Wedding Shopping List
Shopping for parsi wedding items, Ses etc. Tailors for Daglis. Wedding Sari. Click HERE for the list : http://zagba.org/parsi-shopping-list/
MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANTS – CHEF SHAHZAD BHATHENA
Shahzad Bhathena, the former head chef and R&D chef at the Indian Summer Restaurant in Colombo, is a budding global icon at just 24 years of age! Leading the team at Indian Summer is just one of his many accolades and accomplishments. Shahzad has gained experience at Michelin star restaurants in various parts of the […]
Fish wrapped in Banana Leaf with delicious Chutney: Parsi Patra ni Maachi
Fish wrapped in Banana Leaf with delicious Chutney: Parsi Patra ni Maachi
Purchase Dhansak Masala, Indian Curry Powder, Spices and Herbs, Nuts and Parsi Vasanu, Badam Pak items
To order Dhansak Masal, Indian Curry Powder, Spices and Herbs, Nuts and Parsi Vasanu, Badam Pak items
TANAZ GODIWALLA PICKLE IN NORTH AMERICA
Tanaz Godiwalla
Chikoo Fruit and Milk Shake Recipe
Chikoo Fruit and Milk Shake is sold on the streets of Ahmedabad, India. I used to enjoy this cooling and filling drink while biking back from school. The fruit milk shake laarivala has a stall with many fruits and are ready with their blenders to make a juicy milk shake on demand! Mango, Chikoo, Banana, […]
Tanaz Godiwalla is catering in UK
UK folks, Tanaz Godiwalla is catering! Please call directly. Note: Reproduced under “Fair Use for Educational Purpose”
Bahman Mahino Parsi Ritual
Corona virus has affected this food ritual in 2021. Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TsfXY3CWEo Bring in the rain! Parsi Custom of bringing in rains by an community effort of collecting Rice, Dal and Ghee to make Khichri. Click here for a Aryuvedic Khichri Recipe Click here for Vaghareli Khichri Recipe In Navsari (a small town in the Gujarat […]
Celebrating Navroze
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.
Inspired by old traditional parsi cookbooks like the “Vividh Vani”, Kapadia has come up with homemade recipes.
Flavors of the World Catering – USA
Flavors of the World Catering – USA
Donations for a ZAKOI Center
Dear Friends, I pray all of you are safe, well and in good spirit:) I hope this year is much better in every way for everyone than last year! Dear Friends, with your support of my Spring and Fall Fundraisers last year, I was able to raise $10,000 for our future ZAKOI Center. These fundraisers […]
HIMALAYA RESTAURANT AND CATERING
Hello We are OPEN at the HIMALAYA RESTAURANT AND CATERING in Houston, Texas, USA. Web: http://himalayarestauranthouston.com/ Hello all, I would like to introduce a fantastic Chef Kaiser, Azra and the team from 16 families at the Himalaya Restaurant & Catering. Houston, Texas. Food, drinks, desserts are available for delivery and pickup. During this impossibly difficult […]
The place of Tea in Indian Culture
The place of Tea in Indian Culture
Indians love tea, they are crazy about it – and they even have a special word for it – chai.
India is one of the largest tea growers in the world. Tea is grown in the north and the south – in exotic places like Munnar in Kerala, Darjeeling, Assam, and Nilgiri Mountains. The tea gardens are a sight to see. Beautiful terraces are carved into the earth and from far they look like manicured gardens. Tea from Darjeeling and Assam is world famous for its aroma and taste.
Tea was introduced in India by the British during early 1900’s, those were early days of the British Raj. Large swaths of land were converted for mass tea-production. Ironically, the British introduced tea in India to break the Chinese monopoly. Tea was originally consumed by the westernized Indians, but it became widely popular over time. Today, looking at the popularity of tea one cannot tell of its origins from China.
But the story of story of tea in India goes beyond the tea gardens in exotic mountains and valleys, covered with mist and lush greenery. Tea is woven intricately into the Indian social fabric.
Chai is the common equalizer in India – from the rich to the poor. No matter what their position in life, an Indian relishes a cup of tea. The rich ones have their tea served in fancy tea-pots, delicate porcelain cups on well laid out tables with cookies and pastries. The not-so-affluent have it in more humble settings. But the joy and satisfaction is the same.
No matter where you go in India, even the remote village, you are likely to find a tea-stall, with a Chai-walla brewing the concoction, squeezing every last flavor. There is always a crowd of eager and tired folks waiting patiently for their chai. Tea re-vitalizes your body. It is a great anti-oxidant.
India has one of the largest railway networks in the world. Every train station has tea-stalls. Hawkers carry tea-buckets doling out hot cups to weary travelers as the trains pull into the train stations. One of my enduring memories growing up in India is traveling on the train in the sleeper-coach and waking up to the lilting calls of the tea-hawkers.
There are many stories of how tea brings people together. When you visit friends – tea and snacks are probably the most common offering. A cup of tea bonds friendships and heals differences. A guest rejecting an offer of a cup of tea may even hurt their feelings. The ultimate bonding is sharing a cup of tea – between two people – albeit in different saucers. When you visit a commercial establishment, as a sign of respect for the customer, tea is offered. Read more in my cookbook for Tea.
Recently, I was invited to speak and present “The Place of Tea in Indian Culture and the Kerala Tea Gardens” at the Boston Athenaeum. Here is a short synopsis. I am delighted that my Cookbooks were displayed and showcased in the museum! Thanks Hannah Weisman! Hannah is the Director of Education at Boston Athenaeum.
The museum is a historical place and encourages historical books. The Boston Athenaeum is steeped in history. Founded in 1807, the Boston Athenæum is one of the oldest and most distinguished independent libraries and cultural institutions in the United States.
Tea / Chai Recipes:
Ginger Tea
Masala Chai
Parsi Chai
Cardamom Tea
Teas of India Cookbook
More on The place of Tea in Indian Culture on ParsiCuisine.com
After Blockbuster Success in Mumbai, Floyd Cardoz Returns to Indian Cooking in New York
By Michael Snyder Editor’s note: See Floyd’s Indian Spiced Tomato Egg Casserole with Parsi flavors Even without a New York restaurant of his own right now, Floyd Cardoz remains one of the city’s most recognizable, celebrated chefs. It’s been half a decade since he closed Tabla, the highly decorated modern-Indian restaurant he ran with Danny […]