Authentic Mughal Fare at Saleem’s of Delhi

Tonight we decided to dine with the Mughals amidst the streets of Old Delhi. The classic and very well known Saleem’s of Delhi serves authentic capital food that takes you right to the heart of Puraani Dilli while giving you a feel of its vibrant soul. From colorful chairs and cushions to wall art and paintings of Mughal kings, all aspects of their interior bring out a sense of familiarity – the kind you tend to miss in a city like Dubai. And of course their cuisine is quintessentially Dilli Wala, especially since all their spices and masalas come from Delhi.

Let’s walk through these culinary highlights, one course at a time!

These are definitely crafted to beat the Delhi heat. A couple of absolute specials from the menu at Saleem’s of Delhi, the Cucumber Julep combines cool cucumber slices with refreshing lemon juice, while the Passion Jar brings about a sweet and fresh medley of passion fruit topped with Sprite. Served in mason jars and garnished with mint, these are a must try.

Here’s an exquisite platter combining the best street style grills of Delhi. From the melt in your mouth tandoori fish and classic mince mutton seekh kebab to the exotic murgh Zafrani tikka and royal badshahi kalmi kebab, each grill variety at Saleem’s of Delhi highlights its own unique flavor and tender perfection that leaves you wanting more. If not all, you should definitely try atleast two of these.

The Dilli dilwalon ki attitude at Saleem’s of Delhi makes sure you are not left disappointed even if you don’t eat meat. Their selection of vegetarian kebabs opens up a whole new liking for everything green and creamy. This platter features their signature Dahi ke sholey which combines hung curd in soft crispy shell, kumbh tikka that feature tender mushrooms stuffed with garlic and cheese, and kaju mutter pudina tikka – an amazing blend of peas, cashews and mint in a shallow fried patty. Loved the mushrooms!

The most awaited of them all – the selection of main courses at Saleem’s of Delhi is nothing less of a royal feast. The traditional styled Gosht nihari combines slow cooked mutton in a flavorful stew. The aromatic Tawa Murg marinates roasted chicken in Saleem’s special garam masala. The classic Paneer Musallam features tender chunks of cottage cheese cooked in an onion and tomato based gravy. These curries were accompanied with freshly made soft Khamiri roti and rich butter naan. I would have loved having smaller bite sized portions of more dishes than having big ones of these three, just to sample their sheer tempting variety.

The famous royal specialty – the shahi tukra at Saleem’s of Delhi is a must try. Featuring bread soaked in thick milk and garnished with nuts, this rich delicacy melts in your mouth.