It takes quite a few hands to roll grape leaves. So, in September 2020, soon after the first wave of Covid, I visited a friend in Bandra, Mumbai, where a dozen of us spent the day cooking, rolling, chatting and eating at his house. While preparing dolma — a dish linked to Ottoman cuisine — I learnt to not cinch the roll too tightly as it needed space to expand when cooked.
The feast got me thinking about people gathering to share a meal with friends and family — a new, closed-circle way of socialising. Soon, my friend, Anto, a 35-year-old Mumbai-based HR professional, started a no-frills supper club, where she got a dozen or so of us together. Once a month, we would rotate to a different home, make a big meal, and share it.
There are many such supper clubs and private dine-ins that are gaining popularity across the country.
