How To Safely Eat Indian Street Food On Vacation

When vacationing in the hot subtropical climate of Indian, the question on anyone's mind is how to safely eat Indian street food on vacation. The whole point of going on vacation is to try and experience new things, but some of the food in India can be a little suspect, at best. With a few pieces of advice, you can learn how to safely eat Indian street food on vacation and make the most of your trip abroad.

1. Only eat street food in areas filled with tourists. It might sound a little boring, but the best way to safely eat Indian street food on vacation is to only go to food carts in the more "touristy" areas. The people here are catering to the tourists—the food here is meant for foreign digestive tracts, which means that it's going to be safer for your stomach; at this point, it isn't fit for real Indian food. This is by no means a shortcoming on your part—there are many enzymes in Indian food in Indian that simply don't exist in American Indian food. Play it safe and stick to the areas that have the densest population of tourists.
2. Don't drink iced drinks; stick to bottled drinks. The ice in India, and open water for that matter, will do nothing but unkind things to your insides if you ingest them. Be nice to your body and only stick to the bottled beverages. That mango lassi from the street vendor may look tasty, but remember that there's probably a million and a half enzymes in it that you don't want in your body. That's not to say that the food is dirty—but at the same time, the environment is extremely different to what we Americans are used to, and this includes what microscopic organisms live in it. If you're going to learn how to safely eat Indian street food on vacation, you're going to have to get used to only drinking something if it's in a bottle.
3. Eat only fully cooked food. Though a lot of the best Indian street food is cooked or even deep fried, there may be a few tempting options that are only lightly sauteed or even raw. As delicious as these might look, it's best to steer clear from them and to only opt for fully cooked foods. Fully cooking food is one of the surefire ways to eliminate any lingering bacteria, and eating this food is one of the best ways to safely eat Indian street food on vacation. Be smart, and don't go for cold meals from vendors.
4. Know your food allergies before embarking on your trip, and don't be afraid to ask. Indian food is most famous for its exotic flavors and how each separate taste manages to mingle on your tongue to deliver a sensation like no other. However, the ingredients in a lot of street food can be ambiguous, and as you're in unfamiliar territory, you're not going to know exactly what's in a samosa or vaada pav. Furthermore, the food carts in tourist-heavy areas areas are normally staffed by someone who speaks English, so you should have no problem is asking them what they put in their food. Be sure to know exactly what you're allergic to and ask the vendor what the exact ingredients are. Even if it looks legitimate, if it has peanut oil and you're allergic to those nuts, it's best to just walk away.

Learning how to safely eat Indian street food on vacation is the best way to make the most of your time away from home. Though the food might seem a little odd at first, eating the street food in a foreign country is one of the easiest ways to fully experience that people's culture. By keeping your mind about yourself and remembering to think before you bite, you'll be able to safely eat Indian street food on vacation and really submerge yourself in India's rich and diverse culture.