Savour food by the Bohri community through an experience in Mumbai this weekend

Wersquove never cooked togetherrdquo admits Juzer Baldiwala a Deolalibased Bohri food educator caterer and storyteller ldquoHe likes things done a certain way in the kitchen so itrsquos better if he does his thing and I do minerdquo The popup marks the first time the fatherson duo will cook together in a professional kitchen though both admit the arrangement comes with its own challenges His son AliAkbar Baldiwala executive chef Slink amp Bardot is quick with a comeback ldquoHe needs 50 assistants My mother suffered after he finished cooking the kitchen would look like it was struck by an explosionrdquo ldquoItrsquos improved but yes I used to make a messrdquo Juzer laughsFrom left AliAkbar Baldiwala and Juzer BaldiwalaThe camaraderie is palpable AliAkbar has inherited his paternal familyrsquos love for cooking and his fatherrsquos charm His greatgrandmother was known in Deolali for her mutton keema samosas ldquoI never imagined Irsquod make a career out of itrdquo he says ldquoNeither did Irdquo Juzer chuckles adding ldquoI thought hersquod end up in IT He was a bookworm I may not have a legacy of restaurants to pass on but whatever I learned and built he picked up worked hard at and carried it forward That makes me extremely happyrdquoSev Doodh AmbaComing homeAliAkbar began his career in an Italian restaurant but his years at Masque and the rise of regional Indian cooking eventually brought him back to his roots ldquoThe more I cooked Bohri food the more I realised this was the food I connected with most instinctively The flavours the techniques the stories felt like homerdquo That connection also fuels his popular Bohri Mohalla walks which invite people not just into Bohri cuisine but into the memories and traditions that shaped himMathoWhen the pandemic left him without a job Juzer began sending homecooked meals to friends living alone From a few dabbas it grew into catering Bohri thaals and community events ldquoMy goal was that whoever ate my food should leave happyrdquo he says The same philosophy shapes his popular videos ldquoI want to teach in the same way that my mother and grandmother taught me If I use an identical pan that people possess in their kitchens they feel they can make it toordquoJamjo JamarjoDabba GoshtFor the Baldiwalas Bohri cuisine is about migration and adaptation Influenced by the culinary traditions of Yemen Persia and the Arab world it evolved after Bohri communities settled in Gujarat absorbing local ingredients and techniques ldquoTake the khichda Its roots lie in the Yemeni dish Harees but local pulses spices and cooking styles transformed it into a uniquely Bohri dish ldquoJuzer says The result is a cuisine shaped by centuries of exchange yet unmistakably its ownBel SharbatFor AliAkbar this Sundayrsquos popup is about bringing the essence of a traditional Bohri meal into a contemporary restaurant setting He believes Bohri cuisine has largely remained within homes and community spaces because of the communityrsquos small numbers but changes are emerging ldquoPeople are more curious about regional cuisines today A Bohri meal is about much more than food The rituals matterrdquo he says elaborating that the challenge lies in preserving that warmth and sense of community while making it more accessible ldquoYou neednrsquot have to belong to the community to enjoy Bohri food Curiosity is enoughrdquo His longterm dream is a Bohri restaurant where a table of two can experience everything that makes Bohri dining specialChana BatetaFor AliAkbar the popup is a meeting point between tradition and contemporary dining ldquoAnd in many ways between father and sonrdquo Together they hope to showcase how Bohri food can remain authentic while finding a wider audience beyond supper clubsSodannu and Til BriocheON June 28 630 pm onwardsAT Slink amp Bardot Thadani House 329A opposite Indian Coast Guard Worli VillageCALL 9326965643COST Rs 5500 all inclusiveMenu marvelsThe experience begins with Gol Nu Sharbat jaggery drink followed by traditional rituals such as the Chilamchi Lota handwashing ceremony and the sharing of salt Therersquos a balance of nostalgia and reinvention Like the simple riceandsugar Sodannu which is reinterpreted as a delicate tartlet or the Sev Amba that Juzer was initially sceptical ldquoWhen I tasted it and it still felt like Sev Amba I was soldrdquoThe Sauce Wali Chicken a Bohri adaptation of tandoori chicken showcases the communityrsquos ingenuity Dabba Gosht is one of the most anticipated dishes which has retained its roots The slowcooked mutton dish in a sealed container is believed to have emerged in Colonialera Bombay Juzer reveals ldquoThe containers changed over time but the recipe never did The rich nutty gravy remains exactly the samerdquoWhile the meal moves away from the traditional thaal format sharing is central with larger dishes such as Dal Chawal Palidu Mora Biryani and Chicken Yakhni Pulao are served at the tablersquos centre Traditional drinks such as Bel Sharbat and Matho complete the experience not before paan from Muchhad Paanwala is savoured Guests can also take home Juzerrsquos signature Kari Masala and recipes to recreate the idea at home