Post on 24-Dec-2015
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1.ALOO CHAAT
What: For this very basic, very delicious chaat, boiled potatoes (aloo) are cubed, fried, and
spiced up, then served hot with toothpicks. These hunks of frying potato on large,
flat tawas manned by chaat walas are a common sight on Delhi’s streets.
Where: Our unadorned, spicy-salty aloo chaat is from Hira Lal Chaat (3636, Chawri
Bazaar, map), a friendly stand in Old Delhi. Approaching from the Chawri Bazaar metro,
it’s about halfway down the block, on the left. There’s no English signage, but look for the
hot, fresh potatoes.
When: Daily, noon-9pm
Order: Aloo chaat (20 rupees), which is topped simply with chaat masala and lime juice
here, among other spices, and don’t leave without sampling the tastykulle, or fruit chaat.
2.BEDMI-ALOO, NAGORI-HALWA
What: One of India’s best oddball savory-sweet pairings, and a popular Delhi breakfast
(especially in winter), bedmi-aloo and nagori-halwa are two distinct dishes eaten together.
The former is the savory part: a puffy, hefty, deep-fried puri-like bread made of wheat flour,
spices, and dal, called bedmi, which is served with a spicy aloo sabzi, or potato curry. The
latter is nagori, a small, crispy, crumbly puri made with suji (semolina) and ghee, paired
with suji halwa, kind of like a sweet, dry porridge likewise cooked in ghee. So what do you
do with this stuff? Take a savory bite; take a sweet bite. Some people like to stuff some
halwa into a piece of nagori and then dunk that into the aloo before eating. Such mix-and-
match flavor combos may challenge your notion of what constitutes a balanced breakfast,
but if you’re like us, you’ll welcome it with open arms.
Where: At Shyam Sweets (2326-8087; 112, Chawri Bazaar, map) in Old Delhi, we quickly
filled one of the few free-standing tables with bowls of foods. The owner’s son, Bharat, who
introduced himself as the fifth generation at Shyam, kept insisting we try more and more
things. He didn’t have to twist our arms.
When: Daily, 8am-10pm, but arrive for breakfast lest they run out of anything. Though
halwa is more common in winter, Shyam serves it in summer too.
Order: Bedmi-aloo (25 rupees for two pieces) and nagori-halwa (30 rupees for two pieces).
The spicy potato curry was draped with green chilies and made with a fenugreek chutney
containing, according to Bharat, 17 different spices. The aromatic semolina halwa (pictured
at bottom of pic) had a nice light sweetness and the texture of couscous; both puris,
different as they are, were delicious. With these we had pickled vegetables and a
spectacular pumpkin curry called sitaphal ki sabzi, sweet and sour and spicy at once.
Shyam also offers tasty kachoris—we tried the muttar (pea) variety—which pair well with
the potato curry. Before rolling ourselves home toward the metro, we washed it all down
with a thick malai-toppedlassi.
3.GOL GAPPA
What: This very popular chaat, or snack, encompasses some of chaat’s best qualities—
spicy, crunchy, saucy, satisfying—all in one explosive bite-size package. Also widely known
as pani puri, it consists of a delicate, hollow, crispy-fried puffed ball (puri, or poori) that’s
filled with potato, chickpea, onion, spices, and flavored water, usually tamarind and/or
mint, and popped into one’s mouth whole, often while standing. The water part is what’s
tricky for foreigners, as most of those tempting street gol gappa vendors use tap water
(and often theirbare fingers to stuff the puris). Luckily, a few well-known spots take care to
use mineral water—not quite as authentic, maybe, but you won’t end up in bed for three
days.
Where: Not far from Connaught Place, diner-like Nathu’s Sweets (multiple branches
including 23, 24, 25, Bengali Market, map) offers gol gappas made with bottled Bisleri
water.
When: Daily, 8:30am-11pm
Order: The gol gappas here come six to a plate (40 rupees), their components neatly
separated out for self-assembly: six puris, a bowl of potato-chickpea stuffing, and two bowls
of flavored water. Poke a hole on the soft side of the puri, spoon in some filling, and then
spoon in—or just dip the whole thing into—the flavored water. Eat it all in one go. Despite
the decidedly “safe” nature of these, they are really fun to put together; we saw several
local kids enjoying the process too.
4.KADHAI PANEER
What: Another of the many vegetarian Punjabi dishes popular in Delhi, kadhai
paneer (sometimes called karahi) is paneer, or Indian cheese, cooked with bell peppers
(a.k.a. capsicum), onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, lots of spices—usually including dry
fenugreek leaves—ghee, and some cream. Its name refers to the wok-like pan in which it’s
cooked: a kadhai, known as karahi in Pakistan (that the Punjab region straddles both
countries explains the two names showing up in Delhi). It might be red or brown in color,
dry or wet in texture, but it’s always a solid, satisfying dish.
Where: Kadhai paneer was among the veg curries at Pindi (2338-7932; 16, Pandara Rd.
Market, map), one of several good Punjabi restaurants on famed Pandara Road, in central
Delhi. It’s a bit upscale, so prices aren’t the cheapest, but quality is very good.
When: Daily, noon-12:30am
Order: This dish, listed as karahi paneer (325 rupees), was delicious here, loaded with
paneer and veggies, its flavorful brown curry topped with fresh coriander and a bit of
cream. Get some naan to mop it up, and if you’re feeling decadent, try thebutter
chicken here. The tandoori chicken is also quite good.
4. KHEER
What: An ancient, delicately sweet dessert made of slow-cooked rice, milk, and sugar,
kheer is South Asia’s take on rice pudding, though it has quite a few regional variations
and names. Here, saffron, cardamom, and nuts like pistachio and almond often get
involved. Like phirni, it’s served chilled in earthenware bowls and especially common in
Muslim restaurants, particularly during Ramadan.
Where: Kheer is perfectly cast as a light dessert following a big meaty meal. Ours played
exactly that role at the legendary Karim Hotel (Gali Kababian, Jama Masjid, map).
When: Daily, 9am-12:30am
Order: The kheer (60 rupees), topped with a light sprinkling of pistachio nuts, comes out of
a big cooler downstairs at Karim’s, so it’s easy to pop by just for dessert if need be.
Otherwise, order some goods in the restaurant first: mutton burra, mutton seekh kebab,
shami kebab, tandoori chicken perhaps.
5. KOFTA
What: “Kofta” means meatballs, although in one of the most popular Mughlai dishes, malai
kofta, the balls in question are veg, made with paneer. Otherwise, the kofta will likely be
minced and spiced mutton (also called keema), unless it’snargisi kofta, which means a
hard-boiled egg coated in ground meat (and which may have inspired the U.K.’s Scotch
egg). In any case, the fried kofta balls are typically smothered in a lovely creamy curry
sauce, patiently waiting for your naanto scoop it up.
Where: Our kofta curry in question came from Kake da Hotel (9136-666820; 67,
Municipal Market, Connaught Circus, map), on the outer circle of central Delhi’s
Connaught Place. It’s not actually a hotel but a good, reliable source of hot, fresh Punjabi
curries. Go upstairs for seating and service.
When: Daily, noon-midnight
Order: The kofta curry (140 rupees), which are balls of minced mutton in a rich, spicy red
gravy. Really nice, especially when the staff comes by with a second helping of the sauce,
dumping extra gravy into the bowl. Also consider the saag chicken, dal makhani—and
definitely get lots of naan.
6. LASSI
What: The smoothie-like counter to all those heavy curries, lassi is a creamy, frothy yogurt-
based drink from Punjab. There are many varieties, but most will fall under either sweet or
salted—the former is curd blended or whisked with sugar (and/or fruit), the latter with salt
and often other spices, like cumin and/or cardamom seeds. Traditionally, lassi is served in a
disposable clay cup called akulhar, and extra malai, or clotted cream, is spooned on top
before serving. In Delhi lassis are especially popular in the summer, when they provide a
cool, soothing balance to most everything else being consumed.
Good to know: While this drink’s probiotic qualities are wonderful for all stomachs, it’s a
good idea for foreigners to order it without ice, to be safe. Also, it’s best drunk in warmer
months, as the curd is likely to be fresher. As for concerns as to whether water is added to
lassis: It seems to depend on the place, and it doesn’t hurt to ask. Like with anything else
here, start out slow—try a lassi or two at your hotel, for example, or a hygienic chain like
Haldiram’s (see below)—before branching out to, say, an Old Delhi lassi-walla. We tried a
wide range of lassis without problems, but experiences can certainly vary.
Where: We drank a lassi nearly every day during summer in Delhi, but especially loved the
traditional one at Shyam Sweets (2326-8087; 112, Chawri Bazaar,map) in Old Delhi.
Order: One kulhar of lassi (30 rupees), which comes topped with malai and is nearly a
meal in itself! The bedmi-aloo and nagori-halwa are also quite good here, and distinctly
Delhi.
8. MASALA CHAI
What: Masala chai is the milky spiced black tea that’s found all over India, thanks to the
tea-crazy British, who set up plantations for export back in the 1830s and later worked to
popularize tea drinking in India via the Indian Tea Association. Like much of north India
and beyond, tea stalls or chai-wallas (tea makers) are common sights on the streets of
Delhi, where they serve tea to passersby and local vendors. It’s an integral part of life here,
especially in business matters: While shopping in the north, you might be asked to sit and
have tea, which will be fetched from the nearest stall by a shop employee (or relative) and
brought to you at no cost. Although “chai” generically means “tea” in much of India, what
you get will likely be a tiny glass of the milky, spiced, sweet drink that’s more accurately
called masala chai, in which water, black tea leaves (often Assam or Darjeeling), milk,
sugar, and masala, or spices, are boiled together before straining. The pungency of the
masala will vary by place, but usually the mix counts cardamom, cinnamon, and black
pepper among its ingredients. Chai is generally pretty safe to drink, as the water is
thoroughly boiled, although it’s not a bad idea to request a plastic cup in case of suspect
glass-washing.
Where: Ours is from a teeny no-name Old Delhi tea stall on Kucha Pati Ram, on the same
road as our favorite kulfi joint (approx. map). (To get there from the Chawri Bazaar metro
station, find Sitaram Bazaar and take the second right onto Kucha Pati Ram, just past New
Ashoka Sweets. The tea stall is on the right.)
Order: Tea (6 rupees), of course! The chai-walla boiled the water and tea leaves for a few
minutes in front of us, and we watched him add the spices and milk over heat before
straining the pot into plastic cups for us. The masala was mild, but tasty. The best part for
us was the brief foray into Delhi street life: the watching and waiting, standing around to
let it cool, chatting with other customers and the guys in the barbershop across the street.
There’s certainly no lack of stimuli in these parts!
9. PAAN
What: Common all over India, paan is the traditional betel leaf palate-cleanser-cum-
digestive, dating to ancient times, that’s chewed at (what seems like) all hours, but mostly
after meals. From behind street stalls or inside shops, you’ll see the wide green leaves
ritualistically filled and folded into triangles with a bewildering and picturesque assortment
of ingredients, depending on what’s ordered—chopped areca nut, slaked lime paste
(chuna), and red katha paste, the basic ingredients that together work as a caffeine-like
stimulant; cardamom, tobacco, dried coconut, rose petal or sugar paste, fruit preserves or
syrups, aniseed, clove, lots of other spices—and quickly wedged inside the cheeks of locals.
Though there are today many variations on paan, for our purposes we’ll divide them into
three types: meetha, or sweet paan; zarda paan (containing tambaku, or tobacco)—
infamous for its teeth- and sidewalk-staining properties, as the red juice is usually spit out
—and saada, or simple, paan, which generally contains only the basic three ingredients. We
don’t encourage the taking of tobacco, and saada, though the most traditional, is also
alleged to be carcinogenic (thanks to the areca nut), so we stuck to the meetha variety.
Keep in mind that no matter how much sugar or fruit (or chocolate!) is added, all paan,
with its intense flavor combinations and earthy textures, is an acquired taste. Being such
an integral part of Indian culture, it is, of course, a must-try.
Where: One of central Delhi’s popular paan parlors, Yamu’s Panchayat (92, NDMC
Market, map), on Connaught Place’s Outer Circle, is a good place to safely try lots of
different paans, all of which are advertised here as “spit free.” Admittedly more beloved by
young Delhiites than old-timers, Yamu’s still provides a great introduction to the art, and
probably a good indication of where it’s headed.
When: Daily, 11am-midnight
Order: While Yamu’s does carry simple (25 rupees) and basic meetha paan (30 rupees),
more like what you’d find on the street, the specialty here is flavored paan (40 rupees), of
which there are 21 varieties, from mango and cola to pineapple and vanilla. Most of these
mix the flavor of choice with more traditional ingredients like coconut, aniseed, lime
juice, elaichi (cardamom), dried dates, and sugar-coated mukhwas, or “mouth freshener.”
We tried strawberry, which was verysweet, and the more appetizing chocolate (pictured),
drizzled with chocolate syrup and piled with milk chocolate pieces, among other things. An
interesting combination, to say the least!
10. RAJ KACHORI
What: This colorful chaat, or snack, is quite popular in Delhi and other parts of northern
India. It consists of kachori, small fried, bready balls, and a variety of other yummy things—
chickpeas, potatoes, tomatoes, moong sprouts, masalas, yogurt, coriander and tamarind
chutneys, pomegranate seeds, crunchy sev—stuffed inside and atop a thin and very crispy-
fried puri-like hollow shell. The various chutneys and yogurt coat the whole affair, making
it a perfect mix of wet and crunchy, sweet and tangy, spicy and cooling. In other words: an
ideal, fun-to-eat chaat.
Where: The raj kachori at Haldiram’s (multiple branches including 1454/2, Chandni
Chowk, Old Delhi, map), the popular chaat-and-sweets chain celebrated for its hygienic
preparations, is very popular, and for good reason. Moreover, this particular three-story
branch, despite often being crowded, makes a nice air-conditioned oasis in the midst of
Chandni Chowk’s crush of humanity—a must on any Old Delhi food crawl.
Order: You should try other chaats or thalis here, but definitely include the very fresh-
tasting raj kachori (68 rupees), and follow it up with some sweets from the ground floor.
11. PHIRNI
What: This North Indian dessert is made of rice flour or ground rice, milk, and sugar; it
has the delicious, subtly sweet taste of rice pudding, but a creamy, smooth texture. It’s
usually topped with pistachio nuts and served chilled in earthenware bowls. Like the
similar kheer, phirni is especially popular during Ramadan and in Muslim restaurants.
Where: It’s not always on the menu, but our phirni is from Purani Dilli (2698-3371; 371
Main Rd., Zakir Nagar, Okhla, Jamia Nagar, map), a terrific Mughlai restaurant inside
mazelike Zakir Nagar, a Muslim enclave not far from New Friends Colony in South Delhi.
When: Daily, 3pm-11pm
Order: Close out your Mughlai feast—chicken changezi and ishtu, mutton haleemand
nihari—with a small cooling bowl of phirni (25 rupees), topped with pistachio and slivered
almonds.
12. MUTTON BURRA
What: Mutton (usually goat, in India) is perhaps most memorable cooked as a burra kebab:
marinated, skewered, roasted and charred in the tandoor, on the bone. When done well, it’s
tender, spicy, smoky meat—an ideal component of a carnivorous Mughlai feast.
Where: Perhaps the most celebrated version of this dish is that found at one of Old Delhi’s
most celebrated restaurants: Karim Hotel (Gali Kababian, Jama Masjid, map), dating to
1913. Its owners famously trace their family lineage back to the royal cooks of the Mughal
emperors.
When: Daily, 9am-12:30am
Order: The mutton burra (230/440 rupees for half/full order) is a must here; the half order
is a little pile of four mutton pieces, making a perfect appetizer. The tender meat is
intensely flavored, well spiced and redolent of charcoal smoke; before you know it, you’re
sucking on the bones, near-desperate for another bite. (For the goat averse, chicken burra
is also available, for a few extra rupees.) Follow these up with more meat—mutton
seekh kebabs, shami kebabs, maybe some tandoori chicken or mutton korma—and
sweet kheer for dessert.