Epicurean delights at roadside

Just before you bid adieu to 2013, satiate yourself with some more flavours which will tease you tongue. No foodie can say no to the delectable dishes from the Walled City, that have shaped up in the annals of historically relevant invasions by various rulers.

A positive resultant, is the wide variety of foods available in the same City. Though the fast pace of life acts as a deterrent to savour the authentic delicacies hiding in various nook and corners, it is festivals like Dilli ke Pakwaan which enable one to taste them all at one place.

However, one wonders about the existence of food stalls from states of Haryana and Punjab in a food festival dedicated to Delhi! Nevertheless, they act as a substitute for good food in presence of regular besan ka chilla, chaat-pakori, chhole-bhature and other similar dishes that are readily available almost everywhere today.

What catches the fantasy of the eye in the festival's fourth edition is what doesn't belong to the City. From the plum and appropriately sweet and crisp 'jalebas' and gajar ka halwa at Lala Motu Ram's stall from Haryana to the pipping hot Kashmiri kahwa prepared by Rajkumar, it is the magic in food from other states which steals the show.

Recipes true to the City such as kathi kebab by Shubham Chat Bhandar and chicken at Changezi Chicken are strong competitors. While the rich gravy of spices in steaks of paneer and soya add to the kathi kebabs, the torn pieces of juicy changezi chicken are nicely done to salivate the mouth. Even the paneer tikka at this stall has an excellent smoky flavour making it one of the top scorers.   

Hot bajre ki rotis and lehsun ki chutney prepared by tribal hunters from Rajasthan gives a tough competition to the evergreen combination of sarson ka saag and makke ki roti at Punjabi Rasoi where Aman Khalsa generously serves jaggery to those who appreciate its taste with spinach.

Those with a sweet tooth must stop by for a kulfi faluda or gur and nuts kulfi at Traditional Kulfi or walk ahead a little to savour zafrani kheer at Changezi Chicken. But do not miss to initiate a chat with an enchanting Rajkumar (who serves Kashmiri kahwa) as you stuff your mouth with a paan and listen to him with patience! 

The festival is ongoing at Baba Kharag Singh Marg till December 29.