Street Food of Delhi – Page 5

Posted on December 20, 2014

Yahya Tea Stall

Everyone always ignores the small tea stall on the side of the road or at the corner of a street. No one knows the history behind a small tea stall. Even Shah Rukh Khan’s father had a tea stall and served tea at a very well known drama company in Delhi, and if it was not for the star, we would probably never have known that such a tea stall existed.

WP_20141117_037 Likewise, there is an old tea stall in the lane of Gali Qasmijan, right at the entrance of Phatak Luharu in Ballimaran. This tea stall was started by the late Haji Mohammed Farooq in 1969, carried on by his son the late Mohammed Yahya. It has been forty-five years since the pouring and serving of tea has been going on here. Now, the grandchildren, Mr. Farhan and Mr. Faizan, who are reporters with a newspaper, are still taking care of their family business. Their father, the late Mohammed Yahya, also owned a dairy shop named after his wife, Sabra and a hotel where the tea famously known as “Haji ki Chai” was served. Since the grandchildren did not have the same aspirations as their father, they gave up the place for rent and but have still kept the touch and name of their father through the tea stall.

When I looked at the boys preparing the tea, I was completely amazed at how it was being prepared. It was nothing like the way we prepare it at home.

The tea leaves are boiled in water in an aluminum kettle for a long time and on the other side, the milk is kept boiling, letting it form a layer of cream, commonly known as malai. The first step is to put a spoonful of sugar, a teaspoon of milk and boiled tea, and a spoon of malai. It is then stirred well and served hot. If you desire for a strong cup of tea, they add a spoon of fresh tea leaves, while pouring the boiled tea, in the strainer to give it that dark look and a strong kick. Mostly it would look like filtered tea that is served at a fancy tea shop.

There is a lively history behind this tea stall. Believe it or not a hundred and fifty cups of tea were made and served at a time which impressed me so much since there are so many different steps to get a perfect cup of tea. It definitely did not taste like the regular tea that one drinks every morning.

Nearby the tea stall, there was once a college named Tibbia College which has been shifted to Karol Bagh. This college offers education in medicine, and therefore, numerous and frequent doctors, professors, and students would be attending this college. Now a morning without a tea would not be complete and Yahya Tea Stall completed the mornings of a lot of people in the college and around. Tibbia College ordered six hundred teas almost every day, and without fail they were served with the same quality and standard.

For a couple of days, the tea stall had been shut down but by popular demand of the people living there and expressing their love for the tea and the family, the stall was back with a bang, serving tea with as much as dedication as it did when it first started.

The grandchildren besides being modernized and familiar with the media profession did not leave their ancestral house and believed that living there would keep the culture and history of the place alive. Surprisingly, the haveli that they reside in was once the haveli of Ghalib Mirza’s second wife. It definitely must be exciting to live in a house with intricate Mughal style designed pillars, doors, windows, and houses. Farhan Yahya said that the love and the respect of the people could not make him leave the place where he spent his childhood.

A must visit if you want to have a perfectly made hot cup of tea.

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 7, 2014 December 7, 2014

Chacha Di Hatti

By Simran kaur Kainth

Jpeg What could be better than eating spicy Punjabi chhole bhature for breakfast on Sunday? Most houses in Model Town enjoy this delicious breakfast freshly prepared by Chacha Di Hatti. Located in Model Town Main Market, Chacha Di Hatti serves the most delicious and unmatched chhole bhature. Once you visit this place, your hunt for the best chhole bhature in North Delhi will come to an end.

This place gets very crowded in the morning, especially on the weekends. As the stall opens in the early hours of the morning, one can notice a huge queue of foodies quickly grabbing their portions of these yummy chhole bhature, before the stock finishes for the day. Nominally priced at Rs. 40 per plate, Chacha Di Hatti serves huge, non-greasy bhature with superbly spiced pindi chhole cooked to perfection. Sizzling golden spongy bhaturas are freshly prepared right in front of your eyes, and this makes the dish seem even more irresistible; surely one cannot wait to dig into his or her plate. The chhole are soaked and boiled overnight, moreover, the addition of Chacha Di Hatti’s signature secret spices redefine the quality of chhole and make it more appetizing. Not only this, the amount of dedication and love that goes in its preparation is worth a hearty amount of applause, and has fetched Chacha Di Hatti an unbeatable reputation in the area.

IMG_20141203_231755 The imli chutney and the onion salad served with pickled green chillies is the show stealer on the plate. Chacha Di Hatti has been serving the locals for more than a decade. However, it was shut down for a short period of time for some undisclosed reasons. But it made a successful comeback with more variety to spice up the morning breakfast of the localities. Now, it also serves paneer bhatura for Rs. 50, and chhole kulche garnished with thinly sliced onions and fresh coriander.

So, whenever your belly craves for tasty bhaturas, Chacha Di Hatti can be a safe bet.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on November 30, 2014 December 7, 2015

Asli Habshi Halwa

By Anubhav Sapra

I came across something very interesting when I recently roamed around in the streets of Ballimaran. The entrance of Punjabi Phatak in Ballimaran greeted me with a sweetmeat, “Asli habshi halwa”. This sweet is made up with many nutritious ingredients put together such as milk, desi ghee, cashew, nuts, almonds, clove, kewda, wheat flour, and only during winters, saffron. It is recommended in the cold weather as it is a good source of energy and gives strength to our body to prevent weakness.

The name in itself is very intriguing, which got me thinking why a sweet should be named “habshi”. Habshi is the Urdu word for the colour black and also a name commonly used by many Delhiites for people of African descent because of their color and strength. Isn’t that a bit harsh?

Firoz Ahmed, the proud owner of the shop, shared the journey of the sweetmeat since the time of undivided India. The original shop of habshi halwa was in Chandni Chowk, located somewhere in between Kucha Rehman and Kucha Ustad Daag. Abdul Khaliq was the owner of the shop, famously known as Ghantaghar Habshi Halwa Wale. During the Partition, Abdul Khaliq migrated to Pakistan, leaving his shop in the hands of his workers.

After the Partition, Firoz’s father started with a small granary shop, and sold paan and bidi to earn a living. He met a worker from Abdul Khaliq Habshi Halwa Wale and learned the art of making habshi halwa from him. The recipes were passed down from that worker of Abdul Khaliq’s shop to Haneef to Firoz and till date, Firoz Ahmed makes this delicacy at his home.

The shop is now looked after by his son, Firoz Ahmed in Punjabi Phatak, Ballimaran. Mohammed Hanif’s brothers have also continued the business of selling habshi halwa but have opened their own stores named after their brother, namely, Hanif Dairy in Gali Qasimjan, near Hamdard Dawakhana, which has been doing brisk business there for more than ten years now. A few shops after that, I found another shop selling the same sweet by the name Ahmed Dairy, which was started by Taqi Ahmed. To differentiate from the others and retain the original identity of Abdul Khaliq’s shop, a picture of Ghanta Ghar (the clock tower in Town Hall) is printed on the box of Firoz Ahmed’s Habshi Halwa.

Habshi halwa is one of Old Delhi’s famous delicacies and is rich in flavour and aroma. It takes nine hours to cook this sweet and it is sold throughout the year, but mostly in the winters from October to March. It is priced at Rs. 430 per kilogram. The shelf life of the sweetmeat is one month. It may become dry after one month but the taste remains the same.

Ghanta Ghar Wala supplies this halwa all around India, mostly to Kanpur and abroad in Pakistan. During the month of December season, they offer yellow carrot halwa which is supposed to be eaten cold and is made without ghee. I found this extremely new and fascinating. I am eagerly waiting for the December to savour this carrot halwa. I wonder how it will taste – halwa without ghee and served cold.

If you have a sweet tooth and ever find yourself in Old Delhi, you must visit these shops located at the following addresses and try the extremely famous and delicious habshi halwa:

1. Ghanta Ghar Wala – 1368, Punjabi Phatak, Ballimaran.

2. Hanif Dairy – 1532, Gali Qasimjan, Near Hamdard Dawakhana, Lal Kuan.

3. Ahmed Dairy – 1538, Gali Qasimjan, Lal Kuan.

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Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on November 26, 2014 November 26, 2014

Trishul Chaat Bhandar

By Anubhav Sapra

Chhole have distinct taste at each chhole kulche joint. At one end of this spectrum, Lotan’s Chhole Kulche at Chhata Shahji in Old Delhi adds red chilies to make it spicy and hot, while at the another end there are a few eateries like Pancham Chhole Kulche, near Filimistan, Rohtak Road that makes a nice mixture of saunth or meethi chutney with khatti chutney in chhole to give it a distinct flavour.

I have never liked onion and tomato in my dona of chhole. I believe that chhole has its own unique taste which is lost once onion and tomato are added to it. In Kamla Nagar, near Chhota Golchakkar, Post Office Waali Gali, a small shop named Trishul Chat Bhandar, sells one of the best matra kachoris and matra kulchas in North Delhi without onion and tomato. The address is 121-D, Kamla Nagar. The shop is open from 12 noon to 4 p.m.

A plate of chhole kulche and matra kachori costs Rs. 25 each. As suggested by the owner of the shop, I first had chhole kulche and then matra kachori. I was intrigued by his suggestion and asked him the reason behind having chhole kulche first and matra kachori next. He candidly replied that khatti-meethi chutney is added in matra kachori, and its taste can be relished only if one has it right after the light masalas of chhole kulche.

I was surprised to know that they have been making this delicious dish for the past seventy-two years and currently, it is the fourth generation, and that they still use the same recipe. It was started by Ramful who used to roam around the lanes of Kamla Nagar to sell chhole kulche on a khomcha. After the death of Ramful, Tula Ram bought a cart and started selling the chhole kulche near Kamla Nagar Post Office. And the third generation, Krishan Lal, who is the current owner of the shop, bought this small shop eight years back, calls it “Almirah” because of its small size. It is indeed a small shop of literally the size of a cupboard and I love the way they have arranged everything from masalas to the stove there. From khomcha to a cart to an almirah, the place and those who made this delicacy have changed, but the recipe is still the same. The home made masalas- which are mixture of dhaniya, jeera, amchur, peeli mirch, long, elaichi dana, and chaat masala are used in making a dona of chhole. A helping of chhole is mixed with masalas, saunth, green chutney, roasted jeera, ginger, and coriander to be served with butter kulche. On other hand, Pawan, the son of Krishan Lal, generously makes a good layer of matra on a crispy kachori and tops it with ginger, coriander, and khatti amchur chutney. The crunchy kachori with soft matra over it with lime juice, khatti-meethi chutney makes it a perfect dish to savour.

All I can say, it is a taste of the divine!

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on November 15, 2014

Kulcha King

By Anubhav Sapra

Sarojini Nagar is synonymous with Khandani Pakode Wala for me. Come winters, and people will queue up in front of the shop to relish hot and crispy pakodas with green chutney. Opposite to Pakode Wala, there is another food joint – Kulcha King, famous for its Amritsari kulcha and chhole. The address is Shop no. 144, Ring Road Market, Sarojini Nagar.

The eatery has been set up by Avtar Singh Bagga, who originally hails from Pind Bagga, Tehsil Ajnala in Amritsar. Avtar Singh started his career with a small transport business. Due to the risky nature of the work and few accidents, he closed it down and started dealing in foreign currency. This work too did not continue for long and finally, Kulcha King yielded profitable dividends by satiating the taste buds of Delhiites.

His son, Harjeet Pal Singh(contact no.: 8882335222), is a fine arts graduate from Punjab University and currently, runs this food joint. After 5 p.m., Harjeet works on his own sketching and painting. In fact, he has also designed the new website of his food joint: www.kulchakingfood.com .

The man with a charming personality, who serves the kulchas at the table and refills the hollow containers of the plates with chutney and chhole is Ravinder Bun, famously known as Kukku (contact no.: 9643676146). He has a huge fan following, and students from nearby colleges just come at Kulcha King to interact with him.

There are three varieties of kulcha at Kulcha King – mix kulcha (Rs. 70 for a plate), stuffed with aloo, gobhi, methi, pyaaz, adrak and dhania; mix kulcha (Rs. 80 for a plate), stuffed with gobhi, methi, pyaaz, adrak, dhania, with topping of ajwain and kali mirch; and paneer kulcha (Rs. 100 for a plate), stuffed with paneer, dhania, hari mirch and masalas. Each and every plate of kulcha is served with tamarind chutney, a mixture of spring onions, black salt, red onions, and cumin powder, and pindi chhole. The chhole has a subtle flavor of spices, not too spicy and oily. The chhole is cooked with masalas, and without adding any onions.

I had the crispy mix kulcha smeared with Amul yellow butter. The fillings were good and very less maida was used in making the kulcha. I dipped a small bite of kulcha in chhole and chutney and relished the taste like a king.

In the evenings, between 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., they serve some delectable dishes as snacks– Afghani soya, achari chaap, malai chaap and hariyali chaap and gravy- chaap tikka, paneer bhurji, soya keema, and soya kaleji. With this visit, I got another reason to visit Sarojini Nagar in the evenings.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on November 8, 2014 November 8, 2014

Bishan Swaroop Chaat Corner

By Anubhav Sapra

I remember vividly, the must visit place in Chandni Chowk for fruit chaat where my mother used to take me during my childhood to was Bishan Swaroop Chaat Corner. Sitting on the stairs of Jain Library and slurping the leftover juices of fruits in a dona mixed with khatta meetha (sweet and sour) masala (spices) are some fond memories of those days. I visited Bishan Swaroop Chaat Corner yesterday afternoon to grab a dona of mixed fruit chaat and was saddened to hear that Bishan Swaroop had passed away one and half months back due to paralysis.

Bishan Swaroop Chaat corner has been serving fruit chaat since 1923. Started by Lallu Ram, the father of Bishan Swaroop, the shop is now run by his nephews, Jitender and Nand Kishore (contact no.: 9899648131). The address is 1421, near Mahavir Jain Library, Chandni Chowk, and it is open from 12 noon to 8 p.m.

I had mixed fruit chaat (Rs. 40 per dona) which contains tomato, star fruit, guava, watermelon, cucumber, beetroot, apple, orange, papaya, freshly fried potato and chickpeas, all mixed together. Spices such as roasted cinnamon, black pepper and chaat masala are sprinkled along with lemon juice and tossed with coriander chutney. The fruits get coated in different flavours and taste delicious but unfamiliar. Interestingly, Ashok who was doing this magical mixing of lemon juice, masalas and chutney, serves the mix fruit chaat in a dona with a toothpick to eat the fruits and a small spoon to slurp the leftover juice with the chickpeas.

I slurped the leftover juice to the last drop and ate chickpeas soaked in sweet and sour juice. Other kinds of chaat to try at the Chaat Corner are aloo chaat (Rs. 50 per dona), sweet potato mixed with fried potatoes (Rs. 50), fried aloo and chhole (Rs. 30), and aloo kachalu (Rs. 50).

I am sure Bishan Swaroop’s soul would rest in peace as this wonderful task of making such delicious chaat is being continued by his talented nephews.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on November 4, 2014 November 4, 2014

Al Nawaz- Mummy ke kitchen se Meridian tak

Al Nawaz

By Anubhav Sapra

At the age when most youngsters are looking for a safe and cushy job with a handsome salary, there are very few who are passionate enough to take the bold step to realize their dreams. Last week, I met two young, passionate entrepreneurs – Apaksh Gupta of Smugglers restaurant in Hudson Lane and Chef Shahnawaz of Al Nawaz Restaurant in Abu Fazl Lane, Zakir Nagar.

In this blog, I would like to cover the story of a man who started his journey, as per his words, from “mummy ke kitchen se Meridian aur Meridian se Al Nawaz tak”. Chef Shahnawaz started his career from Meridian Hotel and left the job in 2010 after getting an opportunity in Melbourne as an Executive Chef. However, due to visa issues, he could not make it to Melbourne kitchen. He was recommended by the owners of Swagat to work in a restaurant in Toronto as the Master Chef. But his mother asked him to work in India and he declined the offer. Then he briefly worked with the Gujrals of Moti Mahal in Chandigarh.

With a strong conviction about his art of cooking, he started his second innings with a small degh of 1 kg biryani at Khalilullah Masjid in Zakir Nagar. Our host for the Lucknow food tour, Saira Mujataba, a self confessed biryani freak was regular visitor to Nawaz’s biryani shop in her student days. Believing in luck, Nawaz used to buy basmati rice from a particular shop in Maharani Bagh every time to cook his special biryani. People got addicted to his biryani slowly and in such large numbers that the biryani degh became too small to cook biryani for everyone. He purchased a degh from Jama Masjid but that became small too and finally he ordered a special biryani degh from Moradabad. He graciously admits that, he could not afford nine hundred rupees to buy an iron stand used to take out biryani from the degh and had to compromise with a self made stone stand, which he picked up from the street side.

Later he moved to Okhla main road, and opened a new restaurant by the name of Al Nawaz. He claimed to introduce Anmol Chicken, chicken with loads of cream and butter. I went there with another foodie friend last year and found it simply delectable. Soon, his Okhla shop also became quite small and in May 2013, he shifted to the current address in Abu Fazl Enclave, next to Jamia Police station.

I had Nawaz’s special kalmi kebab( 4pcs for Rs 270), juicy and succulent leg pieces, mutton burra( 4 pcs for Rs 270), roasted perfectly, big but soft pieces of fish tikka( 5 pcs for Rs 300) and mutton nahari(half plate for Rs 360). But I liked his Chicken biryani(Rs 250) the most which is served with red spicy chutney. I was told that, many people cook biryani in their homes and visit Al Nawaz especially for the chutney, which works as a salan for the biryani. His biryani has a mix of flavor of Hyderabadi, Awadhi and Kolkata style. I believe this is the reason that his biryani suits everyone’s palate.

I am waiting for the day when Jamia Metro Station will finally start functioning and I can frequently visit Al Nawaz for his Biryani.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on October 28, 2014 October 28, 2014

Banshi Di Hatti- Rawalpindi ke Mashuur Chhole Bhature

By Anubhav Sapra

I am not an early riser. I have been planning for years on end to get up early in the morning for workout sessions but I have failed on each occasion. However, my dear friend, Yogesh is a fitness enthusiast. Every Sunday, I used to see his pictures of him cycling through Connaught Place on Facebook. Last time when I met him, it was during the Ramlila Walk in Old Delhi where he informed me about Raahgiri Day, an initiative that provides citizens with the opportunity to reclaim their streets, connect with their community, celebrate their city and hence, reclaim their lives. Many Sundays passed and I never got up on time to attend Raahgiri Day, let alone cycling and walking. This Sunday, I made it a point, come what may, to wake up early to be a part of Raahgiri Day. I made all the arrangements on Saturday night, asked a couple of my friends to wake me up early morning by ringing the phone continuously unless I answer them, set three back to back alarms at an interval of five minutes each so that I could not snooze them and sleep again. And I finally I made in to the Raahgiri Day. I spent three hours there and enjoyed each second of it. The children were skating, senior citizens were walking, and youngsters dancing to the tunes of Yo Yo Honey Singh. It was an amazing experience. I walked around and did some cycling too.

While returning back to my home, my friend Shubhash and I got off the metro at Vishwa Vidyalaya station and hired a cycle on rent at Rs 10 for 4 hours to explore the lanes of Kamla Nagar, Shakti Nagar and Malka Ganj. We stopped at our first food joint – Banshi di Hatti, Rawalpindi ke Chhole Bhature, shop number 5877, Jawahar Nagar, Malka Ganj Chowk (contact numbers: 9811160907, 9811142388). Banshi was the man who started this shop after the partition, originally in Haridwar and later moved to Delhi, where he sold chhole bhature outside the railway office on Mall Road for few years. In 1954, Banshi moved the shop to the current address in Malka Ganj. The shop is now the responsibility of the third generation; Aman runs the eatery, and his father Swarn supervises the quality of the food.

We ordered paneer ke bhature (priced at Rs. 50) with chhole. The taste was simply divine. The chhole were not that oily and the texture of the masala was intact. Aman added a spoon of chutney over the chhole, a mixture of anardana, pudina, dhaniya, khatai-mukassar, and hari mirch. The pindi chane, kabuli wale is boiled continuously for four hours and then cooked with home-made masalas. Aman opens his shop early morning at 4:00 a.m. to start the preparations. From 8 a.m. till the stock lasts they serve paneer and aloo ke bhature with chhole.

After having had my fill with Shubhash, my fellow foodie, we rode the lanes of Ghantaghar, Shakti Nagar, Kamla Nagar, and Patel Chowk to find out and explore more such food joints for breakfast. The journey that started with Raahgiri ended with more food explorations and a plan to conduct Breakfast Trail Part II, this coming Sunday. All thanks to our friend, Yogesh Khanna.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on October 19, 2014

Nutkhut

Nutkhut

By Simran Kaur

On recalling my childhood days and fondness towards spicy chaat and crispy golgappas ,Nutkhut is the first name that strikes my mind and makes me nostalgic.

Nutkhut Caterers is a small stall known for its golden hot tikki, sweet and sour Lachha tokri and charcoaled panir tikka , Nutkhut is one of the oldest and most loved chaat corner in the Gujrawala town. Most interestingly, it was the first street joint in North Delhi to serve pani puri made from mineral water. Its crispy aloo chaat and bhalla papdi too has some charismatic power in it that attracts foodies like magnets. Adjoined by various other small street food joints serving different cuisines, Nutkhut enjoys its reputation and popularity amongst food enthusiasts who gather at the stall every evening.

This time on my visit to Nutkhut, I decided to go for something different so I tried marinade soya chaap roll, served with lemon and onion along with green chutney. It was superbly delicious , full of spices and exploded like a bomb in my mouth. Fairly priced at Rs 160 , the serving was so generous that two eagerly starving people can easily be fed . With its promising quality of food, Nutkhut chat corner has proved that it is not just limited to “chaat” but also stands excellent in its soya dishes.

Nutkhut also has another branch in Model town and a catering outlet named Nutkhut Rasoi near Gola Northend that serves delicious Indian cuisines and is best for home delivery. Its Special paneer thali is favourite amongst people.

So, next time you visit Gujrawala town, don’t forget to take a hault at Nutkhut chaat corner .

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on October 18, 2014 October 18, 2014

Delicacies at CRPF Mela

Delicacies at CRPF Mela

By Anubhav Sapra

CRPF, the world’s largest armed police force and the proud sentinel of India’s internal security is all set to commemorate its Diamond Jubilee Year with the CRPF Mela 2014 from the 17^th to the 19^th of October. The three day extravaganza, organized by the CRPF family Welfare Association (CWA) is held at SDG headquarters, ISTM Grounds, Old JNU campus, New Delhi from 9 a.m. onwards. Reflective of real unity in diversity, the CRPF Mela presents scores of cultural shows, foot-tapping concerts, a delightful food festival which includes food stalls highlighting regional cuisine and a lot more.

The three day event is a confluence of craft and culture and will be based on three themes: family welfare, women empowerment, and youth well-being apart from the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the force.

Mrs. Suneeta Trivedi, President CWA said, “The annual CRPF Mela held on a central and zonal level alternatively, opens a window of opportunity to showcase CWA’s activities. It offers a platform for our homegrown talents and products to display their skills and rightful value. It also connects separated families and soldiers under one roof and gives them the scope to unwind and rejuvenate themselves before they resume their duties.”

The programme will feature CRPF’s 75 year long journey in the form of a short film. CWA members will be honoured and CRPF personnel will be recognized for their bravery and valour.

The CRPF family Welfare Association, a soul associate of the Force establishes firm support for the Force through the welfare and social domain. It works towards domestic empowerment, skill generation in the field of art and craft for families of the force and providing recreational avenues for the soldiers. The CRPF Mela is a conglomerated product of these efforts.

Now coming to food, one can indulge themselves in a wide array of delicious Kashmiri, Gujarati, Punjabi, South Indian, and Rajasthani delicacies at the regional food stalls. Having a sweet tooth, I started my food journey with GC Durgapur food stall and tasted some of the best sweets of West Bengal, my favourite sweet being a burfi with the stuffing of aam papad. In the same food court, Aye 1 Café, Safdarjung enclave has a food stall selling – Awadhi style biryani, roganjosh, chicken curry, and chicken satay. The satay is a must try. It was soft and juicy, covered with a layer of peanut sauce and coconut milk.

I was delighted to meet Prabhu Dayal, the supervisor of the J&K stall. He graciously introduced me to the J&K cuisine. I started with my all time favorite dish – Badarwa rajma and chawal. The beans were bright red in colour and delicious in taste. I also had Goshtaba, Yakhni, roganjosh, Rista, pulao and a delicacy of the streets of Jammu and Kashmir – Kalari Kulcha. Kalari is traditionally a ripened cheese product indigenous to Jammu and Kashmir. It is a very dense cheese that is usually fried in its own fat and salted prior to being eaten. After frying, it ends with a brownish crispy layer outside and soft, creamy, gooey cheese inside. The taste is similar to melted mozzarella cheese. Kalari, onion rings, and tomato slices are filled between the two kulchas with a topping of anardana ki chutney and served hot. The taste of Kalari Kulcha was heavenly. This is another must try in the CRPF Mela.

Next, I visited GC Jalandhar food stall which has a nice welcoming name – “Bibiyan da Chulha”. The beautiful interior has been designed by Team Jalandhar GC led by DIG Mr. Sunil Thorb and Deputy Commandant Parvinder Kaur. The CRPF Jawans, in traditional Punjabi dress are serving food with warmth. I had Amritsari Kulcha with chole, Amritsari fish, chicken tikka, tandoori chicken, keema naan, sarson da saag te make di roti. The dishes must try in Punjab food court is fish and Amritsari Kulcha.

The other food stalls are of Rajasthani, Gujarati, South Indian and Uttar Pradesh. I could not try much at these stalls. However, I am sure the food would be decent.

My food journey ended with a cup of coffee at RAF 1 BN. Apart from the food stalls, folk dances, puppet shows and magic shows promise to add colour, vibrancy and fanfare to the event. So plan a visit to the CRPF Mela this weekend to taste the regional delicacies and experience the culture of different states at one place.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com