Category Archives: Food

Parsi Pallonji Cocktail

In this video, you will get to learn Parsi Pallonji cocktail at home. It’s a simple and easy cocktail one can try at home. Here, Piyush Jagtap mixologist at 190’amsl, Novotel Mumbai International Airport is demonstrating the art of making this easy cocktail. To make this cocktail, you need green chilly, raspberry syrup, orange juice, and soda. To make this drink, all you need to do is, add all ingredients into shaker except soda filled with ice and shake fantastically. Pour mixer in a Martini glass and top up with soda and garnish with fresh green chilly on glass rim. Make it look like a devil. Give it a try and enjoy.

https://recipes.timesofindia.com/videos/watch-how-to-make-parsi-pallonji/videoshow/103997915.cms

Unveiling Pakistan’s Parsi Culinary Traditions: Pakistan Museum of Food

‘Pakistan’s Museum of Food’ is the largest and most comprehensive exploration of Pakistani cuisine online, featuring over 9000 Images, 90 videos and 100 stories that capture the vibrant culinary tapestry of Pakistan’s five provinces and beyond. This project aims to preserve and celebrate the culture and heritage of Pakistani food, as well as to document its dynamic evolution and progression. We hope that this project will inspire people to explore, appreciate, and enjoy the vibrant culinary culture, lineage and food practices of Pakistan, as well as to contribute their own stories and recipes to this living narrative.

You can see the entire exhibit here: https://artsandculture.google.com/project/flavors-of-pakistan

pakistan

The special section titled

Unveiling Pakistan’s Parsi Culinary Traditions

Parsi heritage dishes from Karachi

 

can be seen here https://artsandculture.google.com/story/yQVho4mwu8y8_Q

The Parsi Community of Pakistan

Dwelling primarily in Karachi, the Parsis of Pakistan carry the legacy of their Persian ancestors who embarked on a journey to Medieval India. Although their community is small in numbers, their impact on Pakistan’s trajectory post-partition has been profound.

Mister Merchant’s brings more Parsi quirk to Pune’s restaurant scene

You may dress things up all you like, and court the crowds with all the razzmatazz, but the success of a contemporary Indian restaurant often depends on what it does with spice. At Mister Merchant’s—Pune’s ode to Indian and Middle Eastern culinary indulgence—generous sprinklings of sumac, delicate strands of saffron, and a battalion of reviving garnishes are helping to bring flavours from the Silk Route to life.

A sense of style and character flows through every element at Mister Merchants including its bespoke crockery and cutlery

A sense of style and character flows through every element at Mister Merchant’s, including its bespoke crockery and cutlery

Anchoring itself as an address for ‘Contemporary Indian Mezze’, Mister Merchant’s captures the eye through a post-colonial vintage air, before it gratifies the taste buds. With its textured walls of green and rust, dark woods, photographs that hint at a bygone romance, artefacts that keeps the ruse of antiquity going, geometric black-and-white flooring, and a general speakeasy vibe rooted in mellow tones, this is very much an address for the breezy affair or the intimacy of grown-up conversation. That speakeasy vibe is heightened by the elevated al fresco bar entrance that gives way to steps that lead down into the restaurant, affording it a touch of playful secrecy.

Against the backdrop of an eclectic soundtrack of distant jazz and ethnic lounge, are plated the cuisines of India and the Middle East. The restaurant lives up to its promise of being mezze-heavy; the selection of entrees, small plates, and finger foods is exhaustive and beautifully plucked from select, coveted food philosophies that came to define the cuisines along the Silk Route.

The zerowaste cocktails are an able accompaniment to the array of mezze on offer

The zero-waste cocktails are an able accompaniment to the array of mezze on offer

The Saffron Chicken Cigar, for instance, is a crunchy coming together of poultry, cheese, onions, and spice—ideal for finger food nonchalance. The Mushroom & Truffle Baklava melts before it fully hits the tongue. A portfolio of Indian and Iranian kebabs pay homage to their origins while deviating playfully in the form of sumac immersion and such, illustrating how closely the two lands are bound by flavour and culinary imaginations. Dishes like the dhaba-inspired Thecha & Curry Leaf Hummus and extravagantly juicy Chicken Joojeh Masti are fine examples of the collaborations at play.

Mister Merchant’s is part of a curious contemporary fashion in dining where new restaurants, to infuse enigma and narrative into the brand, arrive with created mythologies. There is no Mister Merchant, to be clear. The team at Pass Code Hospitality (the parent entity of Mister Merchant’s, home to SAZ, Jamun, and others), spent time deciding on the type of food it wanted to do, the ambience it wanted to create. Mister Merchant’s the restaurant and its eponymous character were born out of that process and out of the team’s personal journeys. As a gourmand then you’re at home with a Parsi trader, where the food is a reflection of his voyages through the world—taking inspiration from a generation of men who used to travel to Persia, the Middle East, and Central Asia to trade goods—across the Levant, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and back home to India. Mister Merchant’s assumes the form of a gastronomic rendezvous with the Silk Route, in a stylish contemporary atmosphere that oozes warmth, geniality, and a certain subtle plushness.

Light greens warm woods and the geometric blackandwhite flooring make for a warm arresting ambience at Mister Merchant's...

Light greens, warm woods, and the geometric black-and-white flooring make for a warm, arresting ambience at Mister Merchant’s, Kalyani Nagar, Pune

“The menu is a reflection of this character’s travels and his life. We’ve created an elevated Mediterranean-plus dining experience that takes you places. Middle Eastern dishes have Indian swagger,” says Executive Chef & Partner Rahul Pereira. “The Indian dishes have elements of Arab seasoning. And some dishes are left true to the original, via the best of ingredients and a Mister Merchant’s signature. For instance, many of the old Parsi business families had Goan chefs, so you’ll find some unexpected Goan appearances on the menu.”

An assortment of hummus plates—including the Ghee amp Podi Hummus and Steak Hummus—start things off on the menu

An assortment of hummus plates—including the Ghee & Podi Hummus and Steak Hummus—start things off on the menu

Together with the mythical Mister Merchant, the restaurant has been a journey for the team too. The members have scoured antique shops and thrift markets to gather the things that would go into a Parsi gentleman’s home. Family photographs, ornate frames, world maps, faded certificates, heirloom lamps and figurines—they’ve all gone into the making of this space. The journey has been more literal for Chef Pereira. “I was at the India By The Nile festival a few years ago on invitation, and each night we’d have koshari from a different place. There was no way koshari was not going to be on my menu—but with desi ghee and an Indian heart,” he says.

A hearty selection of Indian and Persian kebabs follow

A hearty selection of Indian and Persian kebabs follow

A new song comes on. In its drowsy vibe, the female singer’s lush chants, and exotic heartbeat, it’s hard to pinpoint the track’s provenance. It could be Indian, Lebanese, Turkish, or a mélange of all these ethnic cultural flavours. You get the feeling Mister Merchant’s wouldn’t have it any other way.

Mister Merchant’s, Suman Business Park, next to Hotel Royal Orchid Central, Kalyani Nagar, Pune. Hours: 12 noon–4pm for lunch; 7pm–1am for dinner. Call +91-9175822202. Meal for two with alcohol: approx Rs2,500.

https://www.cntraveller.in/story/kalyani-nagar-restaurant-mister-merchants-pune-parsi-food/

 

Wafer per eedu

Recipe: Wafer per eedu

(Photo: Perzen Patel)

If you’ve managed to secure some eggs, here’s a tasty dish from the Parsi cuisine which essentially revolves around eggs… Even if they were an acquired taste for Perzen Patel. 

I’ve always been mentally allergic to eggs. I’ll eat cakes that have eggs and dishes where I can’t see or taste the egg. But scrambled eggs, fried eggs, quiches, eggs bene, boiled eggs are all out.

This would be an okay thing to be allergic to except that I’m a Parsi. And my community is obsessed with eggs. In any and every form.

Eede translates to egg and “per eedu” literally means “egg on top”. Open any Parsi cookbook, and you will find at least a handful of different akoori’s as well as dishes like mango per eedu (eggs on mango), tomato per eedu (eggs on masala tomato) and even eggs cooked on clotted cream or malai per eedu. We even have a wintry egg fudge, Eeda Pak made with 25 egg yolks!

Some stories say that our egg mania finds its roots in ancient Iran where my ancestors lived before they were persecuted and migrated to India. In ancient Iran, eggs were seen as a symbol of fertility and new life. Of course, eggs are also a cheap way to bulk up leftovers. And, a great source of protein. Which likely also has something to do with our egg fascination.

As a blogger, I simply ignored all these egg recipes and wrote about other stuff. But when I graduated to becoming a caterer, I had to serve up some classic egg dishes. I started with an akoori (because that’s the only egg dish I can stand) but my clients were not satisfied. Sheena wanted to hear about my favourite egg dish growing up. (Ummm..none?)  Perin wanted to share her experience eating poro pav (omelette sandwich) at school . (Why why why?) Ravi reminisced about eating Kheema per eedu (eggs on spiced mince) at Kayani cafe, assuming I loved eating it too.

And so it continued.

At their insistence, I tried all of these and slowly, before I knew it, I was in love. I still can’t eat scrambled eggs, but I do like a good Wafer per Eedu. It feels like a good starting point for this imposter.

What is Wafer per eedu?

It’s literally, eggs on wafers (more commonly known in New Zealand as potato chips or crisps). I always find myself making this dish the day after a party when I have half-eaten bags of chips lying around the house.

It comes together in five minutes and you can feel a bit righteous finishing off the chips now that you’re eating them with eggs – you’re joining the #nofoodwaste movement!

WAFER PER EEDU

Serves Two

  • 4 eggs
  • 3 tbsp ghee
  • 100 gm potato chips (or potato wafers)
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Handful chopped fresh coriander leaves
  • Optional: Warm toasted bread

In a small saucepan, warm  the ghee. When it’s hot, add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and ginger-garlic paste. Stir until the “raw” smell from the ginger and garlic is gone. Add the turmeric powder and mix.

Crush the wafers in your palms and add them to the pan. Gently mix until combined. In another bowl crack the eggs open, add in your salt and whisk them together.

Now, pour the eggs on top. Make a few holes in your wafer layer to allow the egg to go in and bind the potato layer. Lower your heat and cover the pan.

Cook for 2-3 minutes until the egg is cooked. Uncover the pan and garnish with the coriander leaves. Cut into two and plate up the wafer per eedu. Serve with warm toasted bread.

avatar

Of malido and heritage


Interiors of the cafe

The Parsi dessert malido spells comfort for Neville Bose, the new restaurateur on the block. It is this homely comfort that the Parsi-Bengali force behind Kala Ghoda*s Malido Café wants to serve up at the freshly minted eatery. From grilled Bombay sandwich and beetroot carpaccio to avocado toast, Malaysian chicken curry and berry pulao, Bose has curated a fun, eclectic menu that the café-hopping junta of the art district seems to be lapping up. The restaurateur – who has a degree in finance and hospitality from The Netherlands – had a simple criterion for the menu: light, healthy, sustainable food that makes you feel homely, he told this diarist.

Neville Bose
Neville Bose

“The menu is not cuisine-oriented. We wanted to have fun with it and keep it floating,” shared Bose, whose tryst with hospitality took off when he started managing the iconic Kala Ghoda Cafe amid the pandemic. Here*s a cool fact about the young gun. He traces his heritage to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and his brother Sailesh Chandra Bose, who is Neville*s great uncle. His father, Ardhendu Bose, meanwhile, was a model. Readers of a certain vintage will recall his Bombay Dyeing ads. Now, that*s some legacy to keep up.

 

https://www.mid-day.com/amp/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbai-diary-tuesday-dossier-23266927

Parsi-Style Mutton Lacy Cutlets

Being adventurous with food choices sort of comes with the territory of being a food writer. But when it comes to the end of a long week or if I’m looking for a true comfort meal, all roads lead to Parsi food. And for me, food doesn’t get more comforting than a big helping of mori dal, rice and some Mutton Cutlets on the side.

Mutton Cutlets on their own aren’t a Parsi-specific dish, most cultures have their own meat kebabs to enjoy, but what sets Parsi cutlets apart has got to be the ‘Lace’. Thankfully this doesn’t mean gussying up your meal in frilly dresses, it refers to a technique of creating an eggy lattice over your cutlet that crisps to perfection when fried. In addition to the little crunchy nuggets which are always the best part of any dish, it also provides an opportunity to use extra eggs. An irresistible offer to any Parsi.

You May Also Like

  • Parsi New Year: Let's Talk About The Parsi's Connection With The Indian Soda Industry

    Parsi New Year: Let’s Talk About The Parsi’s Connection With The Indian Soda Industry

  • Parsi Piquancy: The Love Affair Between Parsi Cuisine And Eggs

    Parsi Piquancy: The Love Affair Between Parsi Cuisine And Eggs

  • Navroz 2022: 4 Decadent Parsi Desserts To Celebrate The Holiday

    Navroz 2022: 4 Decadent Parsi Desserts To Celebrate The Holiday

  • Where To Eat Parsi Food In Udvada, The Sacred Parsi Town in Gujarat

    Where To Eat Parsi Food In Udvada, The Sacred Parsi Town in Gujarat

  • Parsi New Year: Try This Parsi Style Kheer Ravo

    Parsi New Year: Try This Parsi Style Kheer Ravo

Chinese and Thai cuisine also sometimes employ a similar technique making a thin egg wash that’s sprinkled into hot oil to produce the ‘lacy’ effect. Even European rissoles are sometimes made with something similar but the rich Indian spices and fresh onions in Parsi-style mutton cutlets give them the edge in the world food rankings (At least in my opinion)

Ingredients

  • 500 gm mutton mince
  • 250 gm  potatoes
  • 2 red onions
  • 2-3 Green chillies
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp good quality garam masala
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 cup of plain breadcrumbs
  • 3 eggs (more if required)
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • Oil

Method

  • In a pan, saute the chopped chillies and onions until soft.
  • Add in the garlic ginger paste and turmeric powder and stir together till well-combined. Transfer this mixture to a bowl.
  • In another pan dry roast the coriander seeds and cumin seeds and grind them into a powder and add them along with the garam masala and chilli powder to the onion mix.
  • Mash the potatoes into this mixture.
  • In another pan, add some oil and fry off your mutton mince, seasoning to taste.
  • Let it cool slightly and then mix it in with the potato mash until soft and well blended.
  • Shape the mixture into oval cutlets about ¼ inch thick.
  • Roll each cutlet in breadcrumbs and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • When you’re ready to fry, beat the eggs until they’re very frothy and then add a couple of spoons of water before beating them again.
  • Heat a few inches of oil for deep frying the cutlets.
  • Dip each cutlet in the eg mixture before dropping it in the hot oil.
  • Whisk the eggs between cutlets to ensure it stays aerated.
  • Drain them on some paper towels and serve hot as snacks or as a side dish.

https://www.slurrp.com/article/parsi-style-mutton-lacy-cutlets-are-a-bite-of-comfort-1674041807837

Ancient Parsi Recipes Come to Life in This New Cookbook From Chef Farokh Talati

“I decided to write this book out of a sense of duty,” says Farokh Talati. The head chef at London’s St. John Bread and Wine may have spent his career working in the U.K.’s most venerated kitchens (with the likes of Heston Blumenthal and Angela Hartnett, to name a couple), but Talati looks inward at his family history with this latest project—a new cookbook titled Parsi: From Persia to Bombay: Recipes & Tales from the Ancient Culture, out December 6 (Bloomsbury).

Parsi culture has early roots, dating back to the 7th century when a group of Zoroastrians, a pre-Islamic religious group, fled persecution in present-day Iran and eventually landed on the west coast of India, in the town of Sanjan. Their language, way of life, and culinary traditions mingled with local customs, creating what is today known as Parsi culture.

Talati grew up in a Parsi household in London, and his first cookbook feels like an artful heritage project—a show-and-tell of the recipes he was raised with, the dishes his parents ate in India before emigrating to the U.K., and present-day Parsi home chefs in Mumbai, where most Parsis live today. It’s inspired by his own travels back to India to learn more about his roots, but fosters a mission of showcasing and preserving Parsi cuisine—for those who’ve never heard of it, and for new generations of Parsis alike. “This book represents a very important aspect of the Parsi community and shows it to a new audience,” says Talati. “My hope is that Parsis who do not know how to cook the foods their mums, dads, and grandparents used to cook will pick up this book and learn to make these dishes and reconnect with their heritage.”

Whichever camp you fall into, the stories and 150 recipes that adorn this book’s pages offer ample inspiration. There are lamb stews, quails stuffed with biryani, mango desserts, and even tips on how to crack coconuts open at home. (Talati’s favorite recipe is Dinaz Aunty’s curry; more on that below.) There are also images of Parsi libraries and places of worship; informal breakfast cafés and markets. Importantly, though, the book provides a portrait of the Parsi community, and what their culture looks like in today’s India—not to mention the Parsi dishes to seek out on your next trip.

Below, we share a selection of images from the book, taken across the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra, and the stories behind them—courtesy of Talati.

Click Here to view more, including some stunning photographs

 

« Older Entries