old delhi eateries – Delhi Food Walks

Posted on March 18, 2018

Haji Mohd. Hussain Fried Chicken

Jama Masjid is quite a delight for people looking for authentic street food of Delhi. The aroma of different kababs, parathas, mithais have served as crowd puller since time immemorial and one such gem of Old Delhi is Haji Mohd. Hussain Fried Chicken. Since 40 years, the modest eatery is serving some of the finest fried chicken in Delhi.

The mouth-watering Mughlai preparations are every non-veg lover’s dream come true. The chicken is first marinated in different spices, and then half-fried. The marination lends the perfect balance of spices in the juicy and tender chunks. The person who fries the chicken legs even checks the chicken piece with his hands to ensure the piece is well- fried and not undercooked.

When served, the portion comes with spicy chutney, green chillies and raw onions. The chicken has a crunchy outer and is super-juicy inside. It is complemented well with rumali roti, onions and tangy chutney.

For maximum crispness, the chicken is cut into small pieces to be fried in huge pan of boiling oil. They fry the half done chicken again before serving. Double frying the chicken results crunchy outside and moist and tender inside.

Don’t expect a very hygienic environment or an upscale service, as it serves in a small shop but offers lip smacking food at reasonable rates. Haji Mohd. Hussain Fried Chicken lies in the vicinity of Jama Masjid and opens by 11 in the morning and serves till 11 at night.

There is no seating available. One has to stand and eat or mostly people prefer to get these delicious treats parceled for home. The moist and tender delight would is sure to impress all chicken lovers in town.

A must try dish for all.

Location : 113, Matia Mahal Road, Bazaar Matia Mahal, Jama Masjid, New Delhi

Cost for two : Rs 300

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Posted on March 17, 2018

Khan Omelette Corner

Omelettes are the right choice of food at any hour of the day. Be it breakfast, lunch, evening snacks or early dinner. Omelette is a delicious breakfast delicacy prepared by shallow-frying beaten eggs added with grated cheese, diced onions, green chilies, coriander leaves etc. seasoned with salt, ground black pepper and served hot with brown bread.

A heaven like place for eggetarians and foodies, is Khan Omelette Corner- a small roadside shop standing between the busy market of Lal kuan and Fatehpuri, Delhi.

Khan Omelette Corner is known for its superbly flavorful Cheese Omelette. This place will change your perception of a variety of dishes that you can whip out off a humble egg. This food joint offers its visitors a lot of variety to choose from.

Moreover menu is designed for all type of food lovers and the best example is diet omelette for the ones who don’t want add more fat in their healthy preparation. Their light and fluffy omelette is made with egg white of 3 farm/desi eggs prepared in olive oil and served with brown bread.

Best part of Khan Omelette corner is the use of raw spices. Another unique preparation as the desi omelette loaded with cheese slice, in-between and above. Don’t miss their lip smacking desi Egg Omelette.

We bet that one visit to this flavorsome place will make you fall in love with khan’s omelette. A combination of excellence and experience of making egg dishes is the reason which makes “Khan Omelette Corner” a popular stop for all the egg lovers.

Location : 48, Katra Bariyan, Lal Kuan, Near Fatehpuri Masjid, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi

Cost for Two : Rs 150

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Posted on March 14, 2018 March 21, 2018

Kuremal Mohanlal Kulfiwale

Kulfi, a typical Indian frozen dessert which needs no occasion to be relished. Me and my friends were wandering in old delhi in search of the best kulfi and had to stop by Kuremal Mohanlal Kulfiwale in Chawri Bazar.

The iconic Kulfi shop prepares delicious kulfis inside whole fruits. Is it fruit or kulfi? That’s one question that keeps everyone wondering as they indulge in this lovely concoction at this shop in Old Delhi.

Kuremal Family have been serving quality Kulfi, since 1908. It was founded by Pandit Kuremal, he learned the art of making Kulfi from a Old Delhi’s Halwai at the age of 14. He started his business on the cart with two basic flavours i.e. Mango and Plain Rabri Kulfi and expanded his business gradually with time.

Today their family owns two shops with name of Kuremal Mahavir Prasad Kulfi Wale, and Kuremal Mohan Prasad Kulfi Wale in the same street of Kucha Pati Ram. The outlet might be a basic one, but the preparations are mouth-watering. They have a variety of kulfis on their menu including milk based and juice based kulfis.

When we asked for their specialty, we were served a nicely-cut plate of stuffed-mango kulfi . Stuffed Mango Kulfi is one of their best sellers and the way of serving the kulfi is quite interesting. They use Alphonso mangoes for this delicious treat. The process is not simple as it is made by deseeding a whole mango which is then filled with Rabri and Plain kulfi. After the frozen process over, its skin is peeled away and served to the customers waiting in the queue.

This place serves more than 30 varieties of kulfis, which are broadly divided among Rabri Kulfi cream, Kulfi Julpeps, Tila Kulfi, Stuffed Kulfi, and some other specialties. These kulfis are not just loved by Delhiites but are a nation-wide rage.

The sweet delicacy is a must have in Delhi’s scorching summer. So what are you waiting for? head to this amazing shop today!

Location : Shop No. 1165- 66 Chawri Bazar, Sitaram Bazar Road, Kucha Pati Ram, Old Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi 110006

Cost for two : Rs 200 (Approx)

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Posted on March 13, 2018 March 13, 2018

Jain Coffee House

We often eat butter or jam toast or fruits for breakfast. But have you ever thought combining all these things in your sandwich? Sounds like a crazy idea right! But a little coffee house nestled in the narrow lanes of Chawri Bazar did not just try the formula, but the very unique combination also became their biggest USP. Trust me guys this fruity version of sandwich is a treat to the soul.

Jain Coffee house has been serving traders of Chawri Bazaar since 1948 with tea, coffee, sandwiches, shakes and the ultimate and the unique fruit sandwiches. I am sure, you cannot find such sandwiches in whole Delhi.

It is a very small shop in the corner. With just 2-3 tables and 5-6 stools to sit on. The place is run by two brothers and they usually get bulk orders for club sandwiches along with tea from the traders but their fruit sandwiches are to die for.

The taste of those fresh fruits along with butter and a little jam is simply marvelous. They use fruits that are available in the season like mango for summers. They have a wide range of fruit sandwiches from chiku, banana, pineapple to mixed fruit sandwiches.

The sweet variety has two slices of bread layered with two or three fruits, of your choice, cheese slices, kesar chutney, almond butter, paneer and fruit powder,this he told me is specially ordered from Bangalore.

On the other hand, the namkeen sandwich has paneer, tomato slices, coriander leaves, green chillies and salt with fruit. You can pick from pineapple, mango, banana, black and green grapes, apples and plums depending on the season.

They also serve various milkshakes, Tea and coffee. Sometimes I wonder that these small joints serve better coffee than any expensive cafe.

Apart from great taste, these sandwiches are pocket friendly and satisfy your taste buds and makes you go to your happy place.

Want to try something new and crazy, visit Jain coffee house for a uniquely delightful experience.

Location : 4013, Raghuganj, Near PNB ATM, Chawri Bazar, New Delhi

Cost for Two : Rs 150

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Posted on January 25, 2018

Hira Lal Chaat Corner

From past 100 years, this little joint is serving variety of delicacies. This place claims to invent a chaat. Surprisingly its neither deep fried nor oily. It is rather refreshing and healthy, as it’s all fruit. Don’t confuse this with any normal fruit chaat, Kulliya Chaat is no ordinary chaat.

Asking about the idea of kulliya chaat, the owner said, One day I was experimenting by hollowing out the potato and filling it with spices and lemon juice, it tasted nice and I started selling it along with our other items.

The word Kulliya is suppose to have been named after the “Kullhad”. Kuliya or Kulle is fruit and vegetable cups that are scooped out of its flesh and then filled with flavored stuffing. The Kulliya Chaat is a quintessential street food sold in Old Delhi.

This wonderful edition of Fruit Chaat is great in taste and has an impeccable flavor. The fruits induces freshness, while tangy Chaat Masala gives it a marvelous flavor.

Not to forget, the lemon juice balances the overall sweetness and makes it more delicious. They add boiled Chickepeas and fresh Pomegranate seeds. The crunchiness of Pomegranate contrasts with the softness of fruit cups and gives it a zesty tang. As more and more customers appreciated this Kulliya Chaat, they experimented it further and added a whole new range of fruits and other ingredients to make the Chaat more flavorful.

Today, boiled potato can be substituted with sweet-potato, watermelon, apple, orange, banana or cucumber. The Chaat can be customized further and can be made extra spicy, tangy or a bit sour.

They serve various items which include pav bhaji, aloo chaat which is yet another popular item in their menu. Cube shaped potatos are fried twice for the crunchy texture and wonderful taste. Also they serve, burger but there’s a catch the tikki’s are made with sabudana which increases the health element as well as the taste.

So when are you going to chawri bazar, for the lip smacking and healthy kulliya chaat?

Location : 3636, Gali Lohe Wali, Chawri Bazar, New Delhi

Cost for two – Rs 100 (Approx)

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Posted on December 5, 2015 December 5, 2015

Kashmiri Kebab Wala

By Anubhav Sapra

Where – T-point Phatak Teliya, Turkman Gate

The raging debate on ‘intolerance’ in the country has taken the country by storm. However, far away in foodie land what remains unaffected is the food of Old Delhi. Such a relief! The buff kebabs are grilled to be savoured by the food lovers of Delhi without any discrimination.

A family from East Pulwama, Kashmir has been selling buff kebabs for the past 74 years in Turkman Gate, at a temporary set up, near the scrap market. Every winter, towards the end of November, this family travels to Delhi to sell kashmiri kebabs, just for four months. The shop which is open between 12 noon to 10 pm is located at the T-point of Phatak Teliya, Turkman Gate.

Started by Ghulam Mohd, the little shack is now run by the father son duo- Md. Yusuf and Md. Bilal. His other two sons- Mustafa and Sameer sell the same Kashmiri kebabs at Motor Market, opposite Jama Masjid. Md. Yusuf sits besides the scrap of photostat machines with a grill and a small fan to churn the buff kebabs. While Bilal puts the minced meat over the skewer, Yusuf grills it to perfection.

From young to old, Yusuf seems to be everyone’s favourite. The bond is so strong that any localite, if in Kashmir, stays at Yusuf’s place. When I reached there, I saw a kid relishing kebabs straight from the skewers. Within few minutes, another man came who asked this kid to recognize Yusuf bhai. I have captured the joy of this little one relishing kebabs in a video as well (obviously, with his due assent and the guardian’s consent to it). In the words of Yusuf, it is the “mohabbat” of the locals here that acts as a pull for his family to come every year in the winters.

The kebab is a bit different from the regular ones we get on the streets of Old Delhi. The keema is red in colour, not finely grounded, and contains fewer spices. Md Yusuf brings his own spices from Kashmir; in fact even the garlic and ginger are brought from Kashmir. The kebab is not soft or melt-in-mouth kind, but it is flavoured with finesse. I loved it to the core and for a moment, I could relate myself with the little boy who stood there relishing kebabs straight from the skewer. If I was an Old Delhi child, that would be me! A plate which costs Rs 10 is served with radish and green coriander sauce. One can always ask for Romali roll which is just Rs 13 per roll. A seekh kebab is rolled on a romali roti, doused with chutney and slices of radish to create a bundle of happiness.

There is another Kashmiri Kebab wala who sits at Bulbuli Khana in Jama Masjid. He works as a peon in a school in Kashmir and will be here in Delhi in another week to grill kebabs for the locals. Eagerly awaiting his arrival as I dream of kebabs!

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 July 17, 2015 July 17, 2015

Ghaseeta Pehalwan Pakodewala

By Anubhav Sapra

It has been my observation that Pehalwans are generally obsessed with food. And due to this inclination, they turn out to be real food entrepreneurs. Majority of them have opened restaurants and food joints across Delhi. I remember, Pehalwan Lassi Wala in Vijay Nagar, who offers their patrons a big glass of lassi with a thick layer of cream on the top, at just Rs 25. I used to rush to him after examinations at Delhi University. The Lassi was the only respite from the hangover of reading political philosophers day and night. In addition to its cooling effects, it also causes drowsiness and made me sleep for hours after that.

At Churiwalan, in Old Delhi, Pehalwan’s Changezi Chicken is a well known name. The most famous Butter Chicken Shop in Matia Mahal, Aslam Chicken Corner is owned by Aslam Pehalwan. Another shop owned by a pehalwan in Old Delhi – Ghaseeta Pehalwan sells amazing pakodas. Recently, rains became an excuse for me to visit the pakoda shop to savour some Kalmi Vada Pakoda.

Making one’s way through Paranthewali gali, one can arrive at the junction called Tiraha of Gali Paranthewali, Nai Sadak and Kinari Bazar. There, at the corner of Gali Heeranand is a small shop which tends to attract everyone with the delectable aroma of freshly made pakodas. The shop is famously known as Rajesh Pakodewala where the portrait of Ghaseeta Pehalwan in his traditional attire hangs on its wall. He is the third generation owner of the shop. His grandfather, 70 years ago, was the purana ghaseeta pehalwan. Interestingly, he started a new venture along with his wrestling profession, which was the pakode ki dukaan.

I tried moong ki dal ke pakode and kalmi vada. Although the chaat of Kalmi Vada can be found at many chaat joints in Old Delhi, the kalmi vada pakoda is quite rare to find. All the doubts are laid to rest right from the first bite. It is prepared using urad dal, ginger, green chillies, black pepper and other important spices. Kalmi vade ke pakode are made from chana dal. You also get amazing mix pakodas, stuffed with aloo or gobi, at Rs 20 per plate.

The pakodas are served in a dona with dhaniya and amchur chutney and aloo ki sabzi, with a heady aroma of heeng. Heeng is widely used as a substitute for Onion in Old Delhi. So, the ingredients at Ghaseeta Pehalwan’s shop include no onion, no garlic. The pakodas were crisp and fried to perfection. The batter of chickpea flour with spices was a perfect concoction that can be relished at the Pehalwan’s shop.

If you know any food joint owned by a wrestler or a pehalwan, do write to us at delhifoodwalks@gmail.com

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on June 30, 2015 June 30, 2015

11 Old Delhi Eateries You Must Not Miss This Ramzan

By Anubhav Sapra, Founder, Delhi Food Walks

Published in Huffington Post. Here is the link to the post- http://www.huffingtonpost.in/anubhav-sapra/11-musttry-iftar-eateries_1_b_7685156.html

In the holy month of Ramzan, Muslims from all over the world fast from dawn to dusk to come closer to God. Abstaining from food and drink during the day, the faithful Muslim may eat two meals a day – the pre-dawn suhoor and iftar at dusk.

During iftar, Old Delhi becomes a paradise for food connoisseurs. The lane opposite Jama Masjid – Bazar Matia Mahal – is filled with heady aromas from big heaps of keema samosas, vats of buffalo biryani, grilling botis and kebabs and hot paneer jalebi. To cool down, there are drums filled with Rooh Afza sherbet and dishes of dahi vada.

But with so many choices, where will you find the best feast? Here are 11 of my favourite iftar joints (some essentially nameless and known only by their specialities) in Bazar Matia Mahal.

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1. Kallan Sweets
Studded with framed newspaper cuttings of visits from India’s biggest chefs, Kallan Sweets overlooks one of the gates of Jama Masjid. Started by Mohd. Shaan in 1939, its doors stay open from 7am until midnight, with a break at 2pm to prepare a fresh batch of sweets and snacks for the evening. One of their specialties is the bright orange and thick paneer ki jalebi, which uses a cottage cheese paste in lieu of much of the flour that goes into the more common jalebi. It is extremely popular in Ramzan, along with other festive delicacies such askhoya samosa, keema samosa (shaped like gujiya and stuffed with minced meat) and paneer ke pakode.

Address: Shop no. 4-5, Jama Masjid, Gate no. 1, Matia Mahal.

2. Haji Mohd. Hussain Fried Chicken
Established 40 years ago, this shop has been dishing out fried chicken in Delhi far longer than KFC. I call it JFC – Jama Masjid Fried Chicken. The chicken is first marinated in different spices and chickpea batter, and then half-fried. For maximum crispness, the chicken is cut into small pieces to be fried in huge pan of boiling oil. The end result is crunchy outside, moist and tender inside. It comes served withrumali roti, onions and special tangy masala chutney.

During Ramzan, Haji sa’ab also sells keema goli, which are small balls made out of minced meat, and served with onion and chutney.

Address: 113, Bazar Matia Mahal, Jama Masjid.

3. Aslam Chicken Corner
This eatery is famed for its unique interpretation of the butter chicken, and has been a Walled City favourite for 18 years. The cooking technique includes a stint in the tandoor for the chicken before it is bathed in creamy gravy. The chicken pieces are first marinated in a special (and top secret!) combination of spices. A separate chulhas is used to heat large blocks of Amul butter which is then combined with curd and poured generously over the scrumptious chicken pieces. The melted butter seeps into the chicken thereby softening it and the curd lends a tangy taste to the dish and cuts through the butter. The chicken is served in a steel container with a basket of rumali roti.

This Ramzan, Aslam Chicken Corner has also started offering chicken seekh kebabs, with a nice flavour of green chillies and Amul butter.

Address: 540, Bazaar Matia Mahal, Jama Masjid.

4. Kebabs at Qureshi, Lallu Kebabi, Bhaijaan And Kale Baba
The iftar feast is incomplete without kebabs. Right opposite Gate No. 1 Jama Masjid are two well known kebabchis famous for seekh andboti kebabs – Qureshi Kebab Corner and Lalu Kebabe. Both of them make excellent kebabs of buff smeared with Nutralite, onions, and spicy chutney.

The new entrant, Bhaijaan Kebabs in Chitli Qabar sells fibrous shammi kebabs deep fried in oil. Another kebab shop in Sui Walan, Kale Baba ke Kebabs, is popular for their sutli kebabs – these are so soft, they have to be held together with a twine of thread. You actually have to hold the thread tied over the kebab from one end, and it spreads on your plate, when unfolded. Sutli kebabs are served on a green leaf, with radish and mint chutney.

Addresses: Qureshi Kebab Corner and Lalu Kebabe, Opposite Gate No. 1, Jama Masjid; Bhaijaan Kebabs, Shop No. 2202, Bazar Chitli Qabar, Opp. Flora Bakery; Kale Baba ke Kebab, Sui Walan, Chitli Qabar.

5. Changezi Chicken
Originally established as Hotel Maidah in 1986, the name of the shop was changed to Changezi Chicken in 1990 after their signature dish. Changezi chicken is served in a tangy gravy of yogurt, tomatoes and onion. The chicken is roasted separately in a roast machine by l-Halabi, a brand established in Dubai, and then shredded into boneless pieces by hand before it is put in the gravy. This dish is the brainchild of the founder of the shop, Mohd. Fazil, the Mr Delhi of 1971! You can also have beef biryani, paya, nahari and a multitude of chicken preparations at the many branches of Changezi Chicken. The restaurant occupies a long stretch on Churi Walan Gali and buzzes with customers during Ramzan as it remains open from 6pm-midnight.

Address: 2614, Churi Walan Jama Masjid, Delhi-06 and 3614, Netaji Subhash Marg, Daryaganj.

6. Laung Churey Kebab
A small stall outside the Hamdard shop in Chitli Qabar sells something that vegetarians are delighted by: laung churey kebab, made from besan, aata and onion. There are three varieties – fried, kebabs which are soaked in water after frying and long vegetarian seekhs, all of which are made in a small shop nearby. These kebabs are served with chutney of red chillies, amchur, salt and garam masala. The shop was run for 15 years by Mujahid and his son Mohd. Nurshid took over six years ago. For Rs 20 a plate, this is one deal vegetarians cannot pass on.

Address: Outside Hamdard shop in Chitli Qabar, Jama Masjid.

7. Cool Point
Established 25 years ago by Muhammad Zahid, the place is currently managed by his son, Zohaib. Cool Point is mainly famous for its shahi tukda (bread deep fried in pure ghee and then dipped in thick cream and sugar syrup) and phirni (a mouthwatering dessert of milk and crushed rice served in clay containers). Cool Point is also known for its kesar milk, badam milk, lassi and mango and vanilla ice cream.

Address: 973, Bazar Matia Mahal, Jama Masjid.

8. Nawab Qureshi’s watermelon shake
A much frequented food cart or thela belongs to Nawab Qureshi, originally from Uttar Pradesh, who sells a refreshing drink during the hot summer months (he sells fruit in winter). Fondly called “Pyaar Mohabbat Mazaa” (affection, love, fun), this drink costs just ₹ 10 per glass, and is indeed filled with love and fun. The pink concoction is made from fresh Amul milk (cartons of which are stacked on top of each other in his cart) and Rooh Afza, a typical drink of the summers. Qureshi adds a twist to this by adding freshly cut watermelon cubes for crunch and a fresh taste.

Address: Pyaar Mohabbat Mazaa is available all summer long at Nawab Qureshi’s stall in front of 1149, Matia Mahal, near Jama Masjid, Delhi-110006.

9. Ameer Sweet House
Ameer Sweet House, decorated with pictures and framed articles about its founder, has been selling sweet and savoury food for about 100 years. Managed by Haji Zafruddin, the shop sells special dishes like keema and khoya samosa during Ramzan, from 4-7pm. You will find mouthwatering sweets like balushahi, besan ke laddu, chamcham and gulaab jamun , as well as chhole bhature and pakoras.

Address: 957, Haveli Azam Khan, Bazar Chitli Qabar, Jama Masjid.

10. Pehalwaan Biryaniwale
Pehalwaan Biryaniwale, also known as Biryani Mirch Masala, is right opposite Ameer Sweet House in Haveli Azam Khan. The owner, Haji Mohd. Anwar, opens up at 5pm and sells biryani right until 2am. He also sits outside in Chitli Qabar Chowk for an hour in the night. The meat, marinated in salt and chillies, is cooked separately and added to the rice. After adding masala, the dish is cooked on low heat (on dum) in a big tub covered with cloth. This type of biryani does not need complementary dishes like raita and the smell itself is enough to make your stomach growl.

Address: Shop no. 701, Haveli Azam Khan, Chitli Qabar, Jama Masjid.

11. Gur ka Sharbat at Pahadi Imli
A small shop in the corner of Moholla Pahadi Imli sells a novel and refreshing drink: gur ka sharbat. The jaggery is brought from Ajmeri Gate Market and is kept soaked in water in a big container. The brass spoon used to mix the two is as old as the shop itself, which was established in 1947. Akhil Ahmed, the son of a watch-seller in front of Fatehpuri Masjid, has seen the price of this drink go up from 1 paisa to ₹ 5 a glass. The shop opens at 8am and serves the drink until stocks last.

Address: Corner of Pahadi Imli, Chitli Qabar, Bazar Matia Mahal.

Pictures by: Yatin Arora, Kusha Saini

Delhi Food Walks organizes food expeditions to relish the food culture of Delhi and interact with the fellow food enthusiasts. For details, visit our Facebook page. And if you wish to join DFW’s Ramzan (Iftar/Sehri) Walk, e-mail us at delhifoodwalks@gmail.com.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com