When you think of ‘Purani Dilli, you can’t help but think of the mouth-watering food this glorious place offers! From juicy tikkas, savory biryanis and sweet and tangy chaat to masaledaar sauces, it won’t be an exaggeration to say that North Indian cuisine can best be presented by the food of Old Delhi! A pioneer of this delicious cuisine has taken it upon himself to travel the city and spread his love of Old Delhi cuisine by hosting exclusive food festivals. His name is Chief Osama Jalali. Recently I had the pleasure of eating his food again at Crowne Plaza Greater Noida, and the food was to die for!
Chef Osama Jalali’s “The Summer Cuisine Of Delhi” festival focuses on playing with light and summer flavors to create a healthy and delicious menu. I tried some of the more unique dishes during my visit, and each delighted me more than the other. The menu focused on incorporating summer fruits into tikkas, kebabs and curries.
Panir Gulnaar Kebab
We started with Paneer Gulnaar Kebab, Silbattaa Shammi Kebab and Sandall Murgh Tikka. The paneer kebab was stuffed with fresh pomegranate, giving a sweet flavor to the juicy paneer. The murgh tikka was marinated in sandalwood and loads of masalas making every bite tender and full of flavor and the classic Shammi Kebab was melt in your mouth!
Torai Ke Chilke, Chana Ki Dal Ka Bharta and Bhindi Gosht
For the main course, the chef made us try a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies. In vegetables, we had Torai Ke Chilke, a delicious sabzi made only from torai peels, and Chana Ki Dal Ka Bharta. In the non-vegetarian we had Amba Kallya, mango infused mutton curry, Bhindi Gosht, an Awadhi concoction of spicy okra and mutton and the quintessential old Delhi Murgh Kofte.
Amba Kalya
Murgh Kofta
To complete the meal, the curries were accompanied by Mutton Yakhni Pulao, Warqi paratha and Khamiri roti. The curries were absolutely delicious and it would be extremely difficult to choose a favorite, but I have to say the Amba Kallya had found a special place in my heart.
Chef Osama Jalali brilliantly captures all the light, fruity flavor of summer in Old Delhi cuisine and presents our palates with new, lip-smacking dishes! If you want to experience authentic Old Delhi cuisine, head to Crowne Plaza Greater Noida to savor the chef’s cuisine.
