Five must-try foods at the Bandra Fair near Mount Mary’s Basilica this week

If you visit Bandra Fair this week, you will be greeted with tall heaps of food beside Mount Mary’s Basilica. They often coexist alongside stores that provide necklaces, pendants, rings, and other stylish goods. This week, thousands of worshippers will swarm the fair to pray and commemorate Mother Mary’s birth, which was celebrated on September 8 of last week.

Every year, the fair takes place around the church for a week, starting on the first Sunday following the feast day and runs concurrently with the masses. The Bandra Fair is back this year, opening on September 11 and running through September 18. Over the course of the eight days of the fair, a large number of devotees as well as food sellers from the city and other locations visit the suburb to offer distinctive foods that are popular during this time of year.

Annual attendees of the exhibition indulge in some of the most sought-after specialties. In addition to eating there, they now make it an annual practice to carry some home for their loved ones and friends, as well as their own portion, which keeps them full for at least a month.

Chana Kala

It is imperative that you get a bag full of roasted black grams if you want to attend Bandra Fair this year. The food, known as roasted kala chana in the area, is served at every other stand at the fair, regardless of size, and is piled high. When you’re at the fair for a long time and still don’t know what to eat, it really helps. The greatest thing about them is that they won’t break the bank since they are inexpensive.

Cost: Rs 50 for 250 grams and above

Halwa

The halwa, a popular treat, is available at several booths at the Bandra Fair and is colored in red, green, yellow, and black. Throughout the ten days of the fair, these are some of the most well-liked types of sweet meats, which sell out quickly. After the first day is over, it is recommended to visit during the weekdays to escape the crowds and have the opportunity to choose the finest items rather than purchasing what is left for the day. To escape the heat, the initial part of the day is the best time to come and purchase this, ideally before 12 pm. If you’re still undecided, you may choose a variety of the specialty.

Cost: Rs 100 per 250 gm package and up

Bodio Kadio

If you are a member of the city’s Catholic community, you are aware that Bandra Fair is when you get your yearly supply of kadio bodios. Known as khaje in other cultures, these finger-sized sticks are prepared from besan, or chickpea flour, which is combined with ginger and jaggery to create a flavor that is earthy and sweet that lingers in your mouth long after you return from the fair. It comes in three colors: light yellow, sugar coated, and orange. Don’t be deceived by the colors; they all taste excellent and are a must-try if you’re new to the fair.

Cost: Rs 100 and more for 250 grams

Pao Choris

Don’t forget to visit any stand offering Goan specialties like Choris Pao or Sorpotel if you’re a non-vegetarian foodie at the market. Even though it’s known to be present throughout the city, a number of home cooks sell it at their stands with other specialties. Goan sausages are used to make the fiery choris, which is wrapped inside a pav and served hot. This year, Teresa Vessaoker and her husband, who live on Chapel Road, have set up only one stand, named Ally’s stall. If you’re trying to find it, go to stall number 11, which is located next to the mouth freshener booth at the top of the stairs on the right. Along with many rolls and pattice varieties, the stand also offers sorpotel.

Cost: Rs 300 for 300 ml of Sorpotel, Rs 50 for the Choris Pao.

Petha

Not to mention, everyone who has had it adores this well-known Agra specialty, which is a yearly highlight of the Bandra fair. The North Indian transparent sweet, which is made of sugar and ash gourd, is chewy, sweet, and sugary. It will leave you with sticky fingers, but the flavor is well worth it. Though it may be found at many city vendors, this annual fair staple is a distinctive treat.

Cost: Rs 100 for 250 grams, Rs 400 per kilogram.