5 places where you can pick up South Indian Grocery

India is a country where the language changes every kos or mile and so does the food. Therefore in a cosmopolitan city like Delhi, there are people from across the country. And to cater to this population are specific stores which sell groceries and other items from that particular state. I share below 5 stores where you can pick up South Indian grocery and odds and ends.

Sree Rama Stores – Located in  Rama Market, Munirka, this is the venerable old go to place for all South Indians. Anything and everything for the South Indian community is available. The Mama who runs it, is a Malayalee though speaks excellent Tamil. I have picked up the English version of Samaithu Paaru and CDs of Balakrishna Shastrigal and Smt Vishaka Hari from here. You can get jackfruit during season, elaichi bananas, red bananas, Nedran variety of bananas. He gets raw mango for making raw mango pickles during March / April. This has to be booked for in advance. I have picked up and bottled them. The upstairs of the shop is a treasure trove of coloured dhotis, sarees. The ground floor has the entire range of applam, pappadam, podis, thokku, paste, rice items….dosa batter, coconut….I have also picked up unusual spices and chillies from here. (Tuesday Closed)

Anil Stores – This is located in Mohammadpur. (A left turn after the Church, when you are coming towards Bikaji Cama Road on Africa Avenue Road. A further right in the lane which houses a cobbler making handmade shoes and voila) Anil Stores specializes in products from Kerala. So one can get the best of jackfruit chips, banana chips, the jaggery-ginger banana chips, tapioca chips. The store has a lot of products from Kerala. Dhotis, towels, handicrafts, coconut, puttu powder, idiappam makers, idiappam mixes, pickles, fresh vada, bread, cakes… During Onam and Vishu there is a surfeit of traditional vegetables and fruits. (Tuesday Closed)

Sree Gopalan Store – This is located in the bylanes of Govindpuri Extn, precisely Harbans Singh Premi Marg. Again a small shop with lots of South Indian knick knacks. They offer a range of South Indian namkeens and mithais which are nice. It is a local brand made in Delhi but the taste is authentic as you get…try their tenkuyal, muthuswaram or mullu thenkuyal, chakli, thattai, mixture, jangari, laddoo.. He also stocks typical rice for dosa etc (Tuesday Closed)

Cochin Stores – This was located in the old Nauroji Nagar market on the left side of the Ring Road, behind Safdarjung Enclave. Following rebuilding, the entire market has been shifted to the ground floor of NBCC Tower in East Kidwai Nagari, (opp. Dilli Haat) near INA Market. The products are from South especially Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Go for coconut, bananas and other eats. (Monday Closed)

There are plenty of shops in INA Market selling South Indian groceries. One can Bydagi chillies, papads, jackfruits and of course Nedran bananas. The prices though may seem a bit on the higher side as the place is frequented by Embassy folks. The African community loves its bananas and picks it up instantly. There are a few shops in the second and third lane. I used to be a sucker for unusual products and have been conned by the shopkeeper much to my Dad’s chagrin.:)😊One can get kappa, koorka and more. There are several such shops across Delhi. We will track them as we go…Karol Bagh, Mayur Vihar, Paschim Vihar….

Eating Out - The Coffee Culture is catching on

Delhi has always been a Chai or Tea drinker's paradise. We are trying to track some coffee drinking culture across Delhi, more so on places to pick up beans, brews, percolators and more....

All writings on coffee makes me remember this incident of having coffee late in the evening at a roadside dhabha in Gurgaon. Not wanting the over boiled tea, a friend produced instant coffee and gave it to the tea boy asking him to make coffee. Not comprehending he stood asking what it was, my zealous friend coached him saying instead of tea leaves add this and not to strain. The boy came back smiling with his concoction, yes he brought the coffee with the adrak elaichi et all!!!  Excepting the South, “that” all most spoke of popularity of coffee everywhere. Espresso coffee was an aberration and the adventurous was satisfied with a rich hot tumbler of South Indian Kapi. Not any more, liberalization, brought with it the “coffee culture” hitherto not very evident in India. The times suddenly has changed with the growing popularity of coffee bars, there is demand for coffee powder and not of the instant variety and connoisseurs are going the extra mile to try out different ways of brewing coffee.

Coffee bars like CCD (Café Coffee Day), Qwicky, Barista, Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, Starbucks,Third wave coffee, Sleepy Owl Coffee changed the concept of coffee, espresso strong black, Cappuccino, Mocha, Irish Coffee and their numerous avatars roll out and are a part of our coffee vocabulary. Coffee is hip, happening and these are “the” places to visit. Though purists would be shocked by the prices, but who can resist the temptation of Irish coffee topped with cream or Cappuccino with its frothy Italian evoking feel, Café Latte – light, Moca with its chocolatey touch.  Most of these joints also stock coffee beans or powder with which to brew one’s own cup of filter coffee.    Though for many brewing their own cuppa is still a slightly cumbersome process. A favourite pick up point for freshly ground coffee powder is Coffee Board’s outlet behind Scindia House in Delhi. The smell of coffee being ground is invigorating to say the least. Another well known joint, though I have consumed their coffee without visiting it much is Devans South Indian Coffee & Tea (P) Ltd, a little shop tucked into a corner market at Lodhi Road market in New Delhi. 

At Devans, Keshav Dev who has been in the business for long tells how each of the variety of coffee powder on offer was developed along with the art of brewing.  So a combination of Peaberry, Robusta, Arabica vie for attention each distinguished by its shape. Of these Peaberry is known for its flavour, Robusta which gives the bitter or strong flavour, Keshav proudly talks of his Viennese blend which is a blend of dark and medium roasted beans developed for export to Vienna and the name caught on.

Organic coffee which until a few years ago was a novelty is today widely available in the country. Tribes a venture of Trifed sources its coffee from the Nilgiri belt. The organic coffee powder (for filter coffee) from Niligiri – the unmistakeable Niligiri, is par excellent – capturing the fresh taste and smell to perfection! Believe me, this comes straight from the heart of a South Indian. The soil and water conservation department, Govt. of Mizoram has also successfully grown organic coffee, (cauvery variety). Decaff or decaffeinated coffee is popular abroad but is yet to make inroads in India. Alternate to coffee using chicory root powder and berries are also popular. A coffee substitute very popular in South India is the coriander or dhania coffee. A couple of spoons of coriander seeds are roasted till brown and powdered coarsely. This is then put in a filter and allowed to percolate using hot water. The decoction is made into coffee the normal way with milk and sugar or jaggery and sugar

However, the die hard fan goes for customised grinding choosing the bean or a combination, getting it roasted right (light, dark or medium), and finally powdering it (coarse, medium or fine) depending on the filter or percolator chosen. The percolator range varies from the Italian one which Devans retail – a double steam system where the coffee powder when heated with water forms steam rises through the nossle to settle into the container, delicately done over the fire. The French one where again the evaporating steam is captured in a glass jar. The Turkish where the coffee grows through the classic motions of heating, cooling and reheating to form a golden ring. The South Indian percolator uses the age old method of gravitation to collect the decoction.

Read other articles on coffee in this blog -

1. https://www.visitors2delhi.com/2009/06/buying-south-indian-filter-coffee.html#google_vignette

2.The Indian Coffee House, Delhi, Connaught Place

Trip to the Potter's colony - Kumaron ki Basti - Delhi

Summer may spell heat and dust for many, but it is production in full swing at the Kumharon ki basti. It is during the summer months that a majority of the wares that is sold during the rest of the year is made. In winter, it becomes too cold and the clay being colder makes it difficult to work. Also drying of the objects in the sun is difficult. During summers, the clay is cool to work with, it needs to watered frequently and the objects dry faster naturally under the sun.  This humble environs supplies nearly everything that is sold by way of pottery in Delhi – from the kulhars, matkas, pots to fancy garden accessories, designer Ganeshas, figurines, huge planters, fancy lamps, humble diyas, designer diyas with holders and more. With the onset of the monsoons, drying of the objects is a problem. So it is in the summer months that a major portion of the production for the festival season also takes place. Not only that, many studio potters source their supply of mud and clay (chikni mitti) from these potters. Mud depending on what is to made and the technique is sourced from various lakes in the neighbouring areas. The Kumharon ki basti is one where tradition blends with the modern seamlessly. It is where a past technology sits comfortably with the contemporary. One can see traces of modernity. Electric wheels have replaced hand operated wheels. Of course, most of them are adept at using the hand operated wheels as well. This place is a pottery shopper’s paradise given the variety to choose from and of course the literally wholesale prices. Several of the tools used in the production is shaped by the potter’s themselves. The area is home to a couple of Shilp Gurus, several State Awardees and Master Craftspersons. Several potters from abroad visit the Shilp Gurus and other potters to learn the local technique. Some to write about them, some to even stay and do a residency course, several potters conduct hobby classes in schools and at various facilities.

Where – Potter’s Colony or Kumharaon ki Basti. This one is behind Bindapur (Dwaraka). One can also access it from Janakpuri. Reach Janakpuri bus stand.  Ask around and you can go there. The lanes are narrow and cannot take the auto. Walking by foot is the best option or a rickshaw. There is another potter's colony beyond...which I shall cover later.

Timings – There are no particular timings. One can go anytime. Though the best time during winters is the afternoon after 12 pm.

Highlights -  Organising regular pottery tours will add to income of the potters and of course showcase our ancient skills.  Just walk around and pick what you like. Several potters will have wares displayed outside the house. It is not picture perfect but is a very interesting walk through. Dusshera and Diwali are the best time to visit this place. It is a good thought to buy your Diyas and other clay items from here as the money goes straight to the potter.

Insider Tip –  There are several Shilp Gurus, Master Craftsman (Potters), State Awardees and some who are very good without any awards. One can find potters from North especially Haryana, Rajasthan, Azamgarh Black pottery, Pottery from Alwar. Stoneware, ceramic, double fired, burnished stone.  There are also potters from Manipur who make Manipuri Black pottery ware. These are exceptional. Also similar pottery from Meghalaya is being done.