A Srinagar couple’s dabba service delivers hot plates of home-cooked meals to encourage healthy food habits in the Valley
Paaya
Sundays are for koker (chicken) and gosht (mutton) biryani. Fragrant with pure spices, and a beautiful red colour of the rice that comes from a local flower called mawal (cockscomb), Rayees Ahmad’s clients in the Valley look forward to having a warm meal that feels like home. Serving a mélange of seasonal foods and forgotten recipes such as nadur palak (spinach with lotus stem), tchokawangan (tangy bringal preparation), alle the kokur (bottlegourd with chicken), kalle maaz (goat’s head meat), paache (paaya) and gaade nadur haak (fish and lotus stem saag), Ahmad’s Tiffin Aaw delivery service has become an instant hit. These rich dishes are steeped in traditions and are known to be a blend of cooking styles of Kashmiri Pandits, local Muslims and Mughals.
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Started in February 2020, Tiffin Aaw (loosely translates to “as your meal is here”) is Kashmir’s first affordable tiffin service that currently operates in Srinagar. What began as a one-man team that makes and delivers food across the city is now a 25-member business that has already won awards and recognition in a short span. From delivering 25 boxes on day one, they’ve grown to 150 a day. Ahmad tells us, “The map of Srinagar is imprinted in my head and I know the bylanes, the congested areas and traffic times well enough to plan our deliveries. The idea is let the customer have a hot, home-cooked meal in the comfort of their home.”
Tchokawangan
A resident of Srinagar, the idea took shape in Ahmad’s mind during the clampdown after the government abrogated Article 370 in August 2019. A friend who didn’t have access to food with restaurants being shut, had asked him to send a meal over. On his way home after delivering the food is when he had a moment of epiphany. He is now assisted by his wife Nida Rehman.
All ingredients are sourced locally. “Our fish comes from the old lady around the corner who sells fresh catch from the river that she goes out to fish in. Our spices are bought locally and blended at home; everything is seasonal and local. As a small enterprise, our idea is to empower other small enterprises as well.” Ahmad knows the damage that ingredients like MSG or synthetic food colours can do to your stomach. “The impact is telling. The Valley is facing a rise in lifestyle diseases.”
Incidentally, there is no fridge in his kitchen. Ahmad tells us it is to ensure the food is cooked fresh every single day. In the evening, leftovers are shared with the needy. Despite being a small startup, Tiffin Aaw has already conducted programmes like Food for Kashmir during the pandemic and has also established the Tiffin Aaw Foundation that is on par with leading NGOs of the country. Whether it’s in the unforgiving winter or to areas where vehicles can’t reach, Ahmed has continued to deliver every single day. While they started with steel tiffins, COVID-19 norms made it mandatory to switch to disposable containers. Although expensive, the company has opted for biodegradable containers since they hope to embrace an eco-friendly approach.
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