Khari Baoli Spice Market: 400 Years Old Spice Market in Delhi !

By Karen Maria Sept 18, 2024

One of the most exciting plans during my trip to Delhi was visiting the famous Khari Baoli Spice Market, known as the largest spice market in all of Asia! Many of the spices produced in India pass through this bustling market before being sold by wholesalers.

It’s famous for offering a wide variety of spices, teas, dried fruits, nuts, and pickles. Located in Old Delhi, this market has been operating since the 17th century, and it’s the perfect place to visit for anyone interested in food and spices—just like me!

Khari Baoli Spice Market

As we made our way through the busy streets of Old Delhi, it felt like stepping back in time. The area is lively, with so much to see! We decided to take our time and explore everything. The main road is filled with vendors and shops, but the hidden treasures are in the narrow alleys.

One thing I noticed is that this market is always in action! You’ll often find oxen pulling carts or people carrying huge loads on their heads, rushing past with trolleys loaded with goods.

As we got closer to the main spice area, we passed several food stalls. One vendor had a huge karhai, which is a large iron pot used for frying food, like a giant wok! I couldn’t resist but stop to admire it. We were tempted to try some chaat—a delicious street food—but we were too full from breakfast. Did you know the word “chaat” means “to lick”? It’s because the food is so tasty that you want to lick your plate clean!

Near the market entrance, we found people making and selling milk products like paneer, yoghurt, ghee, and khoya (milk solids).

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Of course, we were drawn to the colorful display of dried fruits and nuts. I couldn’t resist buying a whole kilo of fresh pistachios! They were so delicious that we finished them in no time.

Walking through the market, I was amazed by the smell of different spices. There were so many kinds of coriander seeds! I was searching for a special melon seed to use in my cooking, and I found it! I can’t wait to make some delicious biryani when I get back home.

One of the most interesting things I discovered was a shop selling asafoetida (also called hing). I learned that it comes in many varieties and grades, and the raw form is soft, spongy, and very pungent.

As we continued exploring, we saw women sitting and sorting spices. This reminded me of when I was  in New Zealand  , and we used to pick through rice to remove any impurities before cooking it.

Another shop I loved specialized in pickles, called achars. They even let me try some chilli pickles—so spicy but so good! I didn’t even need lunch after sampling all those pickles.

One of the most colorful sections of the market was the chilli area. So many different kinds of dried chillies were for sale. I couldn’t take them home, but I did buy some yellow chilli powder to use later.

Our final stop was a vendor selling jaggery (palm sugar). There were many types and grades of jaggery, depending on the type of palm tree it came from. I tasted several kinds, but sadly, we couldn’t take any with us since they couldn’t label them for export.

As we left the spice market, I felt like I had experienced so much but wished I had more time to explore. I can’t wait to return one day! Now, on to see more of Delhi!

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