December 2013 – Delhi Food Walks

Posted on December 31, 2013 April 26, 2015

Dilli ke Pakwan Festival

By Prerna Sinha

This street food festival organized by the Delhi Tourism from 23 – 29 Dec’13 was an experience, back to back stalls for kilometers, and free entry, what else does a foodie need?

The fest, organized at Baba Khadak Singh marg appeared so colourful and happy, visited by thousands of people from all walks of life- children, students, professionals and elders, everyone turned up to satiate their taste buds. Stalls serving street food had decked up the whole area- Rajasthani, Punjabi, Bihari, Mughlai, South Indian, you name it and you could savor on it.

Sweet, Spicy or sour every delicacy was yummy, carrying the traditional touch from its area of origin, be it Changezi Chicken, Daulati Chaat or Moong dal kepakore. Menu from different stalls covered wide range of food from the states. Stalls from Rajasthan tempted people into trying Daal bhaati choorma, moong dal ke pakode, pyaazkikachori, kesariyajalebi. The stalls serving fish and Changezi chicken were some of the most popular ones since the non vegetarian food stalls were lesser in number than vegetarian food.
Typical street food from Delhi included scrumptious chhole bhature, mashhooor cheele, tikki chaat, soya chaap and bread pakore. The variety of food presented from different parts of the country was incredible.

A very successful fest, gave Delhiites the reason to come out of home and taste the traditional food from across the country at one place. People also looked at this as an opportunity to spend time with family, friends, away from the monotony of life and thoroughly enjoyed it, with bright sun!

We look forward to more fests of the kind in future.

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 December 31, 2013 April 26, 2015

Street Food Festival

Street Food Festival-2013

A joke that has been doing the rounds recently is that, the 3rd National Street Food Festival organised by The National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) in Delhi was a bigger hit than Dhoom 3! Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was declared HOUSEFUL.

The three day event which began on 20th December and lasted till the 22nd of December, witnessed a footfall of almost 18,000 people. The catchphrase of the gastronomic affair was ‘Swad hai, Romanch hai, Street Foods ki Baat hi kuch aur hai’.

Street food vendors from all across India had come to participate and flaunt their regional speciality. The event was organised by NASVI in order to promote, professionalise and brand street foods. It was also aimed at influencing the policy makers in order to transform the usually ignored genre into a secure zone.

The entry fee was merely Rs.30 and totally, worth it all. Stalls from Chandigarh, U.P., Bihar, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Assam and host state Delhi were seen. The fest had something for everybody. The ones having a sweet tooth indulged themselves in desserts like jalebi- rabri and kulfi, while the hard core vegetarians found sarsoon ka saag with makke ki roti to their delight. There were ample options even for the non-vegetarians; there were seekh kababs, chicken tikka, mutton and chicken korma, biryani, fish tikka and so much more. The list can go on.

The first stall that caught my eye was of Bihar. Their speciality ‘littli chokha’ was a popular demand. Litti, a small naan- like thing is made with flour and a ‘sattu’ stuffing and is served with potato curry or a non-veg curry.

Chicken tikka rolls from the Mughlai Cuisine stall were next on my plate. Amazingly soft and perfectly barbecued tikkas tasted heavenly with the green chutney and lemon. The roll was worth Rs. 80/-

The Tamil Nadu stall had Tamarind Rice, Pyaaz pakodas and puddu to offer. I tried the puddus which were cute rice balls. Made of rice, peas, chopped onions and green coriander, they were served with green chutney and sadly, were not so tasty as they looked.

The famous Mysore Pak from Mysore was also a hit with the people.

I then jumped to the Punjab Stall which offered amazing chicken and sarsoon ka saag. It was served traditionally with makke ki roti.

The aloo bada at the Chandigarh Stall was also popular among the visitors. It was a different kind of bread roll, one can say, without the bread of course. The stuffing was similar, that of mashed potatoes and tasted similar too.

The jalebi rabri was the best one I have ever had. The jalebis were crispy, aptly sweetened and tasted very delicious with the creamy rabri.

The Lucknow stall also had interesting dishes on its menu. It had Mughlai Biryani and Boti Kabab for all. The Biryani was amazing. The rice was soft, pleasant and nicely coloured.
Street food is a carrier of culture and heritage and festivals like these help us revive this truth.

My experience at the fest was wonderful. There was so much to explore, so many foodies to meet, so much love to share!

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on December 25, 2013 April 26, 2015

GIANI’S

GIANI’S

ADDRESS: Church Mission Road, FatehPuri, Delhi- 110006

CONTACT NO: 9210318644

For all the figure conscious people, let me tell you Old Delhi is not the place for you. Why so? Let me tell you!

An abode of the heavenly gods of taste, delicacy and food!This is what Old Delhi is all about.Simply after every 5-6 shops in the area, you will find an eating joint. Your shopping can never be complete without munching some or the other street food here. You will walk for a metre or two and you will find chaat- waalas, kachoris, jalebis and so much more all around the place.

Chandni Chowk shopping area is one such place where you can’t help but dig in some great food. From sweets to snack, it has it all. Giani’s food corner is a small eatery en route Fatehpuri. One has to turn right from the T-point at Shahi Majid, Fatehpuri. This outlet is the original Giani’s and it has many branches all across Delhi. Giani’s originally started as an ice cream corner, but now they have extended their menu to Chole Bhature, Chole Chawal, Lassi and a few more things. Not a very long menu to choose from though, but whatever the joint offers, it is worth it.

The most popular thing offered her is the rabri falooda, which is actually vermicelli floating in rabri and a lot of crushed ice in a large glass.

I started my meal with a plate of lip-smacking chole bhature and with a glass of lassi. The bhature were crispy outside and soft inside. They were stuffed with little paneer(cheese) and that certainly added to the taste. The chole were not very good, they were a little undercooked. Lassi was served in a kulad, i.e. a container made of mud. The lassiwas outstanding, with the thick layer of cream on it and the smooth texture. It was cold with the perfect amount of sweetness.

For those who have a sweet tooth, there is more that Giani’s offer. You can choose to have ice cream or Rabri Falooda or both for that matter! I preferred the much talked about rabri falooda, which was nothing less than heavenly. They give a big glass full of rabri. Rabri “is a sweet, condensed milk based dish made by boiling the milk on low heat for a long time until it becomes dense and changes its colour to pinkish. Sugar, spices and nuts are added to it to give it flavour. It is chilled and served as dessert”.

The prices, like most restaurants in Old Delhi are economical. The chole bhature cost around Rs. 60 per plate, the lassi is around Rs.30 and the rabri falooda cost nearly Rs.60. A nice and filling meal for two can be had within Rs.400.

The ambience is not very luxuriant, but a decent one. It can get a 7/10. The chole bhature would certainly get a 7.Lassi was 10/10 for me. The creamy texture is still there in my mouth. And the rabri falooda of course, it would score an 8.5 on my scorecard.

The overall experience was good, but I would highly recommend the rabri falooda for all the sweet lovers.

Happy eating!

Foodie Correspondent:Kashish Badar

Photo Credit:PiyushNagpal

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on December 13, 2013 April 26, 2015

Culinaire

By Poorva Shourie

While I was growing up, like most Indians, my palate was very restricted – it usually ran wild at the thought of Indian or Continental food. I never really understood why people around me liked Chinese so much and Thai was a concept alien to me.

Till very recently I refused to recognize food from the East as a cuisine that would satisfy my taste buds; until I started my first internship.

My ex – coworker was obsessed with Chinese and Thai food and invariably most of our meetings were fixed at Oriental restaurants. My stint at company and thus with the co worker ended shortly but what lingered was my extreme fondness for her beloved cuisine.

Now I am not saying that I can have Chinese every day. No! Thank you. But whats surprising is my sudden and out-of-the-blue craving for Chinese or Thai food every now and then.

Like today, for example, while I write this article, I am babysitting my niece and I want nothing more than some well-cooked Thai Green curry accompanied with steamed rice.

And since I can’t go out (babysitting, you see) I decided to call my favorite take-out restaurant – Culinaire, in GK 2.

This little place started as a snacks joint/shack a few decades ago (I am not exaggerating here ) and it turned out the be THE place everyone in GK (and far beyond) call for some gastronomical happiness!

The food at Culinaire is scrumptious and the portions are generous.They serve Lebanese, Thai and Chinese. I sincerely feel that their Chinese and Thai surpasses their Lebanese. The Doner Kebab, for example, can not match up to the one at Arabian nights. The bread is too thick and the hummus – doesn’t taste like hummus.

However their Chinese and Thai – oh my!

It’s simple, straight to the point – an amalgamation of the right flavors. To put it simply, it is just wonderful.

I was never really fond of Thai food as pointed out earlier but Culinaire’s Thai Green curry is by far the best I have ever had. It’s light with a generous helping of bamboo shoots and baby-corn.

Culinaire has perfected most of the Chinese delicacies. The Schezwan sauce is easy on the palate – neither too hot neither too sweet, the oyster sauce is good, their dim-sums are delicious (only steamed not fried), the fried rice is a must try, their soups are authentic and their service is impeccable. Overall the experience is fulfilling for the tummy and light on the wallet.

Before I wrap up this article I would like to mention one thing – you can go to Culinaire, place your order, sit down and have your food, however in my opinion when the food is home delivered the experience is something completely different. According to me it smells delicious, it tastes better and somehow I feel their portion sizes are a little more generous during take out.

Thus the next time you are sitting and watching the Big Bang Theory (or babysitting) and Sheldon Copper orders his very famous Tangerine Chicken with Soy Sauce don’t just sit there salivating – pick up your phone and order a plate of goodness from Culinaire!

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on December 13, 2013 December 13, 2013

KHANA KHAZANA

-BY LOVLEEN KOCHAR

To calm my ever growling tummy I decided to head towards ‘Khana Khazana’ situated in the bustling Tughlakabad Institutional Area [nearest metro station Govindpuri].

The diner boasts of an ample space and a cosy-comfy ambience. I opted for the 1st floor seating area. After quickly settling down, I ordered ‘Chicken Tak Taka Tak’ for starters, fairly tagged with a price of Rs. 175.It was served in a very exquisite manner and tasted as delicious as it appeared on the platter. The juicy and properly cooked chicken, the right blend of spices to tickle your taste buds-made it a bingo for starters.The presentation, the taste, the chicken is bound to make your mouth water. They keep your tummy and pocket both happy by serving oodles of the dish.

P.S. You can have it for starters or can include it in the main course, as it goes well with Naan too.

Next up was ‘Shredded lamb in garlic sauce’. This dish comes under the non-spicy food category. It goes well with rice. Although the look was quite enticing, somehow it didn’t turn on my taste palate. Still it was an average dish. The quantity was satisfactory and it is valued at Rs. 210.

The showstopper of this restaurant has to be the TANKER. Tanker is a tub full of cold drinks (serves approx. 4 small glasses), and it compliments your entire meal perfectly. Priced at just Rs. 80, I felt blessed!

Personally I don’t like oily food, and luckily I stepped in the right place. The scrumptious and flavoursome food will surely stuff your stomach but your heart will desire for more. The polite, amicable staff and the quick service give the place a coin of vantage. All in all, it’s a nice and delectable place to satiate your belly. This beanery offers a wide variety of veg as well as non-veg dishes, so it will take many more visits to try all their delicacies.

Recommendation: VALUE FOR MONEY and DEFINITELY WORTH A VISIT!!

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com