0:00-0:49 Introduction
0:50-1:23 Bhagat Tea Stall
1:24-4:52 Hemchand Ladli Prashad
4:54-7:34 Giani's Di Hatti
7:35-11:25 Ram Prashad Makhan Lal
11:26-13:09 Ghante Ghar Wala
13:10-15:44 Moongphali Wala
15:45-16:35 Shakarkand Chaat Wala
16:36-20:24 Asli Meerut Wale
20:25-22:44 Baburam Daulat Ki Chaat
22:45-25:48 Sheeren Bhawan
25:49-29:18 Shamsi Milk Shop
As winter sets in, Delhi gets us excited about many things and the foremost one among them is the bounty of seasonal treats both sweet and savoury. Moreover, the best place to enjoy these delish dishes in the Capital is the bustling lanes of Old Delhi that liven up with a huge array of irresistible and timeless winter fares.
We recently visited Old Delhi to satiate the cravings for some of our favourite winter delicacies and we weren't disappointed at all. Let's take you on a special tour featuring the best of Old Delhi winter treats, that you shouldn't be missing this season.
We started with a mandatory cup of chai at Bhagat Tea Stall in Khari Baoli. There is no better feeling than to sip some piping hot masala tea during winters by holding the tumbler in between the palms. This place has been churning out this beverage to the weary souls for the past 20 years.
Next we visited everyone's favourite Shiv Mishthan Bhandar for some fresh peas stuffed kachori, samose and their legendary ghee ke jalebi. The first two are winter special stuff while the last one is available all round the year. The mildly spicy and sweet green peas stuffing and the crisp and flaky coverings of both the kachori and samosa made them the best in the locality. We have always been a huge fan of their ghee jalebi with no added colours or flavourings.
After this we went to Hemchand Ladli Prashad sweet shop for their winter special gajar paak. This place is actually renowned for their milk cake but in winters people love their carrot burfi. Prepared with carrots and pure khoya, these soft and mushy reddish white coloured pieces simply melts away in the mouth leaving behind a luscious taste that lingers in your mind as well.
The next stop was Giani's Di Hatti, one of the iconic sweet shops of Old Delhi. In winters people line up to get hold of piping hot halwa. Their best seller during this time is the urad dal ka halwa that comes loaded with ghee, nuts and edible gum. This black lentil based dessert is considered to be a healthy food during winters. Due to the addition of gond and nuts this halwa was super rich and crunchy.
From there we went to Ram Prashar Makhan Lal sweet shops for some more winter sweets and snacks. Our order included cauliflower samosa, sohan halwa, til bugga and atta gond ka ladoo. Cauliflower samosa was stuffed with a spicy and tangy stuffing. Sesame seeds and khoya based till bugga reminded us of the festival of Lohri. The ghee laden sohan halwa was like clarified butter candies. They are one of the quintessential sweets of Delhi although the origin is traced to Multan.
Next stop was Chaina Ram Sindhi Halwai, another legendary sweet shop that needs no introduction. Their winter special menu is quite similar to Giani's so we tried some moong dal halwa from here along with a small helping of gajar ka halwa. The warm golden yellow coloured halwa rich in ghee and nuts was absolutely divine. Its grainy texture made each bite more delicious.
After this we headed to Ghanta Ghar wala for their famous habshi halwa which is a super rich pudding made of germinated wheat, loads of ghee and warming spices. People enjoy it in winters as it warms and nourishes the body.
We punctuated this sweet trail with some freshly roasted groundnuts and sweet potato chaat from two roadside vendors. These carts are a ubiquitous sight in Delhi during winters.
From there we reached Kinari Bazaar to munch on some sesame and peanut brittle from a shop that opens just for 5-6 months during winter. They have a wide range of traditional confection fit for winters. A new thing that we tried here was dates burfi which had date pulp, khoya and jaggery.
The next winter special thing we tried was daulat ki chaat which is a unique dessert made of milk foam. No wonder this delicate cloud like sweet dish it is a piece of art that entails a tedious making process. It is only available in this part of Delhi for 3 months. We can never get enough of this ambrosial treat.
The penultimate stop was Sheeren Bhawan who's winter special items included golden carrot halwa, alovera halwa and edible gum halwa. The unusual ingredients and impressive taste makes them a must try things.
The last stop of this tour was Shamsi milk shop. Ending the day with a glass of thoroughly boiled hot milk is a pre bed time ritual of people in Delhi and many parts of North India.