If you have walked down the narrow lanes of Bhendi Bazaar in search of Iftar or taken in the sights and smells of all that is cooking in this bustling Muslim area of South Mumbai evening after evening, you would inevitably feel a huge void in Auckland, especially during Ramadan.
Even though the Holy Month has bid us adieu and Eid Al Fitr celebrations linger on, a delectable memory of this year’s Ramadan is refreshed in my mind.
I was among five Bohra Muslim families who flocked to a home in Avondale every Ramadan for a simple, yet memorable Iftar party hosted by Akbari Tinwala.
Special Iftar
What makes this Iftar party so special?
Once you sit on the long rectangular table in the backyard of Mr Tinwala’s residence from where the chef operates his Ace Caterers Limited, you would be magically transported to the foodie’s paradise in South Mumbai.
For those who relish the familiar taste of malpuas and jalebis with cream, saat handi and lamba paav, food becomes a time machine.
“I have been inviting friends for this dinner for the past six years. When we came to New Zealand in 2002, saat handi was not available anywhere and we really missed the food culture of Bhendi Bazaar and Nagdevi Street. I therefore started making it here for people in Auckland,” Mr Tinwala said.
A unique art
Saat handi is the quintessential Mughlai delicacy, comprising a unique combination of a variety of dishes from India, Pakistan and the Middle East.
Mr Tinwala said that it is sold early mornings in these specific pockets of South Mumbai, except during the Holy Month, when it is available from 10 pm to 4 am.
He follows the traditional recipe of this breakfast meal, but adds his own flavour by combining four dishes, namely paya with white gravy, nihari (beef or lamb stew), hareesa (wheat and meat porridge) and nalli (bone marrow).
There is also the inseparable accompaniment – lamba paav (diamond shaped naan), specialty bread found only in Mumbai’s few Muslim mohallas (neighbourhood) like Bhendi Bazaar, Minara Masjid, Jogeshwari and some parts of Bandra.
Since saat handi is considered incomplete without lamba paav, Mr Tinwala bakes this bread exclusively for the Iftar feast.
Annual tradition
This chef takes orders to recreate the gourmet essence reminiscent of Ramadan in Mumbai and hence this Iftar party has become an annual tradition, which the invitees eagerly await.
Auckland resident Fakhruddin Rampurawala said that his family looks forward to this get-together as it brings back all our childhood memories.
“It is nostalgic for me, as I have grown up with this food and environment. Although saat handi is available throughout the year in Mumbai, having it during Ramadan has always held a different meaning for me,” he said.
Shaheen Rajkotwala agreed, saying, “It reminds me of the days when my father used to get saat handi for sehri (meal before dawn during Ramadan) from Bhendi Bazaar. This feast that uncle Tinwala prepares every year sums up 30 days of Ramadan for most of us.”
Mr Tinwala’s culinary art does not end with Iftar. He also organises a sumptuous Eid party with sheer korma and Mumbai style mutton biryani, the latter his signature dish.
If this read has whetted your appetite for a wholesome Muslim feast, please call him on (09) 8202202 or 021-1072502.
Arwa Janjali is a journalist and theatre enthusiast. Her interests in writing include films, theatre, music, travel and food. She lives in Auckland.
Akbari Tinwala with his ‘saat handi’ at his Avondale home
