20 Strange Food Names

India is well known for its food and spices. Indian cuisine is the fourth most popular cuisine in the world. One can find a large variety of food in India. Food with different colors, origins, tastes, styles, and names. When we hear the names of some dishes, we picturise its appearance or ingredient, or even taste. But what if the food has an unusual, unique name? A name that does not give any information about the type, style, color, or taste of the food. Here is the list of some such food items found in India with strange names. Some names will make you wonder about the type of ingredient it is made up of. Let us take a look at these peculiar food names.

1. Hot Dog 

Unlike the name suggests, the dish has no connection with dogs. It is just sausage between a half-sliced bun garnished with sliced onion, tomato, garlic sauce, and cheese. The sausage can be pork, Chicken, beef, or turkey. It’s more like a sandwich. It is a typical fast food or street food in India and many other countries. 

1. Hot Dog

2. Raghda 

Raghda is made of mashed potatoes and pea. It is a famous street food in Maharashtra. Boiled white peas mixed with mashed potatoes, chopped onion, chilies, and spices. Coriander leaves are added as toppings. It is used to make a variety of Indian chaat and tastes delicious when served hot. 

2. Raghda

3. Aloo Bonda 

Aloo Bonda is made by deep frying mashed potatoes coated with gram flour. Chopped onion, chilies, spices, and coriander leaves are added to mashed potatoes which makes it tasty. This is then rolled in a batter of gram flour mixed and fried in hot oil. This vegetarian dish is a popular snack on Indian streets. 

3. Aloo Bonda

4. Gup-Chup 

Gup-Chup or Pani puri or Golgappa is the most famous Indian street food which is loved by everyone. Small puri made of wheat flour and suji, stuffed with thick curry of pea and coriander chutney and filled with spicy flavored water. The flavored water can be that of mint or tamarind. 

4. Gup Chup

5. Buddhi Ke Baal 

A sweet candy made of only sugar and a small amount of food color makes it look attractive. A machine is used for its preparation which melts the sugar, and the hot sugar syrup is rotated in the machine. As a result, a soft fluffy, sugary candy is prepared. This candy is loved by children in India. It is so light that it melts in the mouth.

5. Buddhi Ke Baal

6. Daulat Ki Chat 

This famous Delhi street food is called Daulat ki chat because of the light cream it is made up of. By whisking milk for hours, light, fluffy cream is prepared with pistachio and mawa as toppings. Another name for this sweet dish is ‘God’s Street food.’ It is better served in winters as warm temperature melts the cream.

6. Daulat ki chat

7. Thona Thona 

The word Thona thona means chatterbox. It is a Marathi dish made from Chana dal, toor dal, coconut, and yogurt. Oil, mustard seed, and curry leaves are used for tempering. It is served warm as a side dish with rice and bread. People in Maharashtra enjoy eating this dish.

7. Thona thona

8. Seepu Seedai 

It is a famous sweet snack from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. The crunchy snack is made mainly during festive seasons. Rice flour and urad dal flour bind together with coconut milk and deep fried in oil till it becomes crispy. It can be stored for a long time and enjoyed as a daily snack.

8. Seepu Seedai

9. Gulab Jamun

This is a very famous sweet served in India. It is made in many different flavors, such as cardamom and rose. This sugar-dipped dessert is made from plain flour, milk solids, sugar, butter, baking powder, and cardamom. The dough is deep fried as small round balls and dipped in thick sugar syrup. 

9. Gulab Jamun

10. Benami Kheer 

A dish made in Awadh is not given a name. The chefs who prepared this dish first refused to give it a name as they wanted to keep the recipe a secret. This Royal dish is invented back in the Mughal era. It is also called Garlic kheer as garlic is the main ingredient.

10. Benami Kheer

11. Gun Powder

It is a spicy South Indian chutney made from Chana dal and urad dal. The name gun powder is because of the extreme spicy taste. Other ingredients include coconut, jaggery, chilies, and tamarind. It is served with idli and dosa.

11. Gun powder

12. Tutti Fruity 

It is a colorful candy dish made of various dried fruits or natural flavors. It is used in ice creams, cakes, and frozen yogurt as a topping. It is made from fruits like papaya and watermelon, which has antioxidants that reduce serious health risks. 

12. Tutti fruity

13. Uttapam

This South Indian healthy breakfast recipe is made of fermented rice batter. It is a thick and crispy pancake with vegetable toppings and spices. It is served with chutney and sambhar. It takes significantly less time to prepare and comes in a variety such as onion uttapam, vegetable uttapam, tomato uttapam, suji uttapam, and many more.

13. Uttapam

14. Lady’s Finger 

These sweet sponge cake biscuits are called lady’s fingers because of their shape. It is made of flour, corn starch, sugar, and eggs with the flavor of vanilla. Ingredients like lemon, cinnamon, cardamom, and orange peel also give additional flavors. It comes as packaged food and can be enjoyed with evening tea.

14. Ladys finger

15. Ammai Vadai

A particular type of vada dish made in Tamil Nadu on the occasion of the Tamil new year. The outer texture of the vada is hard and coarse, which resembles the hard outer shell of the tortoise. Hence the name Ammai vadai is given as the word ammai means ‘tortoise.’

15. Ammai vadai

16. Firni

A sweet, classic dessert made of coarsely grounded Basmati rice, dried fruits, sugar, and milk. It is thick in consistency and loaded with nuts. The royal-style dessert is believed to be originated from ancient Mughal kitchens. This creamy dessert is served and enjoyed chilled. 

16. Firni

17. Jalfrezi

This hot and extremely spicy curry is from Bengal and is now famous in every corner of the country. It can be made of Beep, lamb, chicken, fish, or vegetables. Bell pepper and green chilly are used for a better, refreshing taste. It is served hot with Basmati rice, naan, and bread. 

17. Jalfrezi

18. Bhutta

Bhutta is another name given to the corn cob. It is a summer crop mostly sold in monsoons. The corn kernels are charred till perfectly soft and enjoyed with salt and lemon juice. It is a perfect snack for the monsoon season. It has many health benefits. It prevents eye problems, improves skin and bone health, and fights constipation.

18. Bhutta

19. Dil-Khush

The name dil khush means happy heart. The dish is named so because it is loved by both kids and adults. It is made of baked Maida crust with sweet flavored stuffing. This famous sweet snack is available in various flavors and is loved by people. 

19. Dil khush

20. Murgh

This is a widespread food with an unusual name. Murgh is another name for Chicken, a species of domesticated fowl. Murgh musallam, shahi murgh, murgh kebabs, murgh masala, etc., are the various popular dishes made from chicken. Chicken meat is the most eaten meat in India. People are fond of Murgh in India. 

20. Murgh