Every city has a story to tell. Hidden in the nooks and corners of the labyrinthine lanes of Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi) are many such stories waiting to be heard. But of all the many stories, the most famous are those told by the flavours and spices. By the dishes, some of whose recipes are centuries old. As old as the Mughal sultanate.
Winter is a great time for a food walk in this part of the National capital. Thus, I embarked on a gastronomic adventure to try some of the famous delicacies of Old Delhi and also set out on a quest to find something new.
To know where to find the best of these, feel free to write to me.
Seekh Kebabs. Kebabs are minced meat, mixed and marinated with a wide variety of spices, slowly roasted over charcoal. The ideal starter I would say.
Sheer Maal. These extremely soft hand-tossed Indian bread is first baked inside a clay over and then brushed with ghee (vanaspati) and sweet syrup.
Chicken Korma. Sheer Maal's ideal sidekick. The sweetness of the bread and the explosion of spices in the chicken make them the perfect match.
North India = Butter Chicken. Right? Absolutely, but not the cliched butter chicken with a cream garnishing on top. This is the true butter chicken. Succulent pieces of meat, roasted over charcoal is mixed with yoghurt, chutney, the house's secret ingredient.....and wait for it..... lots of butter. The pieces of chicken literally float on molten butter!
Utterly, butterly, delicious. From watching the dish being prepared to licking the bowl clean, every part of it is an experience in it's own.
A winter delicacy, Nihari is by far one of the tastiest and spice loaded dish in this list. Cooked for over eight hour, the meat just melts in the mouth. Best had with rotis (Indian bread), these are available only early in the morning and late in the evening due to its long cooking process. Sadly, there are only a few shops that continue to serve authentic Nihari.
Moving towards the sweeter section, Shahi Tukda is one of the richest sweet dish ever. Loaded with dry fruits and ghee (vanaspati), this sweet dish is essentially prepared out of bread.
You gotta be lucky to find this. Daulat ki Chaat is a sweet dish unlike any. Available only during the winter months, this extremely fluffy, whipped sweet is prepared by only a few and the recipe is inherited. The morning dew is one of the key ingredients in this dish.
