The answer to that question sits in a modest shop in Mahim's Kapad Bazaar that beguiles its 224-yearold history. Ramesh Joshi, a seventh generation descendent of Girdhar Mavji sits at the counter of Joshi Budhakaka Mahim Halwawala (JBMH), urging us to try a leaf-thin sheet of their most famous offering, the Mahim halwa. It's their showstopper sweet, and although several mithai establishments have it on their list, JBMH claims to be its 'inventor'.
Mavji learnt the art of making mithai only once he settled here, says Joshi. The ladies of the house would be busy making sev, ganthia, farsan and mohanthal, which he'd then hawk from door to door. It's when boys from the neighbourhood identified him as 'Joshi Budhakaka' (old man, Joshi) that the name stuck and followed him to his first outlet in Mahim.
Gradually, Mavji tried his hand at sweetmeats, and it's his badam halwa (Rs 500/kilo) that grew into a popular item. His experimental streak saw him try unique recipes in the kitchen, and it's one such experiment that led to the discovery of the Mahim halwa (Rs 400/kilo) — a bright, translucent square sheet of delight sprinkled with slivers of dry fruit.
Made from wheat extract, ghee, sugar and a dash of saffron to give it its sunny hue, the viscous halwa mixture is spread on to long planks of wood, and stretched out with skill. The more they manage to stretch it, the thinner the halwa sheet stands. A quick sprinkle of dry fruits and the halwa is ready to be transferred onto butter paper.
The central kitchen here in Mahim is where most of the stock is prepared before it is transported to branches in Tardeo and Dadar TT. "It's the milk-based items (their mango barfi, Rs 500/kilo comes close second in popularity) that are prepared first thing in the morning, followed by the halwas. Made without milk or mawa, they stay fresh without refrigeration for up to 15 days," says Joshi. From their range of farsan, it's the ganthia at Rs 240/kilo (made with ghee, not oil) that has its loyal fans, but Joshi says he is working towards introducing some calorie-conscious sweets. It's not exactly easy but a work in progress for sure.
Ice vs. Mahim
While most customers mistake one for the other, the ice halwa is different from the Mahim halwa. The ice halwa recipe doesn't include saffron which is why it's ivory in colour, and is dusted with icing sugar after being stretched on to planks. It must also rest for about four hours before being served, which is why it's thicker than Mahim halwa. The sandwich halwa (Rs 400; see pic) has a gelatine-like fruit extract packed between two sheets of halwa.
JBMH, Kapad Bazar, Mahim.
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