aloo tikkiya chat – Delhi Food Walks

Ghaziabad is a populous city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Situated at a distance of nearly 42 km away from Delhi, it is an old industrial city that is now the part of the National Capital Region of Delhi. The insatiable hunger pangs inside drew us to its loud and busy precincts. We were pleasantly surprised by the eclectic gastronomic scenario in here. As you negotiate through the bustling thorough fares of the marketplace at old Ghaziabad, you discover that this busy trade center is a foodie’s haven too. The street food here is mix of traditional and contemporary favourites. Many of the traditional shops are as old as over sixty-five years or more and they gave us a semblance of Old Delhi. Inspite of the heavy influx of modern and international influences, majority of the population still loves to gorge on the zesty traditional street food fares like Chaats, Moonglet, Dahi bhalle etc. There are truly some good eateries whose foods and stories will make you fall in love with them. After visiting the city on three different occasions, we have come up with a basic list of the the go-to places that you can explore. The food scene is so diverse and widespread that we need multiple visits to actually come up with a comprehensive list of the same.

1. MOONGLET WALA(GHANTA GHAR)

Moonglet is the most preferred street food of Ghaziabad. These toothsome, savoury, lentil based pancakes are a craze with the crowd here. It’s resemblance to an omelette has earned it the name Moonglet i.e. moong dal based omelette. It’s is must-try delicacy in this part of the city. Try it for the buttery mouthfeel leaves you happy.

2. DEEPAK KANJI VADA(AGRASEN BAZAAR)

Check out this neat cart selling Kanji Vadas for the past 35 years to the discerning masses. This light and healthy snacks comprises of lentil dumplings dunked in mustard flavoured fermented water. Try it for its refreshing, filling and healthy goodness. It is a traditional summertime snack from the states of UP and Rajasthan.

3. LOKNATH SWEETS(GALI LOKNATH, CHAUPLA MANDIR)

One of the oldest sweet shop in the locality this place is famous for its luscious Rabri and Rasmalai. Their sweets are so popular that they even to travel far off places. We had tried the above two desserts along with Chenar Kheer. The well-made classics won’t disappoint us at all. The sweets are fresh, pure and most importantly, optimally sweet. Another popular stuff is their Lassi which the visitors and the traders swear by to beat their exhaustion.

4. HATHRAS CHAAT BHANDAR

Here you will get to taste the Hathras famed Aloo Tikkiya. Hahthras is a town in western Uttar Pradesh that is known for its Rabri and these zesty sweet and savoury Tikkis and Chaats. This one is a simple snack of plain deep-fried Aloo patties that is served with chutneys and curd. It is not that outstanding but not disappointing as well.

5. RAKESH EGG POINT

Rakesh egg point is a paradise for egg lovers. They serve a delightful and scrumptious range of egg preparation among which the bestsellers are the Egg Lolo Popo and Egg Curry. As evening sets in people throng this stall to relish the hot and fresh egg dishes that includes old classics and fusion or contemporary stuffs.

6. YADAV JI KE DAHI BHALLE

This mobile cart circling the bustling marketplace serves a luscious and yummy Dahi Bhalle to the Chaat lovers. The Dahi Bhallas or lentil-based fried dumplings are served with smooth and sweet beaten curd, crushed papdis, chutneys and roasted cumin powder. This chilled, lip-smacking dish is a thing of joy.

7. GOYAL PAAN SHOP(NAVYUG MARKET)

Paan enthusiasts can check this place for their craving.

8. SAIYA JI POORI WALA(MALIWARA ROAD, NEHRU NAGAR)

Yearning for some traditional breakfast platter, then head to this joint for their breakfast platter consisting of fresh hot Pooris, sweet and sour pumpkin sabzi, spicy potato curry, coriander chutney and a savoury raita. Best part of this unpretentious meal is the leaf plate that enhances the eating experience. Finish it off with a Mohan Bhog, a sweet that resembles a milk cake in taste and texture.

9. LALMAN LASSI WALA(OPP. PURANA BUS ADDA)

A glass of their lusciously chilled lassi will dispel your fatigue and refresh you effectively. The unique thing behind its sweet, smooth and refreshing taste is the pleasant earthy overtone that came from the earthenware in which the curd is set and also the one in which it is served.

10. PANDIT HOTEL(NEHRU NAGAR)

It is a typical North Indian styled Dhaba whose menu was quite elaborate. We had settled for their Navratri thali that has been introduced during festivity. It included two buckwheat and water chestnut flour based Pooris, a thin potato curry, curd, kheer and potato wafers. Everything was quite satisfying but it was the Shama or Millet Kheer that stood out in the group. Due to its appropriate location, it is a popular stop for the heavy vehicles passing through the nearby highway.

11. LALAJI CHAAT CORNER( TURAB NAGAR)

Turab Nagar is a popular cloth market and when the hunger pangs strikes you in the midst of your pursuits then you can consider this joint that is swarmed with a eager crowd impatiently waiting for the zesty Aloo tikkis. the shoppers love it this ubiquitous and lip smacking snack.

12. MUSKAN BURGER(KAVI NAGAR)

When in Kavi Nagar, try the spicy Hot Dogs from this counter that is a huge hit with the young crowd. Over a few years, the hot dog has evolved into a go to snacks that has caught the fancy of the masses. The masala hot dog is a zesty filling of a well cooked vegetable mash. Its filling and irresistible.

13. PORWAL JI KA NANO SAMOSA(KAVI NAGAR)

This small yet busy cart with a super exciting name-Porwal Ji Ka Nano Samosa serves small sized samosas, a perfect accompaniment to any conversation. The word nano refers to the small sized samosas sold in here. These mildly spiced samosas are super fun to have. Do try them if you are looking for some easy thing to pop in.

14. PAHALWAN DHABA(CHOTTI BAJARIA)

This 65 plus years old Dhaba serves great North Indian food in the area. Their super popular dish is Dhaba Style Chicken curry. Its is rich, robust, greasy, spicy yet very delicious. The right quantity and taste makes it as a value for money dish.

15. PANDIT JI KA SP. MATRA CHAAT(LOHIA NAGAR)

This place is a household name in the locality. Panditji’s unique fruit and yellow peas chaat has made him a celebrity. It is a zesty mixture of fruits and boiled lentils like Moong and Matra or yellow peas that is flavoured with spice mix, chutneys and lime juice. True to its glory, the taste is refreshingly addictive; a riot inside the mouth. Don’t forget to try it if you like the components that builds it.

16. GANDHI OMELETTE WALA(NAVYUG MARKET).

People throng this joint for the comforting bread and egg dish named egg roll. Unlike the regular roll which we are familiar with, it is made from a frothy, beaten egg mixture. Its appeal lies in the soft, fluffy and buttery texture. The crowd loves it and so did we.

17. MOHAN’S ICE CREAM STALL(GHANTAGHAR)

They serve special mixed fruit ice cream garnished with cherry compote. This humble chilled treat has a very homely taste that will stay with you and consequently turn you into an admirer.

18. GOYAL PAAN CORNER

This place deserves a special mention not just for their Paan but also for refreshingly yummy range of homemade, seasonal fruit juices.

With this we come to the end of this list. There are so many more eateries to explore which we will eventually discover for you. Till then keep walking and keep exploring. And for more details check out the links below:

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Historically known as Ratnapiri which translates to the City Of Gems’, Ratlam is a city situated in the northwestern part of the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. This commercial city is synonymous with three S i.e Sev, Sari and Sona(gold). Moreover, it is also a significant railway junction of the Indian Railway’s western division. The place also boasts of some amazing snacks and street foods which the locals love to binge on. So we have arrived at this small yet commercially significant city of Madhya Pradesh to explore its street food scene that is a matter of joy and pride for the locals. In this gastronomic journey we are joined our amazing hosts Ratlam Wale and Chirag Rai who would be taking us to the most frequented eateries. Due to its proximity with the neighbouring states of Rajasthan and Gujarat, Ratlam’s street food is deeply influenced by the culinary traditions of these regions.

We started our food exploration with Central India’s traditional breakfast dish Poha from a popular Poha joint Saklecha Nashta point. It was fluffy and light on spices. But the toppings of sev, fresh coriander, pomegranate seeds and chopped onions made it a tasty affair. The wholesomeness of this humble dish makes it a popular breakfast choice.

With the rains making a sudden appearance, we rushed to the nearby tea stall named Bajrangi Tea stall to satiate our tea cravings. Tea is the favourite beverage across Madhya Pradesh and the enthusiastic crowd at this stall and elsewhere too, was a tell tale sign of the fact that just like Bhopal and most other cities of central India, Ratlam too is a tea loving city. The tea here was indeed very energising and addictive but their saffron coffee was just decent enough. They stand out in their service as they use undiluted milk and good quality tea leaves for their brew.

Our next destination was Gordhanlal Sev Wala, a fifty year old establishment that specialises in the famous Ratlami sev. These gram flour based, tiny deep fried spicy snacks were truly appetising and fun. Here in Ratlam it is eaten anytime and with most of the dishes. According to the owner, the climate and the water of Ratlam gives the sev its distinct character. The use of the warming spices like cloves, black pepper, asafoetida etc., makes it a bit spicier for our palette.

Next was the turn of a wholesome Dal Bati and Bafla Thali from the popular Vyas Dal Bati. It comprised of crushed Bati and Bafla along with sweet and sour dal, papad and chutney. The platter was delicious and value for money. We spotted many daily workers having it for breakfast because this heavy protein and carbohydrate rich meal easily provides them with a continuous supply of energy for a long period.

After that we tasted the simple and light Sabudana khichdi from Sabudana Bhandar. Like the Poha this too is a go to breakfast dish across Central India. Its light, sweet and sour taste that was quite satisfying. In the morning time locals prefer these healthy snacks.

From there we reached Karu Mama Samosa shop. Their bestsellers includes the corn samosa, raw banana samosa and mirchi vadas. All of them were distinctly flavoursome. We were quite surprised with the taste of the raw banana samosas that we had for the first time. It had a sweet and sour taste. This snacks was created out of the necessity to cater to the Jain population who refrain from consuming the vegetables that grows under the soil. The place is a hot favorite so don’t miss it if you are visiting Ratlam.

While ambling down the street we came to a very interesting shop with the name Madhya Bharat Bar. On inquiring we realised that it used to be a thriving place long back and its origin dates back to post Independence era. The bar was no more functional. Here we tasted their fruit beer which okay but not much impressive.

Our next stop was Satish chaat wala whose chaats are a craze among the locals. Here we tried their three popular dishes- one was the aloo tikki chaat, the other was raw banana chaat and finally aloo tikki biscuit. Everything was delectable. No wonder people keep coming back to this place again again not only due to the lip smacking fares and also for the passionate young chap behind the counter who serves them with such joy and zeal. It’s another must try place in Ratlam.

From there we went to their relative’s pani puri shop for some delightful panipuris. The owner was such a generous host that he made us taste all the different flavours of pani puris available in his shop with such pride and honour. Though each of them were simply brilliant, but it were the Ratlami sev flavour, the mixed flavour and the Gatagat flavour that just blew our mind. Gatagat is a zesty, sweet and sour, playful tiny edible balls that we used to have during our childhood days. We also had the palak chaat here which was super crisp and moreish. We highly recommend this place to all the Pani puri lovers.

After binge eating those unforgettable pani puris we went to taste another famous hot beverage, the kesariya doodh that the city swears by. The thick and luscious milk is was quite pleasing. The locals love to have it after dinner.

We ended our food tour in Ratlam with a tasty paan from Govind paan shop. The day super gratifying and we could cover most of the popular eateries. We are extremely grateful to Chirag and Ratlam Wale for taking us around and helping us in our exploration. We truly appreciate their passion towards their hometown.

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Tag: aloo tikkiya chat

PLACES TO EAT IN OLD GHAZIABAD

RATLAM FOOD TOUR