City Food – Nafees Khan’s Sherbet Stall, Gali Suiwallan Street
A steady landmark. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] He’s here, still all smiles—or so it seems, for he’s in a mask. He has survived through the two surges of the coronavirus pandemic. He is the face of a…
City Food – Sattu Ghol, Turkman Gate
Summer’s landmark. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The Mughal-era Turkman Gate marks the border between New and Old Delhi. It’s been here for centuries; its stony ramparts a symbol of steadfastness in this world of constant shift. Now,…
City Food – Deepak Namkeen and Papad Store, Subzi Mandi, Gurgaon
The world of salty savouries. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] You might never know the names of all the birds, or all the flowers, or all the trees, or all the constellations in the sky. But to learn…
City Food – Kamruddin’s Chuski, South Delhi
Summer’s chiller. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Hot afternoon. Empty lane. Kamruddin enters. A young girl runs after his cart, asking the man for his signature treat, which she calls “baraf ka gola”—a ball of crushed ice on…
City Food – Raj Kumar’s Jal Jeera Drink, Sadar Bazar
Season’s flavour. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Everything changes. Winter too is changing to summer. But “the dukh (grief) inside you doesn’t dim, even though you start smiling again,” observes aloo tikki vendor Raj Kumar. His eldest son,…
City Food – Delhi-UP Border Cuisine, Anand Vihar
Food carts of diversity. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Borders tend to be formal, edgy places, which one is always a bit nervous to cross. So it’s a surprise to find such a cheery, festive place in the…
City Food – Madhur Jaffrey’s First Book, Delhi’s Most Iconic Cookbook
A culinary legend. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Attired in a Kanjeevaram silk sari, Madhur Jaffrey looks squarely at the potential buyer, her arms resting daintily on a chopping board. This was her first book’s cover, the year…
City Food – Rajasthani Dahi Bhalla, Gurgaon
Homemade street taste. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] There’s the sweet chutney and the sour one, and the super-soft deep-fried bhalla soaked in dahi, and everything is topped with broken shards of crispy papri. The dahi bhalla here…
City Food – Shabnam Restaurant, Motor Market
The wall art. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Here in the Walled City the entire restaurant is uniquely adorned with hand-drawn paintings. This is a feast not merely for taste buds but also for the discerning eye. And…
City Food – Malik Naan House, Turkman Gate
In the world of authentic cuisine. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The sky has lost its blue. The pollution has covered it in a haze. But there is still one place in the city where you can find…
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