Exotic flavours of India add spice to excited Chinese palates

In one corner of the restaurant's kitchen, spicy mashed potatoes, creamy chickpeas and tangy, spicy mint water are stuffed into a 3-centimetre hollow, fried pani puri.

- By HOU CHENCHEN and SHAO XINYING

"Gulping that down was like a burst of flavours from the universe in my mouth," says Xiao Mo, 33, an Indian cuisine aficionado in Beijing.

"The hot pepper, the cool mint, the salty sauce, the sweet and sour yogurt, along with a medley of special herbs and spices is a magical experience."

Indian street foods have become highly popular throughout China, young people in particular lapping up the exotic flavours of South Asia.

Even the online adventure game Genshin Impact, produced by the Chinese company HoYoverse, which boasts a fan base of 60 million, features pani puri in the fictional country called Sumeru.

The surge in popularity challenges long-held stereotypes by some about the lack of cleanliness and hygiene associated with Indian street food.