Young Francesca Murzello is a former TCS employee who has recently launched a home chef enterprise called The Daily Cut Bandra.
The food she cooks is based on recipes learnt from her mother and her godmother. On her menu are East Indian dishes, some family favourites which are not necessarily EI and some North Indian dishes too. Her menu is available on weekends for now and can be delivered across Mumbai.
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| Prawn chilli fry |
We got to sample some of her food today and I was floored by the young home chef’s brilliance. It is sad that not enough is known about both the Eastindians, who are considered to be among the earliest residents of Mumbai, and their food. Which made today’s experience doubly exciting.
In case you are wondering, the Eastindians refer to a community of locals who converted to the Catholic faith during the time when Mumbai was ruled by the Portuguese. They do not belong to the east of India! They are part Koli (local fisher folk) and part Portuguese in origin and their food has an influence of both and is based on local produce and liberally uses a spice called bottle masala. The composition of the spice as well as recipes in general vary from home to home.
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| Sunday chicken cutlets |
Francesca’s menu changes every weekend. Today we tried the ‘Sunday chicken (mince) cutlets’ which were very tender and reminded K of the food in the office dabba of her former East Indian colleague friend, Sunil Drego, which he brought to office on weekdays. There was prawn chilli fry with incredibly juicy pawns, cooked on a bed of sliced onion with a sweet and sour spicing. Sorpotel, made with finely chopped pork.
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| Sorpotel |
Of the renditions of this Portuguese influenced dish that I have had, the EastIndian one is my favourite. Others being Goan and Mangalorean. There was paya, goat trotters, cooked in a recipe that is Francesca’s mom but the Catholic influence in it was very clear and reminded me of the vindaloos that we have had in Goa. Francesca says that their vindaloo is different. Less acidic I guess. The best part was that unlike other paya dishes that I have had, the paya was not smelly here and this made it my favourite paya dish so far.
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| Paya |
She had also made fugiyas and these had to be the best rendition of this EastIndian yeast ballon bread that I have had. I have warmed up to the idea of mopping up curries with these now.
Do watch the video at the start to know more. It’s part of my #foodocracykitchens series where I talk to you about food from home kitchens across communities.
Fracesca’s Insta page for orders.Phone: 9820375508
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| That’s Francesca in the frame and behind us is Gautam Vhatwal |
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| Gautam is a reader who had most kindly me fresh nolen gurer shondesh from Balaram Mallick Kolkata. It is said that the Portuguese are the ones who introduced the art of chhena making in Bengal leading to the birth of our mishti. Literally an ‘East Indian’ dessert in this case! |
Looks delicious!