Every now and then, I raise a grateful toast to a bridge called the Barapullah. This undulating flyover has cut travelling time considerably for me, as well renewed my friendship with Lodhi Colony, which is one of the flyover’s exit points. I used to visit Lodhi Colony regularly at one point of time, for we had discovered a most amiable Sardarji who had a great collection of tattered old books. Then, of course, there was Chidambaram, a wonderful South Indian eatery in Khanna Market. I used to buy tea from a shop that sold all kinds of tea leaves. And when the Lodhi Colony markets became hip, I often visited the restaurants there.
But for the last many months, I have been noticing a few men standing behind a kiosk on a pavement, selling something that seems to attract a whole crowd of people. A few weeks ago, I stopped and found that the kiosk sold South Indian snacks. Earlier this week, on my way back home (via the Barapullah) I decided to try out their vadas and idlis.
Anna Durga South Indian (and Chinese) –– as the board says –– is quite popular in the neighbourhood. I found people standing there and gorging on vadas and dosas. It has been around for 30 years, the man at the counter told me. Earlier, the kiosk was in Meharchand Market. But after the Sanskritisation of the once middle-class market, Anna Durga had to move out. Now it’s on the main Lodhi Colony road. You’ll find it on the left if you are moving from the India Habitat Centre towards Barapullah, just after the main Lodhi Colony market.
The place was humming with activity –– and redolent with flavours –– when I stopped there. On one side of the kiosk, a man spread out dosa batter on a sizzling tawa, and flipped it across expertly before handing it over to a salivating customer. In another kadhai with hot oil, vadas were being fried. A large utensil stored idlis, while the dal vadas were placed in a shallow bowl. The vadas, idlis and dal vadas are for Rs.35 for two. The dosas and utthapams are for Rs.45.
I asked for two plates of vadas and idlis, and one plate of dal vada. This was packed along with coconut chutney and sambar. So when I reached home, I decided to have a high tea. I ate the dal vada, which was nice and crunchy and flavoured with little bits of ginger and onion. But what I really liked was the vada, which was deliciously crisp on the outside, and warm and soft inside. However, in this weather, I would strongly advise you to bypass the coconut chutney for coconut spoils very easily. This is advice in hindsight, for I dipped my vada in large quantities of the chutney –– and regretted it sorely the next day. All those who didn’t have the chutney were fine.
But the vada, fried fresh and crisp, was indeed excellent. And I shall go back there when the weather improves for some more. If I am feeling brave, I may even have Anna Durga’s Chinese!
Rahul Verma is a seasoned street food connoisseur
