi INA metro stationdilly hotis a cultural and food market run by the Indian Ministry of Tourism. Because each state's representative dishes are sold at standardized booths, hygiene management is relatively uniform, and seats and restrooms are also well-maintained.The best spot for family visits in the early days of taking office.no see. There is no burden in taking my parents who came to visit from Korea.

Bengali Market — A cluster of semi-stall snack bars

An old commercial district located east of Connaught Place,Bikanervala Nathu's SweetsThe same franchise snack bar has become the representative store. It is more like a store than a full-fledged street stall, so it has air conditioning and seating, and you can taste representative street food menu items such as panipuri, chaat, and samosa under hygienic conditions. It's a good place to visit as an 'introductory' person in your first month in office.

south of delhiGurgaon/GurugramAnd Noida, to the east, is the center of an emerging office and residential commercial district, so hygiene management is more uniform and accessibility is better than in Delhi. Representative spots close to Korean-populated areas are as follows.

Why is Haldiram's often mentioned?

In the early days of his tenureStores of national chains such as Haldiram'sThis makes a great entryway into street food. Since pani puri, samosas, chaat, and jalebi sold at street stalls are offered in hygienic stores with almost the same taste, it is safer to first figure out 'which menu suits your taste' before moving on to the street stall challenge.

When selecting a spotRatings and Reviews on ZomatoIt is essential to check together. Especially rather than star ratingsReview flow in the last 3 monthsUnderstand hygiene signs based on photos.

Even if they are sold at the same stall, the risk of stomach upset varies greatly depending on the menu. While fried and grilled foods that are cooked hot and ready to eat are relatively safe, menu items that contain water, ice, fresh fruit, or raw yogurt may still be contaminated even after cooking. The characteristics of each representative menu are as follows.

Practical tips for enjoying pani puri safely

Pani puri is one of the most tempting and dangerous Indian street foods. There are three things you must follow:

• in a bucket of waterCheck first if there is ice in it— Pass if there is ice.
• Check whether the ladle or container that holds the water is visibly clean.
• If it's your first time trying itStart with sweet water (Meetha Pani) instead of spicy water (Teekha Pani)— It is easy to judge the gastrointestinal reaction because the spice is less irritating.

No matter how careful you are, you will experience at least one or two mild stomach upsets during your first year. Most people recover naturally within 24 to 48 hours, but if the initial response is incorrect, recovery may be delayed due to dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities. It is safer to establish a household reserve rule in advance.

What to have in advance at home

• Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) Powder— From an Indian pharmacyElectral·Enerzal·WalkORSYou can get it cheaply under other brands. The rule is to mix 1 sachet in 200ml of water and drink it several times.
• sports drink substitute— If you don't have ORS on hand, you can substitute it, but since it contains a lot of sugar, it can actually worsen diarrhea, so give ORS priority.
• Always secure bottled water— If you have an upset stomach, avoid tap water or filtered water and use only sealed bottled water.

Initial Response Principles

1. Antidiarrheal drugs (loperamide, etc.)Do not take it arbitrarily— Infectious diarrhea can be recovered quickly only when bacteria and toxins are excreted. Strong anti-diarrheal medications can actually delay recovery.
2. Clear soup, porridge, banana, etc.Let your stomach rest for more than half a day, mainly eating foods that are easy to digest..
3. Stop drinking caffeine, alcohol, dairy products, fatty foods, and spicy spices until recovery.

Signs to go to the hospital

• Diarrhea and vomitingLasts more than 24 hoursor when you can't even swallow water
• When accompanied by bloody stool, black stool, severe abdominal pain, or high fever over 38.5℃
• Signs of dehydration in children, the elderly, and pregnant women (reduced urine output, dry lips, lethargy)

In Delhi, Gurgaon and NoidaMax·Fortis·Medanta·ApolloThere are private general hospitals that many Koreans use. From the beginning of my appointment, I was informed of the location of the emergency room closest to my home.Company group health insurance cardBe sure to check. There are many places that provide emergency response 24 hours a day, even at night and on weekends.