KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 — Ask someone you know to name a city in India, and chances are Mumbai, New Delhi and possibly Kolkata will pop up.
Second only to Mumbai in population, New Delhi is best known as the administrative capital of India — but it was also the capital of two major empires, the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire.
The latter lasted over three centuries, during which the city saw a confluence of cultures, with South Asian, Persian and Central Asian influences proving the strongest.
This amalgamation of influences shaped Delhi’s culinary scene over multiple centuries, evolving into what is known today as Mughlai cuisine.
Some of India’s best-known dishes, like biryani and korma, trace their origins to Mughlai cuisine, while keema matar and seekh kebab show more obvious links to their influences.
Dilli 6, which opened earlier this year in TTDI, offers a taste of the capital’s flavours.
Located on the first floor of a shophouse on Persiaran Zaaba, the restaurant is run by Delhi native Chef Ankita Aggarwal.
Dilli 6 is located above a chicken rice shop. — Picture by Ethan Lau
Her journey in KL’s food scene began with a home cooking business in 2009, followed by Waves Cafe, a poolside restaurant in Mont Kiara in 2020.
This latest venture takes its name from the postal code for the Chandni Chowk area of Old Delhi, home to one of India’s largest wholesale markets and the Red Fort, a historic monument built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century. Delhi-6 is also a famous 2009 Hindi film set in the area that shares the same name.
Aside from a few items, the expansive menu covers mostly Delhi classics — but not everything eaten in Delhi has Mughal origins.
Papri Chaat (RM22) is a popular street food snack across India, especially in the northern region.
Papri Chaat may just be one of my new favourite dishes. — Picture by Ethan Lau
Papri refers to crispy bits of fried dough, typically served cold with potatoes, chickpeas and yoghurt, then topped with chutney and sev, small crunchy fried noodles made from chickpeas.
The version here was a refreshing snack that delighted with bits of pomegranate and coriander chutney.
It was cool, rich, sweet, savoury, sour and filled with crispy bits of fried dough — an easy entry into my canon of favourites.
Meat is perhaps where Delhi’s Mughlai cuisine shows the clearest link to its Turkic influences.
Malai Chicken (RM25) is chicken marinated in cream — the malai — and grilled like tikka.
Malai Chicken is a creamy grilled chicken dish from Mughlai cuisine. — Picture by Ethan Lau
Tikka itself derives from the Turkic word tikkü, meaning “chunk”.
The result was mildly flavoured, soft pieces of chicken with a strongly charred exterior that burst to life when dipped in the vibrant coriander chutney.
Beef Seekh Kebab (RM28) sounds like something straight out of your local shawarma joint, but it tastes and smells nothing like it.
Beef Seekh Kebab is an example of the clear influence that Turkic cuisine has had on Mughlai cuisine. — Picture by Ethan Lau
Cumin, coriander and chilli come to the fore, and the grilled ground beef packed a surprisingly peppery punch.
These had some serious kick to them.
The texture was firmer than a kofta and grilled until dry, but not rubbery; instead of dripping in juice, it had a sausage-like texture that sprung with each bite.
We capped things off with a trio of Chicken Changhezi (RM32), Daal Makhani (RM25) and Palak Paneer (RM28) together with a basket of plain naan (RM6), which felt like the appropriate choice of flatbread, as it was introduced to India during the Delhi Sultanate period.
A fitting trio of Chicken Changhezi, Daal Makhani and Palak Paneer to round out the meal. — Picture by Ethan Lau
Urban myths suggest that Chicken Changhezi was named after Genghis Khan, but there is little to confirm this.
I can, however, confirm it is delicious. Smoky, tender pieces of chicken sat in a bright red sauce that looked far hotter than it actually was — in fact, the tomato-based gravy was more sweet than savoury.
Daal Makhani is a classic dish from Delhi, and the version here was a wonderfully buttery and creamy mix of lentils that could stop my heart.
As green and verdant as it tasted, the Palak Paneer was never going to be convincingly healthy. It is essentially pureed spinach, but it is so rich in flavour and satisfying that you can’t tell.
Dilli 6
42A, Persiaran Zaaba, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am-10pm
Tel: 017-260 8693
Facebook: @dilli6.kl
Instagram: @dilli6.kl
* As today is Deepavali, the restaurant is closed and will reopen tomorrow.
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
