Tag Archives: Mumtaz Kazi

A Konkani Muslim food pop up in Mumbai is putting a relatively unexplored cuisine under the spotlight

Andheri, Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA :

On the special menu are dishes such as Kelyachya Paanat (marinated bangda fish wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in an earthen pot), Akhni Gosht (sukha mutton in whole spices masala), Dum cha Mhaura (fish cooked on ‘dum’), Kombdi cha Salna (chicken gravy) and Chawrachi Roti (rice bhakris/rotis made of rice flour), among several others.

Kavtacho Bojar

One of the earliest memories from Mumtaz Kazi and Sameera Gawandi’s childhood involves an annual trip to Harnai every summer. Today a popular tourist spot along the Konkan Coast in Ratnagiri district, it is the native village of the two cousins. They would join their grandmother at the grinding stone to prepare spices for the entire year, before the monsoons set in. What started out as a fun summer activity with cousins is today one of their biggest strengths. Associated with Authenticook, which organises pop-ups of regional cuisines at homes of locals-turned-chefs, Kazi and Gawandi are known in Mumbai for their Konkani Muslim food.

“The simple activity taught me how to grind in order to get the right consistency for masalas and gravies. As a result, I took to cooking at a very young age and it’s the one thing I do with all my passion,” admits Kazi. Along with Gawandi and in collaboration with Authenticook, she is currently hosting a Ramzan special pop-up of Konkani Muslim cuisine at the restaurant Neel – Tote of the Turf in Mahalaxmi. On till June 9, it will move to the restaurant’s property in Powai.

Kombdi cha Salna

On the special menu are dishes such as Kelyachya Paanat (marinated bangda fish wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in an earthen pot), Akhni Gosht (sukha mutton in whole spices masala), Dum cha Mhaura (fish cooked on ‘dum’), Kombdi cha Salna (chicken gravy) and Chawrachi Roti (rice bhakris/rotis made of rice flour), among several others. There is also a special vegetarian menu, which comprises dishes made using a variety of pulses — a common ingredient in the vegetarian Konkani Muslim fare.

Mumtaz Kazi (right) and Sameera Gawandi

Relatively unknown and mostly absent in Mumbai’s dining scene, the Konkani Muslim cuisine, say the two Andheri-based sisters, has certain Arab influences. “The use of kokum in curries, especially the fish preparations, is Konkani, whereas fennel in our food is something we take from the Arabic cuisine,” they say, adding that the Konkan coast was a popular halt for Arab traders back in the day. “The tradition of purchasing our spices from the Gulf was then continued by male members of our community as many of them took up jobs in that region. My father worked for many years in Kuwait. He would bring back spices for the entire family on every visit,” says Gawandi.

Dum cha Mhaura

Fennel, however, is a crucial element in the cuisine, and used in almost every dish. “We even grind the haldi powder along with roasted saunf; the mixture is called bada saunf and added even to simple dishes like daal. It lends a mild aroma and flavour to the otherwise-simple daal,” Kazi explains.

Apart from bada saunf, the community heavily relies on two other masalas — fish masala and mutton masala. They are both made using dried red chilli powder and dhaniya seeds but while the former, says Kazi, does not have haldi, the latter includes ground whole spices. “Then we have a cashew gravy too but that is for special occasions. Mostly, we use these two masalas, even to prepare our vegetarian dishes,” Kazi explains.

Since all coastal cuisines use rice as a staple, Konkani Muslims are no different. But apart from steamed rice and rice bhakris, they also abundantly consume khichdi, which is served along with sol kadi, which they call Soloni. Kazi says, “But sea food is a must. If not every then every other meal has some component of fish, including breakfast, where we serve roasted dry fish among other items. And during monsoons, when the fishing boats can no more tread into the sea, we have the small dried fish, fried with onions and chillies and served like a pickle or snack on the side.”

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Lifestyle / by Dipti Nagpaul / June 06th, 2019

Asia’s 1st Woman Engine Driver, Mumtaz Kazi The Motorwoman Runs Mumbai Locals Like A Boss!

Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA :

Women are going places, they say. But Mumbai’s Motorwoman, Mumtaz Kazi takes people places by driving them in Mumbai’s local trains. Not only is she one of the few motorwomen the world has seen, but she’s also a first in Asia, to begin with.

In a career span of more than 20 years, Mumtaz has driven various kinds of trains. She is also Asia’s first woman train driver.

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Sure that didn’t come easy, did it?

From a very young age, Mumtaz wanted to be in Railways. Her father was a Trunk Superintendent at Churchgate railway station. She grew up in the railway quarters and used to watch the trains pass by.

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She was born and brought up in Mumbai and went to Seth Anandilal Poddar High School. In 1989, just after her SSC, she applied for the job of the motorman.

Since that very year there was a change in the railway recruitment board policy in India, Mumtaz could sit for the examinations and applied for it.

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She did extremely well in examinations, leaving everyone impressed with her ambitiousness. And, was appointed in 1991 just after her class twelve examination.

While she was extremely happy about the job, she faced a bit of resistance from her father’s side upon her decision. Her father, Allahrakhu Ismail Kathawala, asked her to complete her Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT) course first.

After much convincing, Mumtaz’s father gave in and gave her his blessings. And, she became the first motorwoman. In its 1995 edition Limca Book of Records acknowledged Mumtaz’s success and she became the first woman diesel engine driver in Asia at the age of 20.

Not only that, Mumtaz also went on to become the first train driver to possess the skill of driving both Electric and Diesel engine.

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Throughout her journey, Mumtaz was the courageous support system to her family. It was because of her, they could buy a home in Mumbai and she also helped with her brothers’ education. Both her brothers, Imtiyaz and Feroz, are engineers and settled abroad.

But that’s not the only thing for which she makes all look up to her. When she’s not driving trains and being on the job, she is a homemaker and loves spending time with her family.

She got married to an electrical engingeer from Nandoorbar, Maqsood Kazi, in 2002 and is a proud mother of two kids Tausif Ahmed and Fateen.

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In the year 2015, she was awarded Railways General Manager Award.

And, in 2017, on International Women’s Day, she was awarded the Nari Shakti Award by President Pranab Mukherjee.

Mumbai’s local train is one of the busiest railway network and Mumtaz, like a boss, pilots the busiest local trains. With her grit and determination, Mumtaz, over the course of more than two decades, has set an example that there’s no job that women can’t do. After all, the levers on the train don’t know if it’s a man or a woman’s hands operating them.

source: http://www.storypick.com / StoryPick. / Home> Culture / by Rachna Srivastava / March 10th, 2017

Images source/s : http://www.rediff.com , www.mid-day.com, www.aanavandi.com