Harris Park Mercy Dash

I dreamt I was in Varanasi. So I woke up and went to Sydney’s Harris Park. One of the best suburbs for Indian food, grocery supplies and fresh ingredients that I can not get where I live. A 3 hour round trip was worth it, especially with an impending 2nd wave Covid lockdown. I needed to do this now, rather than later.

Of course, I went straight for the street food eateries. One is in a car park, and the other, was almost like eating street food, as we sat next to the skip bins in an alley on rickety chairs. The food itself though, was street food inspired. Sadly, the atmosphere of India is impossible to replicate. But the sweet tea took me back upon first sip.

First food we had was Pani Puri. Small crisp puffs, stuffed with diced boiled potatoes and spices. Served with a mint “chutney” (deliciously flavoured sauce), Tamarind Chutney, Yoghurt, and decorated with a few pomegranate seeds and julienne beetroot for something red I guess.

Onion Pakora’s. Julienne Onions, mixed with a spiced chickpea flour batter, dropped into the deep fryer, to make a crisp savoury snack.

Chhole Bhatura, Spicy Chickpea curry served with fried Puri flat breads, hot pickles, and onions.

Hot Chai Masala tea, with a Mumbai street food special of a spiced fried potato cake stuffed inside a white bread roll, with chill paste smeared over the top. Also, Samosa Chaat. A samosa crushed, then topped with sweet spiced chickpeas in a tamarind sauce, and chopped red onions. This often comes with yoghurt too, but was not on ours.

We took home a selection of Indian Sweets, to eat later, because obviously we were full. Grotesquely so.