Two Indian expatriates living in the UAE, a Parsi and an Iranian Indian, share cooking secrets

One set of Bun Maska is never enough. The freshly baked soft bread is coated with the aroma of slowly melting butter, which makes people mouth-watering, eager to dip it in a plate of steaming buttery Iranichai. The humble and comfortable Bun Maska has achieved legendary status in the iconic Irani Café in Mumbai, exuding centuries of fond memories. Checkered floors, dilapidated seats, big clocks, signage, and cute "uncles" in front of the counter are common scenes in Iranian cafes that opened in Mumbai a few years ago. These disappearing Iranian cafes were once the centers of food, culture and social life, and still occupy a special place in the bustling social life of Mumbai.

Until ten years ago, I didn't even know the overwhelmingly delicious and creamy Shrewsbury biscuits. Yes, I came into contact with Parsi food very late and tried to make up for the lost time by looking around for the most authentic dishes and the fables behind them.

From Parsi writer Rohinton Mistry's book of nostalgic references to daily life and festive food to the Netflix movie Maska, I realized that food has a special place for Parsis and Iranians living in India. Due to the declining population, it may be slightly more than many other cultures. People almost strongly hope to protect their heritage, history and traditions through their food. However, on the bright side, the food provided through cafes and restaurants run by a new generation of Parsi and Indian Iranians, not only in Mumbai, but also in many places in India and the UAE, people can feel the past times. revival.

More than 1,200 years ago, a group of Zoroastrians landed in Sanjan, Gujarat, marking the arrival of a population called the Parsi. These people came from Pars Province in modern Iran, and they came to India by boat. Unsurprisingly, travel has a great influence on the cuisine of Passy. The beauty of Parsi food lies in its mild taste, and every spice is perfectly balanced, just like infusing love and warmth into the food.

"Our food has a strong influence on Gujarati and Koli [fishing communities]. The addition of lentils and vegetables to meat reflects the evolution of Papri’s cuisine in India. Papri Ma Gosht (broad beans with lamb ), Masoor Ma Gosht (red lentils with meat), Chora Ma Gosht (black eyed peas with meat) are all non-vegetarian versions of Gujarati vegetarian dishes,” explains Roshni Mithaiwalla Siddique, who is with her, brother Zubin Mi Zubin Mithaiwalla runs a Parsi restaurant called Café Funkie Town in Dubai.

Sweetness is another unique flavor in Gujarati food, and it has also influenced many Parsi dishes. "Our Prawn Patiya (shrimp dish made with onions and tomatoes) and Gravy Cutlace (chicken/lamb slices in tomato gravy) have a unique sweetness. Although many of our fish dishes are strongly influenced by Koli. Apart from these cultural influences, we have not really adjusted the authentic Parsi dishes. The recipes vary from family to family and are only based on tolerance to spice levels," Siddique added.

Despite the nuances, Iranian cuisine proves their mountain origin and travel from the Yazd region of Iran to India [Parsis after many years of arrival] mainly by walking and mule riding.

Anahita Gustaspi emphasized cultural nuances and explained: “As Zoroastrians, we firmly believe in...the purest form of nature. Therefore, we also respect seasonality in the way we cook food. In summer, there are beetroots. There are cauliflower in winter, and our dishes are adjusted according to the season. From the use of stone mortars to grind spices to the perfect day, we have encountered many challenges in the development of food. What we see now is the form of development."

The Iranian is a pioneer in quality and consistency, Gustaspi added that he is a professional chef. Things like baking Pav (bread) and Khari (puff pastry biscuits) must be done in a consistent manner using the same number of ingredients and the same temperature. “You can’t experiment, especially in an era when measuring scales are not often used. Although some recipes remain authentic, some recipes have been modified according to local flavors and culture. For example, I believe Patra Ni Macchi (cooked with banana leaves) Fish) is a kind of dish influenced by Gujarati culture because of the supply of coconut and banana leaves. Of course, we also eat meat like Parsis, because barbecue and barbecue have always been an integral part of Iranian food culture. "

For generations, as Iranians settled in Mumbai and neighboring areas, culture and cuisine were perfectly integrated. For example, Gustaspi talked about how she learned how to make kimchi using used lemon and lime peels, ginger-garlic sauce, jaggery, and vinegar. Her aunt learned what to do from her steward in Maharashtra.

Try to imagine a brass cookware with different dabbas (steel tiffin boxes), placing the dishes that require the longest time and heat on the bottom, and the ones that require less cooking time on top. One of Gustaspi's childhood memories is that her Bapaiji (grandmother) used traditional brass cookware to cook for her family. "My childhood was spent in a joint family in Mumbai. The whole family lives in the same building. Every afternoon, the children and women in the family lay on the floor and have lunch together at my grandmother's house.

"Lentils from the mountains play an important role in our cuisine. My mamaiji (grandmother) once taught us about the healing properties of vegetables and how to eat agricultural products. In summer, masoor daal is cooked with beetroot because of it It has a cool characteristic and we will put cut flowers or fried shrimp next to it. Therefore, as I was growing up, our daily meals included Vani (vegetables) and Roti, Chawal (rice) and Rasso (gravy) and mint ( Because of its digestive properties), green onions and other salads. Compared with the traditional vegetables usually eaten by Iranian and Parsi families, my mother eats a lot of vegetables for us,” Gustaspi added.

"My best memory is Meheryaan, Iran is equivalent to the Eid al-Adha. We carried out sacrifices after sunrise and ate freshly slaughtered meat on the same day. Most of the meat would be roasted and the whole family used mint, spring onions, boiled Sauzi with eggs, boiled potatoes, peppers and fermented Iranian scones."

Siddique also recalled their huge ancestral house in Mumbai, and how her family of 18 "dinner together at the big table, with two domestic dogs always by their side". Regular meals include Papeta Ma Gosht (curry lamb with potatoes), Dhansak (yellow lentils cooked with meat, served with white rice, cucumber salad and lemon slices), Dhandar (yellow daal), Patiya Prawn Patiya with rice and paf dinner[ Prefer grilled meat] with light curry and fish fry.

"The fond memories of my childhood are tasting a quarter plate of delicious Keema Pav at the legendary Yazdani and Kayani cafes," Siddique recalled affectionately. "Although I must say that we grew up in a fairly large Parsi joint family, where my grandmother and great-grandmother ran the catering business, we could eat delicious food every day. The two once provided thousands to the Parsi community every day A dabbas (meal). Their dabbas usually include things like Keema Patties (cutlets made with boiled potatoes and minced meat) or Chicken Farcha (Parsi-style fried chicken), Kathor (beans), lamb curry, rice, and grilled meat Or appetizers such as pav. Therefore, our food used to be very particular.

"We Parsi don't understand the concept of vegan food," she continued. "If there is no meat, there will be eggs. Some of our favorite egg-based dishes are Sali Par Eida (eggs on potato stalks), Bheeda Par Eida (eggs on okra), Bhaji Par Eida (scrambled Eggs boiled on a bed of vegetables), Tamota Per Eida (eggs cooked with eggs), tomatoes), Papeta Par Eida (eggs are cooked on thinly sliced ​​potatoes and fried with a little spiced onions and tomatoes), and of course The popular Akuri Pav (Spicy Scrambled Eggs). My grandmother is a gifted chef, and she makes sure we know and appreciate authentic Parsi dishes since we were young."

As with most cultures, food is the center of all celebrations in Parsis and Iran, whether it is Lagan (wedding) or Navjote (initiation ceremony). Anyone who has attended Parsi Lagan will recognize the grandeur of this feast. Siddique said that a six-course meal called Patra Nu Bhonu is served on banana leaves. This includes all popular dishes such as Chicken Farcha, followed by Patra Ni Macchi. Then there is Lagan nu Achar with grilled meat (Parsi style kimchi), then Sali Marghi (Parsi style curry chicken with potato chips), Mutton Palao Daar, and finally the famous Parsi dessert Lagan nu Custard (caramel mousse).

"Today, the world learns about Parsi cuisine through Sali Boti (Parsi-style lamb curry with potato chips), Dhansak, Akuri Pav and Keema Pav, but our food is much more than that," Siddique said.

"For example, during the birthday or wedding anniversary of the Parsi, there will always be Dhandaar Kolmi No Patiyo, including white rice, soybeans, prawns boiled in tomato sauce, and fish fry. This is our celebration food, simple and special. At Nawruz (Iran and Parsi New Year) and other festivals, our home-cooked holiday meals include Palao Daar with lamb or chicken, Dhansak Masala Daal (without meat) with fish fry or Sali Boti and Sagan Ni Sev (dry vermicelli made with ghee and sugar) And dried fruits) as desserts. The important thing is that every recipe we cook now has been passed down from generation to generation, from my great-grandmother to grandmother, to my father, and now to us."

Among Iranians, weddings are also a large-scale public affair. In addition to Dhansak, there are also elaborate banquet menus. "In our community, when someone dies, we will mourn for four days and pray for the dead souls. On the fourth day, we will pray before sunrise, and then cook Dhansak with fresh meat, as a family for the first time in four days. Get together for a feast of non-vegetarian food. That's why Dhansak is not offered at the wedding," Gustaspi explained.

For the same reason, Parsis will not serve Dhansak at their wedding. "However, if there is no meat, the same dish is a mix of lentils and vegetables served at the wedding," she added.

Commenting on how traditions keep alive through food, Gustaspi talked about how her maternal family has shaped her culinary understanding and skills. "The cooking skills of my grandmother Mitha and her sister Banoo are legendary. They make things like freshly baked Seerog, which is a traditional but largely forgotten Iranian bread. When their other When the sisters come from Iran, where we and our family are, they will seriously discuss how to improve the recipe and pass it on to the next generation."

Emphasizing another forgotten traditional Iranian dish, Gustaspi shared, “Because we believe in using by-products and leftovers, my grandmother will make various dishes with offal. One such dish is Ghepu made from tripe, scrubbed and cut. It is broken into pieces, stuffed with soaked rice, small pieces of meat, cumin, black pepper and all the spices, all sewn in a small bag. Then the animal heads and stuffed tripe are boiled in a large pot for 12 hours. This way. The resulting nutritious soup is eaten with pav. Ghepu is a forgotten [non-charming] Iranian dish that shows the origin of a delicacy, characterized by the fact that we drink various soups when we come from the mountains."

Try two Parsi recipes, make Parsi patra ni machhi and Oash-e-Berenj at home. Share your recipes with us at food@gulfnews.com

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