Delhi is a treasure trove of diverse cuisines waiting to be sampled. From the lingering flavours of the Mughal Empire to the newer influence of Tibetan and Chinese cuisine, the colourful palate that you’ll find is the result of the amalgamation of cultures in Delhi.
Mughlai Cuisine
Mughlai cuisine sat comfortably in the royal halls and kitchens of the Mughal Empire in the 16th century. Known for its distinctive savouriness in its meat-based dishes, Mughlai cuisine is on the menus of street vendors and high-end restaurants alike.
Kebabs
Kebabs weren’t invented during the Mughal reign, but that doesn’t mean that they weren’t creative with preparing this succulent meat dish. It’s not just a popular street food icon, it’s a dish that was on the plates of kings who didn’t have the teeth to chew - hence the melt-in-your-mouth texture of the dish.
Biryani
You’ve definitely tried this one before. It’s almost synonymous with Indian cuisine and for good reason. With so many different spices and meat to flavour the rice, this is a dish you have to have when you’re in Delhi.
Check out Azam’s Mughlai and Al-Kauser for some of the best Mughlai food in Delhi which we feature here.
Punjabi Cuisine
Punjabi cuisine is perhaps best known for its use of the tandoor clay oven and other wood-fired ovens. Other notable features include generous use of ghee, butter, and other dairy products.
Butter chicken
Another iconic dish of India, this rich and creamy dish had humble origins from a mission to make use of tandoori chicken that was too dry. This dish remains a staple in many Punjabi restaurants.
Chole Bhature
Definitely one of the healthier dishes, chole bhature can be commonly found at street stalls and langar (free community meals) at Sikh temples. Spicy, sour, savoury, it has all the flavours accompanied with a simple maida bread.
Tandoori Chicken
Chicken, bread, the tandoor oven is used for many things. The result is smoky aromatic chicken with a tangy flavour and tough bite.
Lassi
This one’s probably on the menu of many Indian restaurants in other countries. Lassi is a yoghurt-based drink that’s rich yet refreshing.
Tibetan Cuisine
The influence of Tibetan cuisine is a recent phenomenon, and Delhiites have welcomed it with open arms. Majnu-ka-Tilla is a Tibetan refugee colony in Delhi that was established following the Tibetan Uprising that led to many fleeing the state. Tibetan food isn’t just found in the colony, however, it’s not surprising to see Indians selling dumplings in a busy street.
Momos
You can find momos everywhere these days. It’s become a popular comfort food in India and they’ve added a unique spin on the Tibetan dumpling dish; today, you can find paneer (Indian cheese) in these dumplings.
Shapta
Shapta is another comfort food that’s extra hearty. This grilled chicken dish is something you won’t expect to find in India.
You can’t go wrong with just heading down to any restaurant in Majnu-ka-Tilla for your fix of Tibetan food.
Indian-Chinese
With the aim to cater to the tastes of the local Indian palate, Indian-Chinese cuisine is the marriage of two distinct cultures that equally love their food. The Chinese diaspora of India is largely Hakka, and Kolkata is home to the bulk of the community.
Chili Chicken
The go-to starter for any Indian-Chinese restaurant, this dish ticks all the boxes of the fusion of both cuisines. With soy sauce as its base and the liberal use of onion that you see in most Indian dishes, it’s no wonder this dish mushroomed in India.
Paneer Manchurian
This dish looks like a Chinese fried tofu dish, but it’s actually a cheese dish. Instead of the silkiness and delicate flavour of tofu, what you get is a salty cheese dish that’s not too “cheesy” topped with fiery hot peppers. It’s our pick to be the poster child of Indian-Chinese cuisine.
