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Tag: Parsi

  • Parsi Mutton Dhansak

    Dhansak is the best-known Parsi dish, a hearty meal of mutton cooked with lentils and vegetables, eaten traditionally on Sundays. In Parsi households, dhansak is not served at festivals or celebrations, because it was eaten on the fourth day after a death, when the mourning meat fast ends. On ordinary Sundays, however, it is beloved comfort food.

    The dish combines several lentils with pumpkin, brinjal, fenugreek leaves and tomato, all cooked until soft and pureed into a thick, smooth gravy. Mutton pieces simmer in this gravy with dhansak masala, a warm blend of spices. The flavour is earthy, slightly sweet and sour, and gently spiced. It is hearty and filling.

    Dhansak is served with brown rice, which is basmati cooked with caramelised sugar and whole spices, and kachumber salad and small mutton kebabs. Lemon wedges and fried onions complete the plate. Chicken dhansak is a popular alternative. Many Parsi restaurants in Mumbai serve dhansak only on Sundays, which keeps the tradition alive.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineParsi
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time90 minutes
    Total time120 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsmutton / toor dal / pumpkin / brinjal

    Ingredients

    For the dal and vegetables

    • 1/2 cup toor dal
    • 2 tbsp masoor dal
    • 2 tbsp moong dal
    • 2 tbsp chana dal
    • 1 cup red pumpkin, cubed
    • 1 small brinjal, cubed
    • 1 potato, cubed
    • 1 cup fresh methi leaves
    • 2 tomatoes, chopped
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 4 cups water

    For the mutton

    • 750 g mutton, curry cut
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 3 tbsp ghee
    • 2 onions, finely sliced
    • 2 tbsp dhansak masala
    • 1 tsp sambhar masala
    • 1 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 tbsp tamarind pulp
    • 1 tbsp jaggery
    • 2 tbsp chopped mint and coriander

    Method

    1. Wash and soak the dals together for 30 minutes.
    2. Marinate the mutton with ginger-garlic paste and salt and pressure cook with 1 cup water for 6-7 whistles until tender.
    3. Pressure cook the dals with the vegetables, methi, tomatoes, onion, turmeric and water for 4-5 whistles until everything is very soft.
    4. Blend the dal and vegetables to a smooth puree.
    5. Heat ghee in a heavy pot on medium. Fry the sliced onions for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
    6. Add dhansak masala, sambhar masala and chilli powder and stir for 30 seconds. Add the mutton with its stock and fry for 3 minutes.
    7. Pour in the dal puree, add tamarind and jaggery, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until thick and well blended. Adjust salt and garnish with mint and coriander.

    Tips

    • The consistency should be thick but pourable; adjust with hot water.
    • Parsi dhansak masala is available in Mumbai stores and gives the authentic flavour.
    • Make the caramelised brown rice by cooking basmati with sugar browned in oil and whole spices.

    Serve with

    Caramelised brown rice, kachumber salad and mutton kebabs.

  • Patra ni Machhi

    Patra ni machhi is a celebratory Parsi dish of fish steamed in banana leaves, served at weddings, navjotes and other festive occasions. Fillets of pomfret are coated thickly with a green chutney of fresh coconut, coriander, mint, green chillies and lime, then wrapped in banana leaf parcels and steamed. It is a Parsi classic.

    The flavour is fresh, bright and herby, with sweetness from coconut and a sharp edge of lime and chilli. Steaming keeps the fish moist and tender, while the banana leaf adds a delicate fragrance. Unwrapping the parcel at the table is part of the pleasure. It feels light and elegant on the plate.

    It is served as part of a lagan nu bhonu, the Parsi wedding feast, often eaten on banana leaves. At home, it makes an impressive yet simple dish for guests. The chutney can be made a day ahead, and the parcels assembled in the morning and steamed just before serving, which takes the pressure off.

    At a glance

    RegionGujarat
    CuisineParsi
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspomfret / coconut / coriander / banana leaf

    Ingredients

    For the fish

    • 2 medium pomfrets, cut into 8 fillets or thick slices
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tbsp lime juice

    For the green chutney

    • 1 cup freshly grated coconut
    • 1 cup chopped coriander
    • 1/4 cup mint leaves
    • 4 green chillies
    • 6 garlic cloves
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp lime juice

    For wrapping

    • 4 banana leaves, cut into 8 squares
    • Kitchen string

    Method

    1. Rub the fish with salt, turmeric and lime juice and set aside for 15 minutes.
    2. Grind all the chutney ingredients to a thick, smooth paste with very little water.
    3. Soften the banana leaves by passing them over a flame for a few seconds until glossy.
    4. Coat each fish piece generously with chutney on both sides.
    5. Place each piece in the centre of a banana leaf square, fold the sides over to make a parcel, and tie with string.
    6. Steam the parcels in a steamer on medium-high for 15-20 minutes until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily.
    7. Serve the parcels hot, letting each person unwrap their own.

    Tips

    • Make the chutney thick so it stays on the fish while steaming.
    • If banana leaves are not available, use parchment paper.
    • Pomfret is traditional, but any firm white fish works.

    Serve with

    Steamed rice or as part of a Parsi lagan nu bhonu feast.

  • Parsi Akuri

    Akuri is the Parsi version of scrambled eggs, a breakfast staple in Parsi homes and the Irani cafes of Mumbai and Pune. Eggs are cooked slowly with onion, tomato, green chilli, ginger, turmeric and coriander until just set but still creamy and slightly runny. The texture should be soft and loose, never dry.

    The flavour is savoury, spiced and fresh, with the sweetness of slowly cooked onions and heat from green chilli. Parsis are famously fond of eggs, and akuri is one of many egg dishes in their cuisine. A richer version, Bharuchi akuri, adds cashews, raisins and cream. The base version is everyday food.

    Akuri is served on toast or with soft pav, along with a cup of sweet chai. It also makes a quick weeknight dinner. Kyani and Britannia in Mumbai are among the old Irani cafes that serve it. The trick is to take the pan off the heat while the eggs still look wet, so they finish cooking gently on the plate.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineParsi
    DietEggetarian
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time10 minutes
    Total time20 minutes
    Serves2
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientseggs / onion / tomato / green chilli

    Ingredients

    • 4 eggs
    • 2 tbsp milk
    • 1 1/2 tbsp butter
    • 1 small onion, finely chopped
    • 1 tsp grated ginger
    • 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1 small tomato, finely chopped
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric
    • 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Whisk the eggs with milk and salt until frothy.
    2. Melt butter in a non-stick pan on medium-low heat. Add onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft and pale golden.
    3. Add ginger and green chillies and cook for 1 minute.
    4. Add tomato, turmeric and chilli powder and cook for 2 minutes until the tomato softens.
    5. Lower the heat to the minimum and pour in the eggs. Stir slowly and continuously with a spatula, pushing from the edges to the centre.
    6. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the eggs are softly set but still creamy and slightly runny. Turn off the heat; they will continue cooking.
    7. Stir in coriander and serve immediately.

    Tips

    • Low heat is key; high heat makes the eggs dry and rubbery.
    • Take the pan off the heat while the eggs still look slightly wet.
    • Add a few drops of cream for extra richness.

    Serve with

    Buttered toast or soft pav and Irani chai.

  • Such a Long Journey

    Gustad Noble is a decent, proud bank clerk living with his wife Dilnavaz and three children in the Khodadad Building, a Parsi apartment block in Bombay. In 1971 a letter arrives from Major Jimmy Bilimoria, a friend who vanished years earlier, asking Gustad to deposit a large sum of money on behalf of a secret government operation linked to the coming war over East Pakistan.

    As Gustad tries to do his duty, his household is fraying: his eldest son Sohrab refuses the IIT place his father dreamed of, his daughter falls ill, and Dilnavaz turns to a neighbour's spells for help. Around them the building's eccentrics, including a pavement artist who paints gods on a wall, give the novel warmth and comedy.

    Mistry's first novel draws on the real Nagarwala bank fraud case and is affectionate about Parsi Bombay while sceptical of power. It won the Governor General's Award and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize Best Book and was shortlisted for the Booker; a film version appeared in 1998.

    Book details

    AuthorRohinton Mistry
    First published1991
    Original languageEnglish
    GenreLiterary fiction
    TypeFiction
    Pages (approx.)339
    SettingKhodadad Building, Bombay, 1971
    AwardsGovernor General's Award 1991, Commonwealth Writers' Prize 1992

    Themes

    • Fathers and sons
    • Friendship and betrayal
    • Political corruption
    • Parsi community
    • Faith

    Who should read it

    Readers who enjoy warm, character-rich domestic novels with a political mystery underneath.

  • Family Matters

    Nariman Vakeel, a retired English professor of seventy-nine, lives in a large flat in Chateau Felicity with his two middle-aged stepchildren, Coomy and Jal. After he breaks his ankle on an evening walk, Coomy contrives to move him to the two-room flat of his daughter Roxana, her husband Yezad and their two sons in Pleasant Villa.

    The burden of nursing an invalid, and the cost of his medicines, pushes Yezad, an assistant in a sports shop, towards a reckless plan involving his employer and the Shiv Sena's hold on the city. Flashbacks show the forbidden love affair that Nariman was made to give up in his youth, a wound that still shapes every relationship in the family.

    Mistry writes about old age, duty and the slow business of caring with patience and gentle comedy, especially through Roxana's young son Jehangir. Shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2002, it is also a portrait of 1990s Bombay and of a Parsi community worried about its own survival.

    Book details

    AuthorRohinton Mistry
    First published2002
    Original languageEnglish
    GenreLiterary fiction
    TypeFiction
    Pages (approx.)487
    SettingBombay, mid-1990s, with flashbacks to the 1940s and 1950s

    Themes

    • Caring for the elderly
    • Family obligation
    • Religious orthodoxy
    • Communal politics
    • Regret

    Who should read it

    Anyone who has looked after an ageing parent, or who loves quiet, tender family novels.

  • A Fine Balance

    In 1975, in an unnamed seaside city that is clearly Bombay, Dina Dalal, a Parsi widow determined not to depend on her brother, takes in work from an export firm. She hires two tailors, Ishvar Darji and his nephew Om, who have fled caste violence in their village, and rents a room to Maneck Kohlah, a student from a hill town whose family store is losing out to development.

    Mistry gives each character a long backstory, from the Chamaar family that defied caste by becoming tailors to Maneck's mountain childhood, before bringing them together in Dina's flat. As Indira Gandhi's Emergency unfolds, slum demolitions, forced sterilisation drives, bonded labour and petty officials press in from outside, and their fragile household is tested again and again.

    This is a big, compassionate novel about friendship and dignity under crushing systems, written in clear, unshowy prose. It won the Giller Prize and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and was shortlisted for the Booker. Its emotional force is famous, and readers should be prepared for hardship.

    Book details

    AuthorRohinton Mistry
    First published1995
    Original languageEnglish
    GenreLiterary fiction
    TypeFiction
    Pages (approx.)603
    SettingAn unnamed city by the sea (Bombay) and rural north India, 1940s to 1984, mainly 1975 to 1977
    AwardsGiller Prize 1995, Commonwealth Writers' Prize 1996

    Themes

    • The emergency
    • Caste oppression
    • Friendship
    • Poverty
    • Resilience

    Who should read it

    Readers who want an absorbing, humane epic about ordinary people living through India's Emergency.