The inimitable Kulle ki Chaat
Back in 1648, emperor Shah Jahan decided to shift the Mughal capital from Agra to Delhi. Thus was found the walled city of Shahjahanabad, on the banks of the river Yamuna. The hakims [physicians] of the royal court surmised that Yamuna’s water was not potable; hence, residents were asked to lavish their diets with extra ghee and spices as panacea. A snack that combined the sourness of curd, tang of amchur, sharpness of jeera, and crunch of sprouts, chickpeas, wheat crisps, and lentil patties was the vegetarian response to this exigency. Thus was born the chaat.
It was in 2017 at a Kayastha food pop-up in Pune by a celebrated food writer that I first tasted Kulle ki Chaat—little bites of scooped-out seasonal fruits filled with diced boiled potatoes, pomegranate arils, and boiled kala chana, topped with lemon juice and chaat masala. It is like biting into a refreshing canapé. The writer informed us as we had this unusual chaat that this is integral to the Kayastha community—one of the original inhabitants of the Delhi of yore.
Years passed by, before I finally tasted Kulle ki Chaat again last December. This time at the legendary Hira Lal Chaat Corner in Chawri Bazaar. Juicy oranges, cucumbers, bananas, and ripe red tomatoes were the fruits of choice for our chaat, which was devoured within seconds! A plate for `80—it defines every bit of what the perfect street-side chaat is supposed to be.
Kanika Sharma from Purani Dilli, who conducts history walks inside the walled city, was our enthusiastic guide for this balmy tour on a cold winter day. “Aap ek plate pe ruk hi nahi sakoge” she challenged us, and well, she was right. Unlike the other chaats, which are slightly on the heavier side, the irresistible Kulle ki Chaat is revitalising.
Once you begin to think about it, Kulle (it literally translates to cups) seems fit for any modern-Indian fine-dining restaurant of today with their fusion quality. But, in reality, it is almost a century-old concept. While the origin of this snack remains hazy, it is clear that this was conceived by old-school chaat-wallahs in Chawri Bazar and Chandni Chowk. Yet, while they are a jewel in the chaat world of Delhi—it is surprisingly only found in the bylanes of Purani Dilli at the two hole-in-the-wall places that specialise in them and claim credit for its origins—Hira Lal Chaat Corner and Sultan Kulle Waale.
At the other end of the spectrum is Chef Manisha Bhasin. Bhasin—she is the Corporate Executive Chef of ITC Hotels—took it upon herself to change the narrative of Delhi cuisine as presented in the common sensibilities in the year 2005. To do this, she showcased the mosaic of diverse tastes that the cuisine is made of through the concept of Dehlnavi cuisine. “We wanted to bring the richness of Delhi’s intermingling cultures by celebrating Dehlnavi food,” Bhasin says. It is during this recently-concluded multi-city pop-up, which is now in its 18th year, that I found Kulle ki Chaat on the menu. It is a great way to introduce the dish to Delhiites, and even to those outside the city.
One is forced to wonder though why a chaat so simple hasn’t been favoured outside of the walled city. It is surely not that they fall outside the expertise of those who have mastered Gol Gappa, Cholle Bhature, Tikki, and other complicated fare. However, they deviate from the categorisation of most Delhi chaat that call for them to be either served piping hot or with sweetened curd.
But with its rich history, Kulle ki Chaat is undeniably quintessentially Delhi—an experience that surprisingly many of us in our grand old city did not even know of for much of the time.
Vernika Awal
is a food writer who is known for her research-based articles through her blog ‘Delectable Reveries’