International Bacon Day: Quirkiest dishes across Mumbai where bacon is the star

Bacon halwa by Sahil Makhija

There are many sides or accompaniments that receive main-dish attention. Bacon, the salt-cured pork portion prepared from various cuts of the pig, typically the belly or less fatty parts of the back, is one such star ingredient. Much-loved with eggs for breakfast, it is eaten as is, and also crumbled and added to dishes to add a smoky, crunchy texture.

Bacon strips with eggs and toast (right) bacon jam

On International Bacon Day (August 31), a few bacon heads were summoned to rekindle the love affair. Earlier this month, Sahil Makhija shared a gajar halwa recipe on his Instagram handle, @headbangerskitchen. The only catch here was that it was a bacon gajar halwa. He followed the desi drill - of milk, mawa, grated shreds of carrots and sugar. "I cooked it [the halwa] in bacon fat and garnished it with crisp pieces of bacon for texture," the Khar-resident shares. The dish was part of his ongoing food series, Will It Meat, where he gives a meaty touch to Indian dishes. He shares two tips: When cooking bacon always start in a cold pan and slowly bring up the heat allowing the bacon fat to render. Use the fat to fry your eggs and make your veggies such as a bhindi aloo sabzi.

Sundried tomatoes and bacon risotto. Pic/Shadab Khan

In a home kitchen on Forjett Street, chef Delzad Avari runs Del'z Kitchen; his bacon menu includes bacon mash, double whammy bacon and tenderloin grilled cheese and spicy bacon prawns and top-seller umami mushroom stuffed bacon wrapped tenderloin. The mushrooms are flavoured with miso and mushroom powder together to give that umami kick. "Bacon goes great with almost everything. I love wrapping stuff in it, using it as a starter for any stew (render the bacon and start off the stew in its delicious fat), or in a bacon and egg fried rice where the fat imparts great flavour. I enjoy using bacon fat in preparing cocktails at home," says Avari, sharing that his favourite combination is bacon dipped in dark chocolate.

Bacon wrapped mushroom and stuffed tenderloin with bacon rosemary gravy made by Delzad Avari

Bandra's Larissa Valladares and Joshua Pereira started Incendiary Kitchen as a home set-up in the lockdown with one product: Bacon cured with salt, sugar and spices. "We cure it for seven days, depending on the size of the belly. We rub it with spices, smoke it and slice it," reveals Valladares. They gradually added more meat-forward dishes to the menu, including a meatloaf with bacon. "For regular orders, we have two forms of bacon: frozen and vacuum-sealed pieces of bacon and lardons, which are bacon cubes. People can pop it out of the freezer and fry it," she adds. Their top bacon dishes include liver pate with bacon, French coq au vin stew with chicken and bacon braised in wine, meat feast macaroni bake and Boston baked beans.

Joshua Pereira and Larissa Valladares

Sundried tomato and bacon risotto

Streaky bacon is cut into chunks and sautéed until the fat renders, providing a rich base for the dish. "In the bacon fat, we sauté onions, garlic, sundried tomatoes, and Arborio rice. The risotto is then simmered in a creamy tomato sauce, finished with a burrata on top garnished with a crispy bacon crumble," chef Beena Noronha of GiGi explains. She shares that bacon paired with pineapple brings out sweet and salty flavours.
AT: GiGi Bombay, 14th and 33rd Road, Linking Road, Bandra West.
COST: Rs 900

Bacon thecha

Nomad Food Project makes a mean green and red bacon thecha. The dish stems from an intense love towards bacon and pork for founders Aditya Rai and Advaith Inamke. "The thecha is inspired from my time spent in Maharashtra during college and work life. The garlic pairs well with smoky bacon fat. The chillies help cut through it. It can make the most boring meals more interesting, be it daal rice, roti sabji, rolls, pastas and instant noodles," says Inamke.
LOG ON TO nomadfoodproject.com
COST Rs 350 to Rs 400

Bacon and bone marrow alambre

This Bandra eatery serves bacon with bone marrow in a Mexican-style alambre, grilled on a plancha. The dish is made of Yucatan-style pork, a five-cheese house blend and chimichurri.
AT: Pompa, VN Sphere Mall, Linking Road, Bandra West.
COST Rs 775

Bacon wrapped prawns

Harpreet Singh Bhatti, head chef, uses a robatayaki, a charcoal grill, to smoke BBQ flavours, in order to add depth to the dish, which he calls a true bacon lover's dream.
AT Waikiki, Peninsula Grand Hotel, Andheri East.
COST: Rs 650

Also check out

Incendiary Kitchen: At 18, Rebello Road, Ranwar, Bandra West.
CALL 9619633881