Indian Parsi Food Recipes and Cookbooks – Good Food leads to Good Health and a Good Life
Parsi recipes travelled from Persia to the beaches of Gujarat, up north India, then to the west of India, east India and south India, acquiring technique and adding new flavours to the food. Pallonji raspberry soda is a popular drink served during Parsi weddings.(Shutterstock) Despite their dwindling population, the Parsis strive to preserve the legacy […]
Question: When should you take down Christmas tree? The Traditional Answer: Traditionally, Catholics do not take down their Christmas trees and holiday decorations until January 7, the day after Epiphany. Time to put away the Christmas tree till next year. Epiphany is celebrated 12 days after Christmas on 6th January (or January 19th for some Orthodox Church who have […]
#Parsicuisine is a wonderful blend of Persian (Iranian) cuisine Gujarati flavours, Maharashtrian, and British influences.Parsi dishes reveal traces of their Persian past in its use of sweet dried fruit and nuts such as apricots and golden raisins, almonds, or Charoli seeds, and cashews. The most notable part about the Parsi cuisine in India is that it […]
Rita’s Fruitcake
By Vikram Doctor One of the most startling things of this festive season: the desi bride and groom are actually made of cake. Flury’s became known both for the cakes it provided in its café and the elaborate concoctions it made on demand. Bachi Karkaria, in her book, Flury’s of Calcutta: The Cake That Walked, recorded […]
Dirty Chai Earthquake Cookies
This fish shaped dessert is very popular among the Indian Parsi community. It is molded in the shape of a fish because the fish is a symbol for fertility and good luck. It can be sliced and eaten as dessert. Storage Instructions: Can be kept outside for 2 or 3 days, refrigerated for a couple […]
Nothing makes a better end to a Christmas dinner than a rich, dense Christmas pudding. Home chef Rhea Mitra Dalal is keeping the steam and spirit alive. The days are getting cooler and it will be winter soon. We found a nice article on the forgotten Christmas pudding. On Belvedere Road in Mazagaon, we look […]
I would like to take you on a journey into the culture, and nuances of the Parsi Cuisine of India. I would like to present to you the famous Story of Parsi immigration (into India) and their welcome with “Sugar in the Milk”. One of the oldest stories of Sugar and Milk in Parsis (Parsi / […]
Yalda on December 21 is celebrated in many parts of the world. Eating watermelon in the winter is believed to keep you healthy in the new year. Watermelon seeds are one of the items in the health food – parsi vasanu and the gujarati word is “char jat nu magaj”. Yalda Festival Table (Shab e […]
Edible Candy Turkeys You will need: Bag of Candy Corn Cupcake containers Blanched Almonds for garnish Reeses Peanut Butter Cups Oreo Cookies with thick cream center Chocolate covered Raisins Assemble: Take a Oreo cookie and stick a peanut butter for the turkey body. Stick a chocolate covered raisin on top for the head of the […]
While Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for family, Friendsgiving gives us an opportunity to be thankful for friends.
Saffron Elaichi Gulab Jamun by Rita Jamshed Kapadia The Gulab Jamun is one of the most popular indian sweet, served at restaurants in the states.”Gulab” means “Rose” and “Jamun” means a “Drop”. Translated these are literally “Drops of Rose”. In this recipe the flavor is real kesar (saffron) *and elaichi (cardamom) * so I call these “Drops […]
Eggless Bhakra
“Kohra (White Pumpkin) Murambo (Preserve)” recipe is included in the cookbook . White Pumpkin Preserve is flavored with hints of cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg with an amber caramel color which come from hours of gently simmering the grated pumpkin. Truly, this Kohra no Murambo is a labor of love in the finest traditions of the Parsis. […]
Doodh Peda #Doodh #Peda #Homemade #MilkPeda #Recipe #Diwali #Special #Sweet #doodhpeda #diwali2019 Doodh Peda | Sweets & SavouriesSweets are those delicacies that make a definite appearance in every Indian festival and function, be it Diwali, a housewarming party or a wedding function. And doodh peda is one of the most common sweets at these occasions. Yet, most people prefer to order them from […]
Five Festive Days of Diwali Diwali also known as the Festival of Lights is a five days Hindu festival, celebrated between mid-October and mid-November. Deepawali or Diwali is the biggest Hindu festival among all, celebrates to victory of the Good over the Evil and Light over Darkness. The Festival of Lights commemorates the return of Lord Rama […]
Malai Khaaja Method 1 (with puff pastry) Ingredients 1 small cream 1 tin evaporated milk 1 lb. Mava / Khoya 3 tsp Sugar or to taste 1 tsp Elaichi Cardamom powder or to taste 1/2 tsp Nutmeg powder or to taste. 3 threads of Saffron or to taste. (Note I prefer only cardamon/elaichi) Puff Pastry […]
Ravo Recipe by Rita Jamshed Kapadia INGREDIENTS 1 liter or 4.5 cups of cold milk or as needed 4 tbsp. of Ravo (semolina or suji) 4 tbsp. (equal quantity ratio to ravo) of sugar (less for diabetics) 1 Egg 1/2 cup water or as needed 2-3 drops of Vanilla or Rose essence ½ tsp. of […]
Friends be it Parsi, Gujarati or Maharashtrian these delicacies from Parsi Dairy are distinctly superior. Make it at home the easy way – Recipe HERE Bombay Ice Halwa / Mahim Halwa or Ice Halwa Another Mumbai delicacy best available at Dayaram Damodar and Parsi Dairy. It’s available in two colours white and yellow and I […]
Diwali Recipes
Lord Ganesha’s favorite sweet, Modaks are sweet flour dumplings stuffed with coconut, jaggery, nutmeg and saffron. This modak recipe is a steamed version, which is also known as ‘ukdiche modak’, however there is a wide variety of this Indian dessert which includes fried modak as well. A popular dessert from Maharashtra which is consumed highly […]
Direct Link: https://youtu.be/VXZbzZBfMWY
Khordad Sal The birthday of Zoroaster Khordad Sal is celebrated as the birthday of Zoroaster. This is known as the ‘Greater Noruz’ and happens six days after Navroze. The chosen date is symbolic since the actual date of the Prophet’s birth cannot be identified accurately. This festival is considered one of the most important in the Zoroastrian […]
By Marzban Hathiram Today’s afternoon Stum – Goan potato curry with basmati rice and kachumber – a lightly tossed onion, cucumber and carrot salad with coriander leaves; some pomegranate seeds, cow’s milk, a rose and freshly drawn well water… Bon apetit! There is deep spiritual significance behind each of these offerings as they represent the […]
by Ervad Dr. Ramiyar Karanjia Many a Parsi customs, because they are not properly understood or traced to Avestan times or scriptures, are believed to be of Hindu origin. This is not entirely correct as we will shortly see. Only perhaps 20% of the customs are of later origin. Some have undergone minor changes on […]
Celebrate with this glorious Mango Murraba anyday. #mangoseasonison #ilovemangoes #mangoisthekingoffruits #mangolove #mango Ingredients 1 kg semi-ripe mangoes (any variety, but for best results and taste, either alphonso, or, even better still, the `bottle’ mango, `batli keri’. Best to use are small green, totally unripe mangoes. But then add more jaggery, according to taste.) White or […]
Cookbook: Manna of the 21st Century: Parsi Cuisine Paperback by Rita Jamshed Kapadia Available to purchase on https://amzn.to/2lAkTq4
http://youtube.com/theparsicuisine
This is a pastry filled with sweet lentils and dry fruits. To top it all there are cherries, which are so festive. I specially like the red auspicious color they add, my mother used to get these added along with green, yellow and red Tutti-Frutti! ( candied fruits ) Question: Did you know why the […]
All cultures have meatballs. It is just not an Italian favorite! This such an universal food. Parsis have Kavab, Muslims have Kabab, Indians have Kabobs, Turks have Kebabs, and so on Let us know what your culture calls a meatball?
2019 Shahenshahi New Year Navroze / Nowruz / Nooruz is on August 17, 2019. Commemorated in a grand and elaborate fashion, preparations for Navroze begin well in advance. Houses are cleaned to remove all the cobwebs and painted new. They are then adorned with different auspicious symbols, namely, stars, butterflies, birds and fish. New […]
Bahman mahino is the month (June) when some religious parsis do not eat meat. Fish is allowed for a wholesome diet with vegetables. Recipes: Dry Bhindi (Okra) ~ Vaghareli Khichri ~
Contest Entry for Cuisinart 2019 Event * “Dudh” means milk in Bengali and “puli” is another name for pitha. Dudh puli can be described as rice flour dumpling with coconut filling. by Mitali Kumar Ingredients: 2 cups coarse semolina 3 cups water 2 cups fresh shredded coconut 1 cup date palm jaggery 2 tablespoon of sugar 3-4 green […]
Serves 6 Ingredients Spice ingredients for one pot of tea: 1/2 of a star anise star 10-12 whole cloves 7 whole allspice or 1/4 tsp ground allspice powder *See photo below 1 heaping teaspoon of cinnamon bark (or 2 short sticks) 7 whole white peppercorns 1 cardamon pod opened to the seeds Other ingredients: 1 […]
Honey Cake Ingredients1 1/2 cup Plain flour 1/2 cup Butter 1/4th cup Oil 3/4 cup Sugar powder 1 1/2 tsp Baking powder 1/4 tsp Salt 1/4 cup Milk 1 1/2 tb sp. Vanilla essence 3 Eggs For Honey syrup 1/4 cup of water 4tb sp.of honey 2 tsp. of rose water Mix together to make […]
‘Granny Sathe Jamwanu’ is a Parsi feast not to be missed. Recipes are linked complements of this ParsiCuisine.com site. Of the five ladies, 93-year-old Perin B Dittia is the eldest. She is dressed in a blue sari, her pearl necklace has blue stones to match her sari and a white-dotted blue hair-band keeps her silky […]
Ingredients 4 hard-boiled eggs 2 tbsp mayonnaise 1 tsp mustard salt black pepper red paprika Method Peel the hard-boiled eggs and cut them lengthwise in half. In a small bowl, separate the cooked yolk and add all the ingredients, mash well to make a paste. Fill each half with the paste and sprinkle red paprika […]
The community’s population might be dwindling but Parsi cuisine is going places it’s never been to before. Sonal Ved offers a whiff and taste of authentic Parsi fare, rich with Persian influences Photo courtesy: Rustom’s Parsi Bhonu Last month, London’s Bombay-styled cafe Dishoom beat top restaurants such as Michelin-starred Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Spanish tapas bar Barrafina […]
By Meher Mirza It’s a fight for a seat, and sometimes, a chicken leg, at the Parsi gahambar that celebrates an age-old tradition of praying and feasting. At 8 pm on March 21, stewards from legendary caterer Tanaz Godiwala’s team were on stand-by like soldiers awaiting a general’s order, even as a line of cooks […]
It is no exaggeration to say that Parsis, the Zoroastrians of India, take their food seriously – very seriously. Love of good food and drink plays a central, oftentimes quirky, role in nearly every aspect of our culture. When our babies sit upright for the first time, we celebrate by making them sit on top […]
PATRA NI MACHHI – FISH WITH CHUTNEY IN BANANA LEAVES
On New Year day, Birthday, Anniversary or a Festive occasion the parsi auspicious dish to make is Dhun Dar. “Dhun” a gujarati word means “wealth” and “Dar” is a translation of the indian lentil called “Dal” which come in various lentils of Toovar dal, Masoor dal, Channa dal, Urad dal and so on. The dal […]
The Magi are popularly referred to as wise men and kings. The word magi is the plural of Latin magus, borrowed from Greek μάγος magos,[10] as used in the original Greek text of the Gospel of Matthew (“μάγοι”). Greek magos itself is derived from Old Persian maguŝ from the Avestan magâunô, i.e., the religious caste […]
Papdi to eat with Malido from the famous Vividh Vani cookbook Recipe translated from Gujarati to English by Rita Jamshed Kapadia Click here for the Guide to Old Measures Ingredients 1 tipri Wheat Flour 1/4 lb Sugar (fine barik) Method Mix above with little water to make a very tight dough. Keep for 1 hour and then […]
One of the most popular and favorite sweets that are made during the Diwali festivities are “Besan Ladoo”. These ladoos are offered to the gods as offerings, distributed to family and friends and enjoyed as a blessing. This same ladoo is used in a ceremony for besna – besan ladoos are kept. For paglaru ceremony khaman […]
Ingredients 1 kg tender Goat Mutton or Lamb – cut into medium pieces, washed & left to drain in colander 6 large onions – chopped very fine (cut like chhudna no kando) 4 tomatoes – again chopped very fine (tamota) 4 Potatoes – cut into 2 halves (papeta) 8-10 pods of garlic (lasan) 1.5″ piece […]
Goes with any meal. Serve with Mashed Potatoes Roast Turkey Vegetables in different styles Stuffing or my famous Chicken Cutlets for that extra punch! Recipe Ingredients: For the pickled cranberries: 1 cup cranberries 1 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup salt Combine Cranberries, White Vinegar and salt in a glass bottle. Cover and pickle for a […]
Parsi Stories and Recipes by Rita Kapadia (Boston’s Cookbook Author) and Kainaz Contractor (New Delhi’s Rustom’s Parsi Bhonu) featured in an egg-cellent article by Henna Achhpal of LivingFoodsz.com Eggs stories and beliefs from Rita Kapadia and Kainaz Contractor. You’re not in a real Parsi home if you don’t find trays of eggs stacked over each […]
Ingredients 8 Cups Whole wheat flour 550 Gram Evaporated dry milk powder (or 250 grams of mavo aka khoya) 1 kg 350 g castor sugar 1 Cup Milk approx 7 Eggs beaten 1 Cup Pistachio 1 Cup Blanched almonds slivered 1/2 Cup Sultanas (Raisins) 2 tsp powdered cardamoms and nutmeg Rosewater to taste 1 […]
From Behram Palamkote The best dar ni pori in Bombay one would get is from a parsi lady called Sheramai who is 89 years old and that is my mom. Once you taste it you will not like any other pori that’s a guarantee! I can give you all her secret recipe which she does […]
Food cooked for Muktad prayers is kept on a table set aside with the Afargan. Items like Malido, Daran, Papri for chasni are prepared. After the prayers are done the food is partaken of with clean hands.
Parsi Chowk Designs are adapted from the land of India, where the parsi (persians) settled over 700 years back. The hindi indian word is “Rangoli”. Maharashtra, Kerala and Gujaratis have unique designs. The Parsi designs are mostly floral. Fish shapes and fire patterns are popular. The designs and motifs are auspicious and bring good luck, […]
Khaman na ladoo These are made for a baby’s “Besnu“. This is when a baby starts sitting upright on his/her own bottom. or These are made for a baby’s “pag ladoo ceremony“. This is when a baby starts walking and standing on his/her own feet. Ingredients 1/2 Cup Rice flour 2 tbsp All purpose flour […]
Evolution of Cooking and a Foreword by my Father. The theory of Evolution of Universe has been discussed by Darwin, Einstein, Hawking and others. Evolution has proved the existence of the Creator beyond doubts, but it still remains a mystery to be solved. However we can feel and behold HIM through his manifestations such as Air, […]
Did you know Bhakra are similar to Varadhvara? Varadhvara are made fresh and served at Weddings to the guests. Read about the wedding ceremonies. Recipe from Rita’s cookbook “Parsi Cuisine: Manna of the 21st Century” 750 grams fine wheat flour 350 grams semolina (Ravo) 400 grams castor sugar 500 grams pure ghee 1 ½ tsp. […]
Ceremonies prior to the marriage Rupiya Peravanu Rupiya Peravanu literally means gifting rupees in Gujarati language. This ceremony marks the unofficial engagement when both the families acknowledge the acceptance of the marriage alliance. On this day, ladies from the groom’s family pay a visit to the bride’s house. The bride is presented with a gift […]
On the auspicious occasion of Weddings (Lagan) we Parsis make a special Lunch! Beginning with Sagan ni Sev (Click for recipe), and Dahi (for all things auspicious begin on a sweet note and so does the Union, Plain lentil preparation in Pure Ghee (clarified butter) called Dhaan Daar or Mori Daar (Click for recipe) and […]
Parsi Sev is also known as Sweet Vermicelli in Indian Grocery Stores. Serves 10 or 4 (see separate ingredient list ) Ingredients for serving 10 : 500 grams vermicelli, white or brown roasted 125 grams ghee or oil 500 grams sugar 2 ozs rose-water or 1 tbsp rose essence (optional) 125 grams almonds, blanched. sliced (optional) 125 grams […]
Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time:30 minutes Yield: Serves 6 Ingredients: 3 lbs Chicken, Lamb, Goat meat or Mutton 1 teaspoon ginger paste 1 teaspoon garlic paste 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (cayenne pepper) 1 teaspoon dhana-jeera powder (coriander-cumin) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup milk 2 generous pinches of saffron 1/3 cup raisins 1/4 […]
Satisfy your Parsi Food cravings. We hope you will cook delicious, mouth-watering food with the recipes, cookbooks and videos provided on this site. Get $5 off our books for the coming Parsi New Year Celebrations. Apply Discount Code “AFDX5BD5” * Sale ends August 31, 2017 Click on image to go to the Amazon Create Space shopping cart. Next, add […]
Food cooked for Muktad prayers is kept on a table set aside with the Afargan. Items like Malido, Daran, Papri for chasni are prepared. After the prayers are done the food is partaken of with clean hands.
By Anahita Shams BBC You can watch The Secret History of Shiraz Wine on BBC World. Is there a Zoroastrian connection? Image copyrightGETTY IMAGESImage captionMusic, poetry and wine-drinking at the court of 17th Century Persian ruler Shah Abbas Until the Islamic revolution, Iran had a tradition of wine-making which stretched back centuries. It centred on […]
Celebrating Zoroastrian Festivals and Traditions Authored by Mrs Rita Jamshed Kapadia Book explains Zoroastrian Ceremonies of Parsi Weddings, Navjotes, Agarni, Pug Ladoo Ceremony, Death and Birth Ceremonies These ceremonies of joy and sad days are celebrated with Indian Parsi Foods. (Recipes: Inspired by old traditional parsi cookbooks like the “Vividh Vani”, Kapadia has come up […]
by Jennifer Mascarenhas Few of my friends went to Sodabottleopenerwala and relished the Parsi cuisine there! While talking to me, their demand arose for home cooked versions of the restaurant dishes! So, on a recent potluck lunch, I made Parsi Berry Pulao and teamed it with some parsi ‘ kachumber’ on the side. Mumbaikars […]
Traditionally made on Epiphany Day – January 6. Three Kings”, or “Three Wise Men” or the “Magi” In Christian tradition, the Magi (pronounced Greek: μάγοι, magoi), also referred to as the (Three) Wise Men, (Three)Kings, or Kings from the East, are a group of distinguished foreigners who are said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense. They are […]
Madavsaro The Madavsaro ceremony is done four days before the wedding. The families of the bride and the groom each plant a young tree in a pot, amidst recitation of prayers by the family priest and place this at the entrance of their individual homes. This is generally a mango plant and is treated as […]
Udvada Where The Fires Are Always Burning The holy town of Udvada is where the sacred fire of the Iranshah Atashbehram is burning since Zoroastrians came to India, writes CYRUS H. MERCHANT. And outside, in small Parsi homes and a lonely bakery, a different kind of fire burns, keeping the community’s cuisine alive, says MARK […]
Audh is a better mood elevator than a bar of chocolate! The primary ingredient in this is rice. It is one Parsi (forgotten but now remembered) dish Audh can be ready in less than 1 hour. Audh is served as Dessert. Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups fine rice flour 2 cups icing sugar 225 grams ghee […]
Chef Niru Gupta It’s the Parsi version of the Creme Brulee and is essentially a bake of milk, eggs and cardamom. ‘Lagan-Nu-Custard’ is a Parsi dessert prepared during weddings. The name itself means ‘wedding custard’. Made with simple everyday ingredients like milk, eggs, butter and nuts. Ingredients 5 cups (1 kg) full cream milk 1/4 […]
by Meher Mirza Cyrus Dotivala talks to Zororoots participants at Surat’s Dotivala Bakery. Photograph from Zoroastrian Return to Roots team I’m going to be honest with you. I’m a Parsi but I’ve always had a somewhat tenuous love for Parsi food. Of course I liked the odd dish here and there—dhan-dar chawal, […]
Ingredients: 1 cup coconut, grated. (frozen grated coconut) 1 1/2 cup Sugar 3 tablespoon Cream 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and cardamom powder Few drops red colouring 1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 1/2 teaspoon butter 1/2 cup pistachio nuts optional Method 1. Grease a tray with butter. 2. In a pan add grated coconut and […]
Food plays a important and necessary role in our daily lives. Each ceremony we perform has an associated food involved. Guests who come to share good times and bad times, auspicious and joyous occasions have to be cordially entertained and food is the most important. Guests should be made to feel welcome and a well […]
Instead of booking a table at a city Bawa eatery on Parsi new year, drive to Udwada for boi, dal-chawal and patio 1. The Hormuzd Bakery stall outside Iranshah Atash Behram stocks crumbly nankhatais and spongy bhakras; 2. Breakfast at Ahura: Parsi poro, akuri and salli par eedu with fresh pav make a jumbo breakfast at […]
Ingredients: Whole milk 3.5 ltr Sugar as per your taste Green cardamom powder Pistachio for garnishing Method: Put a heavy bottom pan on medium heat and put 2 ltr milk . Cook it till it become thick consistency like Rabdi. Meanwhile heat the leftover milk and make chena by adding vinegar/lemon. Strain it in a […]
Besnu ceremony is performed when a baby is able to sit (approximately at 7 months of age). The child is seated on a “Patla” (little stool)and ladoos are placed around him/her. Some folks touch one ladoo to the babies feet and feed a little of it to the baby. “Tili” is put on the forehead and garland […]