Delhi is a city of contradictions and harmony, where ancient monuments stand beside bustling street corners, where Mughlai grandeur meets humble chaat and where every neighborhood has its own flavor story to tell.
This meal celebrates the soul of Delhi through its most iconic dishes. From the crispy, tangy alloo chaat sold at every corner to the rich, overnight-simmered dal makhani that graces family tables. From the regal chicken changezi, born in royal kitchens, to the Winter warmth of gajar halwa and kadha doodh. Each represents a different facet of this ancient city: its history, seasons and celebrations.
With Love, from Delhi is Sargam's homage to the place that shaped her. It's about the chaatwala who's been at the same corner for decades, the grandmothers who perfect their halwa every Winter, the vendors stirring huge kadhais of milk on cold nights. Food in Delhi isn't just sustenance, it's connection, memory, love made edible.
----
Golden Triangle Aloo Chaat
Crispy golden triangular potatoes tossed in tangy chaat masala and fresh lemon. Served in traditional patte ki katori (leaf bowls), a nostalgic taste of Delhi's beloved street corners where comfort meets crunch.
Ruby Beet Patties & Hara Dilkash Kebab
A vibrant twist on Delhi's aloo tikki chaat. Jewel-toned beetroot patties and emerald spinach kebabs made with kala chana (black chickpeas), served with savory yogurt and chutneys.
Black Gold Dal Makhani
Black lentils slow-simmered overnight, enriched with butter and cream and finished with an aromatic tadka. Paired with golden saffron rice perfumed with star anise and black cardamom. Indulgent, velvety, and utterly sublime.
Love's Conquest Chicken Changezi
Born in the royal kitchens of 13th-century Delhi, tender chicken bathed in a luxurious tomato-onion reduction, elevated by the distinctive fragrance of kasoori methi (dried fenugreek). Paired with flaky parantha.
Crimson Halwa: Gajar with Pistachio
Winter's most beloved dessert. Sweet Indian red carrots slow-cooked in desi ghee and milk until they transform into pure indulgence, crowned with crushed silver pistachios that add a luxurious crunch and nutty elegance. A Pudina Kitchen legacy, perfected across generations.
Malviya Magic Kadha Doodh
Delhi's soul-warming elixir. Milk reduced slowly over hours into liquid gold, enriched with saffron, cardamom, and crushed nuts. Served warm in traditional kulhads (clay cups). Pure comfort in every sip.
----
Sargam Nayyar gravitated towards food and cooking from a young age in her native India and then as a newcomer to Canada. Embracing not only the physical aspects of food, but its power to evoke memory and tell stories, she created Pudina Kitchen as a space where food is not just cooked but experienced: with emotion, culture, creativity and care.
Every weekend The Depanneur invites an amateur or professional guest chef to host a fun, informal dinner party. @thedepanneur
