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NEPAL BHAKTAPUR FOOD TOUR

 

As a part of our ongoing Nepal Food Series, we are at Bhaktapur or the City of Devotees to explore its unique food traditions. It is named so as it has three major squares full of towering pagoda style temples that boasts of some of the finest religious architecture in the country. The remarkable structures- with exquisite wood carvings and metal craft- pervading the cityscape, transported us to ancient times. Moreover the car free city centre here is a happening spot teeming with tourists and locals. As you stroll down the lanes, you discover how art and craft occupies a significant place in the culture of Bhaktapur. The alleyways with varied shops and workshops are a testimony to its vibrant cultural heritage that is still very dynamic. Once you reach here you will find yourselves amidst friendly natives.

In our gastronomic exploration at this sleepy city we are joined by our foodie host Kamal Bhatta who is keenly familiar with the traditions of this place. The menu out here, on the streets is mostly Newari food. Come let’s see what all did we tried in this tour.

Sel Roti, Jerry, Swaari and Malpua

Before starting for Bhaktapur at morning, we relished some popular street side breakfast items at the main marketplace in Kathmandu. For this we first bought some Gwaramari(round, fried all purpose flour based sweet bread), Malpua, Sel Roti(ring-shaped, sweet rice bread), Jerry(similar to Jalebi) and Swaari(thin, soft puri) from different places and then settled down to have it with a glass of milky tea, just how the locals do. The most notable snack among these was the Sel Roti that was a ring shaped, deep fried sweet bread made with rice flour. Again Swaari and Jerry together made an interesting combination. The most delightful thing about the eating experience was witnessing them being prepared fresh. The dishes were simple, familiar but yummy and filling.

On reaching Bhaktapur, we embarked on a pleasant stroll down the alleys of this heritage city in search some quintessential food. Our first stop was a local sweet shop where we tried the Balbara and Gudpak. The first one is a sweet, crisp, deep fried, sugar glazed flatbread while the second one is a traditional fudge like sweet made with khoya, gond, ghee, nuts, etc. Its rich and dense texture reminded us of our very own Dodha Burfi.

Choila

Next we arrived at another sleepy lane where locals-kids, young and old-were relaxing or socialising on the raised verandah of the native buildings. We were here to have fresh and hot aloo chop or potato fritters. We loved the mildly spiced fritters served with a spicy chutney. From there we went to the simple looking Choila Specialist at Kamalvinayak, whose Choila, Thon and Aloo Tama are quite popular with the locals. The Choila here, which is a meat based appetizer was lip smacking and hence the name of the place stands quite justifiable. It is just small pieces of tender, perfectly grilled meat that is mixed with raw ginger garlic paste, chilli paste, salt, green garlic and dressed with heated mustard oil. The flavourful Choila effortlessly complimented the traditional rice based alcoholic drink Thon or Chyang. Another traditional Newari dish the Aloo Tama, a delicious curry made with potatoes, bamboo shoots, black eyed peas etc. was delicious too.

 

After those robust tastes we went to try the iconic Juju Dhau or ‘King Curd’ that is one of the must try delicacy in the region. We were bowled over by the thick, luscious, velvety and creamy texture of this buffalo milk based curd. Do notice the hint of earthiness that comes from the earthenware used to set it.

 

Barra Wo

Next were the turn another Newari dish Barra and Wo which are essentially savoury black lentil pancakes. Just as we entered the place we were greeted by a smiling old lady sitting behind a busy griddle full of round Barras. These delicious lentil pancakes can be customised into different forms. So you can have the plain ones, ones with just meat or just eggs and then the ones with both meat and eggs. They serve it with a spicy and tangy channa curry or dry potato sabzi. The lentils lend it a nice, soft and fluffy body while the cooked minced meat and and eggs adds to the flavours. Interacting with Ama, the genial lady running the Barra counter with such an effortless ease was a memorable experience. More than the irresistible aromas suffusing the place, the warmth exuding from Ama gave us homely vibes.

 

Chitwan Ka Taas

 

 

Our last food destination was Bhetghat restaurant in Kathmandu which serves a very special meat dish from the Chitwan region called Taas. It is an amazing dish consisting of crisp and tender shallow fried meat pieces served with puffed rice and radish pickles. The flavoursome taste of meat, basic spices and most importantly mustard oil conjured up nostalgia of this dish that he had tried at his birthplace Muzzafarpur, Bihar. Do come and bond over a plate of Taas. With our tummy and heart both contended, we wrapped up the tour.

Heartfelt thanks to Kamal for taking us to such gem of places. Till next time keep walking and keep exploring.

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A Small Kiosk At Brahamaputra Market – Bombay Bhel Puri

Craving some shawarma or kathi rolls? Have a sudden yearning for delicious tandoori chicken or aloo chaat?

Noida’s Brahmaputra Market is the hub for everything food related. At the BP Market, one can satisfy their evening cravings or find dinner to take home. You can also indulge in some Chinese cuisine, gorge on some a pastries and doughnuts or simply fill up on some fresh juice or shakes. It is truly a foodie’s paradise.

Nestled among the bustling Brahmaputra Market is a small kiosk going by the name of Bombay Bhel Puri. Established in 1995, Bombay Bhel Puri is known in the locality for its mouth-watering sev puri and bharwa golgappe. The sev puri is a definite stand out and absolutely delicious. Covered in a layer of sev with a few coriander sprinkled over it, it appears to be nothing special at first sight. But as one begins to dig in, various other ingredients are revealed. A plate of sev puri consists of 7 papris topped up with generous servings of aloo, onions, imli chutney and sev. Every bite of this savoury is a burst of flavours and absolutely heavenly.

Bombay Bhel Puri is owned by Mr Naresh Chabra who has been in business for the past 22 years. Usually, he sits all by himself. At other times, he is assisted by one other fellow. One can also choose from other chaat items like bhel puri, dahi puri, jhal muri, bhalla papri, and a few more chaat items. A lot of people prefer to get the items packed and take it home, instead of eating it at the crowded market. But of course, everything tastes better when it is freshly made and eaten on the spot.    

Chaat items are the staple street food of Delhi and it isn’t difficult to spot one kiosk in every nook and cranny selling the same. However, Chabra’s Bombay Bhel Puri stall is exceptionally good. Most of the chaat items are priced at rupees 50 and are enough to fill a person to the brim. Like every other food stall in the BP market, this too opens up only during the evening. One can easily reach the market by metro, nearest being the Botanical Garden Metro Station.     

This mini Chandini Chowk of Noida has everything from a wide array of food items to even clothes. The market is always bustling with activity, be it morning or evening, except on Thursdays when most of the shops remain closed. Here, you can buy second-hand novels, street shop, or eat to your heart’s content. The BP Market is a must visit for every food enthusiast.

 

Location- Brahmaputra Market, Maharishi Dayanand Marg, Sector 29, Noida

Contact info.- 9818054083

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Samosa’s Authentic Indian Food Making Samosa’s Great Again

Be it a rainy day or just a craving for something “good”, aloo samosa with dhaniya and imli chutney is the go-to snack for almost every Indian. Just when you think everything that could have possibly been done to and modified about a samosa, has been done for, you couldn’t be more wrong. Samosa’s Authentic Indian Food, located in the bustling lanes of South Delhi, is here to revolutionise the basic aloo samosa.

Situated in the J block of the Amar Colony area of Lajpat Nagar 4, amidst the honking cars and the crowded lanes, Samosa’s Authentic Indian Food may seem like a regular shop on the outside, however, you’ll be assured of its uniqueness once you take a look at its menu. This samosa outlet has broken away from convention in just a period of 4-5 months. Samosa’s Authentic Indian Food offers upto 38 varieties of vegetarian and non-vegetarian samosas having fillings of paneer tikka, chicken keema, malai mushroom, creamy corn, and even a newly introduced samosa desert or ‘samoert’, stuffed with khoya and Dairy Milk Silk. One also has the option of two different types of samosa base, either aata or maida.

Rajiv, the owner of the outlet has collaborated with Swiggy and Ubereats to provide a swift and efficient home delivery experience to his customers and even has a website dedicated to the same. The different samosa stuffings are prepared every morning but no samosa is cooked beforehand. They are freshly prepared, using little marking of food colouring for differentiation, as per the orders received, in a small kitchen at the back of the shop. The samosas are served with the staple dhaniya and imli chutney. These golden brown crispy samosas start at rupees 10, going high up only till rupees 60. The outlet opens up at 11 in the morning but receives huge crowds only in the evening around 4-4:30.

This year, Samosa’s Authentic Indian Food is trying to expand its reach and “make samosa’s great again” by being a part of the NBT Flavour Fest- Street Fusion Food Court taking place at Baba Kharak Singh Marg on the 14th and 15th of October. The festival is curated by Delhi Food Walks and aims to bring to the forefront the talented minds behind the various fusion food items.      

 

Location- J-9, Shop No 2, Amar Colony, Lajpat Nagar 4

Contact info.- +919650673039

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Rajiv Bhai ki Spl. Pizza Omelette, a Speciality of Dwarka Sector 7

Omelette, etymologically a French word, has since been modified and its variants, like the frittata or the Greek omeleta, can be found across the world. In India too, the vendors of Delhi, have taken the omelette up a notch. The staple ingredient of every household has been spruced up to give us the pizza omelette.

Pizza omelette, a crossover between a pizza and an omelette, has become a speciality of Dwarka Sector 7. One can find many street food vendors selling the same, however, the one sold at Ramphal Chowk by a stall named Rajiv Bhai ki Spl. Pizza Omelette is truly a delicacy. The stall is owned by Shiv Kumar who has been doing the same for the past 3 years. People from the neighbourhood start lining up at his stall as soon as it opens. He also sells various other sorts of omelettes including cheese, chicken, paneer and even dry fruits. Shiv Kumar sets up his stall at 3 pm and serves till 11 pm, making for a great evening snack. The stall is easy to spot, being quite popular in the locality and can be easily reached by metro.


The pizza omelette is prepared live and its price varies from rupees 80-240, depending on the number of eggs used to make the omelette, going upto 10 eggs. The omelette is first cooked in large quantities of butter, either in Amul butter or its healthier alternative Nutralite, then stuffed with tomatoes, onion, ginger, and chillies, and later 4 slices of bread attached to it while cooking. So far, the dish looks pretty basic and simple, however, what follows, makes it stand apart. The omelette is finished off with toppings of liberal quantities of grated cheese, cream, beetroot, paneer, pomegranate, and fresh coriander. The finished product truly looks like a pizza and as you dig in, you’ll discover the variety of ingredients used in the making. The pizza omelette is served with two types of chutney, and a little salad on the side. If you are looking for an indulgence and do not mind the calories, this is the dish to go for.
This year, Rajiv Bhai ki Spl. Pizza Omelette is trying to give every Delhite the taste of their special pizza omelette by being a part of the NBT Flavour Fest- Street Fusion Food Court taking place at Baba Kharak Singh Marg on the 14th and 15th of October. The festival is curated by Delhi Food Walks and aims to bring to the forefront the talented minds behind the various fusion food items.

Location- Rajiv Bhai ki Spl. Pizza Omelette, Ramphal Chowk. Dwarka Sector 7, Delhi

Contact info.- +919015062819

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K.B Chaat’s Famous Moonglet

Some call it the “Vegetarian Omelette” or the Indianised Pancake, but it is popularly known as the ‘moonglet’. Moong dal and Omelette, two food items that seem to not fit well together have been combined by the vendors of Karol Bagh to give us the super delicious ‘moonglet’. In simple terms, ‘moonglet’ is a moong dal cheela, but at the same time, it is so much more than that.

K.B. Chaat, located in Karol Bagh, is known in the neighbourhood for its scrumptious butter soaked ‘moonglets’. One can find multiple vendors selling this delicacy in this area, but it is for K.B. Chaat’s ‘moonglets’ that people line up and wait patiently. Located opposite the Stellato’s showroom, the stall is set up at 3 pm and keeps serving its various chaat items till 10 at night. Apart from the ‘moonglet’, they also sell other basic chaat items like Gol Gappe, Aloo Tikki, Chole Kulche, among others. KB Chaat first came into service in 1970 and was initiated by the father of the present owner. The owner, Dinesh Kumar, introduced the ‘moonglet’ in the stall’s menu about 6 years back. Since then, this dish has become popular across Delhi and has become synonymous with the stall’s name.
The cheela moonglet is prepared live and the process is a visual treat. It is made from moong daal, stuffed with onion, capsicum, sweet corn, etc and is cooked solely in layers and layers of butter, later topped with beetroot and coriander. Watching the moonglet being prepared is truly mouthwatering and makes it taste a lot more delicious. One can enjoy the cheela with 3 different types of chutneys, imli, mint, and a special one made out of khajoor. The price of the cheela varies from rupees 50-70, depending on the quantity of butter.

K.B. Chaat is easy to reach, the nearest metro station being Karol Bagh on the Blue line. The ‘moonglet’ is entirely made from vegetarian ingredients, yet it still manages to imitate the texture of an omelette. It makes for a perfect and relatively healthy evening snack.

This year, K.B. Chaat is trying to expand its reach by being a part of the NBT Flavour Fest- Street Fusion Food Court taking place at Baba Kharak Singh Marg on the 14th and 15th of October. The festival is curated by Delhi Food Walks and aims to bring to the forefront the talented minds behind the various fusion food items.

Address- K.B. Chaat, Opp. Stellato’s, Karol Bagh
Contact info.- +919873469437

 

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Raju Idli Wala, A Gem in Noida’s Sector 34

An internet search about South Indian food stalls in and around Delhi will give you a multitude of options to choose from. One can find a thela serving a range of South Indian dishes in almost every neighbourhood of Delhi or NCR. However, no amount of Google searches will help you find this place. But once in this neighbourhood, this food stall is hard to miss.

Angel South Indian Food better known as Raju Idli Wala, is a small food vendor located in Noida’s Sector 34 who is quite popular in the neighbourhood for making delectable dosas at an affordable cost. As the name indicates, he sells wonderful, light as air idlis. However, refusing to confine himself to just this, he also makes a range of South Indian food like Uttapam and Vadas and serves them with sambhar and delicious nariyal chutney, all at an affordable cost ranging from rupees 40-50.

Raju, the owner and the head chef, sets up his thela at 6 in the evening and closes only when every one of his last customers has been served. He has a team of two who help him with the cleaning and the management of his affairs.

Raju’s story goes as follows. Before being a small business owner, he used to work at an office canteen, making the very same things, until the company was shut down and he was out of a job. This was probably his wake-up call to do greater tastier things. He named the food stall after his daughter Angel, but the shop is synonymous with his name.

As soon as this place opens, it starts humming with activity, witnessing a line of hungry people all eagerly waiting for their order. Raju makes the best of what he has in order to accommodate them. The thela serves as a cooking station and also doubles up as a table. Everything, from the cooking to watching people indulge in the food is a visual treat. The option of “Take Away” is also available. But the locals say the food is more enjoyable and seems tastier when you eat it there, surrounded by fellow foodies.

Raju Idli Wala’s thela is easy to spot, located opposite the B12 Market, next to a huge park, and close to the Wave City Centre metro station. This is a must try for the locals, and worth hopping onto a metro and travelling the distance, just to gorge on some delicious Vadas and Uttapams.

So the next time you are in town, do not forget to grab a plate of your preferred South Indian dish at Raju Idli Wala.

Location- Opposite B12 Market, Captain Shashi Kant Marg, Sector 34, Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Timings- 6 pm onwards, except Friday
Contact Number- +917503611520