Delhi

History of delhi
History of Delhi enumerates a saga of various dynasties like the Mughals, Khilji and Tuglaks who once ruled this city. The first ever evidence of Delhi can be traced back to the times of Mahabharata in 1400 BC when it was known by the name of Indraprastha. However, it is said that Anagpal Tomar first laid the foundation stone of the seven ancient cities of Delhi much before the 13th century. Prithviraj Chauhan played a major role in shaping the history of Delhi. In fact he was the last Hindu Emperor who ruled the city of Delhi. After this great Hindu ruler, Qutub-ud-din-Aibak of Turkish origin propounded the Slave Dynasty in Delhi that lasted from 1211 to 1227. The Khilji Dynasty started in Delhi just after the end of the Slave Empire. From 1296 to 1316 Khilji Dynasty ruled Delhi and also established the Siri city within its premises. The Tughluqs took the rein of Delhi after the Khilji Dynasty and established the third city called as Tughluqabad. It is believed that the Mughal Empire had immense influence on the all-round socio-economic development of the city. As a whole, the unique History of Delhi helped in shaping up the political, social, architectural, cultural and economic scenario of India in the ancient times.

Delhi cuisine was influenced by ruling dynasties

Delhi was ruled by many dynasties. And every time the rulers settled here, they introduced different types of cuisine. Delhi was ruled by Afghans, English, Arabs, Rajputs, and Mughals etc. It was the Mughals who introduced tandoor in the country. Tandoor is basically a kind of bread, which is made in earthen oven. Kababs are quite common in this part of the country. Kababs are small pieces of meat or chicken marinated in different spices. Thereafter, it is cooked over coal tandoor.

The typical Mughlai dishes forms an important part of Delhi cuisine. Some of the all time favorites include the following

Tandoori chicken Boti kebab Seekh kebab Tandoori fish

Delhi Cuisine
Delhiites love their food. Be it the roadside golgappas or aloo chat or the tandoori chicken or paneer tikka of the dhabas, Delhiites have shown a taste for all kinds of food.
Truly, Delhi food has always been an amalgamation of cuisines brought in by people who migrated to the city and made it their home. But when we talk about the original food of Delhi, we refer mainly to the days of Shahjahanabad, and the era of Emperor Shahjahan. The cuisine at that time comprised food from mainly three communities - Mughals (the rulers), Kayasthas (administrators attached to the Mughal court) and Baniyas (money lenders and traders). The traditional food of Delhi meant nahari, kebabs and ulte tawe ki roti of the Mughals, and then the very Hindu, no-onion-no-garlic food of the Baniyas, and the amalgamation of both in the Kayastha kitchen, informs food writer and consultant Anoothi Vishal. The Ganga-Jamuni culture was apparent in the Kayastha food. Paranthas and kebabs, mutton curry with naan were the order of the day.

People of Delhi generally love sweet dishes. Hence the Bengali sweets, specially the rosgullas and sandesh, are their favorites. If you have visited capital and relished cuisines of Delhi, but haven't tried the typical kulfi, your visit to this modern city with an ancient soul is incomplete. The kulfi is a solid lump of cool ice cream, made with pure milk, that is topped with nuts, saffron and cardamom. This has to be eaten with the falooda i.e. rice noodles. Roshan di kulfi on Ajmal Khan Road in Karol Bagh is probably the best place to have this wonderful dessert. South Indian delight like dosa, idli and sambar vada also have their special place in the diverse Cuisines of Delhi. For those who demand international cuisine along with the cuisines of Delhi, won't be disappointed. Sumptuous Delhi cuisine is one of the preferred heavens in India. Whether you like Thai or Chinese, Mexican or Italian, or prefer to go for the pure Continental, Delhi has all the secrets to tap your taste buds. When you are on the tour to Delhi, also never forget to visit the dhabas here. They are quaint eating joints, which can give you the taste of the latent rustic flavor of Delhi. The real flavour of the Delhi street food lies in the chaat. The original chaat is a mixture of potato pieces, crispy fried bread, Dahi Bhalla,gram and tangy-salty spices. The mixture is garnished with sour home-made Indian chilly and saunth (dried ginger and tamarind sauce), fresh green coriander leaves and yoghurt. However, there are several other popular variants now, including the one with an Aloo Tikki. Let us explore a few of the chaat shops. Shree Balaji Chaat Bhandar (1462, Chandni Chowk; Noon to 10pm) is perhaps the best and most popular chaatwallah in Chandni Chowk. We particularly recommend the Papdi Chaat with its liberal inclusion of Kachaalu Chutney, Khasta Papdis and saunth. Bishan Swaroop (1421, Chandni Chowk; 10am to 10pm) is one of those gems tucked away in the chaotic by-lanes of Chandni Chowk which keep alive the magic of another time, another taste.

As India's national capital and centuries old Mughal capital, Delhi influenced the food habits of its residents and is where Mughlai cuisine originated. Along with Indian cuisine, a variety of international cuisines are popular among the residents.
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The dearth of food habits among the city's residents

created a unique style of cooking which became popular throughout the world, with dishes such as Kebab, biryani, tandoori. The city's classic dishes include Butter chicken, Aloo Chaat, chaat, dahi vada, kachori, jalebi and lassi.
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The fast living habits of Delhi's people has motivated the growth of street food outlets.

[139]:41

A trend of

dining at local dhabas is popular among the residents. High profile restaurants have gained popularity in recent years, among the popular restaurants are the Karim Hotel, the Punjab Grill and Bukhara.
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The Gali Paranthe Wali (the street of fried bread) is a street in Chandni Chowk particularly

for food eateries since the 1870s, almost the entire street is occupied by fast food stalls or street vendors who regularly. It has become almost a tradition that almost every prime minister of India has visited the street to eat paratha at least once, and other Indian cuisines are available here.