Born in a Sindhi family, Kiran Dhameja grew up listening to stories of how community businesses flourished when they were settled in Shikarpur, Sindh. Her grandparents had travelled to Iran on foot, and built connections with traders in the region. Their haveli in Sindh would often host cross-border merchants. "The spices they [merchants] grew in their country was often brought to us as goods to barter or gifts." The influence, quite naturally, filtered into the food they cooked. "There are several parallels to be found between Middle East and Sindhi cuisine. We have a dish that's similar to the Lebanese starter batata harra, where potatoes are fried and then sautéed in olive oil, along with red pepper, coriander, chilli and garlic. We are big on sour food, so are they." After the Partition, there were a whole new set of culinary influences that came pouring in. "But the Middle Eastern influence stayed."

Dhameja's curiosity about Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine birthed her five-year-old entrepreneurial venture, Doyen Food LLP, centred around Middle East gourmet foods and confectionery. Her latest offering is a range of spice blends and seasonings that include Ras Al Hanout (Moroccan spice mix), berbere (Ethiopian red spice), Levant seven spice, Harissa (Tunisian spice), Samke Meshwi (spicy fish spice) and Baharat (Arabic garam masala). "We source the finest ingredients, like sumac and thyme from Turkey, and prepare our own blends here," says Dhameja, who, along with husband, Haresh Bathija, also supplies gourmet olives, pickles and Dolmas to luxury hotels and caterers in India. They have also brought in pomegranate molasses and rose water from Yamama, Lebanon.