24 hours in Delhi: 10 summer-friendly street foods to enjoy in the national capital

When it comes to Delhi street food, Chole Bhature, Matar Kulcha, and Butter Chicken are among the must-try dishes. But let's accept it: eating this heavy and calorie-dense dishes on the streets is not an easy task. That's why the capital city also offers a wide range of street foods that can be easily enjoyed and digested amidst summer months. If you are in Delhi for just the next 24 hours, you might consider any or all of these, as they are sper light to digest.

This is an iconic and nostalgic Indian street beverage that has refreshed generations, especially during scorching summers. It is packed in a unique glass bottle sealed with a marble “goli,” the drink is released with a satisfying pop before being served. It is generally combined with lemon juice, water, and added soda water, which makes it fizzy, sweet-sour, and instantly cooling.

It is a unique and refreshing street snack that beautifully represents the creativity of Delhi’s culinary culture. Also known as Kulle ki Chaat, it is made by hollowing out seasonal fruits or vegetables like apples, potatoes, tomatoes, or cucumbers and filling them with a tangy mix of boiled chickpeas, spices, lemon juice, and chaat masala. The combination of cooling fruits and veggies and mild spices creates a burst of contrasting flavours in every bite, perfect for summer days. (Image: Instagram/delhikaravan)

When in Delhi, it is a must-have. It is a summer cooler made with fresh lemon juice and iced water, blended with a melange of spices like cumin powder, chaat masala, salt, pepper, and sugar. It is a sweet and tangy drink that not only quenches thirst but also helps restore electrolytes and aids digestion.

This is one of Delhi's most iconic beverages, especially during the scorching Indian summers. Made by blending thick yogurt with water or milk, it can be enjoyed in both sweet and salted versions. The sweet version is flavoured with sugar, cardamom, or rose water, while the salted version includes roasted cumin and a pinch of black salt for a savory twist.

This is one deep-fried dish of Delhi you can enjoy easily during summer. These are crispy fritters made from moong dal batter, deep-fried until golden and airy. What truly defines Ram Laddoo is its signature topping: a generous mound of freshly grated radish, along with tangy green chutney and a squeeze of lemon, whic altogether makes it a smoothing treat during evening hours in Delhi.

Think of scorching summer heat of Delhi and enjoying a plateful of chilled Dahi Bhalla served on a quarter plate under a tree. This iconic dish of Delhi features soft, fluffy lentil dumplings (bhallas) soaked in chilled, creamy yogurt, making it an ideal dish for hot summer days. It is topped with tangy tamarind and jaggery chutney, mint chutney, roasted cumin powder, salt, pepper, and chaat masala along with pomegranate seeds.

It is an indulgent dessert that perfectly captures the essence of Indian summers. It features creamy slow-frozen kulfi with silky falooda sev (thin vermicelli), soaked basil seeds (sabja), and sweet rose syrup, all layered into a chilled, refreshing treat. It is also topped with nuts and makes for a filling treat often enjoyed after a meal to cool down the gut.

This summer treat is native to the bylanes of Old Delhi, where seasonal and even non-seasonal fruits are scooped from top and then the pulp is blended with milk and sweetener and is then refilled in the fruit shell, which is freezed overnight and then sold the next day. The most popular ones are mango, orange, pomegranate, guava, litchi, and more.

It is a traditional North Indian delicacy made from layers of slowly simmered and scraped milk solids. It is made by continuously heating full-fat milk in a wide pan, the cream that sticks to the sides is carefully scraped off, collected, sweetened, and lightly flavored with cardamom. It is mildly sweet, soft, and slightly chewy with a caramelized taste and creamy texture that melts in the mouth.

For people of 80s and 90s, it is a pure nostalgia and is popularly known as Baraf Ka Gola. It is made with finely crushed ice shaped around a stick and drenched in vibrant, tangy-sweet syrups like kala khatta, rose, or orange, making it an ultimate refresher on a hot day. Beyond its appealing colour and art of making, it brings back memories of childhood afternoons, street corners, and simple joys. It also uses a dash of chaat masala, black salt, and lemon juice, which strikes the perfect balance between sweet, tangy, and slightly salty flavours.
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