Sweet potato( & Shakargandi) & Corns (Bhutta) - Delhis Winter Snack

As Discussed in my earlier Blog about Delhis Winters & the Food associated with Winters just makes stuff for a legendary romance .. The Beauty . The fog, The winters just make for a Great Evening ...... Shakgandi or sweet Potato is one of the Favorite Evening snack for Delhi esp. in Winters....

Roadside Vendor having selling Sweet Potato Chaat

 ShakarGandi Chaat or Sweet Potato Chaat - is baked . Boiling or steaming , it may not retain its sweetness... Added with Chilli Powder, Zeera Powder, Kaala Namak, a sweet roasted Powder, Lots of lime & you get a Healthy Snack ... Spicy, Chatpataa, Tangy, rich source of Carbohydrates.... Add a bit of the Green Wonder - Amrak, and it makes for a Deadly Dynamite Tangy Chaat ... Amrak is a rich source of Vitamin C....Really really tangy, juicy ....Khataai ka Baap

Look at that...Golden Yellow

The Bhutta being roasted over the Coal ... Look at that beautiful Golden yellow color .....and take a look at the Color that it takes ..... Black dots of roast over the Golden Yellow ..... Rub some spices, Lime Juice & again, a wonderful & healthy Snack -- The Bhutta is a great Companion & snack in the Winters......

Bhutta.... Ready to Eat

Amrak....Tangy, Juicy, Sour, Khatta, ..Khataai ka baap

 Look at that Green Beauty ..Amrak or Star Fruit . It makes for a Great Decoration in Salads and is cut in a Nice star shape .... Really Tangy....

Lays Baked Chips - New Packing

Its all about the Packaging these days .... Atleast thats what the Big world of Marketing believes so strongly in ... Even Food is all about Packaging ...I just came across a Newly Packaged or rather repackaged & Rebranded Offering from one of the Most Popular Brand of Wafers - Lays -- Yup the same one, with Saif AL Khan & MS Dhoni, being the Brand ambassadors - The One which makes you Dillogical - The One where, No  One can have just one -- How True ???

I was introduced to this new Product From Lays - The Baked Chips ----- Vow, Looks like an Interesting Concept . The Wafers Market has definitely seen some Big action  exciting flavors - With Bingo, Hippos - Promoting Innovative Munchies & Wafers -- The Lays Offering of Baked Chips, Looks set to take the Wafer Market war to a different segment ..

May be the adult Customer base, or the Diet Conscious or the weight watchers - I dont happen to be in the last two and definitely not the Foodie bretheren, would be too proud to be in those 2 categories..Lot of us have a lot of Fond memeories of Our Childhood Food & Wafers seem to top the Junk Food List for Kiddos .... From the Numerous Local Brands of Chips, to the Branded Wafers - Namely Uncle Chips, Now Lays, Bingos, Crax (Munchies) so on & so forth

I remember one very famous Shop which specialised in Wafers - Called Budhdhanis - This was in Pune & I was an Engineering Student then ... The entire MG road would be filled with the strong smell of the Chips that would emanate out of the Big Budhdhani Shop

Do share your Favorite Chips or wafers from Childhood & Just see, How things are set to change, as Marketers find ways to add new Customers to their base......Till then Have Lays - Baked or Fried ,as you like...

Foodie Delights Goes to Mumbai

No No No...Foodie Delights has not shifted to Mumbai ... Just happened to Visit Mumbai for some Official work a Couple of weeks back .. And as mentioned in my earlier Posts as well, Mumbai is where I ate some of my best Campus foods ... When Street Food ws fashionable, Classy, stylish, Intellectual, and of course, the most prudent thing to do .. Especially when one is hanging around in Female Company & Chivalry has to prevail, and the GentleMan pays --Its so cool, ok & quite intelligent to be paying for street food only ... For a Budget of few thousands (in Single Digits) for the entire month - Candelight Dinners in High End Glamorous restaurants, would leave one with money left , sufficient to buy just a few Candles...




Qasim Andaa Wala- Quite a Popular Joint

Mumbai also happens to be a Street Food Explorers fantasy ... I can bet the Street food variety one can getin Mumbai, and I can bet my 3 years of massive, explosive & persasive Street food eating experince, in Mumbai, that its reasonably hygienic as well....Vada Paav, Misal Paav, Daabeli, Bhaji Pav, Kandha Pav, Bun Butter, Omelette Pav, Egg Pulao or Baidaa Pulao, Pav Bhaji, Spl Veg Sandwiches, Misal Pav, Usal Pav......

Have a Look at this ..Jumbo King...Chain of Outlets selling Vada Pav- Grilled Buns, Butter Vada Pav..They have more than 30+ small outlets in Mumbai .. Spread across the City, Outside stations .....

JumboKing ..Mumbais Corporatised Vada Pav Chain



Jumbo King Outside Andheri W station



View Outside Maharaja.....Evening Hang Out for Office Goers

The Very Crispy & Crunchy ..Crispy Chicken@ Maharaja



Salt & Pepper Chicken@ Maharaja


This is another Popular Street Food Joint in Bandra, Mumbai...Jai Jawaan - 2 Sikhh run this Outlet for the last so many years .. Serving some Lip smacking Non Vegetarian stuff ... Kababs, Fried Chicken, Fish Fry, Chicken Tikkas ..But most of the stuff served is Fried & not the Regular Tandoori, which one associates with Punajbi & especially Typical Sikh Food......May Frying helps them to Churn out the dishes very fast....and looking at the Huge Rush, that seems to be the basic requirement

Jai Jawaan @ Bandra

Another Hugely Popular, Iconic & a Foodies haven is a Restaurant Called Luckys .. From the time i got down at Bandra station & started asking way to this restaurant, It seemed to me, that People were just rushing to go there only .. Everybody seemed to Know where Luckys restaurant is ......All hands pointed in One direction ..... and the Scene Outside suggested so ..At 11:40 pm, on a Week day, we had to wait for almost 15 minutes to enter the Outlet.. which means at 11:55 pm, we entered the Outlet..Half of my City, Delhi is asleep by this time & here you are, at 12 PM in the Night, the restaurant is Jam packed, and the waiter regretfully informed , that now a days on weekdays, they took orders till 1PM only......

Luckys Biryanis is Supposed to be heavenly, and a must have ..... Now being a Delhite & a foodie, myself how could i not try something different & create a signature, which I am glad I did..The Biryani was Over, when we reached , so we ordered some Usual Tikkas, Chicken Pulao & Mutton Pulao...The Pulaos were pretty average .. But One Food Item, which still stuck with me & I feel its one of the Most Unbelievable food I have eaten im long time .. It was the Chicken Capstal Rice....... It is a Greatly Marinated & well done Tandoori Chicken, which is simmered under, a Heavy Chicken fried Rice, with Lots of Eggs, Green peas, Onions, Garlic.....Vow...what a Concept .. The Light subtle flavors of the Chinese rice mix well with the robust & spicy Tandoori Chicken Masala & make a great combo for the taste buds...

The Best Caramel Custard

 

It truly is One of the Best Caramal Custards, I have eaten,,, Great taste, Perfect Consistency, Smooth Texture, Light sweet, great flavor of Caramel....Brilliant

Omelette & Andaa Bhurji at Qurshids in Juhu

Top Sinful foods in Winter

Winters is the time to be  in North & in Delhi .... Delhi winters are something one should experience simply for the reason that it is tolerable & manageable at the same time absolutely enjoyable.......Delhi winters is the time when the foodie is ready to romanticise with the amazing weather , the cold, the Chill, the Fog , The charm that is associated with the winters .... & ready to devour all this out on the street .... Its great to enjoy the Street Food of Delhi...There are some Comfort food of the Delhi Winters, which can be enjoyed best on the Streets of Delhi, especially in the Late Evenings filled with smoke, fog, & mist......

1.  Enjoy the Hot, Piping & Steamy Soups & the Spicy, Chilly Noodles .... A Sureshot remedy to Open blocked noses ... A Hot, steamy Cup of Soup along with the Spicy & Chilly Noodles, is all set to open your nostrils & you are set to swet in this cold weather... A tantalising trip for the Taste Buds

2. Hot Gulab Jamun - a Hot Piece of Gulab Jamun dipped in the steaming Chaashney or the Sweet Dip, is as heavenly as any food item can get ......Imagine having a Bite of the Hot, steamy Gulaab Jamun in the Chilly Winter Evening.....

3. Ice Creams - This is Probably one of the Sinful meals in Winters ... Cold Ice Cream on a Cold, Winter Night, is as sinful as any food can get .. Theres also a great sense of thrill and excitement having an Ice Cream on a Cold Chilly winter Night

4. Tea - Bread Pakora - If you are back from your Morning Walk or gone to drop off Kids at the Bus Stand for their School Bus, You would not mind stopping by at a small roadside vendor offering, Tea, Bread Pakoras & Samosas .....Nice way to heat up things on a Very Cold & Lazy Morning

5. Gajrelaa or Gaajar ka Halwaa, as Delhites call it fondly.. Best time to have Gaajar ka halwa is Winters .... A Nice, Hot & steaming Cup of Slightly reddish, brown, Gaajar ka halwaa, cooked in Pure Desi Ghee .. Loaded with Lots of Dry Fruits, Cashew, Raisins, Cardomon, Saffron - This Sweet is a Sure Winner in Winters
 

Sattu ke parathe at JNU Delhi

Last Sunday after my walk, yes thats Right, I am regular with my walks now.. I manage an early morning walk almost 5 times a week, which is not bad..Weekends is generally quite a hectic walk schedule, lasting an hour and about 6+ Kms ... After this kind of activity, a nice breakfast is well deserved & well earned .. In my quest for a decent breakfast went to the Jawahar Lal University Campus, or JNU as its fondly called, on the African Avenue ..... Home to thousands of Students, at Graduate, Post Graduate, PhD Courses, Faculty - JNU has more than a dozen of small & Big Canteens, which feed the thousands of students from Difenferent parts of the Country....Differentt Religions, Castes, Ethnicities, JNU is almost a Pot Pourri, of Ideas, Thoughts, Brains & Even food .....





The Beautiful JNU Campus..

Look at the Beautiful, Peaceful, Calm, Serene, breath Catching beauty of this JNU Campus.....Who wouldnt want to spend time here, who wouldnt want to eat here ... who wouldnt want to Study Here ???????



Serene, quite & peaceful....

Another Intellectual Conference...

I have been to the JNU campus on a number of occassions before for my after walk breakfast on the weekends...and have managed to get a Fair Bit of varierty at the Different Hostels for the different Hostels..Bread Omelette - the Very Basic, Golden Brown, almost a little burnt kind of omelette, Tomato & Vegetable Maggi, Parathas & Subji, Puri Subji, Bread Butter, Cholle Bhature ... Have tried some of the basic breakfas varieties...

This Time i was directed to the Purva Hostel Canteen, which serves some Very Good Sattu Parathas ... Now Sattu is a very Popular Ingredient used in Bihari Cooking ... The Famous Liththi Chokha of Bihar, makes use of the Sattu- which is a Chickpea Flour or Raosted Channa ka Ataa.... The Canteen Serves 2 types of Parathaas - Aloo & Sattu .... served with a Spicy Aloo curry .. The Curry will remind you of your Typical Mess food with the Potato skin not being peeled off ..... The Chai is thick, Milky, little strong & too sweet..Perfect to go with the Spicy Sattu ... Meal for 2 People - 3 Sattu Parathas / 2 Aloo Parathas / 3Cups of tea, for Rs 40/= is worth a try + the beautiful serene surroundings of JNU -- Its just great !!!!!

Local Canteen serving Breakfast for students

Parathas with Spicy Aloo Curry  Chaiiiiii...

Satuu ka Paratha..

The Campus Gate

..

Republic of Chicken -- Going Strong

The Processed Food & Ready to Eat Food Market is witnessing a Sea Change..With rising disposable Incomes, Rise of Nuclear Families & the DINK Group of Urbn Indians, Shrinking Time for the families to cook, The Processed & Ready to Eat foor Market, was just sitting on the verge of a huge wave which is just now being witnessed..... Reublic of Chicken, is looking set to cash in on this wave of Change of Food habits among the Urban Indians .... Also they seem to be cashing in on the Health Brigade & positioning themselves as a "Chicken" Specialist, with dedicated focus only on the "Chicken" .. All Chicken are equal seems to be their Logo .....With over 15 outlets in Delhi/NCR, they are all set to cash in on the Popularity of Processed food & enjoy a Good presence in the City that Loves its Kukkads & Chicke Shicken....a Big Balle Balle to ROC from the Delhiwallas, with their wide acceptance of ROC & its small eatery formats as well

Look at the Variety

Raw Chicken - They have full Pre Cut Broliers, Chciken Legs Only, Chicken Breast Only, Chicken Wings + Chicken Legs mixture

Ready To eat Variety - Seekh Kababs - Chicken & Mutton, Shaami Kababs - Chicken & Mutton, Punjabi Chicken Sticks, Chicken Satay, Chicken Suasages - Paprika, Frankfurter, Tandoori Chicken Salaami-Pepper, Plain, Pistachew - Chciken Tikkas, Chicken Tandoori, Chicken Momos



The Menu.....& Much More

They seem to have kept a very clear focus on Chicken & select Chicken Varieties ... They dont seem to be carrying the Chinese varieties - Manchurianss of the world, which dont taste good as a Processed food or the Thick Curry Items, which some other Chains have on Offer

Some SeaFood On Offer...

 The ColorFul Offer Board Display proudly displays the Spl Offers on Display .. whether its a Combo Pack or some Other Offer

Variety of Pastes & Masalas

Small seating area @ the Outlet

There is a Small seating area at the Outlet, where in people can have some of the Ready to eat varieties .. They Charge about Rs 15-20, and warm up the dishes which you may want to buy, Normally the Chicken Tikkas, Seekh Kababs, or Momos

Amazing Chicken FrankFurter Roll...

Have a Closer Look at the Sausage Roll...

There are some other Joints serving Processed & Ready to eat foods, Namely The Green Chick Shop (They serve varieties of Mutton as well), KhubChand & Bros @ Green Park- which have some of the Best Frozen Seekh Kababs, Touch of Spice etc, whicgh serve great Varieties of the Processed Food..Way to go..But a word of Caution - Processed foods may carry heavy amount of Sodium as preservatives - So Eat with Caution !!!!!

Campus Food

Wherever you go in Life, whatever one achieves in life, wherever one eventually reaches, few things always remain entrenched in your memory for ever .... Your First Love, First Kiss, First Date, First Job - But one of the things that shape up your Career  eventually have a major bearing on ones life is Your School, Your College, Your Alma meter. Its the memories of your alma meter that one so fondly recalls in life at times when most needed & they provide an almost Instant dose of energy & charge .... College & Campus Memories are almost imcomplete about food ...Yes the food that we all ate as students .... Campus food or the food ate at our Favorite Cheap Joints with Friends, Girlfriends, Potential Girlfriends, Prospects for girlfriend...... All of us have our deep & fond memories of our Favorite food or restaurants where we gorged our hearts out .. Those are the days when one is fearless in life, fearless in Love & fearless in eating....Roadside food, street food, Outside Railway Stations, Outside Bus Stands, Outside small temples, everywhere .. I spent a good amount of my time in Pune & Mumbai .... Pune for  Engineering  & Mumbai for the MBA Mktg Course.....

Pune was about reaonable food & my first experience with Maharashtrian Food ... My tryst with Vada Pav started here..Vada Pav with Cutting chai used to be a Hot favorite for Breakfast & Lunch......Punes Very Famous Marzorin , Located on MG road, which served some of the Best Sandwiches, Milk Shakes, Pastries ... Or Budhdhani Wafers, which serves some of the Best Potato Waffers In Pune ....... Or Kapila Kathi Rolls ...Pune is actually a Foodies Paradise with Junglee Maharaj Road, housing a record breaking no of Retaurants in a Single Lane ........ Pune was where i discovered the Foodie inside me ....... On Days when one would have a little more money to spare than usual, Hotel Aurora Towers, or AT, as it was commonly known, served the most amazing Non Vegetarian Chicken Sandwich Called Sky High.....
Mumbai, is where i did my MBA & with in a few months of my Course, realised that if Delhi is famous for its Tandoori Food - the Tandoori Kukkad, the Chicken Tikka or Mutton Champs, Mumbai also has a huge & Impressive Street food...Infact I could never Imagine eating outside any of the Railway stations, with strong perceptions about their Inferior quality of raw materials used..But Mumbai is different... I have had some of the Best Omelettes  Pav Bhajis- Outside the Mumbai Local stations ... Omelettes  made in Butter & the Pavs lightly crisped on the Tawa with the Butter ... It used to be quite a meal  a very economical one ... You would also get the Baidaa Pullao or the Egg Pulao & Polish it off with a hot & strong Cup of Adrak Chai...

Or many times while being awake till late night or early morning if you could call it, when Hunger pangs would strilke, the Local South Indian Vendors - Anna - would be standing with his cycle carrying a drum of Hot Coffee & a Hot Case carrying Idlis & Vadas, served with Coconut Not Chutney . Not the Best of the meals, but quite satisfying for a hungry soul & for a Pocket having a Big Hole ... Bun Omelettes & a Cutting Chai in any of the Irani Restaurants in Mumbai along with a simplified dope of the Common Mans understanding & views about the Big Issues of the Country ...& one is ready for the day..No need to rummage through the News Papers..Not that  One really cared to, as a Student...

I am lot of People would have their many many fond memories of the Food they ate at Campus, as Students, that whole experience of eating with a group of friends .. That slight tension, of who can eat faster, or get the better or meatier piece of the Dish, & finally, who would ask for the Bill & what would be the share of Payments, in case of a Dutch ....Vow...Miss those days, miss that Food ...as the famous song from 3 idiots said -- "Give me Some SunShine, Give me some Rain, Give me another Chance, I want to Grow Up Once again.....

Sushi Rolls

Sushi seems to have arrived Big Time in India with Lots of Indians Celebrating this Favorite dish of Japan..With a no of Japanese Speciality Restaurants coming up, Sushi has now come to be accepted as a Favorite Snack for Indians .....I happened to Visit, Sushiya,, a Japanese Speciality take away joint, at Select City Walk Mall, Saket. Sushi is basically made out of Fermentation of Rice using Vinegar & the fish proteins are broken into amino acids ..... High quality of Raw Fish , typically Salmon or Tuna is used in the Sushi

Look at the Interesting mix of Sushi stuffed in Plastic Box packing...Look at the Color Gamut..Yellow, white, Orange...

The raw fish are generally preserved at-20 c in the freezer, a couple of days & then stored at Normal temp to be consumed..... Served with Vinegar dipped Ginger Flakes, Wasabi Dip - a highly Pungent dip made of Japanese Raddish, mustard & some Oil ...Very Pungent Dip..... a sweet Soya dip is also added on the rice cubes....

Slight smell of the raw fish, sesame seeds loaded, Sweetness of Soya Sauce, Wasabi- Highly dynamic & Pungent mix.....Coldness of the Rice, sourness of Vinegar, slight sweet dash of Soya, probably helps neutralise the fishy smell of the raw fish

Delhi Food Festival-2011 - A Photo Journey



The Food Fest Begins.....

People inquiring about food.....

Delhis Street Food Lifeline - Chaat, GolGappa, Aloo Tikki

Punjabis Favorite- The Deadly Basin Ka Chilla



Veg Kathi Kabab Combo



Veg Champ & Gatthe Ki Sabji..in a Tomato Gravy




Hmmmm..... Aloo Tikki....Delhites love their Tikkis

Still Looking for More.......



Varieties of Pickles



KatPutlis ..Thats what Life tells us who we are



Nomadic Food ...Use of Local Natural Ingredients






Variety of Kulfis on Display

All in all an amazing Display of the Variety, Range of Delhis Food -- Right from Morning till the Desserts post a Heavy Mail, everything about Delhi Food is just like the City ..... Spiicy, variety, Generous in terms of the helpings but also being a Pot Pourri, in absorbing differenet flavors of the Regions & absoring them in its won.. Be It the Mughlai Specialities Like Biryani, Chicken Kurma, Chicken Changezi, or be it the Parathe Wali Gali, or the Variety of sweets - Jalebi, Daulat ki Chaat, Kulfi ,Rabri, Gulab Jamun ------ Its all very much part of being Delhi Food & part of being a Delhite ....Its great to be a Foodie in Delhi