Searched Mumbai in vain for aloo chat and dal makhni that takes you back to Karol Bagh and Chandni Chowk? We bring you a ready reckoner for a Delhi fix
One of the greatest unresolved debates in the long-standing Delhi vs Mumbai issue has been food. Mumbaikars never seem to understand why Delhi imports cannot find satisfaction in paani-puri or what’s the big deal about Delhi’s rajma chawal. But, you can’t argue with a full mouth and a satisfied tummy takes the fight away from you. The good news is that Mumbai does have a few answers to capital food cravings. Go ahead, gorge!
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Chaat platter
Urban Street Cafe, near Khar West Station
The one grouse that every Delhiite secretly nurtures against Mumbai street food is how paani puri comes nowhere close to the golgappa. And, that few places serve the golgappa even. Fortunately, at this 26-seater, the golgappa recipe has been brought down by Dillie Heart (which also has outlets in Malad and Andheri) and the puris are made of suji and not atta.
The paani is cold and spicy and the stuffing is of boiled potato and a type of kabuli chana that owner Abhishek Gupta, who wanted the space to showcase street food from around the world, informs us is sourced from Delhi. Deepak Parmar, the man of the hour, who whips up aaloo chaat, aaloo tikki chaat, palak chaat, also hails from the capital and got trained under an “ustad” who caters to clients across the country.
The ingredient that makes all the difference, we are told, is a yellow chilli powder also sourced from up north. The tikki is fried and flattened so the crust is crisp and potatoes are stuffed with chana dal. And, instead of ragda, it is served with green and tamarind chutney. Go with a large gang though. There’s also dahi bhalla chaat that is a rare
find.
Rs 50-70 per plate
Kadi Chawal
Papa Pancho, Shop No 12, Gasper enclave, Pali Naka, Bandra West
even more difficult than finding Rajma and Chole in Mumbai, is to find a decent kadi. That’s because Mumbaikars can’t even fathom the concept of a kadi. Curd and besan, curdled on the gas for a long time, and it’s not even sweet? What kind of a kadi is that? Well, it’s the kind that Delhiites love.
Pancho’s kadi is tangy and full of besan pakodas and will fulfill that kadi craving for sure. It’s once again served with lots of pyaaz, and that’s a must. This joint also serves decent rajma, chhole and aloo parantha, so fill up on those as well.
Rs 285 per plate
Chhole
Punjab Sweet House, Bandra West
It’s a sign of how good the chhole is that, though we are sure that we are on the verge of dying from overeating, unless we keep the bowl physically away, it seems impossible to not reach out for more. At this 39-year-old eatery, run by the Gulatis (it was started by Harbinder Singh Gulati), the kaabuli chana takes a good four hours to make.
While the cook rattles off the recipe to us, the one thing we realise we can’t immediately replicate is the chhole masala that is sourced regularly from Khari Baoli in Chandni Chowk. It is what adds the authentic flavour and colour. The texture is near perfect, with the chana melting in your mouth and the masala paste filling in the gaps.
Rs 200 per plate
Chhole Bhature
Chawlas, Sion Koliwada
A road-side dhaba right at the start of a supremely congested lane in the neighbourhood, the only thing Chawla’s is missing is a highway, to add to its north Indian romance.
Gurjit Singh (right), owner of Chawla’s, gives the chhole a stir. Pics/Suresh Karkera
You don’t mind the dense smoke emanating from its tandoors, because this rickety set-up is famous for doling out, arguably, the best chhole bhatures in island city. With an open kitchen at the front, this dhaba has room for about four tables inside — most of their stuff is takeaway. As we run into some customers waiting in anticipation for their packed orders of chhole bhature, they tell us about how Chawla’s has been their go-to for their chhole bhature cravings.
“Are You guys from Delhi?” we ask. “Of course!” As we continue hailing the chhole bhature some more, chef and owner, Gurjit Singh hands over a plate. The bhatures are soft and piping hot, straight off the tawa, and the chhole is nothing like what you get at an Udipi restaurant — its dark brown hue, the right amount of spice and the rich yet not overpowering flavour has all the answers for capital food cravings.
“You might not believe this, I use an Rs 1,800/ kilo masala to make this,” says Singh who has been running the place for 15 years now. So, what goes into this masala, we ask, incredulously. “I’m not telling you that. enjoy your meal!” laughs off the Sardarji from Amritsar.
Rs 40 per plate
Dal Makhni
Hardeep Punjab
One of the few Punjabi pockets in Mumbai, Sion Koliwada, is peppered with North Indian food haunts. While dal makhni serving restaurants in Mumbai are a dime a dozen, there’s always that nagging feeling of how, despite being tasty and flavourful, somehow, it always falls short of ticking all the boxes.
Not at Hardeep Punjab, though. Take a spoonful of the dal makhni here and you’ll be transported to a bylane in the capital perhaps — the lilting Punjabi folk tunes in the background help, too. Hardeep Punjab is 35 years old, but its swanky makeover is recent. So, what makes their dal makhni a standout? Says Sarbjit Singh, manager, “In Mumbai restaurants, usually, to make the dal makhni, they boil the dal and then treat it with the masalas — the same way you cook any other dal preparation.
But, that’s not how it’s supposed to be done. Here, we soak the grains overnight and then cook it in the tandoor for an hour at least. Only after that, we treat it with Punjabi tadka for another thirty minutes.” Served in a brass kadhai, the dal makhni is alluringly topped with a piping of butter and comes with an assortment of pickles that “you won’t get anywhere else in Mumbai because that, too, is an in-house product”.
Rs 200 per plate
Samosa
Guru Kripa, Sion
every city has its own samosa signature, and Mumbai, of course, is no exception. However, the ones you get here, at this very signature Maharashtrian snack place strangely, reminds you of the stalls that flank the lanes of the capital.
Infused with the right amount of spices, these samosas stand apart from the usual city offerings. Made with masala potatoes and crushed peas, they are more crispy on the outside. The size, too, would remind you of a capital samosa bite, as will the meethi and green chatni that’s served on the side.
Rs 37 per plate
Kulche
Oye Kake, Horniman’s Circle
The Amritsari Chhole Kulche here is served with the typical Amritsari chatni made with onions, pudina chatni and tamarind. except perhaps the pricing, everything else about this kulcha would be Delhi in a bite.
It has the right amount of softness and thickness and the aloo doesn’t weigh it down either. There’s a secret behind perfecting this kulcha consistency. The water used for the flour is brought in from Amritsar. “every week, we get 15-20 cans of water, 20-litre capacity each, from Amritsar.
The water keeps the kulche the right amount of fluffy,” says Dinesh Vishnoi, manager, adding that the chef, too, has been brought in from Amritsar.
Rs 129 per plate
Rajma Chawal
Guru Da Dhaba, Opp Food Inn, Lokhandwala Market
From the moment this writer shifted to Mumbai 11 years ago, Guru Da Dhaba was the only place that she could hope for some ghar ka khana, especially ghar jaisa rajma. If you are a Delhiite, you will know the worth of a well-cooked rajma chawal, served with pickle and lots and lots of pyaaz (not kanda).
Guru is basically a grumpy, elderly Sikh man, Indrajit Singh Anand, who has now run this establishment for 22 years. The recipe is the one that all sardar households make in their kitchens. The taste is just like ghar ka khana — the gravy is thick, with less garlic, and the rajma is not hard but melt-in-your-mouth.
The place is always packed with the wannabe, out-of-work and looking-for-work actors (all from Delhi) who inhabit the famed lanes of Lokhandwala, coming here for their fix after a hard day of auditions. So, if you get here too late, the rajma may all be gone. For Rs 150, it’s also quite a steal.
Rs 150 per plate
Butter Chicken
Sion Lunch Home, Sion Circle
Far from the Sion Koliwada labyrinth, located right at the Sion Circle, this place is a major draw for its malwani specialities, especially the prawns koliwada. Not the place you’d expect to fulfill any kind of Delhi food cravings.
The reason why their butter chicken is a surprise on a plate. Slightly shredded in texture, the chicken is served in a silky smooth gravy, which is of course, buttery — a complete Delhi, dhaba-style indulgence. And, the fact that it does not lean towards the sweeter side, even though it’s called “butter chicken” is a refreshing change of palate in Mumbai.
At Rs 220 for a plate, the quantity is certainly not meant for a solo meal. But then, if you’d want to rue the rarity of good butter chicken in Mumbai, while helping yourself to handsome portions of the same, this is the place to do it.
Rs 220 per plate
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