delhi food walks – Page 4 – Delhi Food Walks

Posted on March 6, 2016

Daulat ki Chaat

THE INEXPENSIVE WEALTHY CHAAT

By Prakriti Bhat

As Delhi’s winters give way to the scorching summer heat, we are all left to reminisce about the chilly months that went by. Dilli ki sardi is quite popular for its spine chilling (literally) dip in the temperature that forces you to snuggle inside a cosy blanket with a cup of tea or coffee. However, come winters and Delhites venture out of their homes to gorge on seasonal delicacies like Kadhai ka Doodh, piping hot Jalebis and Gajar Ka Halwa.

But what I, as a foodie, want Delhi to be famous for is Daulat Ki Chaat. A lesser known delicacy available only in winters, Daulat ki Chaat will make you fall in love with it instantly. Available exclusively in old Delhi, it is nothing like your regular chaat that tickles your palate with its spicy and tangy flavor. This one is sweet. Yes, Daulat ki Chaat is a dessert whose job is not to tease but to please! It is extremely light and can be eaten after a heavy meal. Unlike other Chaat items, this one soothes your senses.

Literally translating to ‘The wealthy chaat/snack’, Daulat ki Chaat is a product of hours of toil. The process is quite cumbersome as it takes several hours of manual labour. Milk and cream are churned together for 3-4 hours continuously. This causes a thick layer of foam to accumulate on the top which is carefully removed and collected in a separate dish. To a few parts, saffron is added which lends a yellow colour to it. This large dish (like a gigantic thali) is placed on a wooden stand as customers drop by to devour it.

In a plate this foam is taken, both the plain white and the saffron one, which are topped with Khoya and powdered sugar. After trying for 2 months, I finally got to taste this dish. All it took was a spoonful and I instantly knew that I had Nirvana on my plate! The texture is extremely soft. In fact, soft would be an understatement. The frothy texture melts in your mouth and the khoya and sugar make it a sweet and toothsome delight.

From November to mid March, Chandni Chowk hides several vendors of Daulat Ki Chaat in its sly and narrow alleyways. I tried it in two places in Chandni Chowk. One was in Katra Neel, outside Chanda Fashion. Anil Chand Kumar, the vendor prepares every plate with great care and expertise. Anil claims that 40 years ago his dadaji (grandfather) was the first one to bring Daulat Ki Chaat on the streets of Delhi-6. From November to March, he sells Daulat ki Chaat in Katra Neel and the rest of the year he works at his family’s shop- Baba Chaat Corner in Jogiwara, opposite to the Bhairon Temple. He served one plate for 50 rupees.

Another vendor, Hukum Singh stands bang opposite to Natraj Dahi Bhalle Wala from 9 a.m. every day. Hukum Singh hails from Moradabad, U.P. and learnt the art of making Daulat ki Chaat from his mamaji (maternal uncle) who has been selling it in Kinari Bazaar since the last 25 years. He started selling Daulat ki Chaat about 9 years ago. With a happy and content smile he says, “The process of churning goes on till about 3-3:30 in the morning. After holi, it becomes too hot for Daulat Ki Chaat as the foam begins to disintegrate. So I go back to my hometown where farming keeps me busy till the next October-November.” Here, one plate was for around 35-40 bucks.

Chandni Chowk has many mouth-watering dishes to offer. But things like Daulat ki Chaat go unnoticed. I hope this dessert does not fade away into oblivion, swallowed by the stiff competition from popular restaurants.

Another article on Daulat Ki Chaat – http://www.delhifoodwalks.com/blog/daulat-ki-chaat/

Anubhav Sapra

Anubhav Sapra is an avid foodie! He is a Founder but proudly calls himself a Foodie-in-chief at Delhi Food Walks. He is also a street-food and Indian regional cuisine connoisseur and loves to write about street-food.

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on March 5, 2016 March 31, 2016

Cool Point

COOL POINT

Address- 973, Bazar Matia Mahal, Matia Mahal Road, Jama Masjid, Matia Mahal, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi 110006

Phone Number- 9953833786, 9350217460

Timings- 12:00a.m. – 11:59 pm

The scorching summer heat of the Indian Capital is renowned for its capacity to exhaust the most tenacious of tourists. Places like the Cool Point near Jama Masjid provide a most welcome relief from the energy-sapping climate. Sticking close to the obvious implication of its name, Cool Point is an eatery which boasts of a wide variety of sugary sweets, desserts and refreshing drinks which are sure to rejuvenate the exhausted tourist or citizen.

Established twenty five years ago by Muhammad Zahid, the place is currently managed by his son, Zohaib. It opens at noon and closes just before midnight, offering a world of sweet delight to all those with a perennial or occasional sweet tooth. Cool Point is mainly famous for its Shahi Tukda and Phirni.

Shahi Tukda is a traditional Indian dessert which traces its legacy to the Nawabs of Lucknow. It is made of bread which is deep-fried in pure ghee and then dipped in thick cream and sugary syrup. Layered with khoya, dry fruits and cherries, the dessert is sinfully delicious. The texture is a perfect combination of creamy and softly crunchy. The huge pan that one encounters right at the entrance of Cool Point, keeps warming the shahi tukda on a constantly low flame, luring in a large number of people with this bewitching display.

Phirni is another beloved dessert which is made of milk and crushed rice. Served in clay containers, phirni has a milder flavor as compared to shahi tukda, but is nonetheless mouth-watering. The condensed milk dissolves quickly in the mouth while the soft sweet grains of crushed rice linger on the tongue, ensuring that the flavour of the dish is sufficiently absorbed by the taste buds.

Apart from these items, Cool Point is also known for its kesar milk, badam milk, lassi and mango and vanilla ice cream. All the items are prepared daily with fresh ingredients by the chefs of Cool Point. The desserts and drinks offered by this treasure trove of a place give sweet relief to the tourists after they feast on the heavy and spicy cuisine that Old Delhi is famous for.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on March 3, 2016 March 3, 2016

Gole Hatti

CHHOLE-KULCHE

Akshita Todi

IMG_20150527_110251 — Gole Hatti ke Chole Kulche

Despite the crude line of political tension that divides the nations of India and Pakistan, it is impossible to negate the centuries-old shared culture that constitutes the throbbing centre of the societies that thrive in both the nations. The chhole-kulche that is served in traditional North-Indian and Pakistani style allows the youth to get a taste of the times when the subcontinent was united. The chhole are cooked in a special mix of spices which are prepared by the chefs in their own kitchens by grinding the raw materials into fine powder. The smell of garlic and onions, while they are sautéed in huge frying pans in liberal quantities, is sure to tease the passerby’s nostrils and invite one to get just a taste of this North-Indian specialty. The chhole are served with slices of carrot and tamarind chutney which has a sweet and sour flavour. The gravy is cooked without any oil, rendering it healthy while being delicious at the same time. It has a subtle taste tinged with the smell of bay leaves, cloves, black pepper, cumin seeds and cinnamon. Unlike the popular renditions of this dish, the chhole are not very spicy and the gravy is delightfully light and flavoursome. The kulche that are served with the chhole are light, fluffy white breads made of flour dough with baking powder. They are baked in large quantities in traditional ovens which are unwieldy in their sizes. A food-lover can well imagine the delight of tearing into the soft pieces of the kulcha and dipping it into the scrumptious gravy of the tender chhole.

Along with chhole-kulche, other popular Lahori-Amritsari dishes include Chhole-palak-chawal, Palak-paneer-chawal and dahi-bhalla. The chawal is not just plain rice. It is an aromatic dish whereby the rice is drenched in pure ghee and then flavoured with bay leaves, cloves, pepper, cinnamon and dry fruits. It is tossed with vegetables like peas and carrots and also with fried cubes of cottage cheese. This pulao is then served with varying combinations of gravy and side-dishes to suit the preferences of the diners. The dahi bhalla is soft and has a perfect blend of tangy and sweet flavours.

That the partition of the nation could never bring about a divide in the lifestyle preferences of those living on either side of the border, is exemplified marvelously by the Lahori-Amritsari dishes that are lovingly prepared in food joints established by Pakistani immigrants in Old Delhi.

Gole Hatti, which was established in 1954 by Shri Nathuram Kamboj, is once such food joint. They pack their dishes in clay containers for home delivery as they believe that the plastic containers are unable to preserve the authentic taste and smell of the food. The shop sticks close to tradition, to the point that the managers continue to use the ancient model of the telephone with the ring-dialer. The menu is small and the chefs prepare the food in an open kitchen. The shop earns its name from the circular shape of its structure due to its location at the turn of the main road. It is currently managed by J.P. Kamboj and Karthik Kamboj.

Address- 2, 3, 4 Church Mission Road, Fatehpuri, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi- 110006

Phone number- 011 2252 0321

Timings- 11:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on March 2, 2016

Little Punjab

Little Punjab – SDA Market

Ayushi Mathur

I recently moved back to Delhi, after completing my graduation and started working at the Indian Institute of Technology. Being new to this college and area, I did not know anyone and ate my home packed lunch alone. It had become monotonous for a foodie like me. A few days had gone by when I ran into a friend from school in IIT itself. He took me to SDA market to show me around and the first place he suggested we ate at was Little Punjab. SDA market has a variety of restaurants with a wide range of cuisines yet he took me to this small shop in a little corner, which did not even have chairs to sit. To my surprise, this little food joint was bustling with students and workers enjoying their meal and a hearty conversation with their friends. All those people were there for one simple reason, to eat delicious yet inexpensive homemade food.

Little Punjab was started by Mr. Gurmeet Singh in 2008, when he thought that making good homemade food available to students living away from their families was the right thing to do. He bought a small shop behind all the big restaurants in an alleyway at the market. Instead of following the traditional way of advertising like pamphlets and brochures, he chose to distribute handwritten coupons to students in that area. In exchange for these coupons at the store, the students received free lunch for the first two days. This attracted a lot of people in just two days who eventually became his regular customers.

The menu consists of merely five dishes but it is the only joint in SDA that always sells all its two hundred and fifty plates in a span of just 3-4 hours. The food is not cooked at the shop, but is brought pre-cooked from a base kitchen. The shop has a stove that keeps the food warm and fresh. This makes the food served by them taste delectable and after trying all the five dishes in the span of one week, I can say my personal favourite would be the good old Rajma Chawal. It is utterly delicious as it is always cooked well and has a balanced taste with no one spice overpowering the other. It looks colourful, tempting and smells heavenly. Even though, I was never a fan of rice, this dish is something that I could gobble up every day.

It has been 8 years since this food joint has been running and the price has risen by just 25 rupees after all this time. Even now, the customers from 8 years ago visit the store each time they are in Delhi to get their share of the heart warming and delightful food served by Little Punjab.

Cost for two- Rs. 150 approx

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on February 16, 2016 February 16, 2016

Kids Culinaire 2016

Kids Culinaire

“After an overwhelming response last year, the festival of Healthy and Happy food – Kids Culinaire, is back with lots more to offer.

An initiative of Pilcrow Communication, Kids Culinaire is India’s first and only fun food festival for children. The idea was born out of a need felt by the founders of Pilcrow, Ratika van Noord Bhatnagar and Rohini Mathur, to revive the days when malls, mobile games, internet devices didn’t exist and families enjoyed quality time together, picnics and the outdoors.

Kids Culinaire has therefore been planned keeping parents, caregivers and little ones in mind and is full of fun workshops, interesting information, exciting activities and cool contests. The idea is not to say “don’t eat fast food” or “don’t eat cookies”, the focus is on balance and to get the children interact with food in a fun way so they are able to make healthier choices. Through this festival, the hope is to raise awareness about some relevant concerns around food today such as lifestyle diseases, food allergies, proper hygiene, recycling, etc..

The 1st edition of Kids Culinaire in February 2015 saw families come together as a wonderful bonding experience. The several happy photographs of parents taking their children through the food tours and showing them the various wonderful elements that make up the food groups. Watching chef Ranveer Brar milk the cow at the dairy section was a special treat. Leafing through pictures of parents and grandparents cheering on children during contests, or listening to a story together under a tree, or just sitting and eating together as a family, made us very proud to have brought this event to life, adds the founders of Kids Culinaire.

This year, the organisers have introduced some interesting new activities while retaining the most popular zones from last year. At the Demo and Contest area, they welcome back Chef Saransh Goila, India’s youngest celebrity chef, Food Blogger Smita Srivastava, author of Fun Foods for Fussy Eaters, and introduce Amrita Raichand, model and chef of popular TV show “Mummy ka Magic”. The story telling gets more interactive with Kathashaala, a storytelling institute which specializes in the use of performing arts. Food tours and the Fun Zone get bigger and better, and an engaging and relevant activity called “from Garbage to Garden” has been introduced with fun workshops on creating composte from kitchen waste and growing your own vegetable garden, conducted by Edible Routes. Entry to the event is ticketed to ensure a safer environment for families with children, but participation in these fun activities is free once inside.

The 2nd edition of Kids Culinaire is planned on 20^th and 21^st February at PSOI gardens, Nehru Park, Chanakyapuri.

Partners- Delhi Times, Mcvities, Nutella, Philips, Tropicana 100%, Quaker, Aquafina, Creambell, Fortis, NDTV Foods, Event Faqs, Delhi Events, Delhi Food Walks, Kathashala, Wordswork and the Altitude Store.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on December 12, 2015

Baldev Dhaba

Keema Mutton at Baldev Dhaba

By Anubhav Sapra

Where – GTB Nagar Bus Depot

Sweden se aaya mera dost! My foodie friend, who is also a neighbor, runs an Indian food truck in Sweden. Ever year, around Diwali, he visits his family in Delhi. However, more than this, I believe his visit is more about experimenting at newly opened eateries and catching up with the old ones. The other day, we met and discussed the food in Delhi at great length. After a brief question-answer session, he took me to ‘Baldev Dhaba’ at GTB Nagar Bus Depot.

The place is rustic. The dhaba is on the pavement. At one end, stands Baldev and his brother Kishan with a big Patila of keema mutton and at the other, are the benches. It was great to see the hungry souls, majority being bus and auto drivers, sitting and screaming with rejoice, for a plate of keema mutton and tandoori rotis. This place made me recall another eatery that used to be in Ghanta Ghar by the name of ‘Moti Dhaba’ where we used to devour keema gravy with innumerable rotis. Unfortunately, Moti Dhaba is closed but Baldev is running in full force.

The dhaba was started in 1960 by Late Narayan Das Sachdeva and later his two sons Baldev and Kishan took over it and introduced the most popular dish, ‘Keema Mutton’ in 1974.

The keema mutton is priced at Rs 140- 2 pieces of mutton in a small plate are served with rotis. After gobbling up over 10 rotis, all we had to pay was a meager Rs. 30. Over a plate of mutton, Baldev sprinkles some homemade garam masala and serves it straight to the soul with crispy tandoori rotis. Even though the gravy appears to be very spicy, being bright red in color, the spices were just right. The red colour is just a result of the tomatoes used to make this flavourful dish. The minced mutton gravy with pieces of mutton on bones was excellent.

Baldev dhaba also has vegetarian dishes- chana dal, matar paneer, kadi, rajma – all priced at Rs 20 for half a plate and the rotis are Rs 3 per piece.

I mopped the plate filled with gravy and came home satisfied discussing with my foodie friend about the myriad of new options in the food market. In the coming days, I am sure we are going to explore more! And eat even more!

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on November 29, 2015 November 30, 2015

HAZARI LAL JAIN KHURCHAN WALE

By Akshita Todi

ADDRESS- 2225, Kinari Bazar, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi,

TIMINGS- 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. (Sundays half day)

As I ventured into the winding streets of Chandni Chowk- Delhi’s throbbing market center which was first established during the Mughal rule, I experienced an overwhelming impact of the old Delhi charm. It was a bright summer morning, and the shops at Kinari Bazaar had not opened up yet, rendering the market quiet and unpeopled- a state which is diametrically opposite to its usual crowded, bustling atmosphere. Sequestered within the quiet narrow streets, a lone sweets’ shop was buzzing with activity, infusing the air with the smell of sweet condensed milk.

The shop was established in Kinari Bazar by the late Mr. Hazari Lal Jain 76 years ago and is currently managed by his son- Mr. Sunil Jain. It specializes in a variety of traditional milk-sweets like khurchan, malai laddoo, rabri, kalakand and gulab jamun. It also sells samosas with a filling made of a combination of peas, cashew nuts and raisins, as opposed to the usual potato filling for this is considered to be healthier. The shop is tiny and allows space for two stoves where large quantities of milk are boiled and condensed while 3-4 lungi clad men constantly engage themselves in the process of preparing the dishes. One of these men- Mr. Kalyan Singh- who has been working here for the past 26 years volunteered information about the shop freely, taking great interest in telling us about the preparation method for the shop’s speciality- Khurchan (meaning scrapings in hindi).

Khurchan is prepared by boiling milk for around 1- 1.5 hours. While the milk is boiling, the men use a thin twig to scrape off the layer of malai from the surface repeatedly. These scrapes are then layered with powdered sugar in a metal container. Khurchan has a very soft texture and the powdered sugar causes it to melt in one’s mouth. 3.5 liters of milk are required to prepare 0.5 kg of khurchan. The shop prides itself on using undiluted buffalo’s milk for making and selling dishes which form an essential part of the country’s traditional cuisine.

In the end, Mr. Singh decided to impart to me a precious few words of wisdom about my responsibility to the nation as an aspiring writer while he skillfully pulled out the malai off the surface of the boiling milk. His words brought home the reality of our country’s cultural condition whereby, men like him who strongly hold on to their tradition and make a living by selling the taste of this beloved tradition are simultaneously capable of an amazing sense of adaptability which allows them to endorse the idea of a strong nation with powerful women writers.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on October 19, 2015

12 Chittaranjan Park Eateries To Try This Durga Puja

With Durga Puja kicking off, there is no better time to visit this mini-Kolkata of South Delhi, where you can pay homage to the goddess as well as to Bengali cuisine. And if you think that all you’ll find are sandesh and fish dishes, you are very mistaken. Delhi Food Walks decided to take a little trip down the gallis of Chittaranjan Park (named after the patriot or deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das) to bust this myth and to guide you to the best places for delicious Bengali specialities. Most eateries in Market 1 are located in a single file; you can stop and sample as you walk down the lane and breathe in tantalising whiffs of mustard and fish.

Nearest metro station:Nehru Place from the Violet line and then auto ride to Market 2.

When to visit: After 6pm, for an evening of merriment!

Raju Puchka Wala

Location: Near Canara Bank, Market 1

We started off with puchkas (the Bengali iteration of golgappas) sold by Raju who hails from Bihar’s Kishanganj district. For the last 20 years, Raju has been delighting customers with fried wheat puchkas filled with a spicy mixture of jeera, coriander, black pepper, green chillies, potatoes and black chana (most golgappas in Delhi are filled with saunth and made of suji rather than wheat). He also sells a Bengali variant of the ubiquitous aloo chaat – aloo kabli is made of boiled potatoes, tamarind water, chickpeas, green chillies, onions, masala, and salt. Chaat lovers should also try the churmur, which is rather like a hybrid of puchkas and aloo kabli. It’s a tangy, crunchy and sweet concoction featuring chickpeas, tamarind water, boiled potatoes, crushed puchkas, green chillies, cilantro and black chana.

Ghughnee Wala

Location: Opposite Kolkata Biryani House, Market 1

At Shyamal Barua’s stall, the signboard advertises both momos and ghughnee, but it’s the latter that you’re really here for. Mr Barua proudly exclaims that his mother is the master chef behind the finger-licking ghughnee which he has been serving since 2003. An extremely popular snack in Bengal and in parts of Bihar and Orissa, ghughnee is a curry made of chickpeas (motor in Bengali) that are soaked in water overnight. There’s a veg version as well as one with minced mutton.

Kolkata Hot Kathi Roll

Location: Shop No 8, Market 1

We can forgive the owners for misspelling “kati rolls” as “kathi rolls”, a mistake made by most people outside of Kolkata where the dish originated at Nizam Restaurant; the word kati means skewers in Bengali and was applied to kebabs and then to kebabs wrapped in paranthas. You’ll find a wide range of mutton, chicken and paneer rolls here, but it also serves up prawn cutlets, veg chops, Mughlai paranthas, barbecued meats, shawarma and even a small selection of Chinese dishes among a host of other preparations. Don’t get too distracted, though – the rolls are what stand out, livened up by different sauces, including the mustard-and-raw-mango kashundi, a secret masala and chopped onions. Perfect.

Roll ‘N’ Roast

Location: Shop No 7, Market 1

This place is right next to Kolkata Hot Kathi Roll and provides head to head competition to its neighbour, serving many of the same dishes. Their menu claims “Delicious Start Right Here” and they aren’t far off the mark. They are famous for their Chinese specialities (let’s not forget that Kolkata is considered to be the birthplace of Indian-Chinese cuisine) as well as their chops and kobirajicutlets. We highly recommend the Chinese chat which comes with a variety of toppings and a choice of either noodles or rice. For just Rs 200, a non-veg platter will allow you to sample Schezwan chicken (our fave), lemon chicken, chilly chicken, garlic chicken, chicken wings, chicken Manchurian and sweet ‘n’ sour chicken. The veg platter, on the other hand, costs Rs 120 and includes veg Manchurian, chilli paneer, crispy chilli potato, crispy honey potato, and mix veg salt ‘n’ pepper.

Mad About Momos

Location: Near Evergreen Properties, Market 1

You’ll be spoiled for choice with the myriad types of momos served here — chicken, veg, paneer, soya, steamed, fried or tandoori. The beautiful little stall is made from bamboo sticks and also uses a traditional bamboo basket for steaming the momos – not a common sight in Delhi. It also differs from most other purveyors of momos in the city in that the dumplings are made of whole-wheat rather than white flour. Besides, have you ever seen momos shaped like a fish or a samosa? The fresh, hot momos are served with mayonnaise and a drool-worthy sauce made from butter, sugar, red chillies, tomatoes and onions. There are three other branches of Mad About Momos in Amar Colony, Central Market and Pocket 8 Vasant Kunj.

A N R Chakraburti’s Pakora Stall

Location: Near Kendra Bhandar, Market 1

The shop traces its origin to 1971, the time when Chittaranjan Park was just a piece of land allotted to displaced people from East Pakistan. For lunch, they serve rice served with either egg (Rs 40) or fish (Rs 60).

Their aloo chop (pronounced alloor chop in Bangla), bread pakoras, beguni , chop pakora, mirchi pakora and onion pakora make for perfect evening telebhajas (fried snacks), best enjoyed with a cup of hot tea.

Kamala Sweet Shop

Location: K-1/101, Market 1

Prabir Kumar Mukherji, the proud owner of Kamla Sweets, has been successfully operating for past 30 years. Here you can sample the quintessential misti doi (sweetened curd), available in traditional mud pots of different sizes (100gm to 1kg), as well as Bengal’s most famous dessert, sandesh (the “a” is pronounced as “o”) in different shapes, sizes and colours. Their conch- and fish-shaped sandesh are masterpieces and the steamed version (bhapa sandesh) guarantees love at first bite to the sweet-toothed. Other specialities on the menu include chum chum, dudh pulisita bhog, chandrapuli, rosogolla, bundi laddoo and lobongo lotika. You can also try chhena poda (Rs 500 for a kg), a caramelised cheese sweet that actually originated in Orissa. I you visit around breakfast you can also try savouries like khasta kachori, matar kachori and radhaballabhi (urad daal stuffed in a puri); they also make beetroot chops, a rare delicacy in this part of the country.

Vivek Tea Stall

Location: Behind Mother Dairy, Market 1

Don’t be deceived by the name. This game-changer of a stall not only serves tea or “cha” but also cold coffee with ice-cream and dry fruits, hot coffee (pick from Nescafe, Bru and Davidoff), hot chocolate Bournvita and a variety of teas — lemon, tulsi (green), Arabian, jasmine, among others.

The best part about this ‘cha’ stall is that you can have your tea customised to your taste. His lemon cha was the highlight for us – it contains a flavourful medley of amla, black salt, black pepper, jeera syrup and Hajmola that will cause an explosion of flavours in your mouth.

Vikas Bishwas — Jhaal Muri Waala

Location: Market 2

His fame speaks for itself as crowds throng his stall. With a genial smile on his face he tells us that he been known as the jhaal muri wala of CR park for the past 12 years. Hailing from Krishnanagar in Kolkata, Vikas started off as a shopkeeper at Annapurna Sweets, but now specialises in all things tangy and spicy. He reels off his specialities in a breathless monotone: ghugni, ankur chaat, aloo kabli, bhel puriand, of course, jhaal muri which he sells for Rs 20 only. Do try his mouthwatering mutton ghugni – a hot chickpea curry with minced mutton served with a garnish of onion, tomato and cucumber.

Annapurna Sweet House

Location: Shop No 38, Market 2

A former accountant at Shaw Wallace, Mr Benoy Majumdar, has been running this place since 1984. Their star dishes include chhena jalebi(a jalebi made of cottage cheese instead of flour and with a taste quite similar to a gulab jamun; Rs 140/kg); the enticing jal bhara sandesh(a sandesh with a liquid centre); kheer puli (a doughy sweet dish made predominantly of kheer that melts in your mouth like a soufflé; Rs160/kg).
They also serve every Bengali’s favourite breakfast dish – radhaballabhi, a puri stuffed with dal and veggies.
Want further proof of their popularity? They often stay open well past the closing time of 10pm because the orders just don’t stop coming.

Dadu Cutlet Shop

Location: Shop No 9, Market 2

Opened by Narender Mistri, affectionately called Dadu, in 1992, the shop is now managed by his son Shyam Mistri. Their fried bhetki fish is fried to crisp perfection (the audible crunch as bite in is evidence) and their famous egg devil chop is sin on a plate: hardboiled egg filled with cooked egg yolk and potato all wrapped up in crispy bread crumbs. The Mughlai paranthas are yummy too, and their samosas (calledsingharas) contain a unique filling dominated by coconut and chickpeas.

Maa Tara Restaurant

Location: Shop No 45, 46, 47, Market 2

Located in the back alley of the market, this small restaurant specialises in authentic Bengali cuisine. Subhrojit, the son of the owners — Manju and SR Dutta, who are originally from Kolkata — proudly narrates the story of how his parents set up the restaurant about 19 years ago. The Maa Tara Special Thali consists of an assortment of dishes, out of which the mutton kasha shines out. Paired with luchi (puffy flour bread), the tender meat with just the right balance of spices will leave you asking for more. The mustard fish curry stands out too. Fish lovers can choose from pomfret, ilish, chitol, rehu and more — all for under Rs 400. Vegetarians must try the postor bada – a pakora with poppy seeds.

Image Courtesy: Mehak Dhawan and Sabhyata Badhwar

(With inputs from Neha Chandra and Kawal Chandhok)

“A collaborative project of Delhi Food Walks and Spoon University on Delhi Street Food Series that brings you the best of both worlds- expertise and love for food.”

This article was published in Huffington Post India- http://www.huffingtonpost.in/delhi-food-walks/12-chittaranjan-park-eate_b_8318836.html

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on September 10, 2015 September 10, 2015

ITO ke Mashur Fruit Cream

ITO Ke Mashur Fruit Cream

By Rhea Jose

In Delhi, there is so much of history and culture mixed up with the food. An intrinsic part of the charm of Delhi’s streets is its food. Various places in Delhi narrate many stories through the overwhelming variety of street food that they offer. They’ll inspire you to pull out your cameras, explore new ways, and sometimes, even get into the kitchen and recreate.

One such place I recently explored is the famous “Income tax canteen wale” at the ITO lane on Azad Bhawan Road. This place has been serving chilled fruit cream since the past 46 years. It was started by Shri Amarnath in 1969 at the CR building, ITO lane. It was shifted to this spot 4 years back and, today it is run by Vinod Kumar and his brother. The fruit cream is delicious and gives you a very authentic ‘So Delhi’ taste! The cream shake is made with Mango, Banana, Papaya and apple (seasonal) which are churned together with separate cream and ice to make it into a smooth cream. It is then garnished with tutti frutti. This refreshing homemade sweet-dish is made by Vinod ji himself. The fruit cream is a perfect delight on a summer day!

In summers, on an average, 300-350 customers visit this shop daily, and in winters the count comes down to 200. People who are on a fast often have this to subside their hunger buds. It comes in various sizes of Rs. 20, 30, 40 and 50 respectively. If ever you happen to be in ITO, then definitely give this amazing dessert a try! And yes, not to forget, Sundays are off for Vinod Ji too!

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on August 24, 2015 August 24, 2015

Chaayos

CHAAYOS

By Ritika Dhawan

With all the quirkiness surrounding Hauz Khas Village, there is a new member in the neighbourhood – CHAAYOS. It has just been a month and people are already loving this place which promises to serve a good cup of tea every time you walk in .

As you start walking into the colourful lane of Hauz Khas Village, on your left a bright big green door catches your attention and the minute you walk in, a characteristic aroma of freshly brewed tea will greet you. Sack cloth covered seating , big windows, ‘for the love of chai’ posters gracing the walls and lampshades made out of traditional chai glasses add up to the great ambience.

As you start going through the menu, you are spoilt for choice as they have a variety of teas- speciality teas, classic teas and the best one ‘meri walli chai’, which gives you the option to customize your tea according to your taste. There are 12 add ons for the ‘meri walli chai’ alone. Classic teas include the green tea, English breakfast tea , Darjeeling first flush and many more. The speciality teas range is something to look out for, with flavours such as Moroccan mint and aam papad chai, they truly stick up to their motto ‘Experiments with Chai’.

The people behind this creative venture are Nitin Saluja and Raghav Verma, two IIT graduates who wanted to preserve and flourish the heritage of chai addas. Be it tulsi chai, paani kam chai, adrak wali chai or even a hari mirch chai, they make sure that everyone can sip a perfect cup of tea in a cosy environment. With their increasing popularity, they are set to open many more outlets in the coming months. Talking about their favourite cup of tea, marketing and business development head Raghav Verma loves his hari mirch(green chilli) chai. These ever smiling faces of the owners show how proud they are of their creation.

If chai is not enough for you, they have a variety of delectable sandwiches available for you to binge on. A highly recommended item on their menu is the Chocolate Bun. A crisp, toasted bun layered with chocolate hazelnut spread will make you drool and leave you asking for more. Their hari mirch chai is worth trying, when you take a sip the flavours of adrak, cinnamon and elaichi take over your senses but suddenly you get this kick of green chilli which makes this chai a master creation. We recommend that with every visit of yours to Chaayos, try every combination on their menu and be experimental with this favourite beverage amaongst Indians.

Looking for a place with a cosy environment, to sit and chat with your friends over rounds and rounds of chai – Chaayos is a pit stop.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com