I Don't Enjoy Delhi Chaat. Here's why I think Natraj's Dahi Bhallas are Good.
I Don't Enjoy Delhi Chaat. Here's why I think Natraj's Dahi Bhallas are Good.
I always found myself quite intrigued by what secrets lay within the far-away magical alleyways of Chandni Chowk, a 17th-century marketplace that is now a popular destination for vegetarian street food. Whether it be film, travel documentaries, accounts of foreign visitors or word-of-mouth, the food of Chandni Chowk, and by extension, Delhi, is much-hyped, inspiring imitators and brands elsewhere, from its supposedly vibrant Chaat to more recently popular dishes such as momos. Growing up in Ahmedabad, it was not uncommon to encounter chaat and panipuri stalls named after the city of Delhi, which only added to the wonder surrounding the supposed brilliance of Delhi food. Needless to say, once I finally got to visit Delhi, trying Old Delhi’s chaats was of utmost priority.
Once I actually got the chance to try the mystical slop of Shahjahanabad, my wonder turned quickly into confusion. The more chaats I tried, the more I became perplexed as to why the food of Chandni Chowk is hyped to oblivion. To be frank with you, the quality of chaat served at most places in Chandni Chowk (in fact, Delhi as a whole) is mediocre. The quality of ingredients used often feels sub-par, muted and dull in taste, and lacking of the vibrancy that freshly-prepared chutneys or aloo tikkis often have. Moreover, the technique of preparing Chaat in Delhi feels far simpler to other places. The fun of a good chaat is the way it seamlessly blends starkly contrasting flavours and textures together into a scrumdiddlyumptious plate of goodiness. In comparison, the number of ingredients used in Delhi Chaat is significantly less to somewhere like Lucknow or Ahmedabad, the result being that most dishes end up being dominated by the taste of one chutney or masala. Just to be clear, my assertion is not that more complicated or nuanced techniques are inherently better than simpler techniques. Foods prepared using both methods can turn out to be absolutely scrumptious, but that only holds true when the quality of ingredients meets a certain threshold, which Delhi Chaat does not clear.
All that being said, there is one Chaat place in Chandni Chowk that I am quite fond of, and make sure to visit whenever I am in the area. This is Natraj Dahi Bhalla Corner, a shop that has been operating since 1940, selling only one thing for the majority of its existence - Dahi Bhallas. They have more recently started to sell Aloo Tikki Chaat as well, but that has never seemed to be available whenever I’ve visited, so I’ve not reviewed it here.
There is not much that goes into preparing a plate of Dahi Bhalla at Natraj. The perennial huge crowd outside this decades-old shop, it being one of the more popular landmarks of Chandni Chowk, necessitates a swift technique to serve its patrons. A small sprinkle of masala over the broken bhallas (lentil fritters), followed by a generous pouring of luscious, soft, icy dahi (curd), topped off by some sweet imli chutney and no more than two pomegranate seeds. The star of the show is the Dahi - it has a wonderful thick consistency and is not overly sweet in taste, blending harmoniously well with the imli chutney, the former giving the dish its texture and the latter its flavour. This is one of the very few dishes in Old Delhi whose simplicity I’ve enjoyed. The quality of ingredients is sufficiently good, the flavours blend well with each other and they are added in moderation. It is nothing too revolutionary, and certainly won’t make me hail Chandni Chowk as the Holy Grail of Indian Chaat (that crown belongs to Lucknow as of now), but is worth checking out if you ever find yourself roaming the streets of Old Delhi.
Recommendations:
Dahi Bhallas (7 / 10)
Location:
1396, Main Road, beside Central Bank, Kucha Mahajani, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi 110006