One thing that most Dilliwalas argue over, and can never arrive at an unanimous agreement about is — who serves the best aloo tikkis in Delhi? Such is the craze for this deep fried savoury that people can easily list out the famous corners that dish out piping hot crispy tikkis topped with sweet and green chutney, and other additions like a dash of creamy yoghurt, fine bhujia plus a dose of crunchy vegetables including onion, cucumber, cabbage, shredded ginger, coriander leaves, pomegranate seeds and chunks of paneer.
Atul Chaat Bhandar in Rajouri Garden market is one of the famous spots serving extra crusty tikkis since last 15 years. “We started with gol gappas, but started making tikkis when we realised Dilliwalas love them,” says Atul, proprietor of the shop. And they kept people’s preference for extra crunchiness in mind. “We add besan in our potatoes to make our tikkis more crispy. We top it with dahi, onion, cucumber, finely chopped ginger, paneer pieces and extra helping of chutney. We dish it as a proper chaat,” adds Atul.
How famous is Atul’s tikki can be gauged from the long queues outside his shop.
“Many people opened tikki stalls in the area but all of them shut shop because they could not compete with Atul’s tikki,” says Ashwini Kumar, a regular to Atul’s.
Equally famous is BTW, aka, Bittoo Tikki Wala in Pitampura. Bittoo, started with a hand-pulled cart in the area and soon established a proper outlet and many agree that he still serves one of the best tikkis in Delhi. “There is no change in the taste of our tikkis. It is still crispy and comes laden with dahi, bhujia, chutney and pomegranate seeds,” says Bittoo. Considering the fact that many Delhiites are turning health-conscious, Bittoo has started frying his tikkis in olive oil. “We keep people’s health and taste in mind,” adds Bittoo.
Once popular for his dahi bhalla, Natraj Dahi Bhalla corner is famous for its desi ghee tikkis. And the credit for the different taste of their delicacy goes to their “secret recipes” according to Inder, the owner. The place stays so busy that the owner doesn’t get a breather for a minute from morning till night. “We use home-made masalas and best of material,” says Inder, while handing out plates loaded with the treat.
Roshan Di Hatti in Karol Bagh was famous for its kulfi, but it is now known for tikki served with chhole. “Unlike other places, Roshan serves tikki with lip-smacking chhole. Since I like this combination and it is rare to get at other places, I always head to Roshan when I have a craving,” says Ashish Goel, a businessman.
Going by the opinions and options, it sure seems the good old tikki is all set to remain a hot favourite among Delhiites.