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Raj kachori

What: This colorful chaat, or snack, is quite popular in Delhi and other parts of northern India. It consists of kachori, small fried, bready balls, and a variety of other yummy things—chickpeas, potatoes, tomatoes, moong sprouts, masalas, yogurt, coriander and tamarind chutneys, pomegranate seeds, crunchy sev—stuffed inside and atop a thin and very crispy-fried puri-like hollow shell. The various chutneys and yogurt coat the whole affair, making it a perfect mix of wet and crunchy, sweet and tangy, spicy and cooling. In other words: an ideal, fun-to-eat chaat.

Where: The raj kachori at Haldiram’s (multiple branches including 1454/2, Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi, map), the popular chaat-and-sweets chain celebrated for its hygienic preparations, is very popular, and for good reason. Moreover, this particular three-story branch, despite often being crowded, makes a nice air-conditioned oasis in the midst of Chandni Chowk’s crush of humanity—a must on any Old Delhi food crawl.

When: Daily, 10am-11pm

Order: You should try other chaats or thalis here, but definitely include the very fresh-tasting raj kachori (68 rupees), and follow it up with some sweets from the ground floor.

Alternatively: It’s most popular for its kulfi faluda, but Roshan Di Kulfi (2872-4230; 2816, Ajmal Khan Rd., Karol Bagh, map), a short walk or rickshaw from the Karol Bagh metro stop, also has raj kachori.