Home Chefs Of Mumbai - Part12 - Faiziya Soomar

British have really confused everybody by calling every Indian dish ‘Curry’. 

Curry is for adventure because every body has their own own style of cooking with their choice of spices, their selection of vegetables/meat. Its kind of stew, a medley of flavors, rich in taste. 

Curry is for craving. When we are tired of simple meals of Dhal, Chawal, Khichdi, Poha and Bread and we really want to pamper ourself with some rich ingredients like Nuts and Cream, Herbs and Spices, those magical kind of calories does the trick.

Curry is for sharing with our loved one, because it cannot be cooked in small quantities (or rather it should not), it is fun to sit on a large dinning table or even squat on the floor in a circle, and dig out a spoonful for each from the pool.

Curry is for caring, it has feel-good factor, we all know that it is a big part of our diet, it makes us smarter, heathier, happier, sexier.

Prawn curry of Faiziya Soomar is too delicious to miss.

Faiziya Soomar (of Cutchi Memom Table fame) is the pioneer home-chef, first of the kind, when home delivery was not so common. She was born and raised in Bangalore and migrated to Mumbai after marriage. She has been cooking and baking passionately since the last 29 years. She is a very private person, and prefers to let her food do the talking. 

And talking it does, to the food loving Mumbaikars, with its authentic taste and flavours, Meals and Mithais, Mutton Kababs and kheema Samosas, Shahi Tukda and  Sheer Khorma.

She specialises in Cutchi Memom Food.  Her ancestors were from Kutch, Bhuj, Gujarat. As a young girl, she watched her aunt take cooking and baking classes and secretly hoped to teach someday. Her mom is an excellent cook, and fiercely guards her recipes. She was inspired by her mom to cook and got confident in her cooking skills

“So somewhere in between, I started taking orders, on the insistence of neighbours and friends, and there has been no looking back.”

Her greatest memories are of childhood when she spent her weekends at her grandparent’s home, creating chaos with her other cousins. Meal times were always special. Since she was the oldest grandchild, she held a special place in her grandparents hearts, 

“Every time my nani asked me what I want to have on Saturday, I would say "Chicken Biryani". I loved her Chicken Biryani and Mutton Khichda the most. It was delicious to say the least. Over the years I'd forgotten how much I loved these dishes, and it's always what my children and husband want to eat, that holds priority. One day, recently, my dad told me,"Faizi, every time Chicken Biryani is made at home, we miss you.”  It brought tears to my eyes, as I had forgotten, what my preferences were!” she relates, feeling nostalgic 

Mutton khichda is another delicacy, that was finger licking good in her Nanis house. Her Nani would serve it in huge bowls, topped with flavourful oil, removed from the korma, before the dals and wheat, were mixed into the gravy. Then load it with birista, and served with lime.

“It was the best khichda, I've ever eaten.” She continues.

 In mumbai, she is a part of Baker’s Club, where she meets all other bakers once a month. They share their recipes and guide each other with tips and tricks and are always selflessly helping each other.  This has changed her a lot and she has overcome her shyness 

“Its only after I joined The Baker's Club Of India, that I came out of my shell, and interacted with a lot of talented people, which also boosted my confidence in myself.”

Faiziya is happy to share her recipe of Prawns Curry

1. Mix 3 large Tomatoes with 2 tbsp Garlic-Ginger paste, 2 tbsp coarsely ground Kashmiri Chilli Powder, 2 tbsp Coriander Powder, 

2. Grind to a fine paste. 

3. In a vessel, add a tbsp of oil. 

4. Add 4-5 Curry Leaves and 1tbsp of Mustard Seeds, and let it splutter.

5. Add the ground masalas, (prepared in step 2). 

6. Bhuno for at least half an hour, on slow flame. 

7. Add 2 cups of thick coconut milk. 

8. Add 3-4 pieces of kokum. 

9. Let it boil. 

10. Add prawns, cook for a minute. 

11. Take off the flame. 

12. Serve hot with steamed rice or Neer dosas. 

Faiziya Soomar was awarded Home Chef and Baker's award 2020 for the contribution to India's Home chef & Baking Industry in the category of 5-8 years

You can call or message/watsapp her on 9820398922. 

Alternatively you can also place an order on Instagram at TheCutchiMemomTable 

Home Chefs Of Mumbai – Part 11 – Priya Bajaj

Rice. Simplest way we can cook this is to boil it using only water, salt and oil. If we have sedentary life style, eating too much rice may increase the risk of diabetes. But then who doesn’t like rice? Nobody can avoid it all together. But we can be creative and cook it in such a way that it is plain, boring, white no more. Everybody understands that, and they will add colourful vegetables, different meat/seafood, flavoured spices, variety of lentils to make it tastier and healthier. The quantity of rice is reduced and there is more of condiments that you use. Double Mazza.

In Vietnam, they make Rainbow Rice called Xoi Nu Gac , they use natural colours of Panda leaves, Gac fruit, Moong beans, Magenta plant. People around the world have their own creation of rice dishes. There is Paella in Spain, Hokein in China, Tehdig in Iran, Jellof in Africa, Nasi Goreng in Indonesia, Rissotto in Italy. That Champorado rice of Phillipines is chocolate porridge rice, just like you will find Saffron and Cardamom flavoured Tehree in Sindhi Homes. We have Khichdi, we have Pilaf, we have Briyani bursting with flavours. What more? If there is left-over rice in the fridge, it dons a new avatar of fried rice at the  breakfast table.

If you drool over flavourful Prawns Pulao by Priya Bajaj I won’t be surprised.

For the longest time, food has been an intrinsic passion of Priya Bajaj (of HD Food fame). It was something that she was good at and it gave her happiness. Her kitchen was her personal artistic space where she would exalt her creativity, vent out the day’s frustration and was the means of expression of love for her family. But the realisation was not just restricted to the realms of her family.  On the suggession of family, neighbours and friends, who encouraged her to climb on a commercial level, she settled on HD Food (H and D being the initials of her two daughters, Hitasha and Dikshaa, providing the initials for her business nomenclatures.)

“I am most grateful to my daughters and everyone else who thought I can do this, and for believing in me.” She smiles.  

She fondly remembers her Grandma’s house in Kanpur, where she tasted Jalebi Rabdi for the first time.

“The one dish that I will always relish is Jalebi Rabdi. Specially the one I particular ate at my Nani’s house when I visited her. I still remember its’ rich taste, when I devoured it for the first time. My Nana would take me to market every Sunday and feed me. The memory is still fresh in my mind.”

Food is the language of love that surpasses everything else and HD Foods is here to inculcate the language of love into the food that she  prepares.

HD Foods specializss in Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Sindhi Cuisine that includes Biryanis and Pulavs, Starters like Bhee pakoras, Dhal Kababs, Dhal Pakwan, Pav Bhaji, Sai Bhaji with Bhugal chawal, and many more. Do not miss her in-house preservative-free Pickles and Sherbets.  HD Foods cater to daily meals as well as meals for special occasions.  

Priya Bajaj is happy to share her recipe of Sindhi Prawns Pulao  

 

1. Add 2tbsp oil in a warm pan and allow it to heat a little.  

2. Add 1tbsp Cumin seeds,  2 medium sized Onions (finely chopped/sliced), 2tbsp Ginger, 2tbsp Garlic and 2tbsp Chillies. 

3. Saute on high flame, till Onions turn golden (not dark brown). 

4. Add all dry masalas like 1tbsp Garam Masala powder, 1tbsp Turmeric Powder, 3tbsp Coriander Powder. 

5. Add puree of 2 Tomatoes. 

6. Sauté this till the oil separates. 

7. Add 3cups Basmati Rice (washed and drained). 

8. Mix gently, well enough to coat rice with masala’s.  

9. Add water as required. 

10. When the rice comes to boiling point add 1kg Prawns and 2 tbsps Coriander leaves. 

11. Cover and cook till done. 

12. Heat ½ Ghee in a skillet and add 1tbsp Garam Masala. 

13. Use this to give a tadka at the end.  

14. Serve it  with Laccha Pyaaz and grèen Chutney as sides   

You can place your order with HD Foods via the contact numbers 90826 21574 

You can also send Direct Message on the social media handles  

 

Facebook page HD Foods

Follow them on Instagram HD Foods