Restaurateur Tasneem Shahani, who runs Tasneem’s Kings Kitchen in Kathmandu, Nepal, makes the unique thaal dining legacy of the Bohra community a discerning culinary experience. Using authentic slow-cooking techniques, her illustrious restaurant specializes in delectable and distinct Bohra cuisine. She also brings a confluence of cultures to the restaurant, whether it’s the tastefully-planned interiors or the painstakingly-crafted platter.
For many close-knit communities world over, food is a custodian of their distinct identities. From thanksgiving to invoking blessings, several treasured rituals involve preparing and partaking of authentic cuisines passed down through generations. The recently-observed Pehli Raat Thaal or Islamic New Year’s Eve feast by the Dawoodi Bohra sect of Islam is truly one of them. Tracing their origins to Egypt and Yemen, Bohras have a strong foothold in India today. The small but culturally-significant community has also been witnessing a widespread global presence. No matter where they reside, Bohras uncompromisingly conserve what they regard as their prized possessions. We were in fact pleasantly surprised to chance upon Tasneem Shahani, possibly the only Bohra restaurateur living in Nepal! While Tasneem cherishes the rich Bohra legacy in her family, she has also walked a step further, making the unique thaal tradition an integral part of her restaurant’s gastronomic experiences.
Asrashaheen.in chats up with the gracious entrepreneur, who runs Tasneem’s Kings Kitchen (TKK) with her Parsi-Sindhi husband Harsha Shahani. Belonging to diverse cultural backgrounds, a vibrant confluence is what the couple brings to their restaurant, situated at Jhamsikhel Road, Lalitpur in Kathmandu. Housed in a charming 70-year old building, the restaurant has heart-warming and inviting interiors with framed posters of Hindi cinema dotting the walls.
Tasneem Shahani — From Home-chef Next Door to a Sought-after Restaurateur in Town
Born and brought up in Mumbai, Tasneem relocated to Nepal along with her husband in 1997. She started her culinary journey as a home-chef in 2004 with a kilo menu for house parties and five types of biryanis for takeaway. Tasneem would hand out her promotional leaflets to the famous bakeries of the town that would also display her promotional note on their notice boards. Incidentally, these humble beginnings earned Tasneem one of her first celebrity customers two years later, the distinguished food critic and hotelier Dubby Bhagat! Reviewing her food in The Himalayan Times, Bhagat writes, “I ordered the Kasuri Methi or Fenugreek Chicken, which turned out to be brilliantly flavoured with a shy sweetness about it. The chicken was tender and the gravy rich with curd and cream and the Kasuri Methi.” He further adds, “We also got in the layered Chicken Biryani, which is a dish, becoming common in Kathmandu but it’s seldom as good as Tasneem’s.” For almost two decades now, the restaurant has been catering to one and all in the Himalayan city, including dignitaries and the Royal family.
Her illustrious restaurant specializes in delectable flavours of Bohra cuisine, particularly inspired by her home city Mumbai, India. For thaal dining, Tasneem meticulously plans according to the indigenous tastes and accessibility of ingredients. “Starting with a pinch of salt, followed by sodanna (cooked rice garnished with sugar and ghee), is essentially maintained. While the lachka, samosas and malida are typically Bohra items, some of the ingredients required for preparing these dishes are not easily available here. I replace the samosas with Nargisi kababs and barbeque fish. Besides, weather also plays an important role in deciding the menu. Unlike the coastal climate of Mumbai, where people prefer ice-creams, here we go for soups and halwas,” explains Tasneem. Her pineapple halwa, gajar ka halwa and particularly doodhi halwa have been an instant hit with those with a sweet tooth.
Slow Cooking the Bohra Way: Long-lasting Flavours and Simmering Aromas
Whether you are an office-goer/party hopper residing in the city or a globetrotter exploring the breath-taking valley, Tasneem’s restaurant has varied dining options for foodies at heart. Today, she offers a discerning spread comprising 67 items, including lip-smacking kebabs, tikkas, curries and biryanis and also including 40 assorted flavours of succulent chocolates handmade by her. From the slow-fire dum-pukht technique of royal Awadhi kitchens to the Bohra-Parsi flavours inspired by the fusion of her parental and marital influences, Tasneem painstakingly serves more than food on the plate.
Her signature dish, the butter chicken barra gets a Bohra-style twist with slow cooking. “The chicken is marinated overnight in a mix of authentic spices, exclusively sourced from India. Then it’s cooked tandoori-style, instead of the universally done chunks of chicken. We shred the chicken so that our original spices soak in deep into the meat for an amazing flavour. Thereafter, it is cooked slow dum-pukht style over coal in a mild curry sauce rich with butter and cream, simmering for a few hours,” elaborates Tasneem.
Appetising Mix on the Plate: Personalized Touch, Discerning Experience & Exciting Deals of the Day
Their amusing promotional offers are always the talk of the town among loyal patrons who closely watch out for the restaurant updates. No makeup look, high heels, showing ungli (finger) or the Valentine’s challenge… such popular event-based discount offers have always been an interesting marketing mix to keep the food lovers guessing the next wacky thing to come. The brain behind the communications, marketing and sales moves is her husband who Tasneem describes as the backbone of her business. With his creative instincts in photography, writing, direction and travelling, Harsha is constantly propelling the brand image of the restaurant and beyond. Tasneem on the hand keenly focuses on putting her heart into crafting the best bespoke food experience for her patrons. “I personally know each of my regular customers and their preferences, be it vegan choices or food allergies. That’s the individual level at which I engage with my patrons. For me, it’s like guests visiting and dining at my home,” she says.
Together, the couple has made TKK a vital culinary landmark in the mountainous region. Undoubtedly, it takes a lot more than a dream to pull off through the challenges thrown from all directions. It’s perhaps Tasneem’s relentless “never give up” attitude that in her words stems from “the rock solid support of her loved ones” that has kept the restaurant going from strength to strength. She also acknowledges the significant contribution of her devoted team, especially through the testing times witnessed in Nepal during the devastating earthquake and severe economic crisis in 2015 and the global COVID pandemic in the last two years.
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