THE parathas made at Ram Babu Paratha Bhandar in Agra�s Belaganj area are famous all over India. Especially with political types. Because for the golden jubilee of Parliament in 2002, Jiggs Kalra, that amazing food impressario, put together a menu for the MPs that was made up of the famous dishes of several cities of India. From Agra, he selected Ram Babu�s parathas. He offered the parliamentarians a choice of Methi Muttar Paratha, Gobhi, Mooli and Aloo. And Jiggs got Ram Babu to serve the parathas with Ghotwaan Gobhi, Aloo ki Tarkari and Jhol. A sweet chutney and vegetable pickle accompanied the dish. Veteran gourmets in Parliament like Atal Bihari Vajpayee are said to have asked for second helpings! When Ram Babu serves a regular helping of paratha there are few people who can ask for seconds, that is the kind of reputation the dish has in Agra.

Harishankar Khandelwal, who runs the business with his sons Kamal, Bablu and Kishore, tells the story of his father (Ram Babu) making a sau parat ka paratha that is a paratha of 100 layers. It was the rare foodie who could finish one such entire paratha by himself. Now the parathas are made without any layers, but they are stuffed with a variety of fillings. Ram Babu Paratha Bhandar has ten popular fillings: aloo, mooli, gobhi, methi-mattar, paneer, mix, dal, lacha, papad, ajwain, sugar, mewa and dry-fruit. The methi-mattar is by far the most popular. The parathas are made outside the establishment on a raised platform over heavy convex tawas that are fired by coal from below. They are made in asli desi ghee. In a plate, you get the stuffed paratha along with an aloo sabzi, some mixed vegetables, and jhol. The jhol is a tangy gravy made of yogurt and spinach and lime. The stuffed paratha costs between Rs. 30 and Rs. 55, the accompaniments come free. Ram Babu Paratha Bhandar opens for business at 9 a.m. and it serves parathas until midnight. At any time during its operating hours, you will get whatever it advertises on its menu. The paratha is made fresh.

The accompaniments are made twice a day. At 9 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon. Agra�s hungry roll up in cars and two-wheelers through the day and night for Ram Babu�s parathas. Outside the eatery, at a small cash counter, sits Harishankar Khandelwal welcoming his guests. To his right, a fat Nepali cooks makes the parathas. And to Harishankar�s left, at a small station, thick and frothy lassi is whipped up and served in a mud kulad with a little collar or rose syrup. A glass costs Rs. 12 and it goes well with the paratha meal that you will be having. Harishankar introduces another of their specialities, the papad, made out of six different flavours: mung, chana, mott, kalimirch, mirch-masala and jeera.