Unseen Humayunpur (North Eastern Food Hub) Food Tour in South Delhi I Nepali + Korean Chana Chaat

Humayunpur, nestled in the heart of South Delhi, has evolved into an urban village predominantly inhabited by the Jat community. However, it is also home to a huge population of migrants from the North Eastern states who come here for education or work.

This influx of people from different parts has transformed Humayunpur into one of Delhi’s sought-after food destinations. Its narrow lanes are dotted with numerous big and small restaurants, cafes and makeshift stalls offering NorthEastern, Korean, Nepalese and Chinese cuisines. In today's episode, we'll be venturing into a handful of these culinary pitstops.

Our first stop is Lha Kitchen, founded by Dickey Bhutiya and her husband. It's renowned for its authentic Nepali cuisine and offers a cozy seating arrangement reminiscent of a Nepali household. The menu is extensive, featuring traditional dishes. We tried the Thakali Thali and Jhol Momo. Additionally, we had the opportunity to speak with Dickey Bhutia about her journey with LHA kitchen.

Our second food destination was a no-frills chana chaat counter run by a young man from Arunachal Pradesh named Sameer. He operates this stall to support his education, for which he migrated here. The chana chaat sold here is a crunchy and zesty snack made with legumes, puffed rice, onions and Wai Wai noodles, among other ingredients. Both the taste and texture make it a delightful treat. Sameer also offers chicken momos. His affable nature adds to the charm of the experience.

Our third stop in Humayunpur is Rajeev Tea Stall, a perfect spot to take a break from your work and indulge in a refreshing cup of tea. They also offer parathas for small hunger. As luck would have it, a sudden downpour during our visit turned the strong ginger tea they served into a welcoming respite. This shop is relatively newer in the neighborhood, as they have another one that's nearly 15 years old.

Our fourth stop was a charming kimbap stall named Lackteyyy's Kimbap Simbap, run by the genial young man from Nepal, Milan. After migrating to Delhi, he mastered the art of making kimbap through trial and error. Today, his kimbap is the talk of the locality. The stall is clean and Milan is very particular about the ingredients he uses. Each offering on the menu comes with an interesting tagline mentioned below. Upon his recommendation, we tried the pork kimbap and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Our final stop was a fritter stall located beside the kimbap place, run by a young Punjabi couple who are also locals. This stall specializes in a special fritter from Manipur called Maroi Nakkupi Bora. While traditionally it is made with a native chive called maroi nakkupi, here they use spring onions instead. This place is also a favorite among the locals, as small batches of crispy fritters are made and served right when ordered. We thoroughly enjoyed the crunch and the zesty flavors of these fritters.

Overall, this tour gave us a sneak peek into the vibrant food scene and the diverse culinary offerings in Humayunpur.

About the host:
https://anubhavsapra.com/

Also follow us on
Facebook:   / delhifoodwalks  
Twitter:   / delhifoodwalks  
Instagram:   / delhifoodwalks  

Design and filmed by Rahul Singh
  / iamrahulsingh.2  

Texts by Swetaleena Nayak