Walk down the “world foods” aisle of most UK supermarkets, and you will usually find the same handful of Indian snacks on repeat: a packet of samosas, maybe a tin of mixed pickle, and not much else. If you grew up snacking on tangy bhel puri from a roadside cart or crunching through gathiya on a lazy afternoon, that shelf probably feels disappointing. Thankfully, you don’t need a trip back home to fix that anymore. Online platforms make it easy to find these delicacies from the comfort of your home. This blog rounds up ten regional favourites you won’t spot in most supermarkets, but can order online in minutes.
Haldiram’s Bhel Puri
Region: North India, with roots in Mumbai’s street food scene
Bhel puri is puffed rice, crunchy sev, tangy tamarind chutney and chopped onions and coriander tossed together into something sweet, sour and spicy at once. Haldiram’s version bottles that street cart flavour so well that you barely miss the mess of making it fresh.
Serving Ideas:
Add fresh tomatoes, onions and a squeeze of lime for a homemade touch.
Serve in small bowls before dinner as a starter.
Pair with masala chai for a proper evening snack.
Haldiram’s Mathri
Region: Rajasthan and North India
Mathri is a flaky savoury biscuit made from flour, ghee and spices like ajwain and black pepper. Rajasthani households have been fans of it for generations, mainly because it stays fresh on long train journeys and even longer festive gatherings.
Serving Ideas:
Pair with mango pickle or green chutney.
Crumble over yoghurt for a quick, crunchy raita.
Serve with tea as a classic teatime snack.
Jaimin Pani Puri
Region: Western India, especially Gujarat and Maharashtra
Pani puri might be the most exciting of all Indian snacks, and for good reason. Crisp, hollow puris get filled with spiced tangy water, tamarind chutney and a mashed potato and chickpea mix, so each bite hits sour, spicy and savoury all together. Jaimin’s ready-to-fill puris make it far easier to pull this off at home without frying shells yourself.
Serving Ideas:
Set up a DIY pani puri station for guests.
Serve both sweet tamarind water and spicy mint water.
Add boiled, mashed potato with a pinch of chaat masala.
Haldiram’s Mini Bhakarwadi
Region: Maharashtra and Gujarat
Bhakarwadi is a spiral-shaped fried snack stuffed with a sweet, sour and spicy filling of tamarind, coconut and sesame. The mini version is dangerously snackable, packing that same layered flavour into small bites you’ll keep going back for. Among Indian snacks with a bit of everything going on, this one holds up remarkably well.
Serving Ideas:
Serve on a mixed platter with chakli and gathiya.
Pack into small jars as festive gifts.
Pair with filter coffee for a South meets West combo.
Haldiram’s Chana Jor Garam
Region: North India, particularly Delhi and Uttar Pradesh
Made from flattened Bengal gram, spiced and fried, then mixed with onions, chillies and a dash of lime, chana jor garam has a peppery kick that lingers just enough. Delhi’s street vendors have been perfecting this one for decades, and Haldiram’s packaged version does a fair job of keeping that fiery character intact.
Serving Ideas:
Mix in chopped onion, tomato and coriander before serving.
Add a squeeze of fresh lemon for extra tang.
Serve as a light snack with drinks.
Jaimin Soft Chakli
Region: Maharashtra and South India
Chakli is a spiral, deep-fried snack made from rice and lentil flour, seasoned with cumin, sesame and a touch of chilli. Jaimin’s soft chakli is a satisfying middle ground between crisp and chewy.
Serving Ideas:
Serve with mint and coriander chutney.
Break into a spicy Bombay mix.
Pack into lunchboxes for a filling snack.
Jaimin Methi Khakhra
Region: Gujarat
Khakhra is a thin, crisp flatbread and a genuine Gujarati staple, valued for being lighter than most fried snacks without losing on flavour. The methi, or fenugreek, version brings a gentle bitterness that goes well with the wheat base. If you’re after Indian snacks that are light on the stomach, this is a solid pick.
Serving Ideas:
Top with butter and a sprinkle of chaat masala.
Use instead of crackers with hummus or dips.
Pair with masala chai for a light breakfast.
Balaji Mast Masala Banana Wafers
Region: South India, particularly Kerala and Tamil Nadu
These wafers are thin slices of raw banana, fried in coconut oil until golden and coated in a punchy masala mix. They’re a proper Kerala classic, and the spice coating is what sets them apart from the plain salted version most people already know. Once you start on a packet, stopping halfway is genuinely difficult.
Serving Ideas:
Serve alongside South Indian meals like sambar rice.
Toss into a homemade trail mix with peanuts and curry leaves.
Eat straight from the packet with a cold drink.
Haldiram’s Gathiya
Region: Gujarat
Gathiya is gram flour dough, deep-fried into thin, crisp strands and usually flavoured with ajwain or black pepper. It’s simple, but that’s the point. Most Gujarati kitchens keep a tin around because it works just as well as a quick bite as it does bulked up into a full breakfast.
Serving Ideas:
Mix with sev, peanuts and onions for a quick snack.
Crumble over poha or upma for texture.
Serve with tea as an everyday snack.
Jaimin Fulwadi
Region: Gujarat
Fulwadi doesn’t get talked about as much as it should. Made from gram flour dough shaped into small, flower-like pieces and fried, it lands somewhere between crisp and tender, with a flavour that’s mildly sweet and savoury. It’s exactly the sort of regional snack that rarely makes it past Gujarati kitchens, let alone onto a UK shelf.
Serving Ideas:
Serve as part of a Gujarati farsan platter.
Pair with sweet chutney for contrast.
Enjoy on its own as a light evening nibble.
Conclusion
Tracking down proper regional Indian snacks in the UK used to mean waiting for a trip home or begging relatives to pack an extra suitcase. That’s no longer necessary.
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