Parsis in India and elsewhere would  be  celebrating  the Atash nu Par-hub , Ardar Mahinoo / Ardar Roj in a few  days.. The wood or coal burning “chew-lo”  in the olden days, during my time it was given a good clean-up and new coat of plaster or  paint. Words from the Zoroastrian scriptures would  hand written on the  wall  with  thick paste  either of tumeric (haldi) and flour or in red with  “kuku and flour”. Flowers and fruits  and a lit ghee-no-divo would be placed in the thalli.  Sometimes sweet dishes like Ravo, Sev or  Malido were also specially made for the occasion. We  kid in North India  were told it was “chew-la nu var-as” (stoves birthday).

But what I liked best was the “Ava Roj nu Par-hub” that precedes the Atash nu par-hub by a month or so. Why?  Because in Delhi the  Ava Roj   Jashan was by the fast flowing  Jumuna River where  we boy could  float  paper boats and where my favourite  Daar-ni-poeree was offered. The “Daar-nee-poeree” used to be a special, very yummy and rare treat that we as kids eagerly looked forward to.  That was some 75 to 80 years ago.

Wonder if  this practice is  still followed in India particularly outside Mumbai? While I  don’t  know if it is appropriate decorating the electronic cooking range in  the U.S.A for the Atash nu par-hub, but I did attempt  making the “Daar-ni-poeree” and since it  came out  fine, I am happy to share this family recipe with any  Zoroastrian.net  or “Parsi, Irani, Zarathushti All Under One Roof” readers, who  would like  to make their own poe-rees for any forthcoming blessed occasion or simple eating pleasure.

 

DAAR Nee POEREE

A Late Villy Sorabji,  Recipe.  

(With short cuts by Rusi)

1. Daar  toovar                   1,000 grams

2. Ghee / Butter                   125 grams

3. Sugar           200  to 250  “   according to you  your tastes  keep aside 50 gr to add later after  tasting.

4. Almonds   sliced   4 Table Spoons.

5. Charolee                  “    “       “

6. Pistachios   chopped 2 Tbsp

7. Rasins, Sultanas, Cranberry, dried cherries,  2 heaped Tbsp each.

8. Orange peel   3 Tbsp.   or to taste

9.  Water  for boiling Daar.  4 to 6 cups .

1. Flavorings:

Elaichee(cardamom powder)  2 Teaspoons (tsp)

Nutmeg powder  2 tsp

Rose water quarter cup & Rose Essence 1 tsp    Or Alternately only one third  cup  Rose water
or Kavera.

Vanilla essence  2 tsp.

1. Covering . Dough

Atta 3parts  Sooji one part…….  All-purpose flour 3parts  & Semolina 1 part.  Total  400 gr dough.

Atta half a cup for  rolling the  dough into thin covering for the Pooree.

Ghee or butter  3 to 4 Tbsp.
Salt  2 tsp.

Egg One. Well beaten.

Water for making the dough.  One cup.

Muslin cloth to keep the  outside of the dough moist.

 

Clean, wash and soak the Toovar daar  in a bowl  filled with water. Daar should be totally submerged in it. Let it stand for  half an hour. Take a  big  pot with a  lid to boil the  Daar. Draining the  water away  pour the daar in the pot  add 4  or 5 cups  fresh water cups and cook on  high flame, stirring  frequently till daar is soft. If necessary add remaining water after  heating it in the micro for 30 seconds. Add Ghee/ butter and stir  while  mashing the daar  beads with a long handle  wooden spoon. Be careful of the spits of the hot  daar  jumping on your  hands. Once it is mashed and about to  thicken lower the flame and stir in the sugar, cardamom and nutmeg.

Mix in the fruits at  4  to 8. And let it  cool. Mix in the rose water and essences

Note: If Orange peel is out of season, like in California where it is only available during the pre-Christmas season,  use Marmalade which contains mostly tangy  thick  peel. I used an 18 ounce bottle.  Taste the mixture and if you like it more “tangy”  add more rinds from marmalade, taking care  that it does not thin down the “daar” or make it  sticky.   (also see note below)

Dough for  covering:

In a large bowl mix the atta, sooji i.e,  flour & semolina, ghee and salt  add half-a-cup of water.  Mix well if need be add a little more water till the  dough  comes  clean off the sides of the bowl. Cover  it with  a damp muslin cloth and put it aside  for at least half an hour.

Then making 4 inch( 10 cm) size round balls roll them into about 10 inch round  or square sheets,  “rotlis” or “chapattis” ( like Mexican tortillas ) no more than one-eighth of an inch  ( 3 cm.) thick. Spread the “Daar” in the center,  little more than   half an inch (15 mm)   high and fold over on all sides covering the “daar”  completely,  then pinch-sealing  the edges  with beaten egg. Flatten the edges. Bake the round discs  either in an oven or on the griddle. Oven at 400 F for  about 6  minutes then flipping it  over on the other side  for another 5 or 6 minutes until light golden. Since ovens come in different sizes and atmospheric conditions affect the cooking differently, it is recommended to  keep an eye of the baking and flip it over no sooner the top appears light golden.

Alternate method:  For  a large party,  Since making  the round “poori(s) as above  requires skill  and practice besides being  laborious and time consuming, I experimented making it in a rectangle  and  10 inch round aluminum pie dishes. (Please see pictures 006 & 7 above) .

Layering the dish with the rolled out  rectangular dough,  stretching it a little and making sure it covers all the 4 side walls of the dish up to  one inch. Fill it up with enough “daar” so that the layer is  a minimum half inch thick.

To evenly flatten the “daar”mixture in the pie dish, I used a  coffee mug since rolling pins can’t be  operated within the dish. (Please see pictures 003 & 004 above)

Cover the surface of the “daar” with the rolled sheet of dough. Pinch the edges from the side wall dough  after brushing over-laps / joints with egg  to make a good seal. Use a fork to press the edges or  scratch designs on the surface.  Bake at 400 F (205 C) for about 12 to 15 minutes. Keeping an eye on it  after  10 minutes.

If you intend to serve the poe-ree soon after baking or if you like a rich golden crust, lightly brush it  with the egg.

Note:   To save time  & effort I used  the commercially available readymade frozen puff pastry sheets.

Should you prefer to use it  too,  this is  what needs to be  done.  After taking the pastry out of the container cover with a damp cloth and let it  thaw for at least 30 minutes.  Then dust some dry flour on a rolling surface and carefully  place the pasty sheet.  Powder lightly  the top of the sheet and  using a rolling pin thin it down as  stated above.

A word of caution.  Do not try to unroll the frozen sheets until they  thaw, they will break into pieces.

 

Someone once asked, “How long can we  keep the Dal-ni-poe-ree ? ”  Meaning what is the shelf life. I don’t  have the answer, but Parsis visiting Bombay usually carry them  home and  even after the  long journey plus the days or weeks in their  refrigerators, they  probably taste just as good when offered.

I put the same question to the manager of the Parsi Dairy Farm’s restaurant which is on the National Highway approaching Udwada, his typically Parsi never to be forgotten  reply was;

“ If you eat it  today or  tomorrow, it is like  being with your new young girl-friend,    after that  it is  like being with your  wife.”  

    (I really could not fathom out what he really implied? )

 Enjoy

Rusi Sorabji

PS:  To make the DNP extra BAWA special. Not for  kids. Take a half a cup of your favourite Brandy, Rum or Vodka, soak the Rasins, Sultanas, Cranberries and Cherries for a few hours before adding  it to the mix.

REMEMBER  IT IS NOT FOR KIDS.