Delhi lives on its streets. From morning to evening and beyond, the Capital’s streets emit aroma hard to resist. All the big-wigs who come to the city want to step out incognito and savour the stuff offered by the street-side vendors. Never mind the five-star hotels and their claims to provide Dill ka khana, some step out to discover India in Delhi. No, not just India, in fact, the subcontinent.
The political dispensation changes every few years in the city but the love for Karachi halwa knows no bounds. It is common to find people lining up to buy Karachi ka halwa near the grand old Fatehpuri Masjid in Chandni Chowk.
While there it is not unusual too to find Peshawar ki jalebi. The other parts reflect the varied hues of our nation too. In Lajpat Nagar, it is not too difficult to procure delicious Mysore paak.
On Vikas Marg, in the evenings, litti chokha and sattu can be had with as much ease and relish as Kashmiri kahwa near Delhi Gate or even at Dilli Haat.
For vada pao all you need to do is to hop off the Metro station at ITO and you will find it right next to police headquarters. Too formidable? Never mind. Go across to Pragati Maidan just at a whistling distance and discover not just Mumbai’s favourite but even different varieties of tea from Assam. Go further South and Naga food won’t be hard to procure.
Not just in State’s bhawans, but actually on the streets of South Delhi. And no talk of the food from the North-east is ever complete without momos. The momos are fasting replacing Tunde’s kababs in popularity stakes in some parts. In others, niceties of Lucknow with its galoutis, and Kakori’s delights rule.
Of course, no mention of India’s food in Delhi is complete without taking a bite of rosgolla at Chittaranjan Park. While there, do take time out to enjoy fish that is not Amritsari, and macher jhol to die for.
Another day, head to those nice cosy stand-alone restaurants in Greater Kailash, or the more affordable ones in Karol Bagh and Jantar Mantar to discover that Delhi’s dosai lose nothing in comparison to those from the South.
And yes, till not long ago, Delhi Tourism’s outlets offered dosai and uttapams to die for. While talking of the food from the South, make an allocation for Chettinad biryani too in the elite zone, and Hyderabadi haleem which makes an appearance only around Ramadan time.
Want to prepare all the stuff at home? Relax. Delhi provides you spice from Kerala, Andhra, Kashmir and everywhere else. Just go across to Khari Baoli and enjoy a feast for the eyes, a treat for the nostrils.
Really, Delhi is not just home to people from across the country. Delhi is home too to their food. Everybody who gets off the train at the railway station brings with him a bit of Bharat. Delhi assimilates the soul of the country, the nation gets enriched.
