Kathmandu, Nov. 25 -- For as long as she can remember, food has played an integral role in Tasneem Shahani's life. Brought up in Mumbai in a Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community, her childhood was spent sharing at least one meal with her family members, on a single large plate, she says.

"In happiness or sadness, in fervour or grief, we [Bohra Muslims] live for food. Our food culture, even exchanging meals regularly with our neighbours and families, has helped in building our close-knit community," says Shahani, aged 45.

However, when she shifted to Kathmandu after her marriage in 1997, she had to move away from her hometown, and the company of her family members and friends, who would have always made time to sit together and eat in each oth...