Delhi classic
Prabhu Chaat Bhandar
Otherwise known as the UPSC chaatwala, Prabhu Chaat Bhandar is one of a cluster of stalls that have been around for 70-odd years. Prabhu’s is one of the oldest and most famous chaat stalls in New Delhi .
The stand was originally situated under a tree along the main road outside the Union Public Service Commission, but now dwells in the shade of the building in an alley between Shahjahan Road and Mansingh Road. The owner, who has since passed away, was the legendary Prabhu Dayal, who came to Delhi from UP. His son Jagdish Kumar now carries on the tradition and caters to a mass of loyal customers – though he himself is not always present at the venue.
“Sab Prabhu ke bacche hi hain,” is the description of those who work there now, according to self-proclaimed “oldest client” BL Chauhan. Some of these “bacchas”, like white-haired Gopal Das, have worked at the spot for 30 years. Chauhan used to frequent the establishment some 25 years ago with his father, who was a government officer. He remembers when a plate of papdi chaat cost just 50 paise. In between gorging on heaping spoonfuls of masala dahi, saunth and papdi, Chauhan said, “Though the price has changed [Rs 22 for a plate], the quality hasn’t at all.” Though he now works further away, he said he still has to come “to do darshan at the place”.
The core clientele is that loyal – arriving en masse from the surrounding government offices for lunch, tea and after-work snacks. Families on outings queue up by the smoking aloo tikki tawa, dogs slumber in the dusty lane and hopeful rhesus monkeys swing on the trees above. The lane is also frequented by a few supplementary stalls, such as Jai Mata Di Chaatwala, who sells fruit chaat, a kachoriwala and a sandwich stand. “They’ve only been here about three or four years,” says Das, dismissively. He also allows himself a non-committal smile when questioned about the Mercedes in which Dayal was said to arrive on his daily rounds. This is one of Delhi ’s more enduring urban legends, as nobody has ever bothered to either confirm or deny this last proof of the popularity of Dayal’s chaat recipes. Besides the snacks vendors, there is a van selling “medicinal items” and an astrologer/gemologist who seemed to be performing magic tricks when we visited.
The best deal at the stand is probably the golguppas (Rs 10 for a plate of six), which are flavourful and have amazingly crisp shells. The papdis are fresh and eminently munchable, even without any topping. Besides the hot tikkis, the separate elements are prepared in a kitchen in Gulabi Bagh and brought in big baskets every morning. While the typical preparation tends to be a bit strong on the salt and spices, it can be easily tailored to suit your taste. And if it’s still too spicy, Prabhu’s also dishes up kulfi falooda.
Leave a Reply