Street Food of Delhi – Page 6

Posted on October 17, 2014

Daulat ki Chaat

Guess what Old Delhi is back with?

By Anubhav Sapra

I am delighted to announce that Babu Ram and his family members are back from the villages of Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh to the by-lanes of Old Delhi- Sitaram Bazar. Guess what he is back with? He is back with the ‘Daulat ki Chaat’, a delicacy of winter. It seems winters are just here!

I spotted Babu Lal, a Daulat ki chaat hawker, at the Chhata Shah ji lane, near Barsha bulla chowk where the famous lotan Chole Kulche sells his scrumptious meal. Till 10 am, you can find Babu Lal at Chhata Shah ji, and from 11 am to 7 pm at Maliwara in Chandni Chowk.

Pamela Timms in her book ‘Korma, Kheer and Kismet’ has beautifully summarized this winter delight. She mentioned,

“Daulat ki chaat (meaning ‘snack of wealth’) is probably Old Delhi’s most surprising street food. Anyone expecting the punchy, spicy flavours usually suggested by the word ‘chaat’ will be disappointed. It resembles uncooked meringue and the taste is shocking in its subtlety, more molecular gastronomy than raunchy street food, a light foam that disappears instantly on the tongue, leaving behind the merest hint of sweetness, cream, saffron, sugar and nuts; tantalizing, almost not there. I’ve often wondered if daulat ki chaat is a preview of what might be on the menu should we make it as far as the pearly gates. The means by which a pail of milk is transformed into the food of the gods, though, is the stuff of Old Delhi legend rather than of the food lab. First, so the story goes, milk and cream have to be whisked by hand before dawn ( preferably under the light of a full moon) in to a delicate froth, then left out on grass to set by the ‘tears of shabnam’ (morning dew) – but not too many, nor too few. At daybreak, the surface of the froth is touched with saffron and silver leaf and served with nuts and bura (unrefined sugar). Daulat ki chaat is only made in the coolest months because at the first ray of sunshine, it starts to collapse. It doesn’t travel well either- to enjoy this very local specialty, a winter pilgrimage to the shady gullies of Old Delhi has to be made.”(p. 147-148)

A dona of Daulat ki chaat costs Rs 40. Babu Ram’s family members (kinari bazaar- Khemchand, Gali Paranthe Wali- Rakesh, Dariba Kalan- Babu Ram and Maliwara- Babu Lal) are there in the alleys of Old Delhi with their khomchas selling Daulat ki Chaat. The winter delight is available until Holi. So, it is the time for a winter pilgrimage, in the words of Pamela Timms, to the gullies of Old Delhi to savour the delicate dessert.

Reference: Timms, P. (2014). Korma, Kheer and Kismet. New Delhi: Aleph

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 October 16, 2014

Roller Kulfi

Roller Kulfi

By Anubhav Sapra

‘Jugaad’ is the word that comes to my mind whenever I see ‘roller kulfi’ during Ramnavmi celebrations in Old Delhi. It is the only time in a year where one can savour the roller kulfi or disco fruit kulfi, called by many.

I was delighted, also amazed to see the two roller kulfiwalas in Kamla Nagar, namely, Bablu Kulfi and B.K. Variety Kulfi. You will be able to find them both at Chota Gol Chakkar, near Geeta Mandir. Let me tell you first about the equipment that is used to make roller kulfi. A huge iron cylinder is filled with crushed ice. This cylinder is then put in a stand that has a pedal on one side. It is important to roll the cylinder using a pedal; otherwise the same will melt away. This is taken care of by the two men every time: one who does not lose a single minute to roll the cylinder; and the other who prepares the layers of kulfi by crushing fruits and pouring rabri and milk. All different kinds of fruits – mango, banana, papaya, orange, pomegranate, etc. are added one after the other and interspersed with rabri. The ice inside the roller freezes the juices and with a knife, layers of frozen kulfi are collected in a ‘dona’. The kulfi is fresh and ready to eat before it melts.

Besides the fruit juices, B.K. Variety kulfi pours khus and roohafza syrup too. Thus out of the two, I would recommend Bablu’s( 9810246203) as the flavours are completely natural. The freshness of fruit juices with rabri, without added flavour makes the kulfi truly delectable.

I believe it should be named as ‘Galaouti Kulfi’ as ‘Galaouti’ means ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ and roller kulfis simply disappear in your mouth. The only thing it will leave you with would be its fresh taste.

For all those who missed it during Ramnavmi, this is a last chance to savour the same in Kamla Nagar till Diwali between 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., for only Rs. 50.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on October 14, 2014 October 14, 2014

Crispy Kachoris of Janpath

Crispy Kachoris of Janpath

By Anubhav Sapra

I received a tweet yesterday –“the nip is in the air and the nuts are back”, with a picture of a huge mound of groundnuts with a clay pot kept at the centre. The clay pot is filled with the small pieces of wooden sticks. These are lit so to keep the surrounding nuts warm. It also rained in some parts of North Delhi and the mercury dipped further. To celebrate the pleasant weather, I headed out to Janpath to grab a plate of Crispy kachoris, bread pakodas and samosa.

Ranjeet is the man who sells delicious mouth-watering kachoris on the pavement of Janpath. One can easily find him in the morning (9:30 – 12:00) and evening (4:00 to 7:30), sitting opposite Midland Book Shop with a blue box containing kachoris, samosas and bread pakodas, a huge bucket filled with Potato and Chickpeas curry and a half-litre sprite bottle filled with green spicy chutney.

All the three dishes are priced at Rs 10 each. I tried each one of them, starting with Kachoris, then samosas and finally bread pakodas. Ranjeet serves kachori in a dona and adds aloo chane ki sabzi to it. He squeezes the sprite bottle to pour some green chutney over it. The kachoris with the filling of lentils were great in taste, crispy and fresh. The samosas and bread pakodas were equally delectable.

It’s a good start to celebrate the onset of pleasant winter weather with light crispy kachoris. My next stop is Old Delhi’s Khemchand, Gali Paranthewali, who is back with his Daulat ki Chaat, a delicacy of winter!

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on October 12, 2014 October 12, 2014

New Zealand Avocado Season Launch

*New Zealand Avocado Season Launch*

*Nutritious and Delicious Hass Avocados from New Zealand in Store Now*

*10 October 2014, New Delhi*: The New Zealand avocado season was launched today at an event at the New Zealand High Commission hosted with New Zealand Avocado – the peak body representing all New Zealand avocado growers and exporters. New Zealand Hass avocados are available in India from now until the end of February and currently available in organized retail stores like Godrej Natures Basket, Food Hall and INA Market in single packs, twin packs or on kg basis.

The launch event also introduced AVANZA Ltd, New Zealand’s largest exporter of avocados to Asia, which represents three companies that will collectively ship 10,000 trays to India this season. AVANZA Ltd will also invest in educating handlers and introducing avocados to consumers through a series of in-store tastings and innovative promotional events with Kunal
Kapur.

*Celebrity Masterchef Kunal Kapur said **“New Zealand Hass avocados are an amazing healthy and versatile wholefood that contain the good fats needed to maintain a healthy heart. They interestingly blend with everyday Indian meals and the soft buttery texture and nutty flavour goes really well with many traditional dishes such as **Bhel Puri and Tawa Pulao. They also blend
seamlessly with curries”.*

Avocados can be used at any time of the day and are a great way to add nutrition, flavour and colour to your favourite recipes. Avocados are great at breakfast, lunch, dinner even desserts and snacks. Kunal Kapur, Celebrity Masterchef and avocado lover, showed guests at the event many ways of using avocado to create delicious and nutritious meals. Kapur encourages Indians to enjoy the unique taste and health benefits of New Zealand avocados.

*Chef Kunal Kapur further adds*, *“**Avocados are a superfood that is hassle free to cook and blends with almost any Indian dish**. The addition of New Zealand Hass avocados makes snacking **colourful, healthy and meaningful. I especially enjoy an avocado right after a good run at the gym.”*

*New Zealand High Commissioner Grahame Morton commented, **“With the entry of New Zealand avocado in India, we have created a new opportunity for Indian consumers. Avocado is not commercially grown in India and hasn’t been widely available. I grew up in the Bay of Plenty, an avocado area and it is one of my favourite fruits. As a nutritionally rich whole food suitable for all ages, we hope consumers give it a try.”*

*Adding to this, Trade Commissioner Mr Richard White said, **“We see the consumer preference growing towards consumption of avocados in the near future. Avocado is nutritious, good to taste, fits well in any kind of recipe and is good for your heart”.*

*Tony Ponder, Vice Chair of New Zealand Avocado and Director of AVANZA Ltd says,** “New Zealand growers take the extra time to nurture their Hass avocados on the tree and only harvest the fruit when the taste and quality of each avocado reaches its best.” *

*Tony Ponder further added **“New Zealand growers are supplying India with their best avocados harvested at their best time. The New Zealand Hass avocado season is a special limited time to get high quality and nutritious avocados”.*

New Zealand avocado exporters’ current delivery strategy means that avocados are with handlers in India 5-7 days after harvest, meaning New Zealand growers will deliver avocados of unrivalled freshness.

*Celebrity Masterchef Kunal Kapur’s take on avocados*

The New Zealand avocado industry’s food safety, traceability and quality assurance programmes set the global benchmark so you can be assured that New Zealand avocados are safe and healthy for Indian families.

“I have visited New Zealand. It is a beautiful country that yields premium agricultural and horticultural products that are produced to meet high standards of food safety, quality and reliability,” says Kapur.

Kapur says he loves making a New Zealand avocado and kiwi lassi to have with breakfast or lunch as it’s a quick and easy way to get a nutrient boost and it also helps with digestion.

“New Zealand Hass avocados are rich in fibre which is great for a healthy digestive system.”

Avocados contain over 20 vitamins and minerals and are made up of proteins, good fats and carbohydrates. Kapur says they’re also cholesterol free. Not many people realise how amazing avocados taste when used in baking and desserts. Their creamy texture makes them perfect for ice cream and decadent sweet treats like chocolate avocado mousse.

“My recipe for New Zealand Avocado and Cheese Parantha makes an excellent choice for kid’s lunch boxes and is also a tasty breakfast option”

“I love to give my son avocados once a day to keep him healthy and energetic,” says Kapur.

Avocado also helps your body absorb more of the nutrients from other foods it is eaten with. In fact, it’s regarded as one of the most nutritionally complete foods in the world.

“Adding some avocado to your meals throughout the day is a smart way to ensure you are getting some good nutrition in your diet. New Zealand Hass avocados are also high in vitamin B6, which helps to maintain good energy levels through the day.”Kapur is encouraging Indians to experiment with new culinary combinations this New Zealand Hass avocado season.

New Zealand avocados work well with so many different ingredients, they really are amazing anytime.

“New Zealand avocados mature on the tree longer giving them a nutty flavour which goes well with salmon and chicken. It can also pair well with light, fresh flavours such as watermelon and the sweetness of strawberry and kiwifruit.” Kapur says.

New Zealand avocados are grown in a pristine environment with strong dedication from growers to produce a premium product.

*Health benefits of New Zealand Avocado*
*Beautiful skin *The vitamins & antioxidants in Avocado can improve your skin from the inside

*Energy & vitality *The iron, niacin and vitamin B6 in Avocado support energy levels and help to unlock energy from your food

*Healthy heart *The good fats and omega acids in Avocado help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels

*Nutrient booster *Avocados help your body absorb more nutrients from other foods they are eaten with

*Protection *Vitamin C in Avocado contributes to protection of cells from free radical damage

*Healthy digestion *Fibre in Avocado keeps your digestive system in shape

*About New Zealand Avocado*

Avocados are the third*-*largest fresh fruit export from New Zealand.The total crop for the 2014-15 season is estimated at 7 million trays with 4.5 million expected to be exported. New Zealand Avocado works with the New Zealand industry to set export standards, facilitate market access, promote avocados from New Zealand and provide technical information to all New Zealand growers, of which there are more than 1600, based mainly in the Bay of Plenty and Northland.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on October 6, 2014 October 6, 2014

Amritsari Kulcha

October 6, 2014

Amritsari Kulcha

By Anubhav Sapra

There is always something emotional about your first job, your first salary. And then comes a day when one has to take a stand to move on. I left my job few days back after working for an NGO for 4 years. I had to think for days to arrive at this decision to move on and follow my heart’s call.

On the last day at work, I decided to introduce my colleague to the partner organizations with whom I used to coordinate with. After starting from Saket in the morning, we reached another voluntarily-run organization in East of Kailash. The meeting got finished around lunch time. We rushed to a nearby community centre and started exploring the eateries out there. I have always followed a maxim, that if there is a crowd, the food has to be good.

We reached a place where young men in formal attire were having their lunch. I smiled, and told my colleague – this is the place where we are going to eat our lunch. He was a bit disappointed as he wanted to eat comfortably in a restaurant. However, I persuaded him to try the food there and he hesitantly ordered a plate of Amritsari kulcha and chole from a cart, which turned out to be absolutely delicious.

The cart is owned by Ashu Monga (Mobile number 880074901). He hails from Firozpur in Punjab and has been selling Amritsari Kulcha for the last 4 years in the Community Centre, opposite Building no.20 in East of Kailash. He is there from 10 am to 3:30 pm. A plate of two Amritsari kulchas with chole cost Rs 30.

The kulchas were soft and fluffy with the topping of tomato and paneer. I have never before eaten a similar kind of kulcha of this standard anywhere in Delhi. I requested Ashu to share the secret behind the softness of the Kulchas. He happily shared the secret – these kulchas are made up of wheat and semolina and not white flour, and secondly, they come straight every morning from Ballu Bakery in Firozpur, Punjab. He adds a spoon of chutney over the chole and garnishes it with onion rings and serves these kulchas with green chilly pickles.

I returned to my office with my colleague feeling satiated and thinking about the right decision of leaving the job to pursue my vocation of running Delhi Food Walks full-time.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on October 2, 2014 October 2, 2014

Tandoori Momos

October 2, 2014

Tandoori Momos

By Anubhav Sapra

The one dish which has caught the imagination of Delhiites is Momos. It has become the most sought-after street food of Delhi. At every nook and corner, one can find small kiosks- a table and a steamer with steaming momos. Adjacent to the steamer are two big jars of chutneys –One is red, hot and spicy with loads of red chillies and the other is red in colour too but mild in spices. Some of them sell steamed momos and some sell fried versions, both vegetarian and non vegetarian.

Recently, my sister, who is fond of momos, introduced me to another version of momos on the street – tandoori momos. Whenever I have posted the query on DFW’s facebook page asking the fans about the best place in Delhi to try tandoori momos- the answer has always been QDs. I must admit that I am not at all a fan of QDs and have never liked their dry and half cooked tandoori momos. My search for the best tandoori momos continued for years and finally I have found a place, which in my knowledge serves the best tandoori momos.

The place is in C-7 market of Lawrence Road and the small kiosk is owned by Dheeraj (cell number 9990892822). It was a delight to my eyes to see him prepare a plate of tandoori momos so passionately. It is cooked the same way as the other tandoori items are cooked. On skewers, pieces of momos interspersed with capsicum and onion are grilled uniformly. The grilled momos are then added to a bowl where green coriander chutney, red chilly momos chutney, mayonnaise, cream, chaat masala, and lemon juice is added. The momos are mixed and served on a plate with a toothpick and a spoon – toothpicks for the momos and spoon for gravy. The momos were juicy and delicious in taste. A plate of Chicken momos is Rs 100 and Veg costs Rs 60 and Paneer is Rs80.

This place is a must visit in North Delhi for all the momos lovers. I have got the long list of places to try momos in North Delhi and I am going to try them all soon. Till then, keep reading and keep munching!

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on October 2, 2014 October 3, 2014

Arjun Pav Bhaji

October 2, 2014

Arjun Pav Bhaji

By Simran Kaur

Looking for finger licking street delicacy around North Delhi? Then Ajun ki pav bhaji located in Model town 3rd is surely a delight for all the pav bhaji lovers. Arjun, a Marathi man with magic in his fingers started his business on a small cart nearly a decade ago in a silent corner in Model town 2^nd. The quality of his appetizing servings gained him all the popularity and encouraged him to expand his business to a shop in main market of Model town 3^rd.

Finger licking spicy Bhaji, fully prepared and garnished with big chunks of butter along with Masala Pao is the main attraction of the place. A plate of Pav Bhaji is served for Rs 80 and does justice to the quantity served to its customers. Not only Pav Bhaji, Arjun also does super spicy vegetable pulao with a tangy sauce and refreshing salad. Vada pao is another super delicious delicacy served to the customers. But special garlic Pav Bhaji is the biggest hit amongst the people.

In the evening, huge crowd of people gather outside his stall, who are served sizzling hot Pav bhaji . However, you may find difficulty in parking your cars but once you taste it, trust me you will realise it is worth waiting for. Arjun Pav bhaji has a quick service so you can enjoy your meal inside your cars .The stall opens at 6pm in the evening and due to huge demand it is wrapped up around 9.30 pm. Surprisingly, Everyday it sells more than 150 plates of pav bhaji within 2hours, as estimated by Arjun, who loves to cook and feed people.

Definitely try this place and let your taste buds enjoy a spicy roller coaster ride with this amazing Arjun Pav bhaji.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on September 20, 2014 September 20, 2014

Mini Samosa

September 20, 2014

Mini Samosa

By Anubhav Sapra

Long back I read an article titled ‘Samosa trail’by Chitra Balasubramaniam, where she tried to cover the journey of Samosa in Delhi and discussed its variants at great length. Starting from the legendary Embassy’s samosa to the Japani Samosa, she had covered it all! Here are a few of them:

Embassy Samosa: Weighing 300-350 grams, this samosa isfilled with cubed potatoes, paneer pieces, matar (peas) and loads of green chillies.

Where: Lutyen’s Connaught Place.

Farukhabadi Samose: It has mashed potatoes, to which salt and red chilli powder are added.

Where: Shanti Mohalla, near Gandhi Nagar market.

Allahabadi Samose: This variant of the samosa is filled with well-fried dal.

Where: Bengali Sweet House at Bengali Market

Japani Samosa: This snack has a total of 60 layers filled with aloo, matar and very little spice which seeps through the incredibly crisp layers. This is served with delicious, piping hot pindichane and an interesting pickle of lauki (bottle gourd) and mango.

Where: Manohar, Chandni Chowk

Recently, I was at Connaught Place, getting my breakfast packed from an eatery famous for Chole Kulche near Scindia House. While crossing the subway from the Hindustan Times office to the other side of Naurang House, I noticed a man sitting on the pavement near Parsvnath complex, swiftly wrapping mashed potatoes with a thin dough and frying it. The size of the samosa took me by surprise! It was so small that it has been rightly named Mini Samosa. The weight of one samosa would besomewhere between 10-15 grams. Inflation, a key poll issue in last general elections, seems to have no effect on the mini samosa. 6 samosas are served with green coriander chutney at a minimal price of Rs.10. It is a treat to your taste buds.

Sri Ram, the owner, and his son Rajesh, who hail from UP, have been selling this delightful, affordable snack to office goers sincethe past 12 years at the same pavement.

The next time you are in Connaught Place, near Barakhamba Road,find your way to the Mini Samosa wale and gobble up the mini treat! I’m just happy to have added another variant to Ms. Balasubramaniam’s list.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on September 13, 2014 September 13, 2014

Yadav Ji’s Chole Kulche

September 13, 2014

Yadav Ji’s Chole Kulche

By Anubhav Sapra

Saket has some decent eating joints for office goers in J block market. By decent, I mean good quality, reasonably priced food which anyone can eat. One such place in J block Market is Om Prakash Yadav‘s Chole Kulche. What attracted my attention to Yadav’s Chole Kulche cart was the horde of people of all age groups who thronged his stall – school children with empty lunch boxes getting chole kulche packed, office goers eating paranthas with chole and some of them getting packed chole kulche in Aluminium foils for their colleagues back in office.

Om Prakash Yadav hails from Siddharth Nagar in Uttar Pradesh. He has been selling CholeKulche for the past 24 years. His cart is right opposite Neelu Nursing Home in J Block Market. The interesting part about Yadav ji’s Chole Kulche are the lemons which you can cut and squeeze over the chole yourself, unlike at other places where you need to ask the Kulche man for a few drops of lemon. Also, pickles of green chillies and mangoes are lying in huge quantity in a tray and one can pick as much as they want. I asked for the knife from Yadav ji to cut lemon in to two equal halves and squeezed them over the chole to make the spices a bit mild and savored them with kulchas which were soft and fluffy.

A plate of Chole Kulche and Parantha Kulche is priced for Rs 30 and a glass of boondi raita is for Rs 20. So, next time you are around Saket Market, try Yadav ji’s Chole Kulche. To add that tangy flavor, do not forget to add the lemon juice.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on July 11, 2014 September 20, 2014

IFTAR FOOD WALK

11th July, 2014

IFTAR FOOD WALK

By Akshita Singh

It felt like just the whole world was out there, on the streets of Chawri Bazaar, cutting through cycles, rickshaws and enthusiastic people. We were no exception. All of us exuberant foodies who had congregated at Gate 3 of the Chawri Bazaar Metro Station were in for loads of culinary surprises in Delhi’s very own Walled City.

When there were stacks of chicken legs, laid beautifully in layers of concentric semicircles on one side, and the scrummy, sizzling Pakodas on the other, then being pushed through the jammed narrow lanes and struggling to move centimeters at a time through the throng of Matia Mahal, was a delight in itself. Soon enough, the magnificent Jama Masjid, with its overpowering domes came into sight. All alleys converged at the grounds of the sublime mosque and there from, the walk turned so much more exhilarating.

Our first stop was Kallan Sweets, where we tried some Paneer ki Jalebis that did appear different from the usual kind we eat, because of a darkish alloy orange outer layer and a thicker line of spiral. Adding Paneer into a dessert, and that too a very familiar one, was sure a refreshing novelty for most of us. As our walk resumed, we came across a plethora of carts stacking feni, a must-have during Sehri. Carts of dry fruits, none without mountains of dates, were put right under “Jeweller’s” and “ Currency Exchange” boards – a conspicuous portrayal of the power food amasses over everything else, during Ramzaan evenings.

Our next stop was the Haji Mohd. Hussain shop that had massive cauldrons of Chicken and Mutton Biryani being cooked away into unsurpassable delectability. Even from a distance, the whiff of the Pandanus flowers (kewra), the dominating flavor in Biriyanis, reached us. Pakwaan, possessing the bread mastery skills, had delicacies like sheermal, bakarkhani, milk roti and rawamaida all set to decorate the counters. The flies orbiting the cut pineapples and barfis could be a minor deterrence to the otherwise unabating enthusiasm, but at all the places we ate, hygiene was a surety.

Breaking from the tradition, this Iftar Party was celebrated right inside Jama Masjid, amidst innumerable other Muslim families. With that, the Iftar turned so much more authentic. Mats were laid, food baskets were pulled out and lined and we all clustered around the food. Till the time clock didn’t strike 7:25, we had each other and 2 mischievous striped cats for company. All we had to wait for now was the “boom”. Oh, yes, that’s what signals the beginning of Iftar.

Right after the boom, plates found hands, and chicken wings, jalebis, dates, and sheermal found plates. We reversed the usual order of eating and started with the Paneer Jalebis. Even sans any independent taste of paneer, these Paneer ki Jalebis had their distinctly sweet, fascinating flavor. Keema Samosas, amusingly moulded like the half-moon Gujjia, were crunchy and spicy with just the right thickness of the outside, and the stuffing.

Chicken thighs,inside a besan paste, were moderately crisp and tasted great when taken with Rumali rotis. Rotis were equally scrumptious when taken with Chicken Changhezi or Nahari. The pandanus fragrance re-emerged once the Chicken Biriyani baskets were opened. You’d crave to keep each bite in your mouth and savor it forever but within minutes of their being opened, not one grain of rice or a chicken crumb could be found in any of the baskets.

Sheermal was the most singular bread one could ever eat. The succulent, soft, milky and rarely-found bread is one of the few that complemented any sort of dish and yet, needed no dish at all to accompany it. The rows of tiny holes all over the sheermal are in fact perforations that are layered with oil to let it seep further into the sheermal.

After the dinner was over and when most people around us left for their namaaz, we resumed our walk and stopped for some extremely invigorating watermelon and apple milk shakes. They won us over, both for their lusciousness and for their uniqueness, for, how often do we get to drink watermelon milk shakes?

The hot and syrupy Shahitukda with bread soaked in milk and the cold, creamy phirni both served in little earthen pots, were the ideal desserts after the appetizing meal and energizing drinks. So did that conclude the walk? No, not before one last, most essential gesture: Delhi Food Walks served chicken and naans to poor, hungry and homeless people lined outside kiosks, to bring a perfect closure to a wonderful walk on the auspicious occasion of Iftar.

The next walk is scheduled for the 13^th July, 2014 at 6.00pm from Chawri Bazaar metro station, Old Delhi. If you want to get a guided culinary tour, you could always book a space for yourselves, contact Anubhav from Delhi Food Walks at #9891121333.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com