The Bohras or the Bohri community as they are known as, hail from the western state of Gujarat in India. They were originally Muslim traders who travelled to the country from Yemen and settled down in Gujarat.
Bohri food does not stint on the calories…ergo, it tastes absolutely fantastic. If there is something in the dish that could be lovingly basted in butter, then it would be done without raised eyebrows and disapproving glances.
I was invited to a Bohra wedding which is a rather opulent affair. The Bohri community is predominantly composed of rather hardworking, educated and savvy traders who are on the greener side of financial pastures. Their weddings are classy affairs where there are no expenses spared when it comes to belting out the wedding banquet.
Bohri muslims believe in equal education of men and women and the turnout at that particular function was a spectacular display of high-flying corporate executives, cultured professionals and business people.
We were doused with rosewater as we entered and the matriarch of the grooms family stood at the entrance flanked by stewards bearing Bateel dates, shelled pistachios, salted almonds and cashew nuts. Guests paid obeisance to the regal lady by raising her hand and reverently touching it to each eye.
Feasting is a major component of a wedding and the generosity displayed puts the term ‘wedding banquet’ into an entirely different perspective. Bohris, at home or even at celebrations, do not dine at tables. They sit on a floor, six to eight of them, surrounding a spectacularly large ornamental brass platter called a thaal. The community members then place various components of the meal in the centre of this thaal and each diner surrounding that particular thaal, pull out from the centre towards themselves the food that they are going to consume.
The meal begins by licking of a pinch of salt followed by Sodanna which is a mixture of white rice with sugar and ghee, an auspicious symbol.
Food arrives in courses – Chicken, lamb, vegetables, soup somewhere in the melee….I was a hair breadth away from a protein induced coma.
A favourite is the dal-chawal with palida, a fragrant rice and lentil pilaf which is served with stewed lentils with vegetables. Smoked eggplant hash is served cold along with this as a side.
A variety of biryanis graced the table along with a lovely minced lamb dish that had eggs scrambled into them. There was Taleli Murgh which is a spiced, fried chicken served with a side of cream and spice macerated oven baked chicken morsels.
I absolutely loved the Sanchas which are ice creams made in the traditional hand-cranked barrels. With fancy flavours like rose petal and custard apple, who could ignore them.
I was so taken up with the banquet that I did manage to steal a lot of recipes. Some are in the book and one is right down below here:
Dal Chawal Palida
For the Dal-Chawal
Layered rice and lentil dish
Basmati rice – 250 g/ 1 ¼ cups
Cinnamon stick – 1 – a 2” piece is ideal
Cloves – 3
Cardamom – 2 pods
Ghee – 100 g/ ½ cup
Tuvar dal/ split yellow lentils – 150 g/ ¾ cup
Turmeric powder – 5 g/ 1 tsp
Cumin seeds – a pinch
Chopped onions – 100 g/ ½ cup
Chopped fresh chillies – 20 g/ 1 tbsp
Chopped tomatoes – 100 g/ ½ cup
Chopped fresh coriander leaves – 10 g/ 2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Boil the rice till done in salted water to which you have added the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and two spoonfuls of ghee. Drain off the excess water and spread the rice on a plate to prevent the grains from sticking to each other. Keep aside for later use.
Boil the lentils in salted water to which the turmeric has been added for twenty minutes till they turn soft. Drain off the excess water and reserve the lentils.
Heat two spoonfuls of ghee in a thick-bottomed pot and toss in the cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the onions and cook them till they are soft, add the fresh chillies, tomatoes and salt and stir for a couple of minutes till the tomatoes are mushy. Sprinkle the fresh coriander leaves, taste and adjust seasonings if required and remove from the heat.
Line an ovenproof dish with the remaining ghee (I did tell you that no calories would be spared), spread half the rice at the base, and cover it with the lentils, spread the rest of the rice on the top and sprinkle on a few drops of water. Cover the dish with a lid or aluminium foil and bake in a moderately hot oven (150oC/ 280oF) for ten minutes. Remove and serve immediately with the Palida.
For the Palida
Lentils stewed with vegetables and kokum (A berry endemic to the Western coast of India but available in the dried form in most Indian provision stores. Tamarind pulp is a good substitute)
Tuvar dal/ Split yellow lentils – 150 g/ ¾ cup
Ghee – 50 g/ ¼ cup
Fenugreek seeds – a pinch
Coriander seeds – a pinch
Cumin seeds – a pinch
Chopped onions – 50 g/ ¼ cup
Chickpea flour – 30 g/ 2 tbsp
Chopped fresh chillies – 20 g/ 1 tbsp
Chopped garlic – 20 g/ 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 10 g/ 2 tsp
Chopped tomatoes – 50 g/ ¼ cup
Pumpkin cut into cubes – 200 g/ 1 cup
French beans cut into batons – 100 g/ ½ cup
Corn kernels – 50 g/ ¼ cup
Squash/ zucchini cut into cubes – 200 g/ 1 cup
Kokum – 10 g/ 2 tsp or an equivalent amount of tamarind pulp
Salt – to taste
Heat the ghee in a thick-bottomed pot and add the fenugreek, coriander and cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the onions and stir them till they are soft. Add the chickpea flour and stir it till the flour changes colour. Add the chillies, garlic and turmeric, stir for a minute and pour in the tomatoes. Simmer for a couple of minutes and add in the pumpkin, beans, corn, squash, salt and lentils; stir for a minute and pour in the kokum and 600 ml (3 cups) of water. Bring the lentils and sauce to a boil for five minutes and the simmer for twenty minutes till the lentils are soft and done. Taste and adjust seasonings as required and serve hot with the Dal-chawal.
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