Baklava hunt in Bombay

One Saturday afternoon as I chatted over chai with Dada, Dadi, we suddenly remembered Baklava which we all had relished back in Memphis and Detroit. Dadi offered to make it, if we could find the pastry strips needed to prepare it. I wondered if we could get Baklavas somewhere in Bombay. Putting good use to Dadaji latest computer and internet connection, I did a google search and to my amazement I did find a place called Iranian Sweet Palace in Dongri, which sold Baklavas but only in March before Iranian New year. There was no contact no, but just the address. We all were thrilled to find out that we had some hope to relish our delicacy in Bombay.

By chance a friend of mine happened to be at Mohammedali road called me for something else, but before he could say anything I excitedly blurted the details of the shop and obviously expected him to go to the shop and get me my Baklavas. But my friend returned with no Baklavas but Hasan Irani(the owner) contact no and information that I could buy the Baklavas in March.

Baklava or Baklawa is a rich, sweet pastry found in many cuisines of the Middle East, the Balkans and South Asia and developed in Ottoman cuisine. It is made of chopped nuts, usually walnuts or pistachios, layered with phyllo pastry, sweetened with sugar or honey syrup.In Turkey, it is particularly associated with the city of Gaziantep.

SO one evening, post work I excitedly called Hasan Irani, he told me I could come any time before 8pm and gave me apt directions to the place from worli. So I took the 124 bus, which is an interesting ride through Byculla, Navpada and Bhendi Bazzar . I got off the bus at Bhendi Bazar stop and asked an old uncle for directions. He directed me to lane further, and just as I began walking another inquisitive gentlemen approached me and enquired where I was heading. Another group of men in the corner of the lane also asked me where I was heading.

Iranian Sweet Palace

Finally I reach Iranian Sweet Palace, I had imagined it to be one of those typical sweet shops like Zam Zam, huge in size and ignited with lights. Iranian Sweet Palace has an old board, without lights, you could easily miss the shop if you were not looking carefully. Hasan was standing outside probably gazing at the chaos outside. He welcomed me with a smile and recognized me instantly to be the mad women coming to buy Baklavas from the other end of town. The shop didn’t look like a sweet shop at all, there were these huge plates full of Baklavas, Pista & Kesar( similar to Baklava but made of pista & Kesar). The Baklavas are prepared in the Iranian style with more of the sweet and less of the pastry part, the ones I had eaten were more Turkish and French style. Baklavas are for 450rupees a kg. The problem is that Baklavas weigh a lot but are small in size, so you don’t have much of choice but to buy the 1 kg packing

The baklavas are made here in the traditional Iranian style, cooked with wood fire. Hasan`s family has been running this shop for more than 98 years now. Hasan claims to have the only shop in India to be preparing Baklavas, that too only in one month of the year. He also has some Iranian sweets and dates. When I recommend him to advertise his sweets in paper, he contently tells me “ I am just happy doing this, just catering to Irani community, I have enough for my self, I sold my restaurant Light of Asia for a fortune, I have 3 other houses, some are on rent, and some good investment in stock exchange, so I don’t need anything”.

So with my Baklavas packets in hand I walk through one of my favourite roads,Mohammed Ali road. I loved watching the Irani & Muslim restaurants serving maska pav and chai and the huge bakery and sweet shops like Zam Zam. The vendors trying to lure me to buy their goods right from the burkhas to the colourful dress materials. The minara masjid which looked so dim without al lthe lighting which I had seen during Ramzan. The sound of the Ayan( call for prayers). For sometime you could just forget you were in Bombay, you could be at Chowk in Lucknow or Chandni Chowk in Delhi