KARACHI: As the first-of-its-kind Bohra Food Festival kicked off in Pakistan’s Karachi this week, its organizer shared the idea behind the event was to introduce people in the southern Pakistani metropolis to the Bohra cuisine, which has Indian Gujrati and Arab influences.

Pakistan is home to over 35,000 members of the Dawoodi Bohra community, a Shiite Muslim sect. Bohras are led by the Al-Dai Al-Mutlaq, a spiritual and temporal leader. There are about one million Bohras all over the world. 

Bohras have a unique system of communal eating in groups of eight or more people, seated around a thaal (large platter). To promote this culture as well as the Bohra cuisine, all the leading organizations of the Dawoodi Bohra community in Karachi, came together for the first ever Bohra Food Festival. 

The festival, which has been running from Feb 24 till Feb 26 at the North Walk Mall in Karachi’s North Nazimabad, aims to provide a unique culinary experience to the people of Karachi, a major South Asian food attraction, by exploring the Bohra cuisine and culture. 

“It’s happening for the first time in the world, not just in Pakistan. We welcome the people of Karachi at the Bohra Food Festival,” Huzaifa Shabbir, one of the festival organizers, told Arab News. 

“We have tried to provide maximum variety of traditional foods of Bohra culture here. The logic behind the whole scene is that, small entrepreneurs who work from home have maximum exposure here.” 

Zohra Lilyawala, a 51-year-old Bohra community member, said the Bohra cuisine traces its origins to Yemen, dating more than 100 years ago.

“Dishes made in meat, particularly mutton, were given more preference in Yemen at the time. Daal (lentils), chaawal (rice), roti (flatbread), it all started from there,” she said.

“Bohra food also has influences from Gujrat, India, which includes mixed vegetables, various kinds of vegetables, curry and home-made papad (Indian deep-fried crackers), etc. So, it’s a combination of Arabic and Gujrati food. However, in the modern day, the cuisine also includes pastas, noodles, etc.”

The Bohra food range at the festival included ‘Thepla,’ ‘Dosa,’ ‘Nimco,’ ‘Gur Papri,’ Egg Pudding, ‘Khaarak Halwa’ and their ‘juicy Biryani.’ The stalls at the fest served non-Bohra cuisines too, such as burgers, pizzas and churros. In addition to food, the festival offered amusement activities for kids. 

“I tried their Theplas, Dosas and the entire Pav BHajji scene. When we try food commercially, we miss out on the taste of home, I think that’s there [at the festival]. Which is why more people should come and try it,” Afreen Zehra, a filmmaker who tried Bohra food for the first time, told Arab News. 

“I am here because I saw the hype on Instagram. This is something very new from the Bohra community. I am not disappointed, it’s (the food) really good. I was enjoying more when there wasn’t a big crowd here. But I hope the crowd grows so that it gets the hype it deserves.” 

The unique ‘thaal’ (large platter) associated with the Bohra community was also showcased at the festival. Following a pinch of salt, the unique Bohra feast begins with a dessert, followed by an appetizer, and then the main course. 

“There are specific dishes served in the thaal. It includes Khaarak Halwa which is made of dates. It is specifically made in the Bohra community. Dates are completely melted to make this. Then we have Chicken Bohra Fry that we are known for in other communities as well. People from other communities get Bohra Fry made by us on order,” Mufaddal Shabbir, owner of Hakimi Kitchen at the festival, told Arab News.

“Bohra Gravy is also very traditional and is 40 years old. It’s an Indian recipe that we follow to make this. Our Mutton Biryani is also a bit different than regular biryani. It’s a bit juicy and scrumptious. Lastly, there is an egg pudding. If you want to consume authentic egg pudding, you should get it made from a Bohra community member.”

Mufaddal’s family has been serving Bohra food in Karachi for almost 40 years and he is their third generation in the business.

“There is a specific style of consuming food in Bohra community. There is a thaal in which there are specific dishes,” he said. “It’s according to the Islamic theory which goes like, people sit on the floor and eat together.”