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On a sunny afternoon,stroll inside one of the lanes of Dariba Kalan or Sitaram Bazar and you can spot a man with a huge thaal or any flat-bottom big bowl on a hand-held cart. Daulat ki chaat looks like one large chunk of foam. The taste — a mix of milk,khoya,almonds and saffron — is unlike any conventional sweet. One dona of this not-too-sweet dish may be as cheap as Rs 10 or as expensive as Rs 20,depending on the ingredients.

Asked about the recipe,Ramlal,the Daulat ki chaatwallah serving us,looks a little amused. It was,however,a perfect opportunity for him to weave a story. “It’s prepared only at night. In olden days it used to be prepared under the moonlight and,hence,it looks like a full moon. Whipping the milk in the right manner is the key to the taste. This used to be a royal sweet dish,” he says,reluctant to give away the secret. It should be served cold,but not ice cold (perhaps that explains why it is considered a winter dish),and that’s all he’s ready to tell us. Ramlal takes a dollop of the milk foam in a dona,adds coarse sugar and khoya. Saffron forms the icing. A spoonful of the fluffy sweet melts in the mouth immediately.

It’s a pity Ramlal or chaatwallahs like him do not have a permanent spot,from where they can sell their stuff. “On Mondays,I stand at the gali near Gauri Shankar temple. On Fridays,I park myself near the Jama Masjid or Fatehpuri,” he says. Business is not as brisk as it used to be,he says,pointing at the McDonald’s outlet on the main road. “Even they sell desserts for Rs 20.” he says. But then,McDonald’s recipe is no secret,is it?