This is nacho thing

Karl Kothavala runs the cream cheese manufacturing business from a central kitchen in Lower Parel. Pics/Ashish Raje

Five years ago, when Karl Kothavala set up Universal Kebab Kona (UKK) in Tardeo, it quickly gathered fans. The nondescript stall stationed beside an Aarey milk booth in a quiet lane behind Bhatia Hospital, would see a steady stream of loyalists waiting for their order of standout buns, slathered with homemade herb and garlic cheese, mint chutney and caramelised onion. It shuttered when he couldn't sort out a BMC licence. But Kothavala, who was part of the air cargo industry until hospitality reeled him in, takes pride in his persistence and resilience. In 2018, he opened a shop called Pick-A-Pocket, again in Tardeo, where the fare was modelled along the lines of UKK. That too shuttered within a year. But, Kothavala is back in the culinary fray with the statement ingredient of his kebab buns - the cream cheese. His latest venture, Paris Parsi Food Company, offers a variety of flavours, including chive and onion, peri peri and Philadelphia style (Rs 220). "Honestly, I miss the open-air setup and the banter with customers. Zomato had ranked us the number one street stall in Mumbai at the time. I tried to replicate the vibe in a shop later, but it did not work. So I got back to making cheese," he says. Together with his apprentice Prashant Patil, Kothavala has been busy through the lockdown experimenting with preparations and marketing strategy.

Kothavala currently offers six flavours, including peri peri, Philadelphia style, chive and onion

Creating the perfect recipe wasn't easy, though. In 2010, when he whipped up cream cheese for the first time, it turned out to be "an utter failure". Undeterred, he soldiered on. "I dug out some of my grandmother's recipes and lapped up YouTube videos. Finally, I was on the right track." Given the texture and consistency of his cheese, Kothavala says you can have it as a dip, slather it on bread, add it as salad dressing or even use it as pasta sauce. "This isn't the processed hung curd that masquerades as dip in the market. It's unvarnished cheese made with milk and cream with natural flavours. So it's immensely versatile," he adds. The two new flavours-lemon and pepper, and cheddar, paprika and herbs-are aimed at the Jain community. "I didn't want to leave them out because of their dietary restrictions. The paprika was a challenging flavour to nail." Having tied up with a distributor, his cheese is now available in 50 locations in Mumbai. He hopes this time, his entrepreneurship idea works. "I think the hero ingredient in my cream cheese is love, and that's what makes it special."

Lemon and pepper

The Taste Test
The cheddar, paprika and herbs is terrific and deliciously incorporates the flavours of ground spice without making it too pungent. We tried it over flatbread and were sold. The dill, onion and garlic, which Kothavala has nicknamed DOG, is fresh and complex. Each dip (to be consumed within 30 days) is a different experience, taste-wise. Over the two weeks that our tub stayed in the refrigerator, it became an indispensable accompaniment to the evening snack.

Order: www.parisparsi.com
Call: 8452824059