Delhi belly
On arrival in Delhi a couple of weeks ago the pollution levels were only four times higher than the permissible limit.
That’s pretty good. As of today it’s six times higher.
The combination of the pollution, along with an already festering cold gave me some kind of mutant sore throat. It led to a burning sensation that gave four days of excruciating pain, as what I assumed was the pollution corroding my larnyx.
But pollution or no pollution I had booked a food tour of Old Delhi, and nothing gets in the way of me eating!
Old Delhi is the last of seven cities built by the great Mughal Kings of India. Old Delhi is rich in history, culturally and gastronomically. The area comprises of a network of back alleys and holes in the wall where families have been cooking and selling the most flavoursome and delectable food for generations.
Entire sections of Old Delhi are dedicated to just chillis, tea, wedding invitations, sarees and so much more. I took the plunge and went in and out and all over the place sampling the best Old Delhi has to offer. Here are some of my favourites.
Sorry in advance for not having exact names for the following. Some dishes are family recipes and simply did not have names!
Lassi: A staple favourite, but did you know a traditional lassi consists of either a sweetened and slightly salted plain yoghurt base – that’s it. The mango lassi we know and love from our local Indian restaurant is a Western concoction. Sorry. Traditional lassis in Old Delhi are served in these beautiful clay cups and flavoured with rose syrup. Divine!
Tamarind spiced potatoes: These were incredible. These potatoes are sand roasted. Yes, roasted with sand and then coated in a wonderfully spicy tamarind sauce. Unfortunately the photo below isn’t of these babies. They were made on the spot and were so good they were devoured immediately. Below is some Indian hash browns from the same vendor which were equally as good.
Cardamon cookies: Delhi’s answer to shortbread. These cookies were crumbly and moist with hints of cardamon and other spices (perhaps even some pistachios). This vendor was so proud of his cookies and with good reason!
Kulfi: You always hear that you should never have ice cream in India. Well I have many times and it’s good, particularly this kulfi from a family shop that has been in operation for over 100 years. The yellow kulfi is mango, the green, a very interesting combination of kiwi and cumin and the red, mixed berries. Don’t deny yourself this flavour explosion.
Daulat ki chaat: I am so angry at myself for not taking a photo of this. This dessert was magical and was inhaled in a second (probably why there is no photo). Daulat ki chaat is known as the “snack of wealth” made by only a few vendors in Old Delhi – apparently nine to be precise and only produced between October and March. There is a lot of secrecy around the ingredients, but essentially it is whipped milk with sugar and pistachios. It tastes like a meringue and is light and fluffy. It is the best thing you will ever taste! YUM.
Unfortunately, it is essentially impossible to find Daulat ki chaat outside Old Delhi, which means I need to go and start planning my next trip between October and March now!
