Daryaganj, the street that stretches from Jama Masjid to Khooni Darwaza in Purani Dilli, has witnessed the birth of many of a dish that have come to define the culinary landscape of New Delhi. Alas, given the ongoing pandemic, aided and abetted by the Capital’s currently calamitous rainfall, makes stepping out and rubbing shoulders with the masses seems too risky a proposition, even if in the place the Butter Chicken first bubbled.
Luckily, Daryaganj, the restaurant that specialises in recreating those classic local foods in far more salubrious settings, has now started home delivery.
Packaging
Delivered by an polite server in complete uniform, including a face mask and shield, as well as gloves, the dishes come sealed in easy-to-open containers, clearly labelled and marked. Even the matriarch said “What lovely packaging,” so you know it’s legit.
The Food
Fittingly, the meal begins with several of the kebabs that made the original Daryaganj such a popular food hub in the old days of a new republic: Tandoori Chicken, Mutton Seekh Kebab, and Fish Tikka. Subtly but still emphatically flavoured, without excessive colouring or the vice of too much spice, these all made for tender morsels, with the understated yet complex kebab being our favourite. Moving on, we came to the Haldi Chicken, Keema Mutton Kaleji, and Dal Makhani. Starting with the last first, this is possibly one of the finest Dal Makhanis in the city, as the co-owner’s family is the one said to have invented the rich and silky lentil stew. The Keema Mutton Kaleji makes for a formidable dish, with its strong spice profile and literally full-bodied gravy, kidneys and all.
Contrastingly, the Haldi Chicken, which turns out the most interesting dish of the meal, is a light affair. Creamy yellow in colour, the dish is imbued with the goodness of turmeric, ginger, and other herbs and spices that are all the rage these days for being immunity-boosters. Finally, the most debauched dish is the Sharabi Raan, as robust and rousing as it sounds, the liquor-lashed pieces of mutton, charred from the outside, and juicy on the inside, the last item of a meal washed down with some chilled Phirni and hot Gulab Jamun.
Verdict
As the cases in the Capital continue to rise, please don’t visit crowded areas for your Mughlai needs. Just order in from Daryaganj, the restaurant, instead, it’s the closest you can and should get to the road.
Meal for two:
Rs 2,000 (including taxes)
Delivery all over Delhi-NCR