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.