Brun pav to berry pulao: Iran’s mark on Mumbai’s foodscape

Bentwood chairs, glass-topped tables and wooden counters displaying glass jars with baked goods. This is the typical image of a Parsi/Irani cafe in Mumbai. But there's more than meets the eye. These eateries and chai-khanas or teashops have blended authentic Irani recipes with local spices, creating a cuisine customised for Indian palates.As bombs rain on Iran, and the latter retaliates with missiles of its own, we momentarily take our gaze off the war to discuss how Iran influenced Mumbai's food landscape. Though several iconic Irani cafes have shuttered or given way to Udupi restaurants, there are some that have bravely weathered the winds of change. From brun maska (a crusty bread served with butter), at the iconic Kayani & Co at Dhobi Talao, to berry pulao (a rice dish with cranberries and saffron) at Britannia & Co at Fort, to the chicken cheese omlette with reddish-black tea at the Cafe Irani Chai in Mahim West and joojeh kebabs (boneless pieces of barbecued chicken marinated with saffron and spices) at Cafe Mommyjoon in Bandra, these Irani restaurants remind us of Indo-Iranian culinary bonds that stretch centuries. Noshir Dadrawala, a "Parsi foodie" who has visited Iran more than 40 times, says Mumbai's culinary landscape would have been poorer without Iranian cuisine. "Their kebabs, whether the joojeh kebabs or the kebab-e-mahi ( fish kebab), are juicy, flavourful and filled with herbs," he gushes. Their naan (bread or roti in Persian) is also a significant contribution to our culinary culture. Few know the history of Mumbai's bakeries as Asif Farooqui does. His father and uncle, immigrants from Azamgarh in UP, landed in Mumbai in 1943 and worked at a Parsi-owned bakery in Dongri."In the 1940s, Parsis and Britishers dominated the bakery business and, post-Partition, many Muslims like my father and uncle entered the field and prospered," says Farooqui, who owns Azmi Bakery in Dongri.Tandoor is another Iranian contribution to Indian food culture. Derived from the Persian word ‘tanur' meaning clay oven, tandoor and tandoori are now ubiquitous. "Just imagine how bland our food would have been without tandoori roti and tandoori chicken, though the latter is more popular as Mughlai cuisine than Persian," explains Farooqui.Amid the iconic restaurants and cafes serving Iranian/Parsi dishes are some newcomers. Cafe Mommyjoon is a refined restaurant with charming decor, serving "authentic" Persian dishes, such as shish kebabs (chicken cubes marinated with herbs and chilli) and paya shorba (lamb trotters slow-cooked with aromatic spices and served with roti). "Its decor and dishes transport us to the eating houses of Tehran and Isfahan," says Ali Akbar Shroff, president of Koja Shia Ishna Asheri Jamaat (Mumbai).No talk of Iranian influence on our food and beverages is complete without Irani chai or tea. Nobody adds milk in tea in Iran.Mohammed Hussain Showghi of Cafe Irani Chai in Mahim is the fourth generation of an Iranian family that originally sold tea. His father Mohammed Showghi Yezdi, also a filmmaker, once narrated to TOI the fascinating story of his grandfather's immigration to Mumbai."He walked from Yazd in Iran to Mumbai in the early 19th century, escaping drought-caused starvation. He began selling tea in a coal-fired kettle at street corners. "My father ran a restaurant at Plaza cinema in Dadar ( it is here that Showghi fell in love with cinema)," recalled senior Showghi to us once. "We carry forward the legacy of our ancestors. Our chai is both the original black tea and tea added with milk," says Hussain. "Besides, we serve many dishes."Khojeste Mistree who teaches Parsi theology and Zoroastrianism maintains it is not Iran which has influenced our food. "It is the other way round. The restaurants Zoroastrians established in Mumbai were influenced by local flavours and spices. Nevertheless, the blending has been great," he says.