What to Eat in Delhi

1. For this very basic very delicious chaat boiled potatoes (aloo) are cubed fried and spiced up then served hot with toothpicks. These hunks of frying potato on large flat tawas manned by chaat walas are a common sight on Delhis streets. .....

Aloo tikki

2. This popular North Indian street chaat or snack is a goldenfried potato (aloo) patty often stuffed with something like peas or daal and served with a variety of spicy chutneys and sometimes chole (chickpeas). It varies according to stall and restaurant but its always crispy hot and satisfying. If its aloo tikki chaat yogurt and boiled potato will likely be involved too. None of which is to be confused with the chopped and spicedup fried potato ch .....

Bedmialoo nagorihalwa

3. One of Indias best oddball savorysweet pairings and a popular Delhi breakfast (especially in winter) bedmialoo and nagorihalwa are two distinct dishes eaten together. The former is the savory part: a puffy hefty deepfried purilike bread made of wheat flour spices and dal called bedmi which is served with a spicy aloo sabzi or potato curry. The latter is nagori a small crispy crumbly puri made with suji (semolina) and ghee paired with suji halwa k .....

Naan roti chapati

4. Naan is a soft leavened flatbread made of white flour thats traditionally cooked in a tandoor or clay oven; its generally offered either plain buttered or stuffed with say garlic aloo (potato) or minced mutton (which is then called keema or qeema naan). Roti and chapati are both unleavened wheatflour breads rolled out much thinner than naan and cooked on a tawa or flat griddle; the breads are so similar as to be interchangeable in name (technical .....

Butter chicken

5. A favorite dish of Delhi butter chicken is one of several Punjabassociated foods with a likely Mughlai influence. The Mughals Muslim emperors who ruled India for a few centuries beginning in the 16th were fond of a royally rich cuisine: boldly flavored curries; lots of ground and whole spices dried fruits and nuts; roasted meats. The fact that some of these qualities were shared and/or adapted by Punjabi cooks explains why this type of food is st .....

Chicken changezi

6. A nonveg Delhi favorite chicken changezi is roasted chicken cooked with tomato ginger garlic onions green chilies fresh coriander (cilantro) spices and plenty of oil until its packed with spicy flavor and richly red in color. Its roots are Punjabi and its name possibly connected to Genghis (a.k.a. Changez) Khan though we can only guess how or why. Sure the Mughals were descended from a sect of Mongols going back a few centuries or maybe the dishs .....

Chicken ishtu

7. The ishtu (also spelled ishtoo ishtew) of Delhi has a mild onionbased stewlike sauce dotted with plenty of khada masala or whole spices cloves cardamom pods and more plus a healthy pooling of oil on top. (In the south its different prepared with coconut milk). The texture is of minced onion and garlic; the flavor nutty slightly tangy and aromatic. Both mutton and chicken are common meats usually served on the bone. Etymology note: According to De .....

Chole bhature

8. Sort of the unofficial dish of New Delhi though its popular elsewhere in North India chole bhature is a Punjabi concoction of spicy curried chickpeas (chole) and puffy fried whiteflour bread (bhature) most often eaten together for breakfast (its also known as chana bhatura). Come mornings popular chole bhature spots are crowded with everyone from local rickshaw drivers and shopkeepers to university students all looking for a delicious cheap meal. .....

Chole kulche

9. Delhiites are particularly fond of their curried chickpeas (chole) especially as seen in this popular street food and its sister chole bhature. While in the latter the chole is paired with puffy fried bread (bhature) kulche refers to the fluffy usually ovalshaped baked bread made from maida flour that acts as chole vehicle for this traditional Punjabi dish. To further confuse matters the chole in this case are often not chickpeas but yellow or gr .....

Dahi bhalla

10. The perfect cooling chaat and stomach soother on a hot Delhi day dahi bhalla consists of creamy dahi or yogurt and bhalla bready fried lentil fritters (usually of urad dal). The peppery bhalla get soaked and smothered by the yogurt then topped with pink pomegranate seeds chewy yellow raisins and sweet tamarind chutney. The creamy result as with the best chaats is a spicy sweet tangy amalgam of flavors in a snacksize portion. .....

Dal makhani

11. A Punjabi staple dal makhani is a hearty spicy tomatobased dish of urad dal (lentils) and rajma or red kidney beans usually slowcooked with butter and some cream for a thick consistency and rich taste (makhani means with butter in Hindi; see also butter chicken). Common on many Delhi menus as a simple yet filling vegetarian meal it is pretty darn delicious like a buttery bean chili to our tastes. Indian comfort food. for sure. .....

Gol gappa

12. This very popular chaat or snack encompasses some of chaats best qualities spicy crunchy saucy satisfying all in one explosive bitesize package. Also widely known as pani puri it consists of a round hollow crispyfried puri thats filled with potato chickpea onion spices and flavored water usually tamarind and/or mint and popped into ones mouth whole often while standing. The water part is whats tricky for foreigners as most of those tempting stree .....

Gulab jamun

13. A popular dessert all over India indeed much of South Asia gulab jamuns are little goldenbrown balls (or ovals) made of milk solids and flour that are deepfried coated in a sugary syrup and served warm. Dense and sweet with a bready exterior and creamy insides they remind us of delicious sugarsoaked doughnut holes. .....

Haleem

14. Its important to note that haleem a delicious meat stew is not really a Delhi food it has Persian roots is an official food in Hyderabad and is eaten in plenty of other parts of South Asia particularly by Muslims to break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan. But Delhi being a North Indian mishmash of different ethnic groups and religions including several prominent enclaves of Muslims (accounting for about 12% of the total population) its .....

Jalebi

15. Very popular throughout India for centuries jalebi are made from fermented batter which is fried in ghee into ropy pretzellike whorls and then soaked in a hot sugary syrup. While not unique to Delhi the orangey sweets are a very common sight on the street and in sweets shops across the city and youll soon learn why. When jalebi are hot and fresh every bite is crisp yet chewy warm with gooey sugary liquid. Deliciously sweet we like to think of the .....

Kadhai paneer

16. Another of the many vegetarian Punjabi dishes popular in Delhi kadhai paneer (sometimes called karahi) is paneer or Indian cheese cooked with bell peppers (a.k.a. capsicum) onion tomato garlic ginger lots of spices usually including dry fenugreek leaves ghee and some cream. Its name refers to the woklike pan in which its cooked: a kadhai known as karahi in Pakistan (that the Punjab region straddles both countries explains the two names showing up .....

mutton seekh chicken tikka

17. Delhi loves its kebabs. In fact its not really an exaggeration to say that a whole website might be dedicated to the many varieties of ground and rolled grilled and skewered meats found in this city a relatively young phenomenon really that perhaps represents Delhi embracing its Mughlai roots (or more specifically the Persian roots of those Mughals). For carnivores of course this is all great news but even vegetarians can find good grilled paneer .....

Kheer

18. An ancient delicately sweet dessert made of slowcooked rice milk and sugar kheer is South Asias take on rice pudding though it has quite a few regional variations and names. Here saffron cardamom and nuts like pistachio and almond often get involved. Like phirni its served chilled in earthenware bowls and especially common in Muslim restaurants particularly during Ramadan. .....

Kofta

19. Kofta means meatballs although in one of the most popular Mughlai dishes malai kofta the balls in question are veg made with paneer. Otherwise the kofta will likely be minced and spiced mutton (also called keema) unless its nargisi kofta which means a hardboiled egg coated in ground meat (and which may have inspired the U.K.s Scotch egg). In any case the fried kofta balls are typically smothered in a lovely creamy curry sauce patiently waiting fo .....

Kulfi

20. Indias take on ice cream kulfi is a frozen dairybased dessert traditionally made by boiling milk until it reduces and condenses then sweetening cooling and freezing it in clay cups or in long narrow molds with a stick. Its commonly flavored with spices nuts and/or fruits. Because there are no eggs or whipping/churning involved kulfi is especially dense smooth and creamy. And once it gets hot in Delhi its just about necessary for survival. .....

Kulfi faluda

21. This popular dessert pairs kulfi Indias dense and creamy milkbased (eggless) ice cream with faluda or clear vermicelli noodles usually dipped in rose water. Like its distant cousin rabri faluda it seems an odd combo to foreign eyes but it somehow works. .....

Kulle

22. Kulle is fruit chaat alleged to have been invented in Delhi and a brilliant interpretation of the genre in our opinion especially on a hot summers day. Whats better than fresh fruit and vegetables skins peeled of course hollowed out and topped with salty tangy spices chickpeas and jewelbright pomegranate seeds? Just about nothing. Finally an Indian street chaat thats completely guiltfree. .....

Lassi

23. The smoothielike counter to all those heavy curries lassi is a creamy frothy yogurtbased drink from Punjab. There are many varieties but most will fall under either sweet or salted the former is curd blended or whisked with sugar (and/or fruit) the latter with salt and often other spices like cumin and/or cardamom seeds. Traditionally lassi is served in a disposable clay cup called a kulhar and extra malai or clotted cream is spooned on top befor .....

Mango sandwich shake

24. Ah the Indian mango. If youre here during the springsummer season the payoff for enduring the oftenoppressive heat is access to the best mangoes in the world. Lots of them sold on practically every street; encased in a thick travelerfriendly skin dripping with sweet juices and bursting with pure mango flavor. There are countless varieties of mango here all with exoticsounding names safeda langda dussehri chausa fazli rataul Alphonso and all wed h .....

Masala chai

25. Masala chai is the milky spiced black tea thats found all over India thanks to the teacrazy British who set up plantations for export back in the 1830s and later worked to popularize tea drinking in India via the Indian Tea Association. Like much of north India and beyond tea stalls or chaiwallas (tea makers) are common sights on the streets of Delhi where they serve tea to passersby and local vendors. Its an integral part of life here especially .....

Moong dal halwa

26. Halwas among Indias favorite gheebased sweets come in many shapes flavors and textures the latter most simply broken down (in our minds) as hard or soft (see also: bedmialoo nagori halwa). Moong dal halwa made from ground and sweetened mung beans (a type of lentil) cooked in ghee falls in the soft category and though it hails from nearby Rajasthan its super popular for dessert here in Delhi especially in winter. .....

Mutton burra

27. Mutton (usually goat in India) is perhaps most memorable cooked as a burra kebab: marinated skewered roasted and charred in the tandoor on the bone. When done well its tender spicy smoky meat an ideal component of a carnivorous Mughlai feast. .....

Mutton chicken korma

28. A mild curry in which meat (often yogurtmarinated) is cooked in a thick gravy of ground onions ginger garlic lots of whole and ground spices and ghee mutton (usually goat here) and chicken korma (also spelled qorma) are staples on any MuslimMughlai restaurant around town. Theyre best enjoyed with a fluffy bread like tandoori roti naan or sheermal a sweet leavened bread. .....

Papri chaat

29. A definitive street chaat or snack of Delhi papri chaat is called so for the crispyfried round wafers (papri) that give it its addictive crunch. In the style of typical chaat the papri is accompanied by boiled potato chickpeas chaat masala a yogurt sauce and tamarind and coriander chutneys. You might also find it with pomegranate seeds and sev or fried gram flour. An absolutely perfect marriage of spicy sweet tangy soothing and crunchy this is ou .....

Paratha

30. A panfried usually round unleavened flatbread made from wheat flour the Punjabi paratha (also spelled parantha) is often stuffed with vegetables and/or paneer and served with various accompaniments such as chutneys yogurt sauce pickled vegetables and spicy potato and veg sabzi. They were likely enjoyed by the Mughal royalty of yore as parathas cooked in ghee and made with extra ingredients were once reserved for special occasions or guests compar .....

Phirni

31. This North Indian dessert is made of rice flour or ground rice milk and sugar; it has the delicious subtly sweet taste of rice pudding but a creamy smooth texture. Its usually topped with pistachio nuts and served chilled in earthenware bowls. Like the similar kheer phirni is especially popular during Ramadan and in Muslim restaurants. .....

Rabri faluda

32. One of the more interesting things we tasted in Delhi rabri faluda is a sweet rich drink so thick its served with a spoon consisting of vermicelli noodles (faluda same as that in kulfi faluda) and a pasty traditional sweet called rabri made of boiled milk cream sugar nuts and cardamom. The rabri is scooped on top of a glass of faluda then topped with crushed ice and mixed well. Its a very heavy floral drink likely with Persian roots. .....

Raj kachori

33. This colorful chaat or snack is quite popular in Delhi and other parts of northern India. It consists of kachori small fried bready balls and a variety of other yummy things chickpeas potatoes tomatoes moong sprouts masalas yogurt coriander and tamarind chutneys pomegranate seeds crunchy sev stuffed inside and atop a thin and very crispyfried purilike hollow shell. The various chutneys and yogurt coat the whole affair making it a perfect mix of w .....

Rajma chawal

34. Red kidney beans or rajma are not native to India but they show up in this common Punjabi dish paired with rice or chawal. Soupy and hearty its like a Latin American rice and beans with Indian spices. .....

Rasmalai

35. Its origins lie in eastern India but this simple dairylovers dessert is very popular all over the north including Delhi. Its made of soft balls of sweetened chenna (like a crumbly paneer Indias cottage cheese) soaked in malai or clotted cream flavored with cardamom topped with nuts or dried fruit and served chilled. It wont win points for color but its delicious with delicate sweetness. .....

Saag chicken paneer

36. A popular Punjabi preparation saag chicken or saag paneer combines a protein of choice with a wellspiced spinach curry made with lots of onion garlic ginger and spices. Its one of the classic North Indian curries with the bonus of feeling relatively healthy. .....

Samosa

37. One of the most widely known and enjoyed Indian snacks samosas are quite popular in Delhi and around North India which in general loves its fried goodies. Though regional variations abound up here samosas are triangular flourbased pastries stuffed with various ingredients such as spiced potato peas onions dal or paneer and then deepfried and served with some sort of chutney. Youll find them as a standalone snack or in chaat for which yogurt chutn .....

Sweets gheebased halwa ladoo

38. Among Indias myriad sweets made with ghee or clarified butter and specifically those common in Delhi there are halwas and a variety of ladoo (in addition to the everpopular jalebi of course). Within those categories there are many types; halwas for instance are generally either soft and flourbased (such as the puddinglike moong dal halwa) or crunchy/crumbly and nutbased. To simplify well focus on a few local favorites: sohan halwa a nutty Punjabi .....

Sweets khoya milkbased burfi milk cake peda

39. Indian sweets are so numerous and dizzyingly varied the colors! the shapes! the textures! that one look at a typical counter might send a foreigner running to the nearest BaskinRobbins. But dont be intimidated: On this site weve attempted to organize Indias vast mithai (sweets) scene at least the tip of the iceberg by concentrating on two of its basic categories both of them common in Delhi: sweets made with ghee and those made with milk or khoya .....

Tandoori chicken

40. Popular across North India and well beyond tandoori chicken is named for the cylindrical clay oven (tandoor) in which the bird is cooked. The generally accepted origin story attributes its invention to a Hindu Punjabi Kundan Lal Gujral who fled Pakistan following the 1947 partition and opened a stillexisting restaurant in Delhi Moti Mahal (see below) only to soon invent both tandoori and butter chicken. Of course its hard to say for sure where th .....