Originating in Yemen, the early settlement of the Dawoodi Bohra community in India can be traced to the state of Gujarat, where the word Bohra is said to be derived from. In Gujarati, the word 'Bohra' stands for 'vohrvu' or 'vyavahar', which means - 'to trade'. It is said that the name has a reference to the community's traditional occupation (trading) that continues till this day. Food and eating
etiquettes play an important role in characterising the Bohra (or Bohri) culture, where people swear by 'communal dining' and 'no food wastage' policies. "The Bohras live by the saying, 'Many hands are a blessing' and for dining, this is an encouragement to eat in company. The traditional Bohra way of eating together is around a steel thaal, the standard size of which is designed to accommodate a family or any group of 8 or 9 people during a communal dinner," says the description on a website dedicated to the Dawoodi Bohras (www.thedawoodibohras.com). It is also said that the 'thaal' is elevated by a stand called 'tarakti', which is placed on a square-sized cloth called 'safra'. A traditional Bohra meal starts with a pinch of salt, as per food experts. The Bohras believe that salt clears the gut, cleanses the palate and helps fighting several diseases. What makes this cuisine yet more interesting is - unlike the conventional pattern of eating, here a meal starts with desserts and then goes on to the savouries. For the uninitiated, in Bohra dialect, desserts are called 'mithaas' and the savouries are termed 'kharaas'. The savoury starters are then followed by the main course that includes biryani, kari-chawal, dal-chawal et al. The meal finally ends with a pinch of salt (again) and mouth-freshening paan, with various flavourings and nuts within.
