The rich history and flavours of Delhi's iconic chhole bhature

In Food Tales, our new series, we bite into the flavours that made Delhi what it is. From chhole bhature in Paharganj to Daulat ki Chaat in Old Delhi, we trace how these foods were born, became everyday staples, and why they evoke fierce loyalty and nostalgia

There’s nothing quite like returning home with a warm brown paper packet – bhature still fluffy and fresh, chhole packed to the brim, topped with pickled carrots, green chillies, diced onions, slivers of ginger and a hint of amla. For many Delhiites, this is what a Sunday morning looks like. Ask any Dilliwalla about their fave and their loyalty to their neighbourhood chhole bhature joint is fierce. “You never change your barber or tailor, so why would you change your chhole bhature joint?” quips food historian and author Pushpesh Pant.

‘There’s no historical date of birth of chhole bhature’
Chhole bhature’s origins are hard to pin down. “There is no historical date of birth of chhole bhature…” says Pant. While chickpeas have existed in India since Vedic times, the bhatura made its way into Delhi’s food culture much later.

TV series Raja Rasoi Aur Kahaniyaan narrates that chickpeas, a rich source of protein and fibre, have been eaten in India for at least 2,500 years, dating back to the Indus Valley Civilisation. The Yajurveda refers to it as chanak, while historians believe the legume itself was born in the Middle East nearly 5,000 years ago. The British are credited with introducing kabuli chana plantations in India about 200 years ago.

According to KT Achaya’s The Illustrated Foods of India (1994), the kabuli chana was a relatively late entrant, possibly arriving in the 8th century from the Mediterranean. Historian Lizzie Collingham, in Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors (2006), writes that chickpeas were often used in khichdi in medieval times, while Mughal courtier Abul Fazl noted chickpea dishes in the 16th-century Ain-i-Akbari.

Pant emphasises that chhole bhature found its footing in Delhi even before the Partition. Iconic names like Kwality, Havmore and Gulati began as kiosks and pushkas near India Gate before moving to Pandara Road. Around the same time, pioneers like Nand Lal and Sita Ram were setting up shop in what was then the wilderness of Paharganj – both nearly a century old today. Nagpal Chhole Bhature, started by Vasudev Nagpal, joined the league in 1996.
‘Har mohalle ka ek hero hai’
A Google search for ‘best chhole bhature in Delhi’ throws up 23,70,000 results, with names like Kwality, Sita Ram Diwan Chand, Nagpal’s, Nand Di Hatti and Bhogal Chole Bhature appearing on repeat. But as Puneet Kohli points out, “Har mohalle ka ek hero hai. Aur har kisi ki soch yahi hai, ‘Main uske khaati hun toh ussi ke khaungi.’”

What makes these joints iconic is consistency. Divij Lamba, grandson of the legendary Pishori Lal Lamba, says, “Our recipe has been absolutely unmodified since the very beginning… Only a handful of people know it from start to finish.” Lamba, who brought the recipe to Delhi at his Kwality restaurant in the 1970s from a chef in Simla, adds, “We taste it every single day to ensure there is no deviation. Because you’re not only playing with taste but with people’s sentiments.” For many, Nagpal’s is nostalgia. “Customers recall skipping college lectures to sneak in a plate, families make it their Sunday ritual, and NRIs say their first stop in Delhi isn’t a luxury restaurant but Nagpal Chhole Bhature,” says Rohit Nagpal, who now carries forward the legacy with his father Dev and brother Karan.

When Virat Kohli was asked by Sunil Chhetri what would he eat and from where if he was given a day and told ‘go and eat whatever you want to’, the cricketer replied, “Main thele pe jaunga aur chhole bhature khaunga, jo ungli maar ke phuss karne padey”

‘Sasta khaana hai, achha khaana hai’
Delhiites are always up for a plate of chhole bhature because, as Pant puts it, “Chhole bhature is substantial, home-like food which is satisfying and combines all the flavours. It is a part of your memory… sasta khaana hai, achha khaana hai.”

A plate on a Sunday morning can keep you full all day. Puneet Kohli, who carries forward the legacy of his grandfather Sita Ram at Sita Ram Diwan Chand, explains, “Chhole bhature is economical, comfort food. If you eat a plate at 10am, you don’t need another meal till late evening. Two meals for `90, what else do you need?”

‘Chefs from different countries love to go on chhole bhature trails’
Not only Delhiites, but even travellers to the city, national or international, are curious to go through a pile of piping hot golden bhaturas paired with spicy, tangy chhole. Ghansyam Prasad and Ratnesh, a couple from Bhopal, share, “Whenever we come to Delhi, we ensure to eat chhole bhature. We’ve eaten it in Bhopal too, par Delhi wali baat nahi hai.” Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha once told us, “I love chhole bhature so much that I hate them – because I want to have them every day.”

In fact, Anubhav Sapra, founder of Delhi Food Walks, points out that “chefs from different countries love to go on chhole bhature trails.” He adds, “For them, it’s about getting the flavour profile, so they can recreate something similar.” Sarah Todd, an Australian celebrity chef, restaurateur, was “blown away” when she first ate chhole bhature in Delhi. Starved and tired, she arrived in Delhi at 6am and was headed straight to Sita Ram Diwan Chand. After grabbing a bite of the “golden, pillowy bhature” Todd shared, “That is so good. The beautiful texture, the slight crispness on the outside, absolutely delicious. I saw them making bhature because I didn’t realise they do filling inside, lot of flavour in there. I am officially satisfied... a happy girl.”

‘We are cheat meals’

Chhole bhature’s origins are hard to pin down.

With people getting more health-conscious, you might suggest air-fried or whole wheat bhature, but popular joint owners would rather serve the traditional recipe, with a warning to their patrons to indulge occasionally. Puneet admits, “We are the cheat meals. If my father is sitting at the counter and you’ve eaten a plate and ask for another bhatura, he won’t serve you, ‘Beta, do khaa liye, bahut hain.’” Divij of Kwality has a similar suggestion, “It is okay to indulge sometimes. Of course, it is not something which should be had every day.” Rohit says Nagpal’s recipe is lighter, “My father personally mixes the spices, and our garam masala doesn’t leave you feeling heavy. Even those who avoid oily food can enjoy it.” No matter how many calories, the sound of bhaturas puffing in hot oil would always be Delhi’s unofficial breakfast alarm.