Crunchy snacks from Hassan

Every City has a few places that are famous for the food they serve, and also for the history that they carry with them. With generations of people having spent their time at these places, they become institutions. One such place is the bakery in Basavanagudi called Sri Srinivasa Brahmins’ Bakery. Started by H R Ramaswamy Iyenger about 53 years ago, this famous bakery is currently run by his son, Ramprasad H R. It is an old meeting point of the people for a long time and offers authentic Hassan Iyengar snacks. As you step inside this bakery, you will witness myriad confectioneries on display confusing you about what to try out first.

While here, you can't leave without having ‘congress’. It’s not the political party as some would wonder, but a snack made of groundnuts. Congress, which is a colloquial name for split groundnuts, has become synonymous with the shop. The diehard enthusiasts in the City travel from far off places to this bakery for this delicacy. And not without a reason. The roasted peanuts are mixed with bright chilli powder, asafoetida and curry leaves, to give them a distinct flavour. “Our congress has travelled all over the world,” says Ramprasad, the owner, who often has customers asking for a large quantity of the snack to be packed for relatives at far off places. While here, do try out the capsicum puffs also. This spicy and flavoursome snack is made of half capsicum stuffed with special masala and then fried in dough.
 
  Ragi biscuit made with pure ghee is another delicacy that is a must try. Another famous item is the Rava Kodavada, which is a small fried ring made out of rava. Nippatu, which is a kind of onion cracker, should be tried if you are into fried snacks. Crisp and spicy, this snack is quite a treat and you can spend a lot of time just finishing it up without a worry in the world. Another specialty is the tasty potato buns, which are soft and spicy. The veg springrolls, stuffed with beetroot, cabbage and other mixtures are also a good try.
 So, if you want to sample authentic Hassan Iyengar snacks, do check out the eatables of this old institution.