Street Style: Momos from Delhi

It rained last night. Finally, after a summer from one of Dante's circles of hell, the gods have been kind enough to let Hyderabad have an entire night of cooling rain. Although the cool is slowly vaporizing into a humidity, the first rains for this year will always remain a fond memory. For me, rains mean a hot cup of chai and reading a good book while it pours and thunders outside. In my childhood days, it would usually rain in the afternoon and almost immediately would be followed by a power cut. We would run around unplugging all the electrical equipments before running to the terrace and feeling the rain on your face. Then, of course I would find a secluded spot by the windows and read whichever book I was obsessed with at the time. As I got older juice or even bournvita turned into a nice cup of hot, brewed chai. 

Fast forward to the present. Once the rain was well underway and the chai was poured into the cup, hunger struck and with it cravings. Cold weather always reminds me of Momos with hot and sweet chilli sauce. And the best place to have them in India is on the streets of Delhi. And when Delhi is literally freezing around, all you need is a plate of momos, dip it in the chili sauce and let the warmth spread through your body. The momos themselves - soft wrapper which melts in your mouth giving way to lightly spiced cabbage or chicken filling - they hit your taste buds first before kicking chili around the back of your mouth. The first heat spreads though your throat, chest going all the up your nose which starts watering. And it makes you ecstatic. You move on to the next one and then the next until you realize that you have cleaned your plate. And your face is on fire. 

 That is where I have melded my childhood and the place where I am now. A hot cup of chai, a steaming plate of momos and the color burst of spicy sauce. From buttery softness to a punch of chili and finally the soothing touch of sweet. They form the perfect compliment to the storm outside. If you are in the vicinity of the capital, take a metro anywhere - Sarojini, Janpath, Hauz Khas, Karol Bagh, M Street - anywhere basically, you will see the vendor standing by the road. There will be steamers at the ready, sauce covered in plastic wrap and a stack of paper plates. Once you order your choice, the cook will open the lid, waving away the steam to reveal to white steaming pleated dough. He is generous - there will be at least six stacked on to the paper plate. He will then ladle the sauce around the momos and then hand you a hot plate. In the cold, with your collars turned up against the cold - the heat of the plate is calming. 

 Or you can sit at one of the stalls of Dilli Haat and order a couple of plates while you talk with your friends and upload pics into your Instagram account. Anywhere you go, you can be sure that you are going to have a plate of awesomeness. So if you live in Delhi, go have momos. If you are visiting Delhi, go have momos. Just plan a trip to Delhi anyway and go have momos. And if you feel inspired or nostalgic then come back and make a batch of your own.