When we talk of the food at an upscale restaurant we invariably talk of the chef behind it. But despite most of us finding the array of food available in Delhi's old quarters lip-smacking, few of us remember the 'bawarchis', or the traditional cooks, behind the culinary magic.
Purani Dilli, as the area is known, is still home to some of the indigenous Mughal-era bawarchis and many dishes' origins can be traced to this place. Despite that, the Old Delhi cooks remain anonymous to food lovers as their toque and apron-wearing counterparts in five-star hotels and expensive fine dining restaurants hog all the limelight.
No fancy oven, no proper kitchen, the bawarchis of Old Delhi are seemingly caught in a time warp and usually cook on the roadside using the traditional wood fuel. Although some of them have started using gas stoves, paucity of LPG cylinders makes them use firewood very often. They cook only on order.
Mohalla Qabristan near Turkman Gate is house to some of the oldest bawarchi families of Old Delhi. However, it is not easy to trace their origins as even the oldest among the cooks can't recall as to how many generations have already gone in the profession of cooking food. But they have been around for a few centuries, for sure.
By:IANS