ITC Narmada Brings the Timeless Flavours of Old Delhi to Ahmedabad with a Dehlnavi Dawat Festival

Ahmedabad | Gujarat —-  ITC Narmada, a luxury collection hotel in Ahmedabad, will host a special Dehlnavi Dawat celebrating the rich culinary traditions of Old Delhi at its signature all-day diner, Adalaj Pavilion, from March 14-22. The food festival will offer guests an immersive exploration of the capital’s historic food culture. The festival will be presented over a dinner buffet available from 7pm to 11:30 pm, bringing together heirloom recipes, slow-cooked delicacies with robust street-inspired flavours that have long defined the gastronomic legacy of Shahjahanabad.

The culinary showcase will be helmed by Chef Mohammad Mofid, a senior master chef from Sheraton Delhi. He is an expert in Awadhi and Dehlnavi cuisine who hails from a family of chefs from Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh. Having begun his culinary journey at home learning traditional cooking from his parents, Chef Mofid has a refined expertise in Dehlnavi cuisine. Chef Mofid has also been actively involved in promoting Indian cuisine internationally, helping carve a niche for authentic Dehlnavi flavours across global culinary platforms.

Executive Chef Sumeet Rohela at ITC Narmada, said, “At ITC Narmada, we constantly strive to bring authentic regional culinary traditions to our guests. The Dehlnavi Dawat is a celebration of the rich and layered food heritage of Old Delhi, a cuisine shaped by history, bustling bazaars and time-tested recipes. With Chef Mofid curating this experience, we are delighted to present dishes that capture the rustic warmth and robust flavours that define Dehlnavi cuisine, offering diners in Ahmedabad a truly immersive gastronomic journey.”

The festival menu celebrates the layered culinary traditions of Old Delhi with a carefully curated selection of dishes. Guests will be welcomed with the refreshing Mohabbat Ka Sherbet, a classic Old Delhi beverage made with milk and rose. The experience begins with a vibrant chaat counter featuring favourites such as Kulle Ki Chaat, Dahi Gujiya and Aloo Ki Tikki, evoking the lively street food culture of the capital.

The starters highlight both vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies including Teekhe Matar Ke Kebab, pan-seared patties of spiced green peas finished on the griddle, Jimikand Ki Malai, delicate yam patties with a creamy texture, Sil Batte Ki Shammi, hand-pounded lamb and lentil kebabs pan-grilled to perfection, and Quile Mohalle Ki Seekh, charcoal-finished minced lamb kebabs inspired by the kebab houses of Old Delhi.

The main course features a repertoire of robust and comforting preparations such as Paneer Laung Latika, stuffed cottage cheese slices sealed with clove, Lehsooni Palak Motia, cottage cheese dumplings in a velvety garlic-flavoured spinach gravy, Hing Dhaniye Ke Chatpate Aloo, baby potatoes tossed with asafoetida and fenugreek seeds, and Kunni Dal, a slow-cooked blend of Bengal gram and black lentils. The rice preparations include Nimona Mirch Pulao, a fragrant basmati rice dish enriched with whole green chillies and peas paste.

The non-vegetarian delights include Gosht Nihari, prime cuts of lamb cooked in a rich brown onion and saffron gravy, Murg Ishtoo, tender chicken flavoured with whole spices in a curd and tomato gravy, and Sarai Ki Gosht Biryani, where lamb and basmati rice are cooked together with whole spices and finished with crisp angel-hair onions.

The meal concludes with traditional desserts such as Shahi Tukra, saffron-soaked bread topped with sweetened reduced milk, and Motia Zarda, fragrant sweetened basmati rice delicately flavoured with saffron and khoya dumplings.

“Dehlnavi cuisine reflects the soul of Old Delhi, its streets, its families and its centuries-old culinary traditions. Many of the dishes featured in this festival are inspired by recipes passed down through generations and perfected over slow cooking and careful balance of spices. Through this menu, I hope guests can experience the authenticity, nostalgia and depth of flavour that make the food of Delhi so beloved,” said Chef Mofid. 

Through this limited-period culinary showcase, ITC Narmada aims to bring the nostalgia, generosity and enduring flavours of Old Delhi’s celebrated food traditions to Ahmedabad.