As Delhi’s winter breeze returns, so does the timeless craving for Daulat Ki Chaat, the city’s own version of the velvety makkhan malai. Also known as Mallaiyo in Varanasi and Nimish in Lucknow, the dessert has travelled through regions, recipes and generations.

From makeshift stalls and thelewalas to sweet shops, five-star hotels, and winter parties, this delicacy is a hot favourite during the colder months. Here’s how the three cities shaped one winter favourite.

He tells HT City, “The evolution of makkhan started with Benaras (Varanasi), where where in winters, due to the rich grass on the banks of the Ganga that the cows graze on, the quality of milk is very rich. By stirring the fat (cream), the makkhan froth evolved. It is kept overnight under the winter dew (oos) and consumed in the morning. So, doodh ki malai se bana mallaiyo! With the ghats and the chaat, Mallaiyo became famous and spread to other cities.”

Ranveer adds, “I am a Lucknowite and love its version known as Makkhan Malai or Nimish, but the thickness and richness of Mallaiyo is on another level. In Lucknow and nearby cities, they add rabri and a few dry fruits. Delhi’s Daulat Ki Chaat is also good, but a very distant third. There, more ingredients are used, like khoya, malai, and a lot of dry fruits. It’s sold in Jaipur and other cities too, but since you don’t have the oos, the process in these three cities is all about the cream and the traditional method.”

Ranveer adds that he loves the Lucknow version of the dish, Makkhan Malai or Nimish, as well, and places Delhi’s Daulat Ki Chaat on third.

“Our dadaji started in 1912, and my father Khemchandji and I are carrying on the tradition,” says Adesh of 113-year-old shop Khemchand Daulat Ki Chaat in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk. “From director Kabir Khan’s set during the shoot of Bajrangi Bhaijaan to Nitin Mukesh and the Ambanis in Mumbai, we have served many,” he adds.

On why it’s called Daulat Ki Chaat, he says, “Royal dish hai yeh aur pahle aam log nahi khate the. Delhi main bahut kisim ki chaat milti hai par sahi mein Daulat ki chaat hai.” He makes it manually at home during the night and brings it to the selling points.

Kanahiya Rabjbhar from Varanasi, too, has been selling the dish for the last 23 years. However, another mallaiyo seller from the same city informs how, due to road expansion, some of the famous shops have been erased.

“Ganga ke kinare ki ghaas, badiya doodh aur taza makkan aisa makkan kahin aur nahi milta. I am making it for the last 23 years and have been preparing it on my roof under the sky,” says Kanahiya, who sells it at his lassi shop near Chowk police station in Varanasi.

The Mallaiyo seller adds that due to road expansion in the Gadoulia locality, the famous shops have been erased, but on the ghats and in the lanes, locals and visitors flock to taste it in kulhad or haandi, which gives an extra earthy taste.

Lucknow’s fourth-generation seller, Rajesh Kumar, says that the speciality is not just in its malai but also its base, where sweet milk is accumulated. Fourth-generation seller explains, “Some consume it with a crispy papdi, also known as a patty-type samosa, which is without any filling.”

The Chowk crossing is a hub where dozens of makkan stalls invite customers to taste their stock. Some quality sellers, like Jalal and Chandrika, are so sought-after that they finish their stock in two to three hours. Prominent sweet shops in the city also sell quality makkan, and even the five-star hotels provide the famous delicacy to their patrons.

Celebs’ favourite

From singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh to actors Shilpa Shetty Kundra and Tamannaah Bhatia, there is a long list of makkhan malai lovers who have posted pictures and videos of themselves savouring the delight in Lucknow.

According to line-producer Aroon Singh Dicky, it is a must-have during shoots happening in Lucknow, a constant demand from celebrities and crew members during winter schedules.

While shooting for Nikamma (2022), Shilpa Shetty Kundra posted a video on her Instagram account, savouring makkhan malai with jalebi. “It’s Sunday, so I am having this delight as a cheat meal… I can’t miss having this,” she said. Actor Tamannaah Bhatia, during a promotional visit, shared a video enjoying the dish as well. Actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh, ahead of his performance in Lucknow, visited the Old City locality and made an impromptu stop at a street vendor near Gol Darwaza to taste makkan malai. His reel went viral!