मसाला ऐसे भुन्नो जैसे दुश्मन का कलेजा|
Masala aise bhunno jaise dushman ka kaleja.

An unforgettable afternoon with famed historian, cultural enthusiast and author Rana Safvi indisputably draws forth familial catchphrases and traditional practices of the Safvi household. 
This Eid-al-Adha, we are welcomed into the home of Rana Safvi, more famously known for her work to highlight the pluralistic culture or the ‘Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb’ in India through her books, talks and podcasts. Safvi lovingly cooks us her family recipe of Mutton Qorma with a grounded almond paste instead of the quintessential cashew one, ubiquitous in prosperous Awadhi households and hence, a pleasant departure from the usual. Delectable and inviting, Rana garnishes it with a dash of Bruijn’s saffron infused milk for, as she quips, the ultimate “ख़ुशबू”
The afternoon is marked by the scrumptious spread and warm hospitality made even more enjoyable as Safvi shares with us culinary heirlooms like an ancient brass sarota or betel nut cracker and her grandmother’s century old warming plate amongst many others - each of them carrying a treasure trove of stories within. 
As we sit to break bread, Safvi mindfully serves her vegetarian guests some homemade lehson raita and aloo daal. She attributes her delicious cooking to the trio that works relentlessly in her kitchen - herself and two helps - who she famously names as Amar, Akbar, Anthony for their religious backgrounds. The afternoon and a hearty feast draws to a close but not without a generous serving of zarda and some of Bruijn’s nuts and dried fruits delights. As a parting gesture, Safvi reads to us a few passages from her upcoming book Firestorm in Paradise and educates us about cultural practices of Eid-al-Adha.  
To learn more about this beautiful afternoon, you can follow our journey on our Instagram handle. Wishing our Bruijn family a delightful Eid-Al-Adha ✨