The flavours of winter in Old Delhi

The residents of Delhi NCR woke up to a surprise dip in the temperature and a dense fog mixed with the usual smog yesterday. For a November that was so far feeling unlike any other with fans running on full speed and a summer that felt overstretched, we seem to have found ourselves in the midst of almost-winters out of the blue! And with the nip of winter finally setting in as the cold breeze blows in the afternoons and makes way for much colder nights, all one can think of in such times is to laze around and soak in the winter sunshine.

The capital, with its abundant and old trees that have seen many winters and summers - some for even a century, turns into one of the most beautiful cities during this time of the year. The marigolds and sunflowers adorn the city, as if with a beaming smile, and the steaming brews of tea rise from every corner of the road, as people crowd around it for the much needed warmth. Oh, the romance of winters and Delhi!

One of my favourite things to do in the winters is to make a customary trip to Old Delhi or Dilli-6 early in the morning for hot breakfast. The morning hours in Old Delhi before the market’s hustle bustle commences has a sense of calm to it, where the numerous bylanes don’t feel as cramped as they usually do, the incessant honking from the two-wheelers is replaced by birdsong and the azaan from the Jama Masjid and the kirtan from Sis Ganj Gurudwara and the tolling bells from the myriad temples that are housed in every lane.

In Chawri Bazaar’s Shyam Sweets food lovers line up for the famous bedmi and aloo ki sabzi, topped with methre ki chutney and served with khatta meetha kaddu and kachalu ka achaar. Almost every second person is indulging in this fare. Not too far from Shyam Sweets is Lotan Cholle Waala—a once-hidden gem, and a social media sensation of today. In a narrow lane, he hides behind a crowd and serves cholle from a huge patila (vessel) and then tops it with his signature chutney, julienned ginger and green chillies, and serves it with fresh kulchas. The crowd that surrounds him is reflective of his popularity and the trust in his product.

A little walk doesn’t hurt one after a hearty meal like this one, and winters make for a good time to walk without breaking a sweat! As you walk down the narrow bylanes and make your way towards the Town Hall of Chandni Chowk for some more indulgence, you are spoilt for options by Meghraj & Sons Halwai, Chaina Ram, Amritsari Lassi wala, Shiv Mishthan Bhandar and many others. Each of these have their own loyal following—as to who serves the better fare, is a debate that even decades have failed to adjudge.

There is, of course, the well-reputed ‘Paranthe Waali Gully’ (the lane of fried flatbreads), which is not everyone’s cup of tea with its deep-fried parathas. That said, if you don’t mind a heavy breakfast, the mirchi parathas at Kanhaiya Lal Durga Prasad Dixit is definitely worth trying. Funnily, the reason why people diss the parathas at Paranthe Waali Gully is because of their expectations for a Punjabi-style tawa paratha that we have all been exposed to, but are disappointed to find the deep-fried ones and that leads to statements like “inhe parathe banane nahi aate” (they don’t know how to make parathas!)

Amusingly enough, it is the Marwadi traders from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh that have helped establish the deep-fried food style, well before Punjabi communities came and settled here. The affinity for deep-fried food rose from their longevity, and as per the Marwadi customs, accompaniments here include aloo subzi and chutney.

Down the road, at Kinari Bazaar, one would find a hole in the wall but a famous shop called Hazarilal Jain Khurchan Wale, who serves delicious khurchan that is made out of milk scraped off vessels after continuous boiling—and has a distinctly caramel flavour. This is a favourite amongst dessert-lovers who look for something light yet delicious after a heavy breakfast in the walled city.

Truth be told, it is a task to take a pick for breakfast in the lanes of Old Delhi. While we’d each have our own favourites, there are two things that bind us together and never change—our love for finding the perfect plate of food here, and the myriad emotions of a Delhi winter morning, in its oldest quadrant.