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DESTINASIAN.COM – AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2019
From red chilies
to pepper corns to
coriander seeds, a
kaleidoscope of spices
await at Khari Baoli.JEFF^ KOEHLER;ALAMY^(^1 )SPICE WORLD
Clamorous, vibrant, and redolent with exotic aromas since the heyday of the Mughals,
Delhi’s Khari Baoli market offers a deep dive into the world of Indian spices.
BY JEFF KOEHLERDivided and subdivided over the years, the narrow shop
we’re in—one of dozens packed in along this street—has been re-
duced to a mere meter wide. Yet its selection of nuts, dried fruits,
and spices gratifies even the most exacting cook in India.
Few countries make use of as many spices. Not all are grown
here, of course, but many have found some of their fullest expres-
sion in Indian kitchens. When cooks in Delhi want to get the finest
cumin, coriander, cardamom, and dozens of other spices they so
copiously use, they head for Khari Baoli at the western end of
Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi. Running since the 17th century, it is
the largest spice market in Asia.
My Virgil through the belly of Indian seasonings is Marryam H.
Reshii, the formidable Times of India food critic and author of the
award-winning The Flavour of Spice: Journeys, Recipes, Stories.DISPATCHES JOURNAL