Breakfast at Chawri’s

Aggarwal is the fourth-generation owner of Shyam Sweets that was established by his great-grandfather,Babu Ramji,in the 1920s near its present address. Those days it was known as ‘babuji halwai’ and catered to Muslim traders in the area. “After he passed away,my father took over the family business. We have traditionally sold balushahis,son halwe ki tikkiya,nagori halwa and badam louge,” says Aggarwal,who started helping his father when he was just 15. Aggarwal took over the family business after his father died. “I wanted to continue the family legacy,” he smiles. The shop is still popular for its traditional Delhi fare: nagori halwa,dal,paneer and matar kachoris and mogra,a dessert. The shop is a great breakfast option in winters but summer doesn’t seem to have deterred customers. “All my kachoris are usually sold out by 2 p.m.,” he says.

The family still follows traditional recipes. “I maintain a diary which lists the recipes for the sweets and namkeens,” he adds. The mirch-masala for the kachoris and the heeng used in every preparation are still bought from the same wholesalers in Khari Baoli.

But have bigger names in the business dented their sales? “We do not compete with them. And since we cater to a loyal customer base,we have kept our prices very reasonable,” he says. With a son who is studying hotel management,Aggarwal hopes the family legacy will be carried forward.