Across Canada
Indian street food at home in Canada.
You can make real Indian street food in a Canadian kitchen. You need a small pantry, a few substitutions and the right first recipes.
From the Tapri Chai kitchen · November 2026 · 2 min read
Start with
Chai, vada pav
Shop at
Indian grocers
Stock
10 spices
Hardest
Pani puri shells
01
Start with easy recipes
Some dishes forgive beginners. Others take practice. A sensible order is: masala chai, then pav bhaji, then aloo paratha, then vada pav, then samosas. Chaat is easy once you have the chutneys and a few ready-made components.
02
What to stock first
A short list covers most street food recipes:
- Cumin seeds and ground cumin
- Coriander powder
- Turmeric and Kashmiri chilli powder
- Garam masala and chaat masala
- Mustard seeds
- Dried mango powder (amchur)
- Gram flour (besan)
- Whole wheat flour (atta)
- Tamarind paste or chutney
- Ghee or butter
03
Where to shop
Indian and South Asian grocery stores, found in most larger Canadian cities, sell everything on the list at lower prices than supermarkets. Many large supermarkets also stock some spices, chickpea flour and ready-made chutneys in their international aisles.
04
Common substitutions
If you cannot find an ingredient, a few swaps work:
- Pav: soft dinner rolls or slider buns.
- Curry leaves: leave out, or use a bay leaf for aroma.
- Amchur: a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Besan: chickpea or garbanzo flour.
- Puri shells: buy them ready-made.
05
Or let us cook
Some dishes, such as pani puri, are far easier to enjoy than to make. If you would rather not cook, Tapri Chai serves them in Barrhaven, Ottawa. Tapri Chai is at 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Barrhaven, Ottawa, open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm.
Questions, answered.
Can I make Indian street food in Canada?
Yes. Most ingredients are available at Indian grocery stores and larger supermarkets, with a few simple substitutions.
What should I cook first?
Masala chai, pav bhaji and aloo paratha are forgiving for beginners.
What is the hardest street food to make at home?
Pani puri, because the shells are fiddly. Buy them ready-made.
Where do I buy Indian ingredients in Canada?
Indian grocery stores, South Asian markets and the international aisle of large supermarkets.
At Tapri Chai
Taste it for yourself.
Our kitchen in Barrhaven is 100% vegetarian. 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Ottawa. Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm. Closed Mondays.