Page 72 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

70  DELHI & THE NOR TH

The Flavours of Delhi & the North

Several culinary strands cross the region of Delhi and Punjab, which,
despite national boundaries, begins at the Khyber Pass, now in
Pakistan. Wheat is the staple food, and a variety of breads (rotis)
are baked in a tandoor, a domed clay oven, also used to barbecue
marinated meats and vegetables. Rich curries, legacies of the
imperial kitchen, are still prepared, as is the post-Partition cuisine
of butter chicken, tikkas and dal makhani. Kashmiri flavours are
delicate blends of yoghurt, spices, aniseed, dried ginger powder,
red chillies and a pinch of asafetida or garlic. Rice and mutton are
the standard fare of both communities. Strands of saffron

Today, Delhi is a city of and idli from South India
immigrants and each community (see pp558–9).
has brought its own food. Delhi has an abundance of
By far the most dominant is street foods. Bhutta (corn-on-
Punjabi and “Frontier” cuisine. the-cob) roasting on makeshift
The ubiquitous tandoori stoves, fruit juices and cooling
chicken, served with pickled sherbets sold from handcarts
onions and mint chutney was and the range of chaat (savoury
“invented” in Daryaganj’s Moti snacks) are legendary. Equally
Mahal restaurant in 1947. Other famous are jalebi (crisply fried
popular foods are the dosa batter in syrup), phirni (rice
Murg zafrani Reshmi kebab Seekh kebab Burra kebab
Tandoori (spiced chicken) (chicken kebab) (lamb kebab) (chargrilled
Mangoes and other fruit on sale in a murg
Delhi fresh produce market lamb)
Delhi
Centuries of Muslim rule have
given Delhi its succulent shami
and burra kebabs, as well as
creamy kormas and salans,
rich biryanis and pulaos, all
delicately spiced main dishes.
Once served at the courts of
kings, emperors and sultans,
this imperial cuisine is still
eaten by most people. A tandoori platter with a selection of barbecued meats

Local Dishes and Specialities
From the old city of Delhi comes the nahari, the
delectable dish of mutton (which can mean
goat meat too in India) that is cooked
through the night and served at
breakfast with naans. Snacks include
the popular chhole-bhature and
vegetable pakora (Indian tempura).
Specialities of Punjab include dal
makhani, baingan ka bharta (smoked
and puréed aubergines/eggplant)
and various stuffed breads. Vegetarian
Mint and chillies dishes in Kashmir are few, the most famous
being haaq (a special spinach), aloo dum Aloo puri is a spicy potato
(potatoes in yoghurt) and chaman (cottage cheese in gravy). dish eaten with puffy deep-
Lamb or mutton dishes include rista (meatballs) cooked in a fried bread and a mint- and-
sauce, and tabak maz (fried ribs cooked in milk). coriander chutney.

070-071_EW_India.indd 70 26/04/17 11:42 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Feature template “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v1.3)
Date 7th January 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm