From Aloo To Mutton; 5 Joints That Do Parathas Just Right

45892 Interested |
6.5K  Views

Let’s face it, us Dilliwallas are all parathey kids. And when this staple dish meets the creative genius of local chefs and vendors, the result is nothing short of magic. From keema and chicken to paalak and pyaaz, here are our favourite places.

Paranthe Wali Galli

The top contender remains the renowned Paranthe Wali Galli in Chandni Chowk. Make sure you go on an empty stomach and are prepared to gorge on a multitude of calories, because these are deep-fried. Available in a bunch of fillings apart from the usual aloo, gobhi and pyaaz, they have rare finds such as bhindigaajar, dal, and sweet treats such as mewa, the famous rabri and our personal favourite, banana {this one tastes much like a calzone}.

Whereas most stalls here are doing similarly delicious things, if we had to pick a place, it would have to be Babu Ram Paranthe Wala.

Qutub Institutional Area

A hub of dhabas, Qutub Institutional Area is frequently visited by students and nearby residents for parathas, Maggi, momo and soup. The keema paratha is the fastest-selling here and for good reason. Crisp on the outside and soft and hot on the inside, it’s buttery perfection. Served with a mint chutney and mixed pickle, this paratha is huge and filling but somehow always magically turns our tummies into bottomless pits {basically, the ordering never stops}.

We also equally love the chicken and pyaaz variants. Clueless on which dhaba to check our first? Try Gupta Fast Food {pictured above} or Laxman Dhaba.

#LBBTip: Ask for extra butter {priced at INR 5}. If you’re lucky, you might even get a cube of homemade white butter.

Moolchand Parantha

Moolchand Paranthas has acquired an almost legendary status over the years, being the place to go for late night eating {now he operates till 11.30pm}. From the aloo paratha to pyaaz to even egg, it’s hot and fresh and yummy. It might be worth your while to try the rajma rice too.

18 Paranthe Wale

Contrary to its name, 18 Parathe Wale has over 40 varieties of parathas. Situated right next to the Green Park metro station, this hole-in-the-wall joint stands out with its gigantic plate-sized parathas {we measured; they’re exact fits} and a chef who has perfected the flip—he just rolls out the dough and tosses them right to the tawa where another chef makes sure they’re fried to a golden brown.

We watched them cook; entranced. Our favourite part is when they open the parathas just a little bit on the tawa and crack open an egg and quickly fill it and seal it up. If you’re having trouble with the menu, we’d recommend ordering the mutton or the egg. We hear their khoya paratha is quite the bee’s knees too.

Not Just Parathas

The 12-year-old restaurant just got revamped, and it looks stunning. Colourful, chic and airy, we love the sunlight streaming and the frames of old coins. When it comes to their parathas, they’ve hit the nail on the head. We tried the Chur Chur Chicken Do Pyaza and it was a beautiful messy dish bursting with flavour. The portion’s great and the accompanying gravy, pickle, vinegar onions and green chutney only take it up a notch.

Other highlights include the Sharabi Paratha {dry fruit soaked in alcohol}, the broccoli mushroom and the NJP Special Non Veg Parathas filled with different kinds of meat.

#LBBTip: Do order their pineapple raita; it’s delish!