A city saturated with a plethora of delicacies, Delhi offers a conjunction of stellar joints. From platefuls of their steamed momos and tangy swirls of lime on chole bhature to warm butter sliding down fresh parathas– vendors here take their food very seriously. With countless restaurants in the city offering cuisine from around the world, it is the street vendors, the quaint cafes, and the age-old family restaurants that always take the cake. We therefore bring you a comprehensive list of Delhi’s beloved local dishes that guarantees a trip back!
1. Stuffed Paranthas
You cannot get past the streets of Chandni Chowk without being tempted by a plate of stuffed paranthas served with fresh chutney, pickles, and curd. These paranthas are so famous that there’s an entire street dedicated to it, known as the ‘Paranthe Wali Gali.’ The stuffing can vary from boiled potatoes to onion, radish or cauliflower. If unable to pick one, you could try a parantha stuffed with a medley of all these vegetables for a filling breakfast!
2. Golgappe
Delhi’s street food experience begins with golgappe or pani puri. With a unique taste you won’t find anywhere else, Golgappe comes armed with tangy garnishes or lathered in sweet chutneys or even stuffed with all things spice. A plate of golgappe will see you feasting on small, deep-fried hollow puris stuffed with potatoes and chickpeas and dunked in spicy, tangy-flavoured water. You can find a stall for these delightful treats in every neighborhood.
3. Daulat Ki Chaat
This is a seasonal delicacy found only during winter. It uses only 3 ingredients – milk, cream and a saffron garnish- and stands to create something special out of things so simple. Whipped to create a soft mousse, Daulat Ki Chaat adopts a certain cloudy texture often topped with dry fruits.
4. Seekh Kebabs
Delhi’s seekh kebabs are often enjoyed as a snack in itself or wrapped in a super-thin roomali roti to make a delicious tender roll. Made from finely minced chicken or mutton and grilled in a tandoor in their fat, it tastes best when dunked into spicy green chutney. You can find seekh kebabs on the menu of almost all Mughlai restaurants and street carts.
5. Momos
These dumplings are traditionally a hill food, but after all these years, Delhi has adopted it as one of its own. From steamed momos to its variation offered in tandoori, fried, grilled, and curried manners, they’re usually served with a fiery chutney on the side. Most restaurants in Delhi are known to experiment with their stuffing, but if you are looking for an authentic steamed momo, street vendors are your best bet.
6. Chhole Bhature
Chhole Bhature is a popular meal for a heavy lunch in Delhi. It’s a filling and flavourful combination of chickpeas cooked in a spicy curry and served with fluffy, deep-fried, leavened bread. A side of freshly sliced onions and tangy pickles completes the plate. You might also want a glass of buttermilk to balance the richness and ofcourse the spiciness of your meal.
7. Aloo Tikki
Another one of our favourite local dishes, aloo tikki, is a cutlet made from mashed potatoes and ground spices that is shallow-fried in ghee until it reaches a golden crust. It’s crispy on the surface and pillowy soft on the inside. Often used as a base of chaat with chickpeas, curd and tangy tamarind sauce, they are also delicious when served alone with bowls of mint chutney.
8. Butter Chicken
Delhi’s butter chicken is legendary. While several chefs may clamour to claim the rights to the origins of this dish, you’ll find it on almost every Indian restaurant menu. The dish takes succulent chicken grilled in a tandoor and dunks it in a creamy, tomato-based gravy. Naans slathered with butter, tandoori rotis, or roomali rotis are its best adjacents. Vegetarians can often enjoy a delicious alternative made with paneer instead of chicken.
9. Rabri Falooda
Out of all local dishes, Delhi is incomplete without dessert more so without a serving of its Rabri Falooda. A creamy treat of thickened milk sweet vermicelli, the dessert is mixed with basil seeds, rose syrup, and slivered nuts. You can find several other flavour variants as well, from mango to the likes of pistachios. A dollop of vanilla ice cream often perches itself atop at many joints.
10. Jalebi
Jalebis are a winter favorite in New Delhi. These sweet treats have a distinctive spiral, pretzel-like shape achieved by piping batter into the hot oil. Once deep-fried to a crisp, they are soaked in fragrant cardamom-infused sugar syrup before serving. You can enjoy jalebis alone or with creamy rabdi, a rich, slow-cooked dessert made from thickened milk. Some people even start their day with a bowl of jalebis in cold milk. What can we say? We love a sweet treat!