Seven recipes to celebrate Parsi New Year 2017

By Rita No comments

Satisfy your Parsi Food cravings. We hope you will cook delicious, mouth-watering food with the recipes, cookbooks and videos provided on this site.

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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 attires are ordered and made especially for the festival. On the day of  Navroze, people dress in their new and best clothes and put on gold and silver kustis and caps. The doors and windows are beautified with garlands of roses and jasmines. Color powders are used for creating beautiful and attractive patterns, known as rangoli, on the steps and thresholds. These intricate and creative patterns display the sanctity of the festivals. Moreover, fish and floral motifs are a favorite among rangolis and considered highly auspicious.

Guests are welcomed by sprinkling rose water and rice, followed by applying a tilak. Breakfast usually consists of Sev (a vermicelli preparation roasted in ghee and choc-a-bloc with dry fruits) which is served with yogurt and enjoyed by young and old alike. After breakfast, it is time to visit the Agiary or Fire Temple to offer prayers. Special thanksgiving prayers, known as Jashan, are held and sandalwood is offered to the Holy Fire. At the end of this religious ceremony, all Parsis take the privilege to exchange new greetings with one another by saying ‘Sal Mubarak’. Back home, special delicacies are made marking the lunch as an elaborate and delicious affair.

Various Parsi dishes, such as Sali boti (a mutton and potato preparation), chicken farchas, patrani machchi (fish steamed in a leaf), mutton pulao and dal, kid gosh and saas ni machchi (a thick white gravy with pomfret) jostle for space on the table. However, the most significant dish that forms an integral part of Jamshed Navroz celebrations is pulav (rice enriched with nuts and saffron, aka biryani). Besides, plain rice and moong dal are a must on this day. Desserts too are not behind in terms of variety, the most important being falooda. It is a sweet milk drink made from vermicelli and flavored with rose essence. Lagan-nu-custard, or caramel custard, is another favorite on this occasion. The entire day is spent by visiting friends and relative and exchanging good wishes and blessings.

Suggested Menu for the Navroz day:

sev 002

Breakfast 

 Parsi Sev Sweet Vermicelli (shown above)

 Parsi Ravo (Sweet cream of wheat)

BREAKFAST: Akuri
BREAKFAST: Akuri

Akuri

Lunch

Khari Maachi (served with Mora Dal Chawal / Parsi Dhan Dal ) Recipe 1

 Dhan Dal (Steamed Rice with plain dal) with Khari Fish

Fried Fish
Fried Fish

Tareli Maachi

 

Dinner

Chicken with Apricots / Jardalu ma Marghi
Chicken with Apricots / Jardalu ma Marghi

 Chicken with Apricots / Jardalu ma Marghi

Dessert

DESSERT: Lagan nu Custard - garnished with almonds, pistachios
DESSERT: Lagan nu Custard – garnished with almonds, pistachios

 Lagan nu Custard

Batasa – a favorite biscuit snack. Good with Tea or Coffee anytime! 

Batasa

 

Rita

Published since 1999 this website provides free recipes for beginner cooks and experienced chefs. Please use the Search bar on top (see magnifying glass), type in the name of the recipe you're looking for, or the person who posted it. Check out on Amazon.com my parsi cuisine cookbooks.

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