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Host: Zahabia

Mumbai (Bombay), India

USD
$18-$24 per person

The Bohri Thaal

Host offerings
  • Apartment
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Zahabia

Zahabia is a doting wife and mother of two daughters, Zahra and Zabeen; they live in a warm and cozy apartment in South Mumbai along with their dad, Uncle Zuzer. They are a close-knit family and food is everyone’s weakness!

Zahabia is a housewife and a passionate cook who whips up delicious food that is deceptively simple to prepare. Years of experimenting in the kitchen have made her a culinary expert who can prepare almost anything. She loves to try authentic food while traveling and then tinker to recreate the dishes in her home kitchen. When she’s not cooking, Zahabia expresses her creativity through crochet, fabric painting, and glass painting. You will see her crafts throughout the home.

The Bohri Muslims migrated from Yemen into Gujarat and then to other parts of India. As such, their cuisine has Middle Eastern and Gujarati influences.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (2-6 guests) Zahabia will greet you at the door and welcome you into her apartment. As soon as you enter you will notice that they have minimal furniture and, like many Bohri families, they relax and dine on while seated on the floor. As you enjoy your welcome drink, Zahabia will tell you about the Bohri history and culture. They are firm believers in the maxim: “The family that eats together stays together” and hence you will dine with the family on a communal stainless steel platter called a thaal, which will be laid out on the floor. Once you are seated around the thaal, a family member will pass a basin of water for everyone to wash his or her hands.

The meal begins with the tasting of salt, which is meant to cleanse the palate. In Bohri homes, sweets are served at the start of the meal and so you might begin with Zahabia’s kalamra (a sweet dish made of yogurt and rice, garnished with pomegranate). The menu might include some of Zahabia’s specialties like daal chawal palidu (a rice and lentil dish that is essential to all Bhora celebrations), mutton or chicken biryani, kheema khichdi (minced meat pulao), lagan ya seekh (layered minced meat topped with eggs), kheema na samosa (minced meat samosas), mutton kari chawal (spiced coconut milk based stew served with fragrant basmati rice studded with peas).

Notes: Eating from the thaal is a communal activity and is considered to be a symbol of unity, equality and sharing. You will be seated on the floor around the thaal. Each dish will be served individually as a separate course and will be placed in the center of the thaal. Each diner will serve him or herself. Take your portion and place it in the section of the thaal that is in front of you. The family has a “no waste” policy, so diners are asked to only take as much as you can eat.

Please note that this home has no furniture and you will relax and dine seated on cushions on the floor.

Languages spoken: English, Hindi

Traveler reviews

5.0 (1)
Was browsing randomly for things to do in the city when I stumbled on The traveling spoon. Was curious and checked it out. Amazing concept. Went ahead and booked a lunch with a lovely Bohri family - Mrs. Zahabia Motorwala and family. The experience was what we expected and a lot more. Not just the food which was beyond amazing, but the interesting stories, culture and traditions of the host family ensured that it was an unforgettable experience.
- March 25, 2017
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Zahabia

$18-$24 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Free cancellation up to 48 hours in advance
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $24 $18
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $24 $18
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:30pm-2:30pm 5:00pm-7:00pm

Meet Zahabia

Zahabia is a doting wife and mother of two daughters, Zahra and Zabeen; they live in a warm and cozy apartment in South Mumbai along with their dad, Uncle Zuzer. They are a close-knit family and food is everyone’s weakness!

Zahabia is a housewife and a passionate cook who whips up delicious food that is deceptively simple to prepare. Years of experimenting in the kitchen have made her a culinary expert who can prepare almost anything. She loves to try authentic food while traveling and then tinker to recreate the dishes in her home kitchen. When she’s not cooking, Zahabia expresses her creativity through crochet, fabric painting, and glass painting. You will see her crafts throughout the home.

The Bohri Muslims migrated from Yemen into Gujarat and then to other parts of India. As such, their cuisine has Middle Eastern and Gujarati influences.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (2-6 guests) Zahabia will greet you at the door and welcome you into her apartment. As soon as you enter you will notice that they have minimal furniture and, like many Bohri families, they relax and dine on while seated on the floor. As you enjoy your welcome drink, Zahabia will tell you about the Bohri history and culture. They are firm believers in the maxim: “The family that eats together stays together” and hence you will dine with the family on a communal stainless steel platter called a thaal, which will be laid out on the floor. Once you are seated around the thaal, a family member will pass a basin of water for everyone to wash his or her hands.

The meal begins with the tasting of salt, which is meant to cleanse the palate. In Bohri homes, sweets are served at the start of the meal and so you might begin with Zahabia’s kalamra (a sweet dish made of yogurt and rice, garnished with pomegranate). The menu might include some of Zahabia’s specialties like daal chawal palidu (a rice and lentil dish that is essential to all Bhora celebrations), mutton or chicken biryani, kheema khichdi (minced meat pulao), lagan ya seekh (layered minced meat topped with eggs), kheema na samosa (minced meat samosas), mutton kari chawal (spiced coconut milk based stew served with fragrant basmati rice studded with peas).

Notes: Eating from the thaal is a communal activity and is considered to be a symbol of unity, equality and sharing. You will be seated on the floor around the thaal. Each dish will be served individually as a separate course and will be placed in the center of the thaal. Each diner will serve him or herself. Take your portion and place it in the section of the thaal that is in front of you. The family has a “no waste” policy, so diners are asked to only take as much as you can eat.

Please note that this home has no furniture and you will relax and dine seated on cushions on the floor.

Languages spoken: English, Hindi

Traveler reviews

5.0 (1)
Was browsing randomly for things to do in the city when I stumbled on The traveling spoon. Was curious and checked it out. Amazing concept. Went ahead and booked a lunch with a lovely Bohri family - Mrs. Zahabia Motorwala and family. The experience was what we expected and a lot more. Not just the food which was beyond amazing, but the interesting stories, culture and traditions of the host family ensured that it was an unforgettable experience.
- March 25, 2017
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $24 $18
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $24 $18
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:30pm-2:30pm 5:00pm-7:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation for free up until 48 hours before your experience. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can’t make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host’s profile doesn’t work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

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    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host’s family.

    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the “Notes” section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.