Delhi Food Walks

Posted on June 22, 2015

THE TOP 10 STREET FOOD DISHES OF DELHI AND WHERE TO FIND THEM

1. Samosas

The most popular snack and street food of Delhi. The origin of the samosa can be traced back to the Middle East, where it was known as sambosa. The vegetarian version consists of a plain flour covering stuffed with potatoes, lentils, green peas or cauliflower. Some even make it sweet by filling it with khoya (thickened whole milk heated in open iron pans) or chhena (fresh curd cheese made from water buffalo milk). The non-vegetarian version of the samosa comes with minced lamb or chicken fillings.

The good ol’ champion among Delhi samosas is the aloo samosa, filled with potato (aloo) and served with mint chutney and saunth (a mix of dry ginger powder and tamarind sauce). In Connaught place, mini samosas named after their small size are available on the pavements of the Barakhamba road. While The Embassy restaurant in Connaught Place boasts about the heaviest and most expensive samosa in the city.

Where to find the best ones?

Annapurna Sweets in CR Park.
Chaina Ram in Fatehpuri.

2. Momos

Photo: Anubhav Sapra

Who could’ve imagined that the most common food of Tibet and Nepal would become one of the most popular foods in Delhi? Over the past 10 years momokiosks have flourished all over the city. Momos are dumplings stuffed with a mix of vegetables, chicken, lamb, pork or buff. They are steamed and served with hot and spicy red chili sauce and mayonnaise. To suit the palates of Delhites, chaat masala (mix of hot and tangy spices) are also sprinkled over the steamed preparation.

Where to find the best ones?

Majnu Ka Tila.
De Paul’s in Janpath.

3. Aloo tikki

Photo: Anubhav Sapra

Simply put, aloo means potato and tikki means a patty or croquette. Aloo tikkisare fried potato patties stuffed with either just potatoes or lentils and green peas, served with coriander mint sauce and tamarind sauce. They have a crisp outside and a soft inside.

Where to find the best ones?

Natraj Dahi Bhalla in Chandni Chowk.
Bittu Tikki Wala outlets in Delhi.

4. Kebab

Photo: Anubhav Sapra

The most common kebabs are Seekh Kebab — minced mutton grilled on a skewer;Shami Kebabs — minced mutton or chicken with a paste of lentils are mixed with chopped onions, garlic, green chilies and fried in some butter; Galauti Kebabs —galauti literally means ‘to melt in the mouth,’ they are prepared by marinating the finely ground meat with unripe papaya and exotic spices and are later fried in butter.

Where to find the best ones?

Karim’s in Jama Masjid.
Moinuddin Kebabs in Ballimaran.

5. Golgappa

Photo: Anubhav Sapra

Golgappas are deep-fried delicacies made of whole wheat or semolina flour. The street vendors pinch a hole into the golgappa and add chopped cubes of boiled potato and mashed chickpeas with saunth chutney. They are then dipped into a bowl filled with spicy tangy tamarind or mint water. There are regional variations of golgappas within Delhi. In CR Park, the water is strictly made of tamarind and the fillings are made of mashed potatoes with chickpeas and spices. In other parts of the city, it is mostly mint water and the fillings are simply boiled potato cubes or chick peas.

Where to get the best ones?

Street vendors in CR Park.
Vaishnav Chaat bhandar in Kamla Nagar.

6. Chole Bhature

Photo: Anubhav Sapra

Chole bhature is a Delhi classic available in all the residential and office areas around town. It’s a puffed bread made of semolina or wheat flour, deep fried in clarified butter or oil, and sometimes stuffed with paneer (cottage cheese) or mashed potatoes. They are served with chickpeas cooked in whole spices, onion, green chilies and pickles.

Where to find the best ones?

Sitaram Diwanchand in Paharganj.
Chahcha ke chole bhature in Kamla Nagar.

7. Chole kulche

Photo: Anubhav Sapra

Chole kulche is relished by everyone, from school kids to office goers. Chole are boiled chickpeas and kulche is a white flour bread. This dish usually tastes different depending of the street vendor you choose, since everyone seems to have their own recipe. At some places, boiled chickpeas are garnished with onion, tomatoes, spices and lemon; some others add tamarind or dry mango powder chutney to the chickpeas.

Where to find the best ones?

Lotan ke chole kulche in Chawri Bazar.
Bhogal ke chole kulche near Scindia House in Connaught Place.

8. Chaat

Photo: Anubhav Sapra

The essential ingredients of chaat are yoghurt, onion, saunth (tamarind and dry ginger sauce or dry mango powder sauce) and a mix of spices. There are a lot of variants of chaat: Dahi Bhalla chaat are made of fried lentil balls soaked in yoghurt and topped with saunth, spices, pomegranate seeds and sev (small dried salty noodles). Papdi Chaat consists of little fried and crispy, flat-shaped wheat flour crackers with the same toppings as in Dahi bhalla. The other two commonchaats are aloo tikki chaat and samosa chaat. The only non-savoury chaat is theDaulat ki chaat, available only during the winter months in Old Delhi. It’s more like a dessert made with milk and cream whisked together.

Where to find the best ones?

Ashok Chaat Corner in Chawri Bazar.
Hira Lal Chaat corner in Chawri Bazar.
Daulat ki Chaat is available in the by lanes of Old Delhi during October to March.

9. Rajma Chawal

Photo: Anubhav Sapra

A typical Punjabi home-cooked dish, is also readily available in food carts across Delhi (mainly outside offices). Rajma is the curry made of red beans cooked in aromatic spices and served hot with steamed rice. Rajma chawal is highly nutritious and delicious as well.

Where to find the best ones?

Near the offices and shopping centers like Nehru Place, Shankar Market, KamlaNagar and Karol Bagh.

10. Kachori

Photo: Anubhav Sapra

Kachoris are made of white flour dough stuffed with a mixture of lentil paste and spices. This mix is fried and served with hot and spicy potato curry. Kachoris are usually served with tamarind sauce or coriander mint sauce, but some vendors serve them with a delicious mix of potato curry with asafetida in a slightly large amount.

Where to find the best ones?

Old Delhi has the best kachori joints in the city:
Jang Bahadur kachori wala in Maliwara.
Narayan das Halwai in Khari Baoli.

*THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN MATADOR NETWORK ON JUNE 16, 2015. HERE IS THE LINK TO THE ARTICLE- http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/top-ten-street-food-dishes-delhi-find/

Posted on June 15, 2015

ULTIMATE DESI TWIST

By Prakriti Bhat

I remember, as a kid, the only condiment that fitted with every kind of food was ketchup. I am not very fond of tomatoes but a veg cutlet or stuffed bread would be incomplete without tomato ketchup. Kissan has been a leading ketchup brand, spreading smiles since 1933. The company has a huge fan-base amongst children who swear by their jams, squashes and ketchups. Since ketchups are not very spicy, they compliment kids’ meals. Now, Kissan has launched two new flavours-‘Chilly Tomato’ and ‘Sweet & Spicy’ to tingle your taste buds.

What happens when two popular brands come together? They conjure a heavenly combination which has the best of both worlds. Kissan and Pizza Hut join hands to bring to you ‘The Ultimate Big Pizza’ spiced by Kissan Twist, which was unveiled at their Connaught Place branch. It is BIG in size and high on taste. And the best part-it is priced at a decent rate of Rs.199 for vegetarian pizzas and Rs. 249 for non-vegetarian pizzas.

The event began with several interactive activities. Head Chef at Pizza Hut, Arjyo Banerjee demonstrated how a pizza is actually made and we got a rare opportunity to create our own pizzas! The next activity required people to be blindfolded and then identify different ingredients/toppings using their sensory organs. Chef Arjyo kept up everyone’s spirits with his jovial demeanour. It was a fun filled session.

The meal began with an array of drinks. Orange Spritzer was a rejuvenating cooler. It tasted a bit different from the regular drinks with the soda bringing a whole new element to it and had a citrus flavour. Other drinks included Masala Lemonade, Mojito and soft drinks. This was followed by a round of starters including different types of garlic bread. Pizza Hut is well known for its mouth watering, cheesy garlic bread. They, quite successfully, ‘twisted’ the regular garlic bread recipe by topping it with slices of chicken salami, staying true to their ‘ultimate twist’ theme.

What makes The Ultimate Big Pizza different? First of all, the crust is thinner than their widely popular Pan Pizza and enhances your experience since the focus is shifted from the base to the toppings and sauces. One bite into this delicious pizza is enough to lift your spirits. Moreover, the new Kissan sauces lend a tangy flavor to the pizzas. The vegetarian version of The Ultimate Big Pizza is blessed with generous toppings like paneer, corn, onions, olives and jalapenos while the non vegetarian version is topped with chicken keema, chicken sausage chunks, capsicum and paprika. These pizzas will in fact suit the children’s taste buds since they are not extremely fiery as the sauce maintains a balance of spices.

The meal came to a pleasing end with their chocolate dessert. Layers of chocolate sponge cake and whipped cream; it couldn’t get better than this! It looked bewitching as they used choco twisters to decorate the dessert. In fact, presentation of all the dishes was par excellence.

I know where I am heading this weekend. Do you?

Posted on June 12, 2015 June 12, 2015

Lights Camera Action

By Anubhav Sapra

In Khari Baoli, Pakodimal doodhwala used to sell excellent burfiwali lassi, which had a piece of burfi mixed in the yoghurt. His Mathura style lassi tastes similar in which the sweetness doesn’t come from added sugar but from the burfi. After he passed away a few years ago, I could not come across a better burfiwali lassi elsewhere in Delhi.

The other day, I went to Lights Camera Action (LCA), a new restaurant situated at B.K. Dutt Market in Rajouri Garden. I was extremely delighted to have been served the creamy, saffron colored, Mathura style burfiwali lassi. Although named Benarsi lassi sphere, it was flavored with the right amounts of kesar (saffron) and pista (pistachio) that simply burst in to the mouth tantalizing the senses and reminding me of UP. The lassi sphere which is served complimentary, reminded me of Pakodimal burfiwali’s lassi.

As the restaurant’s theme is Bollywood, the next complimentary dish that arrived on our tripod table was flavored popcorn (an intrinsic part of the movie watching experience). On the recommendation of Mr. Varun Puri, who is the proud owner of this restaurant, my food journey started with Rajnikant’s Early Morning Tea – a piping hot and spicy rasam. The presentation of the dish was quite engaging. The chai was served in a local dhaba style tea kettle with four glasses containing different ingredients – curry leaves as a substitute to tea leaves and coconut powder as a substitute to milk powder. The crushed curry leaves were added to the glass with coconut powder which formed oil on the sides. I enjoyed the preparation to the core.

The names of the dishes at LCA are quirky and interesting. Some of them are – “Main to tere pyaaz mein deewana ho gaya” (fried onion rings dusted with south Indian spices),“Bruceliii ki Broccoliii” (Broccoli marinated in Indian spices and cooked on charcoal), and some street delicacies – “sadak chaap momos” to combo meals – “Dhoodh ka dhoodh paani ka paneer” (A paneer dish with dal, breads and salad).

These days street food with a slight modern twist is becoming quite popular amongst restaurants and some of the food writers have explained this as the ‘café-isation’ of street food. At LCA, papdi dhokla chaat is served with a twist, named Hollywood Nitrogen Papdi Dhokla Chaat, it is a real treat to the eyes, as the presentation and serving is done right in front of the guests. Chef Arnav Puri makes the chaat by explaining every step patiently. The yoghurt and dhokla is frozen at -176 degrees using liquid nitrogen. The frozen crumbs of yoghurt is mixed with papdi, tamarind chutney, palak ka patta (spinach leaves), chopped boiled potato cubes then garnished with pomegranate seeds. At the top of it all, the frozen dhokla is crushed and mixed well in to the chaat. It was delightful to watch Chef Arnav in action!

The other dishes worth trying are – “Chammak Challo” which was an orange leafy salad with zesty dressings,“Pyaar tune Quesadillas” which is tortilla bread stuffed with cheese and sautéed vegetables in Kohlapuri spices and “Jhakaas Maska Pav bhaji” which is bhaji fondue with butter toasted pav.

The food journey which started with a molecular lassi sphere ended with a Social Media Coffee shake served in a ceramic glass with the logos of Facebook and Whatsapp imprinted on it.

Address – J2/6B, 3^rd Floor, BK Dutt Market, Rajouri Garden (walking distance from Rajouri Garden Metro Station)

Cost for two : Rs 1500

Posted on June 11, 2015 June 11, 2015

Brahmputra Market Street Food

Brahmaputra Market : the combination of chalk and cheese

By Priyanka Sharma

Brahmaputra Market, situated in Sector 29, Noida perceived as the “mini Chandni Chowk” by many is the quintessence of a food paradise. A large number of street food vendors dot the market place, so that you cannot step out of the area without pleasing your taste buds. This place is never without people at any point of the day. So if you are in a mood of munching something? Or not? This place is definitely going to get you spoilt for choice.

BP, as people call it in short, satisfies all sorts of cravings and serves a variety of food, be it spicy, tangy, sweet, hot, cold, frozen, healthy, unhealthy, north Indian, south Indian or Chinese, the list just doesn’t end. Alongside, there are numerous medicine shops, stationary shops, garments stores, grocery stores, vet clinic and various other doodah. Being from Noida, I’ve been more than a regular visitor of this market, and even after being a vegetarian, I’ve never been bored or exhausted by this place because of the variety it serves. There are a few grubs that should definitely be tried in BP :

Dahi waale gol gappe from Agra chat bhandar are an absolutely perfect means to soothe your palate. These dahi puris are crisp spheres or puris filled with chopped boiled potato, and onion, fresh curd, imli (red), and coriander (green) chutney, topped with sev, spices, coriander and pomegranate. Generously filled with curd of perfect consistency and freshness, crisp puris, spices and lots of sev topping is what makes this preparation worth trying. Traditionally, one of these is served to people after they are finished having pani puris. You shouldn’t be surprised if the bhaiya, while serving you the dahi puri asks you “ise tode bina khaana” because well, that’s what the rule is which is pretty interesting. (Contact number:9958981489; Cost for two: Rs 100)

Lakshmi Café House is a treasure in the centre of the market. You can sit here and guzzle some delicious variety of south Indian cuisine, especially filter coffee. Do try their fried idli that they serve only on Tuesdays. The food here won’t leave a hole in your pocket.(Contact number: 9863994444; Cost for two: Rs 300)

There are numerous ‘not to be missed’ dig – ins too, like Lucknow Zaika veg kabab plate, that’ll cost you Rs. 50. Different stalls for veg and non-veg kababs (cost for two – Rs. 100) are available. Kapoor’s balle balle will serve you the best butter chicken, which will be a treat for all the diehard non vegetarians (cost for two – Rs. 450). Now if the spices get you all sobbing and sniffling, we have Baba Kulfi Bhandar for you; if you have been crying out for sweetness, a Kesar pista kulfi will cost you Rs. 20, and Rabri falooda Rs. 40 (contact – 8800489401). If your health concerns interfere in this tasting spree then you can hit the Bhola juice corner that will serve your purpose with super – fresh fruit and vegetable juices, and toothsome shakes. Their khajoor shake which is worth trying is a unique mixture of khajoor and milk which is unbelievably delightful (cost for two – 120).

Happy tasting spree!

Posted on June 7, 2015

Bhaiya Lal’s Pineapple Burfi

By Anubhav Sapra

Being a self confessed sweets addict, I am constantly looking out for sweet shops. Some of my favorite sweet shops in Chandni Chowk are – Chaina Ram in Fatehpuri Chowk for Karanchi halwa and sev badam, Hajari Lal Jain in Kinari Bazar for rabri and khurchan, Ghantewala near Fountain Chowk for sohan halwa, Tewari brothers near Town Hall for motichur ke laddu, Annapurna Sweets opposite Seeshganj Gurudwara for Bengali sweets and of course, Dariba Kalan’s famous jalebi.

IMG_20150530_174452

I was walking down the Dariba street when I spotted a mithai wala selling varieties of colorful mithais beautifully decorated with chandi vrak in separate trays. These trays were laid on the stairs of one of the Jewellery shops in Dariba Kalan. The owner, Naresh Kumar evenly spread sheets of edible chandi varak over the sweets, sprinkled pistachios burada, and covered the sweets with nets to keep flies away.

Naresh Kumar sells the sweets opposite Gali Kunjas in Dariba Kalan between Ramtaur Jewellers and Swastik Jewellers shop from 5 pm onwards. He learnt the art of making sweets from his father, who is well-known as Bhaiya lal. Bhaiya lal started the sweet shop in his name in 1936 at Shop no. 3459, Hauz Qazi, Subzi Market and Naresh Kumar took over in 1962. He has been selling the same variety of sweets.

The menu consists of Bengali mithai – Rasbhari, Parmal stuffed with khoya, cham cham, lauki burfi, Pineapple burfi, nariyal burfi. All the sweets are prepared in a more or less similar way – with khoya as the main ingredient. All of them costs Rs 400/- kg. The sweets are weighed by using a tarazu (balance scale).

What intrigued me most was the Pineapple burfi, which I had tasted for the first time at this sweets shop. It turned out to be excellent because it was just the right amount of sweet. It was prepared adding pineapple syrup to roasted khoya.Another Bengali sweet, Rasbhari which are small rasgullas were different from the ones we usually get. Rasbhari was not soaked in sugar syrup, it was dry from the outside and the centre was filled with thickened sugar syrup so that as soon as one bites into it their mouth fills with the sweet syrup. Other sweets, cham cham, lauki burfi, and nariyal burfi were equally amazing.

I am delighted to add Bhaiya Lal’s sweets to my list of favorite Sweets shops in Chandni Chowk!

Posted on June 5, 2015 June 5, 2015

Barcelos

By Prakriti Bhat

Amongst the swarm of eating joints in Khan Market is debutante Barcelos which opened on 26^th February, 2015 under Mr. Costa Maziz. It is situated opposite Café Turtle and is adjacent to the Chinese restaurant Soy, so locating it is not at all a problem. Like the other restaurants in this area, Barcelos too is situated atop a narrow staircase. Delhi has a lot of options for Italian and other such cuisines but this restaurant promises a completely different experience by bringing the Afro-Portuguese cuisine to your plate at a reasonable cost. The food chain which began in 1993 in South Africa has now a strong foothold in over 17 countries and continues to spread its charm worldwide.

Barcelos is named after a Portuguese town. The logo of this franchise is a red rooster which can be seen on the headboard, the dips bottles and even on the miniature flags stuck on the burgers. It is also a famous symbol in this Portugal town. It is called o galo de Barcelos (the rooster of Barcelos). Legend has it that once a pilgrim was accused of stealing from a wealthy landowner. He was sent to court where the judge sentenced him to death despite his repeated protests of innocence. The judge was about to eat a rooster at that time when the pilgrim, as a last attempt to save himself said, “if I am innocent, the rooster will begin to crow”. Just when the piligrim was about to be hung, the rooster started crowing and he was set free.

The ambience is good. Walls are covered with maps, making it look like a scene out of geography class. Potted plants lend a very naturalistic feel. The interiors are quite simple, nothing out of the world as such. The food is presented well and the quantity is quite generous. The most popular dish here is the Black Burger. The black buns are prepared from some special herbs and permissible food colour in the U.S.A. The bun does not taste any different from the other regular ones, it’s just the colour that makes it special. The Chicken Black Burger has a huge and well marinated chicken fillet, lettuce and tomatoes. It is a delicious treat for the soul. The staff notes down your spice preference and makes the burger accordingly.

Chicken Picantte is a dish of chicken breast grilled with Peri Peri sauce. Perhaps one of the best grilled chicken I have had; neither very soft nor very hard. It is served with a bowl of Coleslaw or any other side dish of your choice from the menu, and potato wedges. The coleslaw is prepared exceedingly well. The Vegetarian Trinchado was a dish of yellow rice served with a bowl of vegetable gravy consisting of bell peppers, onions, tomatoes and paneer. The rice had a lemony flavor. Vegetarian sizzler came with spicy rice, grilled vegetables and potato cutlets in a smoky avatar. Amongst the mocktails, Minty Balst is a refreshing cooler. It’s like a semi-frozen version of the regular mojito.

The staff is very courteous and service is quite prompt. They take care of individual spice preferences. African music plays in the background but it’s a bit too loud making it a little difficult to hold conversations. Also they could probably play some popular songs in between which would make the crowd feel at home. “There are a lot of Italian, Chinese and Mexican food joints in the city. Barcelos introduces a completely different range of flavours. The Black Burger is just one of the many surprises that we have in store for our customers. We will be introducing new dishes after a span of every 3-4 months”, says Mr. Kuldeep, manager of the Khan Market outlet. The franchise is expected to expand itself as they hope to open about 8-10 branches by the end of 2015.

With its authentic cuisine and gastronomic delicacies, it seems like Barcelos is here to stay!

Cost for 2- Rs. 1000

Address- Shop 57, Khan Market, New Delhi

Phone no.- 01133105219

Posted on May 31, 2015 June 7, 2015

Sardar ji ke Poori choley

By Anubhav Sapra

Despite the proximity of Daryaganj to Chawri Bazar and Chandni Chowk, the way food is prepared in these areas differ. While the food is mildly spiced in Daryaganj, in Delhi 6 it is hot and high on spices. Delhi Food Walks conducted its Sunday breakfast walks in these three places, and the highlight of the one at Daryaganj was Sardar ji’s Chole poori.

The shop was started by late Nand Singh ji and is currently being run by his son Kuku Singh. Originally from Rawalpindi, the family migrated to Delhi after the partition and shifted the shop to the current address on Ansari Road, Daryaganj, twelve years back. One can identify the shop by the board outside which reads, “Jeha Caterers” however the shop is well – known as Sardar ji ke poori choley ki dukan in Daryaganj.

At Sardarji’s shop, the menu changes as the day progresses. It starts with Poori Sabzi, offers rajma and kadi chawal in the afternoon and in the evening serves traditional snacks such as – samosa, kachori and jalebi.

This famous Sardar ji’s shop is proud of serving Punjabi poori. It is different from the regular Bedmi poori available in other places in Old Delhi. The dough of Bedmi poori, is made up of wheat and is coarse in texture. Whereas, the dough of Sardar ji’s punjabi poori is a mixture of wheat flour, white flour, ghee and salt. It is stuffed with urad dal ki pitthi (paste of yellow lentils), saunf (fennel seeds), jeera (cumin seeds), red chilies and the hing ka paani (asafetida water) and is deep fried in oil. The mixture of all the spices especially hing leaves the poori light and crisp and does not have any after effects like heart burn.

The aloo chole sabzi is mild in spices without onion, garlic and tomatoes. The sabzi is cooked in curd with masalas. The gravy of the sabzi is thick in texture and simply outstanding in taste : not too spicy, not too bland.

A plate of poori sabzi is accompanied with sitaphal ka achar (pumpkin pickles), sliced onions and methi ki chutney (fenugreek chutney). In winters, the pickles served are of gobhi and gajar (cauliflower and carrots). The pickles are also mild and light flavoured.

Apart from Poori choley, Sardarji’s shop also offers sweet malai lassi which is served in a kulhad and besan ke laddu. You can wash down the Poori choley with these if you find it spicy.

Cost of one plate Poori choley : Rs 30

Contact number of the shop owner : 9717031008

Posted on May 29, 2015

Select CITYWALK, My Square- the Food Court

By Anubhav Sapra

The temperature in Delhi has touched another high of 45.5 degrees. In this heat wave, the best place to relish the different varieties of food is at My Square, the food court in Select CITYWALK, Saket.

The interiors are nicely done with the Happily Unmarried store greeting the food lovers with its quirky and funny gifts. The food court is surrounded by the food stalls with the beverages and dessert section at the centre. The seating arrangements are well laid and quite comfortable. An area is marked for performances, where the food can be relished with a dose of entertainment.

Although not functional, the food court is set to attach an i pad to each table where the menu will be listed and the orders and payment can be made right there instead of standing in the queue. I got my My Square card recharged and explored the food court which has something to satisfy the taste buds of everyone across different age groups. From North Indian, Italian, Mexican to South Indian, the variety of delicacies on offer is huge.

The iconic and the best South Indian restaurant in Delhi, Sarvana Bhawan has opened its third outlet in Select City Walk after Connaught place and Janpath. The prices and quality of food is outstanding. The North Indian, Punjabi cuisine restaurant Pind Baluchi has good thali options.

The New York Style, wood fired, create your own customized Pizza at Fat Lulu and Mediterranean inspired Pita Pit’s healthy sandwiches are popular for quick food. For calorie conscious people, Lean Chef has an interesting menu. The calories of all the dishes are listed – from no oil, no fat veggie burger (387 Kcal) to chicken hummus burger (480 Kcal).

Moving from the low calories food at the Lean Chef one can find The Toddy Shop where the food is rich in calories. The menu at The Toddy Shop has been curated from the Chef’s family kitchen, old Syrian Christian households, and from Hindu and Muslim hearths across Kerala.

The other food joints in the food court are Rrala’s Habibi, Lebanese and Moroccan specialty and the famous Mexican grill – Mex it up. At the corner of the food court is a food truck- Wanchai by Kylin serving the most famous street food of Delhi, Momos, noodles and other bowl meals.

For street food lovers, SS on the go has Chowpatty Pav bhaji, Bombay Sev puri and Purani Dilli’s famous breakfast dish Bedmi aloo and Chole bhature.

At the centre is a beverage, desserts and candies section. There is Refuel to fuel your body with shakes, smoothies and fresh juices, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf serves beverages that is going to rejuvenate one’s soul in the heat waves of Delhi.

My Square also has a variety of option for desserts and sweets. Kulfiano with 20 stick kulfis are there to complement with freshly made gelatos at gelato Italiano. The must try at gelato Italiano are Madagascar fine chocolate, New York Cheese cake and Royal Kulfi. SS on the go serves the decent paan kulfi.

Posted on May 29, 2015

Malaysian Food tasting and Masterclass at Tamra

By Aisha Bhattacharya

Tamra the new all day dining at Shangri-La’s – Eros Hotel, New Delhi hosted an exclusive masterclass with Chef Muhammad Lisarani from Shangri La Kuala Lumpur to kick off the Malaysian Food Festival from 23 to 31 May 2015 in association with Tourism Malaysia and the Malaysian High Commission.

Chef Muhammad Lisarni modestly told us that he hasn’t been with the Shangri-La group for long. Only 11 years. Specializing in Malay cuisine, he has played an integral role in the production of the Malay kitchen at Shangri-La’s – Eros Hotel, New Delhi’s sister hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

Chef Muhammad’s cooking style is based on traditional methods showcasing simplicity, freshness and natural textures, which are imbued with cultural influences. He has an ingenious knack for concluding and summarizing the characteristics and uniqueness that Malay cuisine has to offer. His passion for cooking is visible in his meticulously prepared and skillfully presented dishes.

Chef Muhammad is all set to delight guests at Tamra by adding a contemporary touch to the food preparation, set up and presentation while preserving the authenticity and originality of the dishes. With Chef Muhammad at the helm, guests can expect a delectable dining that is bound to impress even the most discerning palate.

Chef Muhammad’s Masterclass had us witness the process of preparing exquisitely spiced Chicken Satays and a chicken in spicy coconut turmeric gravy called ‘Ayam Masak lemak Cili Padi’ which was accompanied by a fresh raw mango salad.

My impressions of the Malaysian food festival – as we attended it were to essentially draw comparisons between Thai, Indonesian and Malaysian food. The most striking difference is the liberal use of sugar. Most dishes that we are familiar with like the chicken satay is made different in Malaysia due to the use of Sugar and lemongrass. The flavours are new and refreshing and keep you asking for more. There were many interesting things on the buffet – live grills, salads, soups, main courses and all spread out over the various cooking theatres in the massive space that is Tamra.

The Malaysian food festival features a wide variety of Malaysian specialties ranging from exquisite appetizers to traditional dishes. Chef Muhammad Lisarni from Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur wishes to bring the most authentic Malaysian gourmet flavours to guests through a rich array of local delicacies for a gastronomic sojourn at Tamra.

Guests will be able to savour various Malay cuisine flavours crafted by Chef Muhammad Lisarni, such as Kerabu Udang Dengen Soohoon (Prawns and Glass Noodle Salad), Serunding Ayam (Spicy Dried Chicken Floss), Sup Sayur Cendawan (Plain Oyster Mushroom Soup), Ayam Masak Lemak Cili Padi (Chicken in Spicy Coconut and Turmeric Gravy), Sayur Munir Goreng (Stir Fried Mix Vegetables with Coconut Gravy) and Terung Goreng Bersambal (Deep Fried Eggplant with Chili Paste).

Drawing inspiration from the streets of Malaysia, Tamra has set a festive tone with red lanterns, dream catchers and hangings. This food festival is a voyage designed to transport the diner to the beautiful country of Malaysia. Live carts stationed in the restaurant’s cavernous halls housing authentic delicacies, such as Chicken Satay and other signature dishes, capture the essence of a Malaysian marketplace.

The food festival must be tried for being something new and also because when the venue is a place like Tamra, you don’t need excuses to go.

For reservations, please contact (91 11) 41191010 or email foodandbeverage.slnd@shangri-la.com

Posted on May 26, 2015 May 26, 2015

THE CAPSULE

By Shreya Chowdhury

Guess whom Delhi Food Walks stumbled upon at the Little Black Book’s Dessert Bazaar on 16^th May, 2015? Yes, the word almost synonymous with the gourmet coffee, Bonhomia! And we were thrilled!!

We were presented with an assortment of coffees, coffee based dessert and delicious cocktails, and we were spoilt for choice. There was something for everyone, beginning with the Bonhomia Espresso shot, Cappucino, Americano to Vanilla Machiatto. To beat the heat, they had delicious desserts as well. Our favorite was undoubtedly the Affagato, which was plain vanilla ice cream drowned in Bonhomia Dark Deeds Espresso shot. It was pure heaven! As the beautiful dark brown coffee trickled down the pure white vanilla ice cream, it was pure sin!

The most attractive part about their coffee was the aroma! It was divine. For vanilla lovers, their Vanilla Machiatto is to die for. Ah! What aroma! And it tastes great too. For connoisseurs of coffee, their Black Veil is a beauty and a must-try.

For cocktail lovers, they came up with the most innovative cocktails such as the Espresso Vanilla Martini, the most perfect combination of a rich flavoured vanilla espresso spiked with vodka.

The best part about Bonhomia is that we can get that same beautiful aromatic cuppa every single time at home. Their single serve coffee capsules compatible with the Nespresso machines give the same, delicious cup every time with just the press of a button.

We love to experiment with our beverages, and Bonhomia gives us this opportunity with their Free Love (Mild Espresso Coffee) and Dark Deeds (Strong espresso coffee). They also have TEAS! For the tea overs, there is the BonhomiaGreen Peace (Mild Green Tea) and the Black Pot (Intense Black Tea).

They say “all good things come in small packages”, and Bonhomia capsules truly lives up to this idiom.

Available at: Foodhall, Nature’s Basket and Modern Bazaar.Bonhomia capsules can also be brought home by ordering on major portals such as eBay, Snapdeal, Bonhomiaworld, FabMart etc.

Cost: Rs 350 for a box of 10 capsules.