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The same old joy

RAHUL VERMA stops by Sultan Singh Jain's good old little shack to savour some chholey-puri

PHOTO: V.V. KRISHNAN

LUNCH HOUR Puri-aloo at Kadimi Dukan in Bhogal is a pure pleasure

I can't remember when I first went to Sultan Singh Jain's little shop in Bhogal, but it was possibly at a time when the Beatles were still a rage, cinema was black and white and men and women wore flared bell-bottoms. I used to go there often and continued visiting the old shop till some years ago. And then I stopped for really no reason at all.

So, for quite a while now, I have been thinking about re-visiting this old haunt of mine. For one, Sultan Singh's son, Rajendra Jain, used to be an old friend. And, for another, his chholey-puris are some of the best I have had in Delhi. So last week, just before lunch-time, I landed up at Sultan Singh Jain's stall, also known as Kadimi Dukan.

How to locate

The shop is easy to locate. If you know Bhogal Market, you'll find it without a problem. If you don't know where it is, just cross Mathura Road (moving from Nizamuddin towards Ashram), and turn right at the second crossing after the nullah. Kadimi is right there.

My old friend was not there, but his son, Lokesh, was ably manning the counter when I reached there. Kadimi sells all kinds of things - from puri-aloo and chholey-bhaturey to crisp bread pakoras and soft imartis.

I, of course, wanted to eat his puri-aloo. So I asked the son to pack me five plates - each for Rs.15 - and then took it back with me to feed my friends and placate my rumbling stomach.

Every plate had two puris, stuffed with an urad dal paste, and a thick chhola curry with potato pieces.

There was a soft kofta, made out of besan and urad dal, in the chholey.

And all this was served with boondi raita, one fried papad, along with something that I really love: boiled vegetable and mango pickles.

The chholey was really good, because it's tasty, yet not smothered in spices or oil.

The puris were large - big enough for a moderate appetite - and incredibly soft. And though the puris were a little oily (well, they were deep-fried after all - ever heard of roasted puris?), I didn't have a serious problem with that.

If you eat your puris right there and then - hot off the kadai - you won't think it's too oily. Our problem was that it had become cold by the time I had transported it to my waiting friends.

This is one of the oldest puri-chholey shops in Delhi, now being run by the third generation. Bhogal itself is one of the oldest localities of Delhi.

The market is almost like Old Delhi - full of interesting shops selling, quite like the gallis of Purani Dilli, all kinds of things from spices to paper plates.

The Sultan of Multan - our own Viru - may be failing, but Sultan Singh Jain's little shack is still going strong. And may it continue to flourish.

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