Burst of Flavour Besides the Bakery : Bhaijaan's Shami Kebabs in Chitli Qabar

The rustic avenues of Old Dilli can be charted by a circuit through its many iconic bakeries that date back as far as the First World War, and adorn the narrow, brimming alleyways with a soothing flame that gives life to savoury, baked goodies such as rusk, sheermal, fen and more. One of these bakeries is the instantly recognizable Flora Bakery - located far from the more commercial Matia Mahal, deep within the bazaar of Chitli Qabar, famous for its sheermal, amongst other items.

But wait, isn’t this piece supposed to be about a kebab outlet? Why am I rambling on about bakeries and rusks?

The answer to the above question lies opposite to Flora - a tiny shop that goes by the name “Bhaijaan”, a well-kept secret from the outside world. You won’t find a menu at this shop, as they specialise in the Chicken Shami Kebab, sold for a modest Rs. 20/- a piece! A mixture of chicken keema, channa daal, red and green chillies and an assortment of Indian spices is shaped into kebabs the shape of a rubber puck. These kebabs are then deep-fried in oil, the fragrance catching the nose of many-a passers-by, who make a quick halt in their journey to savour them, which are served with a with a generous helping of sliced onions and a tangy chutney made of yellow chillies and coriander on the side. 

But this shop stands out amongst the many haunts of Dilli that serve Shami. For the Shami found at Bhaijaan is not as meaty as the rest. Rather, it possesses a unique stringiness that I have not seen being replicated at any other place in this city. As you pull apart the kebabs with your bare hands, a fibrous underbelly reveals itself beneath the crusty surface laden with a generous sprinkling of zestful chaat masala. Its taste strikes the perfect balance between the flavours of the meat, the masalas and the daal, and its exceptional, threadlike texture is extremely soft, yet distinct from the Kakori or Galawati, which tends to be more delicate and creamy. The tanginess of the chutney containing yellow chillies is the cherry on top - and I cannot understate how important it is in enhancing the taste of the kebabs.

Bhaijaan in Chitli Qabar has to be one of my favourite hole-in-the-wall discoveries of the last year. It is worth taking a detour from the more popular, commercial lanes of Matia Mahal and Urdu Bazaar just to take a small sample of what this shop with a big blue board opposite Flora Bakery has to offer. Be sure to visit them on your next visit to Old Dilli!

PS : They also sell raw keema separately, which can be assembled into kebabs and fried at home at one’s convenience. Also, they’re closed on Tuesdays.

Recommendations : Chicken Shami Kebabs (9/10)

Location : 2202, Wali Baig St, Pahari Bhojla, Sheesh Mahal, Old Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi 110006