Bombay turned into Mumbai but what remains same is the richness of flavour in its varieties of dishes. Mumbai is one of those states which offers the list of delicacies for vegetarians as well as for non-vegetarians. Wanna explore more about Mumbai’s Delicious Dishes, read below>>
Bombay, a city Knitted from 7 islands is a type of celebration of life, where slugs sitting along with sky touching buildings, where Mumbai local running faster than lions, where stars shine in the jeweller’s safe as well as on billboards of the city, where vehicles running slow than ants on the tangled roads of Bombay. Like Bombay is a bouquet of a number of communities, Bombay’s Cuisine is also a bouquet of culinary tradition and culture of these respective communities.
Here, every morning, many dreams landed on the land of this city with hundreds of trains and planes. Since from the very beginning, Bombay is the runway for a flight of dreams and this city is also established on the basis of these dreams only.
When Portugees reached Bombay, they had seen a beautiful bay, which can be used as a stand for ships or in a simple way we can say that they had found a place which they can turn into a port. And from here Bombay got its name. This name continues even during British Rule.
Bombay gets its new name, Mumbai in 1995 when nationalist Shiv Shena party came into power. They thought Bombay is corrupted version of Mumbai and it is given by foreigners too. Also, it is believed that as Mumba Devi/Maa Amba/ Mumba Aii Mandir is situated in Mumbai, and this city got its new name because of this reason too.
Mumbai is not this big since starting. Initially, this city was broken into individual islands where the population was just nominal. Later on, these 7 islands come together and then became a big metropolitan city, Mumbai which currently is the home of 1.15 Crore peoples.
Numbers of communities which are here from the very starting include Koli Community, People who made ships or Fisherman.
Under the shed of sky touching buildings of Mumbai, there are houses of Koli People. Today also they kept their tradition of fishing alive in the form of their profession and every morning on the coast of the Arabian sea, ships of these fisherman goes into the sea in search of net-full fishes.
Like Koli’s are the oldest community of Mumbai, Bombil/Bombay Duck fish is the oldest fish which was present in Arab Sea. And these Koli’s used this Bombil in many forms in many dishes.
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| KOLI FISH DELICACIES |
One of them is "Bombil Fry". Kolis made this Bombil by frying in Semolina (“rawa” or “suji”) with many special spices which include Black Stone Flower (“Dagad Phool”), Poppy Seed (“Khas Khas”), Nutmeg (“Jaiphal”), etc.
Bombil is also famous as "Bombay Duck".There is an interesting story behind this name of Bombil. During British Rule in 19th Century, demand of this Bombil Fish among rich people of Bengal and this fish which was caught in Bombay is sent to Bengal by Bombay mail car also known as “Bombay Dakh” and because of which letters which are being sent along this mail(dakh) have smell of Bombil Fry and when people of Bengal received their letters they say that this smell is of “Bombay Dakh”. Later on, this name is converted into “Bombay Duck” by Britishers.
Other than this Bombil, deep water fish Pomfret is also loved by Kolis.Using this Pomfret Kolis made many dishes and one of them is "Stuffed Pomfret Fry".In its stuffing along with Khopre, a type of green paste is also added to it which is made by mixing Coriander Leaves (“Dhaniya”), Mint Leaves (“Pudina”) and green Chilies in equal proportion. This green paste increases the taste of this Pomfret by 2 times. This Pomfret fish is available in Indian Ocean ("HindMahasagar") that too in a large amount and its name was derived from Portuguese Word “Pampo”.
In Mumbai, eating fish is not limited up to Koli Community. The East Indian Community also cook various delicious dishes using fish. During mid of the second century, many missionary Christians reached western ghats( tat) of India who promote their Christian Religion in India and get settled here. Like Koli Community, East Indian Community is also one of the oldest community/local inhabitants of one of the islands of Mumbai.
What actually happened was during Portuguese rule, a lot of them converted their religion to Christianity though they include Hindu-Christian Missionaries as well. Then during the British time, they took on the name East Indian after the East Indian Company to safeguard jobs for the locals because lots of outsiders/immigrants would have come to the island city for work because it was the business hub and because of that the locals wanted some stay/say at least on the jobs of the city. So, they took on the name after the East Indian Company and they named themselves East Indians.
And now talking about their special food, they cook a dish called "Duck Moilee". As the name suggests, the main ingredient of this dish is Bombay Duck fish. And it is made by cooking fry Bombay Duck along with roasted onion and green chili. And the East Indians uses a special kind of spice in it which is a mixture of varieties of spices and chili. This special spice is an integral part of their culinary tradition. And this Duck Moilee is unsurpassed and sly like East Indians.
Along with this Duck Moilee, many other dishes also become their Identity. During marriage functions or on special occasions, a type of fermented Chapati, "Fugia" is made by them. This Fugia is quite sweet in its taste and is been served along with meat-curry dishes. During marriages of East Indians, this Fugia was distributed to all the neighbours and relatives as an invitation.
Still, in today’s running life of this twinkling city, the Kolis and East Indians are those pages of Mumbai’s History from where the starting this journey of fame of Mumbai had been taken place.
This city is divided into a number of streets like a Spice box (“Masal Dan”), where every single street has its own colour and taste.
Mohammad Ali Road and Bohri Mohammad Road of Mumbai shows a different layer of aroma, color, and taste which cannot be seen anywhere else in the Mumbai.
In 16 Century, Bohri Muslims reached Gujarat from Yawan and in mid of 20th century, they moved to Mumbai. And along with this community, their soul food also entered into Mumbai. Streets of Bori Colony are always full of happy and healthy faces. But during Ramzan, these street shows their real, beautiful and colorful side. This is the time of the year when ‘Tandoor’ and ‘Tawa’ of these streets welcome every food lover with varieties of dishes from early morning till late night.
One beautiful tradition of Dawoodi Bohra's is to eat together where various dishes will be served from fried chicken to nalli-paya. But one specialty of these people which is famous all over the country is “Gosh ka Khichra” which is quite similar to Hyderabadi Dish,“Haleem”.
It is made by cooking Rice, Pulse, and Meat (”Gosh”) altogether. The thing which creates a difference in both the dishes is that in Haleem, meat is completely minced and mixed with other things but in Khichra, size of meat is bigger and easily differentiable from other things.
Either it is Haleem or Khichda, both the dishes got created from an Arabian Dish, Hareez which was being eaten there before the 6th century. And this “Gosh Ka Khichra”, which came along Dawoodi Bohra, is being cooked in the same traditional manner even today.
If we move from Bohri Road towards the south, our footsteps will stop at a place, popularly known as South Bombay. Even today this place has that British Royalism. And dishes offered by this place shows an immense influence of Parsi Culinary Traditions and Culture.
According to local stories inspired by regional stories, in 1936 B.C., to prevent themselves from the torture of Afghani Muslims, Parsi Refugees came to India.
“Salli Zardalu Murgi”, a dish made from the combination of Indian and Persian Cooking Style, is the witness of that passed time. ’Zardalu’ means apricot along with which after putting Jaggery and Ghee in it, the chicken will be cooked. This curry type dish is quite liked by Parsi’s.
Other than Salli Zardalu Murgi, aroma of amazing dishes like "Lazzadar Mutton Pulao" and "Mutoon Cutlet" comes from Parsi Kitchens.
Parsi Restaurant of South Bombay, is not only a place of get-togethering or eating, they are living-symbol of passed time and symbol of Parsi Influence on that respective places.
Britania Restaurant has a special place in the History of Influence of Parsi Food and Culture on Mumbai's Food Culture, who were serving authentic Parsi Food to their customers for 93 years. This restaurant was established in 1923.
One dish of Britania Restaurant which is popular everywhere is “Berry Pulao”. Berry Pulao is similar in looks to Biryani but it is made by using Cranberry, Cashew (“Kaju”) and Saffron (“Kesar”).This Berry Pulao is an Iranian Item, and its recipe is been taken from Iran which modified here in India by adding the use of local spices.
At a different time in history, different-different groups of peoples came to Mumbai and by adding their cultural and traditional values, they had given a different face and different identity to the Food of Mumbai.
During 16th and 17th century Bombay was the center of Portugees which Britishers get in form of dowry in the year 1661.After then this city/seaport starts increasing its boundaries and becomes one of the biggest metropolitan city in India by the starting of the 20th century.
Every single lane of Mumbai is a type of ‘Nazm’ and every single road is ‘Ghazal’ where people across word came and get settled.
Its a city where someone dreams about Bollywood while driving three-wheelers and someone works in a double shift to send money for his house. In the roads of this city, even though cars may be running slow like ants but here life always runs in a fast lane and this running life has a habit of eating ‘On the Go’.
And as the result of this habit, “Vada Pao” is very famous among Mumbaians. It is believed that, starting of this Vada Pao had been taken place near around the year 1970 when there is need of a type of food at Mumbai’s Local train Station’s which was economical, can be easily eaten while walking and can work as good appetizer for people too.
VADA PAO
Even though Vada Pao is recently invented but the partner of Vada that is Pao, reached India in the starting of the 16th century along with Portugees.
Why had this name Pao been taken for this Fermented Chapati? Behind this question, there is a number of interesting stories. One of them said that this fermented chapati came in 4 parts so according to measurement value it is one-fourth of the whole and in Hindi, this measured value is termed as ‘Pao’ and that’s why this fermented chapatti is named as “Pao”. And many other people also believed that the dough of this chapatti was prepared with the help of foot ("Pair"/"Paon") and because of this, it was named as ‘Pao’.
Nowadays this was Pao is serving at Tea stalls of Mumbai as “Maska Pao”, at Mumbai local Railway Station’s as “Vada Pao” and at Chaupati/Juhu Beach as “Pao Bhaji”. This Pao has spread its roots to the different places of Mumbai.
Food Story of Mumbai is incomplete until we talk about famous “Pao Bhaji” of Mumbai.
Potato, Peas, Carrot, CauliFlower and by mixing and mincing many other veggies, a red spicy gravy, Bhaji is being prepared. This Pao Bhaji of Mumbai is equally popular like Gateway of India. And if you eat it along with a Khasta Pao which is fried in Butter, then it tastes got doubled.
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| PAO BHAJI |
Along with Pao Bhaji, there is a number of relatable interesting stories. According to many people, this Pao Bhaji was invented in the 19th Century, when Workers who were working in the mills of Mumbai need a food which was economical as well as which help in fulfilling their stomachs for a long period of time.
According to one more story, when in Dalal Street, Share Market holders done share trading with Foreign Markets then it was obvious that they might get hungry by passing time. Then as the answer of this night hunger, nearby restaurants started preparing this Bhaji by mixing all the remaining veggies of the day and starts serving it along with butter fried Pao. Thus, Pao Bhaji is also called as Common Man’s Food.
Even if whatever the reason behind the starting of this Pav-Bhaji, but today this Pao-Bhaji is spreading its colour, taste, and aroma from Chaupati to all every market of Mumbai.
Other Street Food of Mumbai includes:
Kebabs- Streets of Mumbai offers you tasty and spicy Kebabs. Mohammed Ali Road is famous for Seekh Kebabs in Mumbai,
Pani-Puri- This street food is available in every single city. But in Mumbai, you can find them a little spicy in comparison to other cities.
Chichen Tikka Rolls- Best tasty non-veg dish offers by Streets of Mumbai.
Bhel Puri- One of the spiciest, mouth-watering evening snack items of Chaupatty Beach is Bhel Puri.
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| BHEL PURI |
Kheema Pav- You can find delicious masala Kheema with Pav by the street of Colaba, Mumbai.
Misal Pav- Breakfast dish offered by Mumbai Streets to its population. You can get best Misal Pav especially in streets of Pune.
Ragda Patties- This dish is famous as Chaat or Allo Tiki at other parts of India.
Kanda Poha- It is also famous as one of the best street food along with Idli-Dosa, Sabudana Khichdi, and Upma as other breakfast items available on the Streets of Mumbai.
Documents of Indian History holds the pages of foreign countries which with passing time started writing stories of Indian History and one of them is Irani Culture. And Irani Cafes of Mumbai are symbolism of Irani Culture in India where with each teacup there is one story and history is scripted within the menu. These Irani Cafes are not only cafes, they have their own biryanis, meat dishes, etc but the idiom “Maska Marna” is famous because of one of its menu items that is Gud-Maska (Jaggery-Butter) which is inseparably attached to these Irani Cafes.
These Irani peoples had come to India when drought/famine happened in Iran and they travel to Indian in eight months after overcoming a lot of problems and difficult situations. And for surviving they started selling Tea like refugees opened Dhabhes (roadside restaurants of Highways) after partition. Later on, these cafes turned into Russian Tea and become equal to Coffee Houses. These Cafes also uses as get together places as they were affordable, they were different, and they were interestingly different.
Along with these countable Irani Cafes, another network attached to Mumbai Food Stories is a network of “Dabbawallas of Mumbai”, who are playing a very crucial role by completing a big responsibility of delivering Care of Mother’s and Love of Wife’s to their son’s and husband’s in the form of homemade food. You will see them running with the passion, for delivering home-made to one’s office on time. This custom had been started in the year 1890 when a person whose name was Madhav Bhauji established this institution with 100 peoples only. And today you will see thousands of Dabbawallas with a number of colourful tiffin boxes across every corner of Mumbai.
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| DABBAWALAS OF MUMBAI |
Along with these countable Irani Cafes, another network attached to Mumbai Food Stories is a network of “Dabbawallas of Mumbai”, who are playing a very crucial role by completing a big responsibility of delivering Care of Mother’s and Love of Wife’s to their son’s and husband’s in the form of homemade food. You will see them running with the passion, for delivering home-made to one’s office on time. This custom had been started in the year 1890 when a person whose name was Madhav Bhauji established this institution with 100 peoples only. And today you will see thousands of Dabbawallas with a number of colourful tiffin boxes across every corner of Mumbai.
Both dreams and the ocean are flowing openly at the city's door. This city, with a population of more than twenty-three million, is kaaravan/history of those people who came to Mumbai with dreams in their eyes and have a passion for hard work in their hands.
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| JUHU BEACH |
This is all about Food Story of a Metropolitan City, Mumbai (City of Dreams). Hope you love this Food Trip of Mumbai.
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