From samosas to asli Dilliwala: Food, memory and a changing Delhi

Pushpesh Pant, a food critic and historian, was savoring a samosa and a tissue at the CMYK bookstore in Delhi's Meherchand Market during a conversation with Rakhshanda Jalil. The author and Jalil, a writer and historian, were discussing Pant's recent book, "From The King's Table to Street Food: A Food History of Delhi," published in 2024.

Jalil reminisced about their shared childhood memories in Delhi, where they grew up eating street food and believed in dining out. The two discussed their changing food habits and the city's transformation, including the addition of flyovers, the Commonwealth Games, and the Asian Games. They also noted the shift in people's perceptions of food, with current generations arguably placing less value on traditional ingredients.

As they discussed the book's central question, "Who is an 'asli dilliwala (real Delhiite)?"," Pant emphasized that Delhi is a city of refugees, always absorbing newcomers and transforming over time.