In order to enjoy India at its best, you have to try all the traditional foods that sell on the streets and in famous restaurants. New Delhi is quite popular for the culinary experience that you can have there. The foodie experiences are part of getting to know the culture of India, one of the world’s oldest ones. Get your Indian visa right away and visit this amazing country as soon as possible. The traditions and customs of India are truly mesmerizing – with its colorful reliefs of Hindu gods, the mighty temples, the interesting language, Bollywood and, finally, the amazing food. Here is a list of some of the traditional foods that you should try once you get to Delhi:
Paranthas
In case you are a fan of bread of all sorts, paranthas are definitely for you. Paranthas can be stuffed or plain, depending on how you want to eat them and you can find them at most street food stands. Paranthas should be one of the first things you buy when you get to Delhi, no matter if it replaces breakfast or a midnight snack. Paranthas can be stuffed with all sorts of ingredients, from potatoes and eggs to bananas and traditional Indian stuffing such as keema. You can learn how to make paranthas yourself and take the recipe home with you to indulge in it whenever you please. They are the pancakes of India, but with more variety when it comes to sides.
Kebab
Even though you might be familiar with kebabs, since the recipe is spread all around the world in all sorts of forms, the Indian recipe is completely contrasting. Indian kebabs can be cooked with both meat and marinated fish. What truly makes the difference between Indian kebabs and other recipes you might have tried are the spices. For a complete Delhi experience, try the Indian spice kebabs. Remember that India is a place where people eat everything spicy, so if you have any problems with piquant food, you might need to ask for less-seasoned kebabs.
Chloe Bhature
Chloe Bhature is quite similar to paranthas, but this dish should be served immediately after preparation, and as a main meal. It’s a rich dish and it can be quite heavy, so it’s best to eat it on an empty stomach. What’s different between paranthas and Chloe is that the bread is made of semolina flours and it’s puffed and deep-fried in butter. It can be either stuffed or plain, just as paranthas. Chloe Bhature is served with chickpeas and pickles in most cases, and Indians choose paneer cheese as stuffing.
Samosas
This is definitely a snack food that’s selling well at most street food stands in New Delhi. Samosa is a traditional dish that dates back to the Middle Ages. If you are a vegetarian, you’ll be happy to find out that there is a veggie version of this dish. Veggie samosas are made of plain flour, potatoes, and green peas. If you don’t like green peas, samosas are sometimes filled with seasoned cauliflower. The non-veggie version contains meat – either lamb or chicken – and a lot of Indian spices. There is also a sweet version of samosa. The samosas are filled with thickened whole milk or buffalo curd cheese.
Kachori
You probably understand that most recipes in India contain these various types of bread, usually deep fried. Well, so does kachori. Kachori is a dish that contains some sort of doughnuts made of white flour and stuffed with seasoned lentil paste. The doughnuts are then deep fried and served with hot curry. You can opt for the less hot version – serving the stuffed doughnuts with coriander mint sauce. It is a heavy meal and it should keep your stomach full for a while. Be careful to the level of spiciness in kachori as well.
Matra Kulcha
Matra Kulcha is a traditional Indian recipe, but in New Delhi, it is prepared differently. Matra Kulcha is another street food recipe that contains peas. The peas are seasoned with chili and lime. Usually, the vendors that sell Matra Kulcha on the streets prepare it on the spot, so you can adjust the level of chili spice as you prefer. Matra is represented by the seasoned peas and Kulcha is the flatbread that comes with it. Most Indians consider that Matra Kulcha is the one dish that reminds them of their childhood.
Kulfi
Kulfi is a recipe that was invented in North India. Its name is borrowed from the Persian word kulfi that means covered cup. If you are going to visit New Delhi during summer, the street food stands will be full of people who send kulfi. Even though you can find the dish year-round in India, it’s best to try it during summer when it is fresh. Kulfi is a denser type of ice-cream, that features fresh fruit. The kulfi ice-cream mix is poured over mango, custard apple or other fruit before freezing. You will fall in love with this type of ice-cream immediately after trying it.
Chicken Tikka
Non-veggie lovers will enjoy chicken tikka so much if they buy it from New Delhi. There are street vendors that sell amazing chicken tikka, and you can adjust the level of spices as well. Chicken Tikka consists of small pieces of chicken meat baked using skewers. Before baking it, the meat is marinated in spices and a special type of yogurt, which gives it the amazing taste. It is similar to tandoori chicken, but tikka is a boneless version of it. Instead of chili powder, you can opt for coriander or chutney. Chicken tikka usually comes with a side of onion rings splashed with lemon. In Turkey, the same dish is prepared with lamb instead of chicken.
Nihari
This is not a street food recipe, but you definitely want to try it in the nearest restaurant. Nihari is a traditional recipe, served with plain bread or rice. It is a stew made of beef, lamb or goat meat and is available in most Pakistani restaurants. The meat used for this stew may vary and the spices can go from mildly spicy to very, very spicy. Mutton or chicken meat can be used to prepare nihari as well. Bone marrow is the one that gives the stew its specific taste. It is an Indian delicacy that you can’t miss if you visit New Delhi.
Papri Chaat
Indian papri chaat is a true delight. The way it looks and the way it tastes will make you fall in love with New Delhi. Papri chaat contains crisply fried dough wafers, where the name papri comes from. The doughs are served with boiled potatoes, yogurt and chickpeas. The seasons used to give the dish a sweet and sour taste and the ingredients combined give it a creamy and crunchy texture. A true delight for Indian cuisine lovers.
