Burra kebabs revisited

Ever since my first, then second amazing encounter with burra kebabs (both times from Swagath in Defence Colony) I raved about last June I have been desperately searching for those tiny, tangy, tender chops only to be disappointed with chewy, tough or raw kebabs.

I'm driven to write about my quest after yet another encounter with mediocre kebabs last night.

After a relaxing day hanging out by the pool, the only place to be when the mercury hits 41.6 C (that's 106.9 F for my celsius-challenged friends), we thought we'd stop on the way home to try out the latest branch of Delhi's famed Karim's Restaurant that recently opened in Malviya Nagar. The place was packed when we went in, good sign we thought, so we ordered burra kebabs, chicken seekh kebabs, butter chicken (I know - how cliche, but it is one of Delhi's favorite dishes; Rajiv wanted nihari but I wasn't in the mood for something so oily) and dal makhani.

The burra kebabs were tough and chewy, the butter chicken was overly sweet (it tasted exactly like it was cooked in Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup from a can), and the dal was only OK. Even the nan tasted sweet! Only the chicken seekh kebabs were tender and tasty.

Karim's is a Delhi institution. Getting kebabs from there is like getting a pastrami sandwich from Katz's in NYC - kind of a dive but it's the real thing.

Now I know we didn't eat at the original Karim's near Jama Masjid (and I haven't eaten there yet so I can't compare the quality), and I know butter chicken isn't what they're famous for but any way you look at it, it doesn't bode well for Karim's. Either their branches aren't up to the standards of the original which isn't good or they are and this is the level of quality to be found everywhere...which also isn't good.

If anybody out there can tell us where to get tasty, melt-in-your-mouth burra kebabs in Delhi we'd be grateful! Karim's is supposed to have the best in the city, Swagath's were amazing twice and disappointing twice and the other places aren't worth mentioning.

Intersections

Intersections have their own little subculture here in New Delhi. There's one on the outer ring road flyover near the IIT campus with the guy who's always selling small, brown or black, velvety bobble-head dogs with sleestak eyes and the hand-lettered sign on the wall advertising "Kader Key Meka" with his little shop (a box under a tree at the intersection).

The lights stay red for ages at the massive intersections on the ring roads. Enough time to support entire colonies of beggars who clamber out from under the overpasses to work the lanes whenever the cars are stopped. I cut an article out of the paper last year that describes how certain intersections are transmitted as part of a bride's dowry - "I give you my darling Jenny along with the rights to beg at the corner of 1st Ave and 34th St and two goats".

Anything can become interesting when you're sitting at an intersection for what seems like forever - like this sign posted at the entrance to Siri Fort park. I especially like #9, no "stickin of biles"!

Nizamuddin basti - the best little neighborhood in Delhi!

One really great thing, among all the things that can make you seriously crazy, about Delhi is the amazing variety of events going on every day - and they're almost all free!   

One such event was the recent Jashn e Kushrau festival in honor of the kalaam (poetry) of Amir Khusrau a 13th Century Sufi. This 2-week long festival featured live qawwals, lectures, readings, and heritage walks through Nizamuddin.

I followed one of the walks led by young men from the neighborhood who have volunteered to guide people through the place they've grown up in. There is a lot of work going on to revitalize the neighborhood, restore ancient sites while creating opportunities for those who live there and instauring a sense of pride in their home. It's really great to see, especially in Delhi where one can easily get the impression that nobody cares about anything!

I've been through Nizamuddin a couple of times, but it was great to discover more hidden lanes and alleys. It's amazing what's tucked in this place, Medieval tombs are scattered all over the place, shrines and even a surprisingly huge, old baoli or step well!

The crowded lanes are filled with shops where craftsmen sell everything from attar (perfume oils) to mosquito net tents and tooth cleaning sticks. The smells of jasmine perfume, grilling kebabs, garbage and incense mingle to create an undescribable, often overpowering, aroma.  

Fair 'n Lovely

The other night we were having dinner with a professional acquaintance of Rajiv's, a lawyer, and another friend. I don't remember how we got on the subject of fairness creams but out of the blue the lawyer asked me if I could give him some tips on a good one and how to use it (as if I would know anything about that).

He said he'd been considering it to help his career since he's got darker Indian skin and he would feel more confident when he appears in front of the judges if he were lighter toned. I couldn't believe it, here's a fully qualified professional, middle-aged man worried about his skin tone!

He in turn was astonished when I told him that in the US people pay for lotions that make your skin look tan just like people here pay for lotions to make them whiter. Either way Loreal, Ponds, Garnier, Olay, Clinique & Estee Lauder and all the others are making a lot of money off peoples' insecurities.

Everyone else at the table jumped all over the poor guy and said that confidence doesn't come from your skin color it comes from inside, from being smart and competent.

That said, there is discrimination, and its counterpart favoritism, based on skin tone in India. Take one look at the matrimonial section and you'll inevitably see ads proudly proclaiming "wheatish" or "fair" (sometimes homely - which doesn't have the same connotations as in the US, here it means good homemaker - and always beautiful) sons or daughters. Nobody's ever looking for a son- or daughter-in-law with gorgeous, dark Indian skin.

Qawwal and Karachi halwa

My street food encounters have been few and far between lately. Not that I haven't been eating, au contraire, it's just been at home or in a restaurant. Been so busy working on the apartment or stuck in traffic and now with the expat group I've joined I just haven't had time to wander.

Rajiv and I did make it out to Nizamuddin this past Sunday evening for a Qawwal concert but to be honest, after seeing the meat hanging in the butcher shops I rather lost my appetite and there's no way he could try that stuff with his delicate stomach. The grilled meat sure smelled good though. I'm going there again tomorrow so maybe I'll grab a kebab for lunch!

I have been curious about Karachi Halwa for a while (mainly because of the name) so I stopped at a sweets shop after my yoga class this morning to pick some up. It was OK, nothing special. Tasted rather neutral with the chewy texture of the inside of a gumdrop. I've seen some recipes that include more almonds or cashews which would be an improvement on the one I tasted today.

So, what's the connection between Qawwals and halwa? None really...

Public service announcements

Driving around Delhi can get you down for any number of reasons (insane traffic, beggars at the intersections, filth everywhere, incessant honking, metro construction) but one thing that always makes me smile when I see it is a public service announcement.

They're usually hand-painted on a wall or on the side of a building; they're usually in Hindi and the meaning is sometimes puzzling to me but they always catch my eye. Here are a couple I got fairly good shots of the other day. I'd like to know exactly what the one with the bugeyed guy and the pill is for!

Agra and one strike against corrupt cops

So we went to Agra to see the Taj Mahal for Valentine's Day (I know, I'm a bit behind on my postings). A romantic idea except that we got there too late to visit and they don't do night viewings anymore (too great a terrorism risk) so we went to our hotel and had a mediocre meal. We chose not to go to pay 25,000 Rs (yes, that's almost $5000) for the Valentine's dinner at the Amarvillas...

Rajiv had meetings on Monday so I went to the Taj Mahal with the driver (how fun). I've already seen it at daybreak, midnight under a full moon and in the afternoon but it's still as fabulous as ever and I don't think I'll ever tire of seeing it. This time I was able to visit the Red Fort which was also quite impressive.

But the real excitement took place as we were driving back through Agra to pick up Rajiv & Brahm Datt. We were stopped at an intersection minding our own business when the traffic cop signaled for us to pull over to the side - I knew where this was headed...

We did, he walked over and asked for the driver's license and the car's papers. He took them and walked off. The driver got out and went over to see what the problem was. He came back and sure enough the cop wanted 500 Rs for some pollution control sticker or something. I said to tell him I'll take the ticket (which was supposedly 1500 Rs) - there was no way I was going to pay a bribe. In the meantime the cop walked back up to the car and began getting really aggressive with the driver - opening the door and trying to physically yank him out and take the keys. The driver didn't get out and the cop walked away again. Since he still had our papers the driver got out and walked back up to the cop. He came back again after a few minutes and said that he'd lowered his price to 200 Rs. By this time I was getting really angry. I thought I'd pull a Rajiv so I got out of the car and walked up to the cop myself to call his bluff and make him to show me his ID so I could take down his info at least. I got up to him, poked him on the shoulder and said "you want money from me???". As soon as he saw me he gave me a slimy smile, handed me back the papers and said "chello Madame" or "go on Mam". I walked back to the car, gave the driver the papers and said I didn't pay anything; but in the meantime he had finally reached Rajiv on the phone who said not to move, they'd be right there in a rickshaw and he'd sort this guy out.

I knew things were about to heat up. Rajiv and Brahm Datt pulled up in an autorickshaw and hopped out. Brahm Datt and the driver went to fetch the cop (who had no idea what was in store for him) and I explained to Rajiv what had happened. I didn't understand much of what ensued as it was in Hindi, but basically the cop turned into a snivelling worm saying "sorry sir" and denying he asked for a bribe. Rajiv really pulled a Rajiv, grabbing the cop by his collar and shoving him up against the back of the car. By this time a crowd was gathering and 3 lanes of traffic had come to a standstill. The cop wouldn't show Rajiv his ID which only made him madder. A paddy wagon showed up sirens wailing, two other cops got out but if the bad cop thought he was saved he was wrong. Rajiv didn't back off, calling these two guys over to make a report on the bad cop. The reinforcements quickly turned tail and scuttled off without doing anything. I was afraid Rajiv was going to punch the guy, he was still shoving him around and yelling at him. Nobody in the crowd of at least 200 people moved a finger other than film the whole thing with their phones. Finally I got out of the car, Rajiv let the guy go and we took off.

At the very next intersection we were pulled over again...Rajiv jumped out of the car blood still boiling from the previous encounter. Three cops were there and he was instantly in their faces, yelling at them, asking what the problem was now. Whether the other cops had called ahead we can only just suspect, but these 3 quickly backed off and said to go on, but not after Rajiv came quite close to going ballistic again and calling a magistrate to report them too.

The last time we went to Agra we were hit up for a bribe by a traffic cop too.

At least that cop got the thrashing he deserved and that with hundreds of people to witness it. Maybe, hopefully, one of them will have the nerve to stand up for himself next time a cop tries to abuse his power and coerce a bribe. At least Rajiv has become a folk hero (my hero!) for standing up to a dirty cop!

Believe it or not progress has been made!

Video!
Walkthrough tour of our future home

There's more to Jainism than meets the eye

And a lot more than I was expecting first met my eye!

Let me begin by admitting that my awareness of Jainism was superficial to say the least...they didn't eat onions or garlic and often wore masks to avoid inhaling any insects was about all I knew about Jains - until now that is.

On our walk through Old Delhi last week we had the chance to visit a Jain temple. I didn't know what to expect as we passed through the beautifully carved entryway but upon entering my first thought was that apparently Jain holy men all sit around naked!

Obviously there's more to this religion than that so I turned to Wikipedia where I learned:

Jainism is an ancient religion of India that prescribes a path of peace and non-violence towards all living beings.

 Jainism encourages spiritual development through reliance on and cultivation of one's own personal wisdom and self-control. 

The swastika symbol and naked statues resembling Jain monks, which archaeologists have found among the remains of the Indus Valley Civilization, tend to support a claim of some antiquity.

Jains have an ancient tradition of scholarship and have the highest degree of literacy in India; Jain libraries are the oldest in the country.

An honorable and wise tradition, but what's the problem with clothes?

Apparently there are two sects of Jainism, one believes that salvation or moksha can be achieved while wearing clothes (only white) and the other believes that a person should not wear clothes and be sky-clad in order to achieve moksha. We were clearly in a temple of the latter!

That said, the temple had some beautifully detailed painting on the ceilings and walls.
Here's to well-placed flyswatters!

Exploring the lanes of Old Delhi, I'm definitely going back for more!

Once again sorry for the lapse in posting. We're in the final throes of kitchen and bathroom design. I'm happy to say that we're almost there (design-wise that is - we'll see how the conceptualization to realization phase goes...) and I'm getting excited about my new kitchen-to-be which I've only seen in 3D renderings so far.

I've been to Old Delhi before (in search of mango lassi when it was 42 celsius last year) but haven't ventured into the dark, narrow, winding lanes yet - basically for fear of getting lost on my own - so this walk with Delhi Heritage Walks was the perfect way for me to get a feel for the place with people who know their way around.

You can almost imagine yourself transported hundreds of years back in time if you can mentally photoshop out the electrical wires and motorcycles. The medievalesque feeling is heightened by the way the neighborhoods are divided up by different crafts or businesses and by the way the open drains along the alley make you want to look up to make sure some serving wench doesn't empty a bucket of slop on your head. Most of the shops were closed on Sunday which made it easier to get through but much less colorful.

Our tour started just outside the mosque where we passed the fireworks sellers area, then we walked through the bead quarter, the ribbon/edging quarter, the quarter where guys made folders and ended up in the Parathewali Gali where a few paratha makers will stuff almost anything into dough and fry it up for you.

Even though the beautifully carved entranceways and the lovely screened porches (where the ladies were permitted to watch life on the streets outside) are decrepit and dirty, it gives you an idea of what the havelis must have been like in their prime. Most havelis have been broken up into apartments and filled with shops, but we were able to see one that retained the basic form which is similar to buildings in Paris in that they're built around a courtyard.

We visited an old Jain temple too, but that deserves its own posting once I've done some research...

Old Delhi is a photographers paradise, I feel a little uncomfortable snapping pictures of random people on the street since I would not like strangers taking pictures of me like that but several others in the group (with much nicer cameras than mine) were shooting away so I just went with the flow. Here are a few random pictures I took.

Perfect morning to visit Jama Masjid but first I had to make it through the thieves market

I love wandering around back alleys exploring so I was really happy to discover Delhi Heritage Walks, a group that organizes walks through Delhi's historic neighborhoods. I signed up for one of their tours through Jama Masjid and Old Delhi and yesterday was the perfect day for a walk, sunny and clear (for Delhi) springtime warm but not too hot yet.

Getting to the entrance where we were to meet was a spectacle in itself. It was smooth sailing on the ring road, but as soon as we branched off traffic slowed down to a crawl. The sidewalks were filled with vendors mostly selling books, it got more and more crowded the closer we got to Jama Masjid. As it turns out Sunday is when Chor Bazaar is held. Imagine an enormous street market, I mean thousands of vendors with their goods spread out on the ground with even more thousands of people buying everything from first editions of books to dubious electronics and pants to pet birds. Chor Bazaar means thieves bazaar. I didn't know about this market but I'll have to come back one day and check it out.

 
I finally made it to gate 3 and up the steps to the entrance. Tourists were swarming all around busily removing their shoes looking around skeptically as if they were wondering if they would still be there when they came out. We had to make it past the gatekeepers before entering the mosque itself. These were a couple guys thrusting robes into womens' hands seemingly randomly. I got stuck with one even though I was wearing long pants, a long sleeved shirt and a scarf around my shoulders. Maybe they just get a kick of seeing tourists in these silly looking robes.

Then I was inside! Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (of Taj Mahal fame), the mosque was commissioned in 1644 AD and completed in 1656. It's basically a huge rectangular enclosure with the main domed structure on the western side. It's the largest mosque in India and one of the largest in Asia. 25,000 people can fit inside for services (which aren't open to tourists). Like the Red Fort across the road, Jama Masjid is also built of red sandstone with some marble accents. I found this picture of the place when it's full to give you an idea. 

We took the paid option to climb the stairs to the top of one of the minarets for a knee-knocking view of Delhi. After we descended back to earth we lucked out because the guy with the key to the little room holding the holy relics was there. These include a Koran written on deer skin, a slipper worn by Muhammad, a strand of red hair from Muhammad's beard and an impression of Muhammad's foot in marble. After seeing some relics swaddled and caged in cathedrals in Europe, I found these holy relics shared with the public in a very casual manner.

There's not really much to see in the mosque, there's a big square fountain in the center and, in a touch I thought was nice, a marked off area on the ground covered with grain and bowls of water for the birds. After everyone was re-shod and de-robed we descended into the lanes of Old Delhi...