78. Return to Delhi
It has been more
than 19 years since I shifted to Hyderabad from Delhi. Even though I have been visiting Delhi over
the past years, for a day or two, at the most; this time my stay is in Delhi
for some 17 days!! And this blog is being written from Delhi!!
It all started
with my daughter opting for a course to be taken in Delhi. After looking at places to stay, I finally
decided to stay at my father’ brother’s place which was very near to my old
flat in Delhi. The flat is kept locked
as they are not living there. However,
their neighbor had kept the flat in livable condition. Except a TV and fridge, the house had
everything.
Before coming to
Delhi, I had searched on internet and had shortlisted some 14 items from the
“list of 50 places to eat when you are in Delhi”!! Even though I am yet to sample even 1 place
in the last week, I have been able to indulge in some of my own childhood food
treats!! These include, till now, Gol
Gappas and not Paani Puris as it is called in Hyderabad😊. And
it is Sooji Gol Gappas and not the Atta ones that are more consumed in
Hyderabad!! Aalu Chaat, which is Aalu
cut into large pieces and mixed with masala to eat, and not samosa or tiki
mixed with choley as it is served in Hyderabad😊. I also chanced upon the restaurant Nirulas’
which I couldn’t find in my earlier trips.
The Veg Thali, which I could eat every day earlier, if it was left to
me, came a cropper this time around!!
Apparently, the restaurant has changed hands and maybe they have shifted
to a new recipe!! I am yet to try the
ice creams that they had to offer with the same names as I knew them in
childhood – 21 Love, Almond Praline, Jamoca Almond Fudge, Manhattan Mania and
so on!! Will be tasting some before it
is time to head to Hyderabad!!
Rajma Rice Create Your Own Sundae Aalu Chaat
Nirulas also had
an All American Banana Split ice cream which was very popular with me😊!! It was an ice cream Sundae with one scoop of Vanilla, Strawberry
and Chocolate ice creams. These scoops
will be laid on a banana which was cut vertically and kept in a boat-shaped container. On top of this, various dry fruits and syrups
were added. Last time when I was in
Delhi, I found the same combination in Bikanerwala!! There I could make my own Sundae!! This time, instead of Banana, the ice cream
guy put apples which were thinly cut and kept at the sides. And any 3 ice cream flavors that I wanted and
topped with assorted nuts and syrups and toppings!! Having already tasted it once this time, so
far. I plan to have a go at it, at least 3-4 times more, before leaving Delhi!!
My usual
breakfast is at a Dhaabaa in Kailash Colony, where my daughter goes to a school
for her course. Since she gets breakfast
there, I have my big-sized Aalu-parantha there.
And trust me, you don’t get Aalu paranthas like this in any part of
South India. My afternoon lunch is also
at the same Dhaabaa, with Chole-Rice or Rajma-Rice or some curry and tandoori rotis. Since my daughter is interested in having
only Curd-Rice, I buy a pack of Curd from Mother Diary (the loveliest Curd you
can ever get) and ask the dhaabaa guy to keep it in his fridge so that it is
cold enough to eat in the afternoon.
School Friends Aalu Parantha
I also got in
touch with 2 of my college friends with whom I would be meeting next week. Yesterday I had dinner with 11 of my school
friends! Even though I had met a couple
of them earlier, some of them I was meeting after 32 years!! Had a wonderful time with them reminiscing on
our school days!! I was happy that they could come even though I wasn’t in
touch with them since a long time!!
Since this is a
month of Cricket World Cup, I ensure that I invite myself to my Chacha’s place
for dinner whenever India is playing a match😊, who
also lives in the same locality as I am staying in!! For the Pakistan match, I have already
confirmed my dinner with one of my school friends, who stays nearby!! And he has asked me to be there from the
start of the match!!
Maybe some more of Delhi stuff in my next
blog from Delhi!!
Today’s Daffy Definition
Clock Factory – A place where people make faces and hands!!
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