In Mexico City, the restaurant Masala y Maíz tells the story of people and place. After years of researching and reimagining the organic merging of their cultures, Chefs Norma Listman and Saqib Keval created a menu full of dishes that blend the flavors and culinary techniques of South Asia, East Africa, and Mexico. On the plate, shared flavors and histories of colonization and displacement embody a cultural intersection, showcasing intensely personal family recipes and histories in a way that is both authentic and flavorful.
Masala y Maíz Shines in Mexico City
The restaurant also features a seasonally changing menu of organic produce, as well as sustainable seafood and proteins, sourced from small farms near Mexico City. Beyond creating delicious food, it is the goal of Listman and Keval to advocate for better labor conditions in the food industry, offering better working conditions to their staff, farmers, and purveyors. As a testament to positive change, Masala y Maíz acts as a platform for activism, and regularly hosts private dinners, cooking classes, and lectures to reflect the belief that the power of food can be a tool for environmental and social justice.
Keval shared with Whitewall how his kitchen symbolizes activism and what dishes tell the story of his and Listman’s lives.
Saqib Keval and Norma Listman, photo by Ana Lorenzana, courtesy of Masala y Maiz.
WHITEWALL: The restaurant explores many culinary techniques and ingredients found between South Asia, East Africa, and Mexico—and their shared flavors and histories. Can you share details on a few of the dishes that represent this, perhaps based on family recipes?
SAQIB KEVAL: Camarones pa’pelar. This dish was created by Chef Norma Listman based on a technique first done by the Olmecs. These grilled jumbo shrimp are filled with a paste of wild vanilla and morita chilies, highlighting the history of vanilla being indigenous to Mexico. The shrimp are served with a wild vanilla ghee—a technique of infusing butter while clarifying it from Chef Saqib’s family.
And kuku poussin. A classic coastal Kenyan dish from Saqib’s family in East Africa. A young chicken poached and fried whole. Served in an Ethiopian berbere dipping sauce and with a side of coconut milk roasted sweet potatoes.
Photo by Ana Lorenzana, courtesy of Masala y Maiz.
WW: Why is Mexico City an ideal city for this?
SK: Mexico has a long history of bringing together different cultures and communities. Masala y Maiz focuses on a mestizaje, a blending of culture that goes unnamed in many parts of the world. Mexico has a long history for fighting for labor rights, which are central to the operations of Masala y Maiz.
Courtesy of Masala y Maiz.
Food as Activism
WW: You mentioned that food can be a tool for environmental and social justice. How does what you present at Masala y Maiz do this?
SK: Masala y Maiz is first and foremost an activist project that centers the lives and well-being of the workers and uses the restaurant’s platform to speak out for much-needed changes in the industry.
Courtesy of Masala y Maiz.
WW: Where do you like to eat in town when you’re not at Masala y Maíz?
SK: Expendio de Maiz sin Nombre, Mari Gold, and street food.
WW: What are you looking forward to in 2024?
SK: More time for creative work and supporting a stronger labor justice movement in our local food industry.
Courtesy of Masala y Maiz.
