Two things come instantly to my mind when I hear the word Parsi. First is Pearl Padamsee who played the quintessential Parsi aunty role in few of the legendary Bollywood films of seventies. We as kids used to enjoy those movies being aired on Doordarshan a lot. Khatta Meetha and Baato Baato Mein are two of the movies, which I am not sure I have watched how many times. And the second thing is eggs. That’s right! How could one not think about eggs when it comes to the mention of Parsi. I would love to eat the eggs everyday in breakfast, if they have been prepared by a Parsi lady. I got really excited when Anamika Singh, the renowned Tea Sommelier and the founder of Anadini Himalaya Tea called up for the invite to the Parsi Food Festival running at restaurant Amaranta of The Oberoi, Gurgaon. Mumbai’s best and the oldest parsi chefs Tehmtan & Shernaz Dumasia would be cooking at this week long authentic parsi fare running from 14th to 22nd of June. The legendary couple has been into Parsi food catering for over 25 years now and have served to the number of celebrities. The afternoon unfolded with catching up with the other guests at The Piano Bar at The Oberoi. I was wonderful to meet my dear blogger friends after such a long time. After a short chit chat, we initiated with our pre-formatted lunch menu showcasing some of the signature dishes of the Parsi cuisine. Few of the dishes, which we were served
Parsi lamb cutlet & Chicken Farcha
Lamb cutlet were made from brain part and coated in to the egg batter and semolina and shallow fried. I liked lamb more than the chicken. For starters, you couldn’t even tell if that is the brain you are eating. It was super yumm!
Vegetable cutlet and Chutney Pattice
Both these appetizers were classic appetizers you would get. Chuttney pattice, a tender boiled mashed potatoes with green chutney stuffing is the kind of finger food you would crave for on a rainy day with a hot cup of tea. The concept of wrapping up the green chutney as a filling within a fritter is something ingenuous.
Mutton Dhansak With Kebab
A real parsi meal can never be complete without the Dhansak, a lamb dish with meat slow cooked in lentils. And this had really great flavors. The dal was infused with the spices and the mutton gave it the depth of flavor. It was served alongside a spiced pilaf and mutton kebabs.
Patra Ni Macchi
Banana leaf wrapped marinated pomfret fish steamed with mint and coriander chutney. The fish was perfectly steamed and had freshness of flavors due to mint and coriander herbs. It was a perfect summer meal, light and fresh.
Jerdaloo Salli Murghi
It was a chicken curry cooked in roasted onions and apricot gravy. It had the perfect balance of sweet and sour. Finding out the whole apricot in the dish was a bonus. It just won my heart over.
Bhindi Masala
Stir fried baby okra with coconut and cumin reminded me of the way my Grandmother used to cook them, except for the coconut part, which I found quite interesting.
Lagan Nu Custard
A rich milk and egg based dessert baked with dried fruits. It’s a Parsi version of creme brulee, which is a specialty dessert for parsi weddings {as the name suggests}. It’s perfect way to sum up your meal. Each bite tastes heavenly.
Parsi cuisine like it’s community is an informal, light hearted cuisine with a balance of sweet and sour, which is Khattu Mitthu. It has got no rules of eating. It is best enjoyed with your hands as suggested by the chefs themselves. A real parsi banquet is served sitting on the floor. It is eccentric, lively yet has it’s own identity.
I was lucky to have experienced this and have interacted with the legendary chefs. Special Thanks to ever so pretty and gracious Mallika Gowda, the PR manager of The Oberoi Gurgaon for organizing this wonderful afternoon and having us over!
parsi food is served sitting in a long row of tables with banana leaves not on the floor