No gas, no gastronomic glitter

Dark shadow of shut down on Bhendi Bazar during Ramzan

Mumbai: Like a middle-age crisis, the Middle-East War has sparked a mid-Ramadan panic in Mumbai’s famed Ramzan street-food markets of Mohammed Ali Road and its surroundings, thanks to the near-invisibility of commercial LPG cylinders.

Barely a week before the grand build-up for Eid-ul-Fitr, there is concern among the hundreds of eateries, wayside stalls, seasonal carts and traditional hoteliers and disappointment among the lakhs of food freaks from Mumbai, outstation and even foreigners who throng here to indulge in wild nights of culinary delights.

“The crowds are still coming, but the gastronomic choices have significantly dwindled this week, particularly food items that require slow cooking, deep-frying, or constant heating. Some try to switch over to coal or firewood which is banned due to the pollution nuisance… We are somehow pulling on,” rued Khalid Hakim, owner of the 103-year-old Noor Mohammadi Hotel in Bhendi Bazar, told ‘The Perfect Voice’.

Hakim’s famous outlet boasts of the luscious ‘nalli-niharis’ introduced to Mumbai by his grandfather Abdulkarim Abdulhakim Shaikh some 85 years ago, and a road in the vicinity is named in the family’s honour. It was to this hotel that Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt had ‘gifted’ his signature crafted dish, ‘Chicken Sanjubaba’ that draws connoisseurs and celebs even today.

Eateries Down

Not all are lucky… At least two major diners, Shaheen and Paramount, shut shop this week and scores more await a ‘lifeline’ or may close down for the remainder of Ramadan, or till the LPG supplies normalize, as the Gulf War entered the 13^th day.

Comprising Mohammed Ali Road, the iconic Minara Mosque precincts, the Bohri Mohalla, Nagpada, Bhendi Bazar, Dongri and other by-lanes teeming with the aroma of sizzling kebabs, bubbly malpuas, biryanis, pulaos, phirnis, faloodas, ice-creams and a host of other presentations in the month-long food carnival that awakens at sunset.

The Ramzan markets start work by afternoon, marinating meats, lighting stoves, preparing gigantic tavas or degdis or handis or grills or fryers to first cater to Muslims hungering for ‘iftar’ after the daylong fast, and soon taken over by the food buffs with the ‘khana-khazana’ continuing till the early next morning or ‘sehri’ time.

As most outlets are scrounging the bottoms of their LPG stocks, it has hit the Ramzan market and disappointing the foodies trooping in here daily with the drop in choices.

Limited Choices

Many outlets like Surti-12 Handi renowned for Bohri cuisines prepared for hours in earthen pots over slow burners, Tawakkal Sweets acknowledged for special desserts like piping hot-and-fresh ‘malpuas’ or ‘jalebis’ since over 75 years, Fakhri Farsan Mart for yummy fresh samosas, kachoris or crunchies, Shalimar or Delhi Durbar for rich Mughlai cuisine, Al-Madina fast foods or Sarvi hotel, etc.

As the summer roasts Ramzan ‘rozdars’ (the faithful who fast), there is a huge demand for cold desserts and ice-creams at the Taj Ice-Cream parlour – existing since nearly a century, though they rely on gas-based processes before being refrigerated.

The top Ramzan sellers like Bheja Fry, Baida Roti, Kaleji Tawa Fry, grilled kebabs/tikkas, multiple types of biryanis, pulaos, an array of chicken dishes that tantalisingly wait to be gorged and topped off with the warm or chilled desserts, ice-creams and cold drinks – most are now produced in limited quantities or as per the visible demand.

Collateral Damage

The Ramzan markets not only attract food-lovers but also boost the businesses of local stores filled with books, antiques, perfumes, dry-fruits, garments and jewellery, with dazzling colourful lights that add to the local festive buzz.

The Managing Director of ‘Love All-Serve All’, F. A. Ansari rued that it usually provides free Sehri and Iftar plates to the poor and needy in Ramadan, but this year they have stopped all fried items, dole out only fast-cooking chicken or veggies, owing to the LPG crisis which has gripped the festival economy that churns out crores of rupees of business.