JOIN USThe ongoing 34th India International Trade Fair (IITF) at Pragati Maidan, is not only haven for shoppaholics but food enthusiasts too. Other than the regular food court inside the premises, regional stalls have been set up by the caterers too.
Rana from Nagaur, Jaipur has set up a Rajasthani stall. The district is approximately 50-60 kilometres away from Jaipur. Coming all the way from the land, known for its spicy food, Rana has delicacies from daal bati churma to missi roti and gatte ki sabzi. They have everything specific to state.
“Pyaaz ki kachori and daal bati churma are our popular items. We are also having Special Rajasthani thali in which we serve our local veggie sangri along with bajara or missi roti and other gravy items,” says Rana. He instantly points at the kullhar lying at the other end of the table. “We are also serving kesariya kullhar chai, which is very popular in our district.
Likewise, serving the special food item of Haryana is the stall set by Institute of Hotel Management, Faridabad. They have Jaleba. “We call it as the father of jalebi,”
says Sneh Pratap Singh, pursuing diploma from the institute. Jaleba is just like jalebi except it is wider and is crispier. “In Haryana, people soak Jaleba in hot milk and eat it when soft. It is like a meal in itself,” says Jasveer Singh, faculty of the institute.
To serve the authentic Jalebas, halwais from Gohana district and that too from the popular sweetmeat shop, Lala Nathuram Jaleba have been hired by the institute to serve the dessert in the traditional Haryanavi style. Besides, chole kulcha, soyabean biryani, soyabean chaap, chhole chawal and kadhi chawal are also in the offering.
Serving the Bengali cuisine in Mughlai-style is the stall set by Talat Mahmood Khan. He only has non-vegetarian items like chicken korma, biryani, fish fry, seekh kebab and egg parantha. “We are adding our own magic masalas to each of the dish which I cannot disclose,” exclaims Khan. “To add more taste, we marinate the meat with spices and curd a day before,” he says.
Other regional stalls at the fair are from Andhra Pradesh serving Hyderabadi biryani and Tamil Nadu having dosa, idli, uttapam, rasam and sambhar.