New Delhi — When was the last time you heard of a humble, soaked vada upstaging momos, chaats, and kebabs in the capital? Well, it just happened. At this year’s Delhi Street Food Fest, Dahibara Aludum—straight outta Cuttack—bagged the title of Delhi’s Best Street Food. Yes, move over Ram Ladoo, there’s a new snack boss in town.
How a Cuttack Classic Cracked the Delhi Code
The Times of India broke the story that Dahibara Aludum was crowned the top dish during the annual Delhi Street Food Awards, hosted at the iconic Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium. The event pulled in over 50 of the city’s most beloved food stalls, plus regional specialists from as far as Assam and Tamil Nadu. But it was this Orissa-born dish—traditionally made by soaking lentil vadas (dahibaras) in tamarind water and topping them with spicy potato curry (aludum) and ghughuni (white peas)—that took top honours.
Representing Odisha was a stall run by Sanjay Sahoo, a former CRPF jawan turned foodpreneur, who now doles out daily plates near the INA Metro Station. His secret? “Authentic spice mix from my hometown and patience,” he says. Judging was conducted over two days, with a panel of celebrity chefs and over 70,000 foodies voting through QR codes tied to each stall. Dahibara Aludum didn’t just win—it ran away with it, clocking record votes by Saturday evening.
What This Means for Your Lunchtime Desi Craving
If you’re bored of the standard lunchtime fare in Delhi—overpriced momos near Nehru Place or the usual Rajma-Chawal corner in Noida Sector 15—this could be a welcome disruption. For students cramming in GTB Nagar or startup bros grinding in Connaught Place coworking spaces, Dahibara Aludum offers a spicy, tangy, satisfying ₹50 solution that doesn’t kill your gut or your pocket.
The win may also signal a bigger trend: the rise of regional street food in the capital. With increasing migration from eastern states to NCR hubs (Noida and Dwarka metros are constantly adding new flavours to their food scenes), the taste buds of Delhiites are expanding. Add to that the ever-growing Instagram loop that thrives on “hidden gems,” and you’ve got the recipe for a street stall explosion. Don’t be surprised if your next Uber driver from Bhubaneswar gives you a rec that beats Dilli Haat hands down.
From Barabati to Barakhamba
Dahibara Aludum isn’t new, just new here. Originating in Cuttack, Odisha, this dish is a mandatory morning ritual—think breakfast paratha but dunked in flavor. Traditionally sold outside Jagannath temples or near Barabati Stadium, it’s been an essential identity snack since at least the 1950s. Vendors serving it in leaf bowls were once the food influencers of old Odisha. The jump to Delhi traces back to the early 2000s, when Odia populations in Munirka and R.K. Puram quietly started selling the dish at melas and colony events.
What’s changed now is visibility. With food fests like this one at India Gate and events like “DelFest East” in Lajpat Bhawan showcasing non-mainstream fare, dishes like Dahibara Aludum aren’t just regional anymore—they’re cosmopolitan comfort food.
📍 Spot Check: Try Dahibara Aludum at stalls near INA Metro Station and Central Market, Lajpat Nagar. The weekend pop-up in CR Park (near Mandir Road) is also worth digging into. Bonus: There’s talk of a permanent kiosk opening near Janpath, close to Cottage Emporium.
The Final Word
Honestly? This win isn’t just a big “Yay” for Odisha food—it’s proof that Delhi’s foodie scene is maturing beyond butter chicken and shawarma wars. Let’s celebrate that our taste buds are getting more democratic. The real question is: will this make space for other underdog dishes like Kerala’s Nadan beef fry or Bengal’s Ghugni-Chaat to finally make the main menu in CP? Only time (and taste) will tell.
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