Boliye madam, kya lao? Bheja Fry, Bheja Masala, Gurda Masala, Kheeri Kaleji?
I found myself at what is called a non-vegetarian’s paradise, aka, Mohammad Ali Road during the holy month of Ramzan. I was here to explore the much talked about food scene.
It was a given that I would visit this place someday. So one weekend while the rest of Mumbai was preparing to call it a night, we headed to visit a small but lively junction below JJ flyover in South Mumbai to sample some popular (audacious, may be) street food.
There are two famous Khau gullies on this stretch – Minara Masjid and Bohri Mohalla. Minara Masjid is the more popular brother among the two. A tall white and green masjid becomes your landmark to sneak into a barricaded street full of makeshift stalls selling meat of all kinds. The smoke from the grills and tandoors is thick in the air. Every shop has a dedicated waiter serving, shouting and poaching customers. People hover around already settled customers in the hope to grab a seat. And the entire lane is lit up with colorful lights.
Street food in Mohammad Ali Road
The display of meat both raw and cooked can be quite graphic here. Whole tandoori chickens hang from hooks to lure hungry foodies. Caged Quails are on counters while customers sit across a table and order for a quail tandoori. Tikkas on skewers come in red, green, white and yellow color. Shopkeepers fan mutton sheekh kebabs on coal grills. Chote kebabs or small beef kebabs get deep fried in hot oil and served between breads along with onions and mint chutney. Biryanis and Haleem are served from large handis.
A large section of customers have an appetite for offal or organs like goat brains, liver, kidney, udder and even testicles. Brave hearted can sample dishes like Zabaan soup (tongue), Nalli nihari (marrow), Paya (trotters), Pichda (Ox tail) and Topa (Ox hump).
Whole tandoori chickens hang from hooks to lure hungry customers
What we sampled?
We tried Beef Fry Masala and Bheja Masala with Naan Bread, a half plate Chicken Fry, Mutton Pulao and Chicken Pulao.
The beef fry masala went well with the round toasted naan bread and so did the bheja masala. The latter was creamy and could almost camouflage as an egg based dish. This was followed by chicken fry. A deep red color achieved from throwing chicken into hot oil. The meat was piping hot but slightly dry, although it went well when accompanied with green mint chutney. For mains we ordered chicken pulao and mutton pulao. Both were flavorsome and surprisingly not heavy.
Sweet Paradise
Mohammad Ali Road is as much a haven for sweet lovers. The Suleiman Usman Mithaiwala right at the entrance towards the Minara Masjid eat-street is your go-to place for all things sweet from flavored phirnis to biscuits, khaja, sandal and sutarfeni (also called budhhi ke baal). Do try their dry fruit Nankhatai.
Other popular stalls around the corner include Noorani Milk Center and Zam Zam. Also try the Burhanpur jalebis in a tiny food stall inside the Minara Masjid lane. If you have the appetite and the heart, go for the king size Malpua – a deep fried pan cake served with Malai or Rabri.
Some Practical Things to Know
- Arrive after 8pm. Let the community break their fast and eat their meal. Non-Muslims can join in the party later. We visited Minara Masjid around 11pm and left by 1am. Even at this hour, the traffic was crazy.
- Try to sample food from multiple food stalls instead of eating your entire meal at just one stall.
- Avoid taking your car. We did the mistake of taking our car and struggled to maneuver the vehicle in traffic. We ended up parking our car over a kilometer away from Minara Masjid towards CST.
- Police patrolling is in place and the local community has their own volunteers making announcements to take care of your bag and belongings (and children too!)
- Understand that the food would taste the same even on a normal day. One visits Mohammad Ali Road during Ramadan for the vibe and ambiance.
- I can vouch for the food at Mohammad Ali Road but not for the hygiene. Paper plates, newspaper, plastic bags, empty water bottles and tissues lie on streets. The food is rich and greasy and so you are required to wash your hands post meal, but there is limited arrangement. You simply wash your hands wherever you find an empty corner with bucket water provided by the stall. I can’t imagine visiting this place on a rainy day.
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If you liked this post on best street food in Mohammad Ali Road, also read: Part 2: Bohri Mohalla food trail – Best places to eat
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Read my other posts on offbeat experiences in Mumbai
Matinees at Matterden
The last bungalow of Seven Bungalows survives
Maharashtra Nature Park – From dumping ground to a nature pleasing space
Money on display at the RBI Monetary museum
Aarey milk colony – Green oasis and a dying milk factory
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