Books and Beyond with Bound 9.10 Bombay Food Isn’t As Local As You Think ft. Pronoti Datta
What if we told you that Bombay food isn't as local as you think?
In this episode, Tara sits down with writer and journalist Pronoti Datta, author of In the Beginning There Was Bombay Duck, to unpack the delicious and deeply layered history of Bombay’s food.
Pronoti and Tara trace the city’s culinary journey, from the Koli fishing communities and early tiffin rooms to colonial clubs, Irani cafes, Goan bakers, Udupi restaurants, and the rise of Indo-Chinese food. Along the way, they explore how migration, colonialism, urban planning, and even real estate have shaped what ends up on your plate today.
They also get into why “Bombay cuisine” is actually a mashup of many different cultures, the surprising origins of everyday ingredients like potatoes and chillies, how Goan cooks shaped elite colonial kitchens, the disappearing food cultures you won’t easily find in restaurants and so much more!
This conversation will make you hungry. Order something before you hit play.
Books Mentioned in This Episode:
- Taj Mahal Foxtrot: The Story of Bombay's Jazz Age by Naresh Fernandes
- City of gold: the biography of Bombay by Gillian Tindall
‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.