It’s no secret that some of India’s best-kept culinary secrets are hidden in Old Delhi. We came across one of these on our recent visit to Chandni Chowk: Haji Shabrati Nihari Wale has been adhering to age-old recipes and whipping out delicious plates of the most tender, flavoursome nihari since 1957.
Get Your Nihari Fix at Haji Shabrati, Chandni Chowk
Boti roti
The alleys here can be a bit of a maze. But slink your way through the many biryani shops, bakeries, and tandoors way inside Chitli Qabar lane early in the morning or early evening, and you will find a couple of solemn men sitting guard against several degchis and dongas.
The leader {or the chef} sits proudly serving his specialty nihari which he spends a significant portion of his day preparing. One can tell from how the meat almost falls off the bones. We scored ourselves a plate and were immersed in the beautifully-mixed spices and the tenderness of the mutton. Whereas we were pretty happy lapping up just the mutton, you can also pair it with a freshly-prepared tandoori roti {for a mere INR 5}, to make it a full meal.
What else?
Haji Shabrati also has chicken dishes {they give you the option of choosing which part of the bird you want to devour: Neck or breast} and a fish dish. But take it from us, the nihari is the best thing here, don’t bother looking beyond it. You can also buy it in bigger portions to take home.
Where: Shop 722, Haveli Azam Khan, Chitli Qabar, Jama Masjid
Nearest Metro Station: Chandni Chowk
Contact: +91 9810135786
Price: INR 50 for one plate
Timings: 6am – 10am; 6pm – 9pm