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Samosa

What: One of the most widely known and enjoyed Indian snacks, samosas are quite popular in Delhi and around North India, which in general loves its fried goodies. Though regional variations abound, up here samosas are triangular flour-based pastries stuffed with various ingredients, such as spiced potato, peas, onions, dal, or paneer, and then deep-fried and served with some sort of chutney. You’ll find them as a standalone snack or in chaat, for which yogurt, chutneys, chaat masala, and more would also be present, and the samosa smashed open. On their own, though, they’re perfect little pocket-pastries for when you just want a small bite…a crispy, savory, deep-fried bite, that is.

Where: Our samosa is from Old Delhi, from a century-old place called Kanwarji’s (2326-3939; 1972, Chandni Chowk, map) that’s known for its “pure ghee” sweets and snacks. Look for the red awning at the mouth of the famed Parathawali Gali.

When: Daily, 9am-10pm

Order: We sampled two samosas here (10-12 rupees each), one richly spiced potato and one pea. Both were excellent: hot, crispy, spicy, and well-suited to a squeeze of spicy chutney. Also consider the dal biji (fried lentils and muskmelon seeds), spicy fried aloo ka lachha, and sweets like burfi or ladoo.

Alternatively: Delhi is not wanting for samosa vendors. You can try your luck on the street at a vendor doing brisk business (without a swarm of flies), or play it safer and order them at any of the established sweets-and-snacks spots, like Haldiram’s (multiple branches including 1454/2, Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi, map) or Bikanervala (multiple locations including A-80, Central Market, Lajpat Nagar-II, map). We also can’t help but be intrigued by the giant samosas we read are served inside the 50-plus-year-old Delite cinema (Asaf Ali Rd, map), just south of Old Delhi.