When we think of ‘Old Delhi’, we think of the mouth-watering food this magnificent place has to offer! From juicy tikkas, delicious biryanis, and sweet and tangy chaat to masala gravy, it will go no further than saying that North Indian food can be best presented by the food of Old Delhi! A pioneer of this sumptuous cuisine has taken it upon himself to spread his love of Old Delhi food by traveling around the city and hosting special food festivals and his name is Chef Osama Jalali. Recently, I had the pleasure of eating their food again at Crowne Plaza Greater Noida, and the food was to die for!
Chef Osama Jalali’s festival “The Summer Cuisine of Delhi” focuses on playing with the flavors of light and summer to create a nutritious and delicious menu. I tried some of the most unique dishes during my travels, and each one pleased me more than the other. The menu focused on incorporating summer fruits into tikkas, kebabs and curries.
Paneer Gulnar Kebab
We started with Paneer Gulnar Kebab, Silbatta Shammi Kebab and Sandal Murg Tikka. The paneer kebab was stuffed with fresh pomegranate, giving a sweet taste to the juicy paneer. The Murgh Tikka was marinated in sandalwood and several spices, making each piece tender and full of flavor and the classic Shammi Kebab was mouth-melting!
Luffa ki chilke, chana dal ka bharta and bhindi meat
For the main course, the chef served us a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. In Veg, we had torai ke chilke, a scrumptious curry made from torai peels, and chana dal ka bharta. In the non-veg, we had Amba Kalia, Mango Mutton Curry, Bhindi Gosht, Spicy Bhindi and an Awadhi preparation of mutton and the quintessential Murgh Kofte of Old Delhi.
amba kalya
Murgh Kofta
To complete the meal, the curry was accompanied by mutton yakhni pulao, warki paratha and khamiri roti. The curry was absolutely delicious, and it would be extremely difficult to choose one, but I must say, Amba Kalia had found a special place in my heart.
Chef Osama Jalali brilliantly captured all the mild and fruity flavors of summer in the cuisine of Old Delhi and introduced our palates to new delicious delicacies! If you want to try the authentic food of Old Delhi, then head to Crowne Plaza Greater Noida to enjoy the chef’s cooking.