Global Rice News

Rewritten Article:

In the bustling city of Karachi, nestled within Punjab Colony, Hajjra Bibi is hard at work in her modest kitchen. This month, she busily prepares a selection of traditional dishes originating from India’s tropical Malabar coast. From pathiri and puttu to spiced pathiri, these dishes are deeply rooted in the culture of Karachi’s Malabari community. Dating back to over a century ago, around 10,000 Malabari families have seamlessly integrated into the vibrant tapestry of Pakistan’s largest and most ethnically diverse city.

Bibi, a dedicated homemaker, shares that rice, particularly rice flour bread, is a staple in Malabari cuisine. It is a popular choice among both children and the elderly. Malabari cooking boasts a few recurring elements, such as the prominent use of rice, specific varieties of squashes and greens, coconut, fish, peanuts, sesame seeds, and an array of herbs and spices. Mustard, ginger, turmeric, coriander, fenugreek, black pepper, red Guntur chilies, curry leaves, and tamarind are just a few examples that lend their flavors to these delectable dishes.

“Banana, fish, and rice flour are used more; we enjoy these ingredients in our meals,” Bibi explains.

Tonight’s dinner menu features pathiri, a beloved rice pancake, as well as puttu, steamed cylinders comprising ground rice and layered with coconut shavings. Sometimes, they contain a sweet or savory filling. It is served piping hot alongside delightful accompaniments such as palm sugar, banana, chana masala, chutney, rasam, or meat curries. Additionally, they will serve spicy pathiri, a tantalizing rice flour bread stuffed with semolina, green chili, onions, and an assortment of spices.

The Malayali community made their way to Karachi from Kerala over one hundred years ago, between 1916 and 1918, in search of employment opportunities. Abdul Rasheed, an official at the Malabari Muslim Jamaat community center, reveals that the community consists of approximately 8,000 to 10,000 families, totaling around 25,000 to 30,000 members. Despite being dispersed throughout the city, they remain closely connected through regular cultural events and family gatherings.

Abdul Rehman, another community member, recounts how Malayalis initially dominated the culinary scene in Karachi, primarily working in the hotel and restaurant industry. This began to change approximately thirty years ago when Pashtuns and Urdu-speaking Muhajirs from India introduced their own cuisines to the metropolis. In the past, one would primarily find Malabari or Iranian hotels, depending on their preferred spiciness or desire for milk tea.

The importance of the food business to the Malabari community is evident. When the Pakistani government inquired about their needs, the elders did not ask for property or assets but rather coal, sugar, and tea leaves, essential items for running restaurants. Today, only a handful of Malabari restaurants remain, one of which is Joona Masjid Hotel, owned by Abdul Rashid Malabari.

Malabari explains, “Consider this hotel our fourth-generation establishment. Even before Pakistan’s inception, our elders began working in the tea business. Today, this hotel is an 80-year-old legacy in Lyari.”

Among the specialties served at the restaurant are fish and lentil rice, as well as Malayali paratha, buttered paratha, and samovar tea. However, customers have become increasingly scarce.

“It’s evident that everything is changing with time,” reflects Malabari.

Source: [Arab News](https://www.arabnews.pk){:target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”}