Bihari's 'litti-chokha' Now in Singapore

     Two young street food vendors of the city, Ashok Sah and Vijay Chaudhary, are off to Singapore where they will showcase Bihar delicacy 'litti-chokha' at the World Street Food Congress (WSFC) from May 31 to June 9.
The two food vendors are in the ten-member Indian team which will participate in the event along with teams from 32 countries, including Thailand, Mexico, Philippines and the USA, are also participating.

Ashok hails from Sadrullahpur Pakhrauni under the Bisfi police station area in Madhubani district. He has been running three 'litti-chokha' stalls in the state capital, including one near the Biscomaun Bhavan, for the last five years. Though Vijay hails from Khuski village of Khusrupur in Patna district, he lives in Lodipur locality in the city. Vijay would be assisting Ashok at the WSFC.

"I am excited... I will be carrying with me some of the ingredients which are essential for making 'litti-chokha'. I have put up 'litti-chokha' stall at Delhi Haat several times," Ashok told TOI over phone from Madhubani on Tuesday. He said he would also be serving garlic-soaked mutton and rice to the visiting guests at the WSFC.

The maiden WSFC is being organized by the Makansutra, a Singapore-based street food promotion company, and the Singapore Tourism Board.

The other street food vendors who would be a part of the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) delegation led by Sangeeta Singh include Narayanswami of Dharwar, Bhaskar Urs of Mysore and Gulab Singh of Delhi.

"Narayanswami and Bhaskar will dish out chicken with rice. Gulab Singh will make his presence felt with his special 'bhelpuri'. All these food vendors will be travelling to a foreign shore for the first time," Sangeeta Singh told TOI over phone from Delhi.

The street food vendors selected by the NASVI for the Singapore event have been the top street food entrepreneurs of 2012 street food festival organized in Delhi by the NASVI. "As for the complexities of ferrying raw materials, the organizers in Singapore have made it hassle free. NASVI provided the list of ingredients and utensils and the organizers organized everything," Singh said.

According to NASVI's national coordinator Arbind Singh, many countries protect and promote street foods as street food enterprise contributes immensely to local economy and tourism. The concept of traditional street food has acquired new dimensions in developed countries, with food streets and food centres emerging as new tourist attractions, he said.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 source:TNN