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| PARSEE
FOOD |
FOOD
& COOKING ARTICLE |
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For
the love of Parsee Food
by
Monica Bhide
 Dheekra
was the single word that started my love affair with
Parsi food. I had heard that word many times in Indian
movies. Growing up abroad I did not know what it meant.
I asked my father. It means a "child"
he said, it is Parsi. What was Parsi? Who were these
people, always portrayed in the movies to be a fair
skinned intellectual lot? Dad told me of the legendary
meals he had had in Mumbai as a child at the homes of
Parsi friends. The dishes that melded sweet and sour
and spicy and salty. The elaborate preparations that
made each guest feel like a king. I had to learn more.
Mistry and Bapsi and so many others. I began to scratch
the surface of a very complex culture. I fell in love
with the characters they created, living together in
a multi-storey building in Mumbai.
A
community that is small in number, it has contributed
to the world’s political, business and arts in
amazing ways. Think JRD Tata, Godrej (India’s leading
business families) and Zubin Mehta . . . when you think
of Parsi’s. They are a very intellectual community,
very talented. They came from what was Persia, now Iran,
and landed in India in the state of Gujarat.
Unfortunately
this wonderful people is fast decreasing in numbers.
This is primarily due to the structure of Zoroastrainism
- their religion. There are no converts allowed. One
can only be born a Parsi. Marriages outside the community
are not encouraged and anyone born of a non Parsi mother
or father of such a marriage is not considered a Parsi
and is not allowed into their Fire Temple or place of
worship.
Their
cuisine is a tantalizing marriage of Persian and Gujarati
styles. Flavoring their curries with nuts and apricots,
they brought the richness of Persia to the simple Gujarati
food. Parsi food is not hot with chilies but has complex
flavors and textures. They are primarily non vegetarians
and enjoy eating chicken, mutton and eggs.
I
present to you two of my favorite Parsee recipes from
my upcoming book. As the Parsi’s say "Chalo
jumva avoji . . . Come, let's eat".
(You
can find more of her recipes on the site if you just
enter her name in the search box on the left or top
of the page).
©
Monica Bhide
 A
new young voice in Indian cooking, Monica Bhide was
probably born with a mixing spoon in her mouth! Since
the age of ten, cooking has been a lifelong passion
for this accomplished caterer and home chef. Monica
specialises in Indian cuisine and has prepared everything
from an intimate dinner for two to large parties of
40. A graduate of several formal cooking courses in
her native India, she is also a voracious cookbook reader
and counts hundreds of cookbooks in her collection.
Frustrated
by the lack of straightforward Indian cookbooks, Monica
became inspired several years ago to develop simplified
and healthful versions of her favorite Indian dishes.
The result is the collection of mouthwatering Indian
recipes in her book The Spice is Right, where Monica,
in her down-to-earth and lively writing style, guides
Indian food lovers on a non-intimidating and flavourful
foray into home-style Indian cooking.
If
you would like to purchase a copy of The Spice is Right
<click
here>
Email
Hub-UK : info@hub-uk.com
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