Regional flavor will be available with speed in Vande Bharat! Kanda Poha of Maharashtra, Methi Thepla of Gujarat; Complete information will be available here

Next time you travel in Vande Bharat Express train, perhaps you will remember the fun of the food more than the fast speed of the train or the clean compartments. Indian Railways has made a big and interesting change in these special semi-high-speed trains. Now these trains do not serve just one type of food, rather local and traditional dishes of the area through which the train passes are served. From the delicious Kanda Poha of Maharashtra to the spicy Kosha Paneer of West Bengal, Vande Bharat’s menu now reflects the cuisines of different parts of India. It all started quietly but very well.

According to Times Now, earlier this week, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav directed the officials to serve food in Vande Bharat trains as per the region. He said that like travelling, food should also be local, so that travelers can get a taste of the culture of that place. Following this instruction, the Railway Ministry has started a new, regional menu in 11 Vande Bharat trains through IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation). In future, this facility is going to be included in all Vande Bharat trains. This is a very good thing for passengers. Now train travel has become like the food map of India, every station or area has its own special dish.

Read now on WhatsApp also, click to subscribe

Some information about Vande Bharat trains

Nowadays, 164 Vande Bharat trains with chair cars are running on the Indian railway network. These trains are manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai. These semi-high-speed trains are very fast, clean and comfortable. Since the beginning, these trains are always full and are considered a symbol of modern Indian Railways.

Delicious breakfast of Maharashtra

Passengers now get Maharashtra’s famous Kanda Poha in Nagpur-Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express (train number 20101/20102). This is a light, nutritious and easily digestible breakfast, which is perfect for the morning. Mumbai CSMT-Madgaon Vande Bharat serves masala upma, which shows that breakfast doesn’t have to be boring.

Spicy Taste of Andhra Pradesh

The same Nagpur-Secunderabad train also serves Andhra Pradesh dishes, such as Dondakaya Karam Podi Fry (spicy gourd curry) and Andhra Kodi Kura (spicy chicken curry). Andhra food is not only spicy, but has a good balance of chilli, sourness and spices.

Simple sweetness of Gujarat

The dishes of Gujarat are very simple but full of taste. Methi Thepla is served in Mumbai Central-Gandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat (20901) and Masala Lauki is served in Sabarmati-Veraval train (26902). These are like everyday Gujarati home meals – seasonal and affordable.

complete traditional thaal of kerala

Two Vande Bharat trains from Kerala – Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram (20633/20634) and Mangaluru-Thiruvananthapuram (20631/20632) have very special menus. White rice, Pachakka Cherupayar Mezhukku Perathi, Kadala Curry, Kerala Paratha, Plain Curd, Palada Payasam and Appam are available here. This entire plate reflects the rice food tradition of Kerala. Earlier Palada Payasam was made only in weddings and festivals.

West Bengal slow cooked dishes

Bengali food has found a place in many trains. Rourkela-Howrah Vande Bharat serves Kosha Paneer, Howrah-Puri serves Aloo Potol Bhaja and New Jalpaiguri-Howrah serves Murgir Jhol (chicken curry). Bengali gravy has less spiciness and more flavor when cooked on slow flame.

Champaran style of Bihar and simplicity of Odisha

Champaran Paneer and Champaran Chicken are available in Patna-Ranchi and Patna-Howrah Vande Bharat. These dishes are cooked in earthen pots on low flame, which gives them a deep smoky taste and requires less oil. Aloo phulkopi (potato-cabbage curry) is served in Howrah-Puri Vande Bharat. It is a seasonal vegetable with mild spices, influenced by the temple traditions of Odisha.

Dogri and Kashmiri flavors of Jammu and Kashmir

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat offers dishes like Ambal Kaddu, Jammu Chana Masala, Tomato Chaman and Kesar Phirni. This shows how delicious even vegetarian dishes are in Kashmiri food. Earlier people used to make fun of railway food, but now by including regional cuisine, railways is making the passengers happy and paying respect to the heritage of Indian food. People living away from home get the taste of home, while new tastes allow others to know new things.