Tuesday 23 April 2024
Parsi cookbooks
It is World Book Day today! Let us celebrate this series of Parsi cookbooks. parsifoodculture
Why is The Route to Parsi Cooking exceptional?
This cookbook fluently expresses the sentiment, age, and era of the food. Preserving the past for the future, discover a treasure trove of old recipes that tell tales through cuisine, incredible facts, and humorous anecdotes. Parsis have a natural affinity for all things joyful, and this cookbook depicts our culture, customs, and idiosyncrasies in a lighthearted and delightful manner. Beautiful photographs breathe life into this book, capturing the essence of the cuisine.
Why is The Vegetarian Parsi unique?
One-of-a-kind, this cookbook makes lost specialties, delicacies, and gems of rural Parsi vegetarian cuisine available for sharing.
The book highlights Parsi's obsession with eggs. This is the first and much-needed cookbook that magically recreates how Parsi households cooked, ate, and served their modest vegetarian fare.
Why is The World of Parsi Cooking wonderful?
It not only looks great, but it has the perfect balance of meat, seafood, rice, vegetables, and lentils, as well as sweets and treats. It has the old-world charm in spades but is brought into the 21st century with elegance.
Why is The Art of Parsi Cooking traditional?
It offers an opportunity to revive the fundamentals of traditional Parsi cooking. An inspiration, encouraging the next generation to attempt preparing authentic Parsi cuisine for their families. It evokes nostalgia in the elderly while also giving the young hope of recreating what their grandparents spoke about. A visually appealing cover that stands out from the crowd with a square box design. parsifood nilouferskitchen
Friday 19 April 2024
TRtPC
The new cookbook has been divided into six chapters, with 60+ illustrated recipes.
Join me on my journey from the old world of my grandmother's kitchen, where she cooked from a fresh basket of vegetables and prepared the catch of the day from grandpa's trawlers. Hearty meaty stews, served with aromatic platters of rice, and always something sweet to finish up the meal. Enjoy the stories as you immerse yourself in folklore tales that will make you relive the sands of time.
If you wish to add this book to your collection e-mail me at theroutetoparsicooking@gmail.com to place your pre-order and be the first to receive a copy of this cookbook by mail.
Please add your name and full mailing address, including your postal or zip code, your state or province, and your country. Do not forget to add the number of books you wish to order.
Books can be directly mailed out to friends and family as gifts.
Payments can be made via PayPal, BACS, or personal checks in USD, GBP, or cash.
$29.99 USD, $39.99 CAD, £24.99 GBP
#nilouferskitchen #revivinganancientcuisine one recipe at a time. #parsifoodtrail
Postage costs for mainland USA in $ USD are currently.
Carton of 20 USD 29.95, 10 books USD 16.95, 5 books USD 10.95, 4 books USD 8.95,
3 books USD 7.95, 2 books USD 6.95, 1 book USD 4.95
Postage costs for the UK in £ GBP are currently
10 books GBP 11.50
Australia and New Zealand will be offered a pick up point in Sydney, Melbourne and hopefully in Auckland and Perth.
The UAE is also accessible as is the rest of the world.
Friday 19 January 2024
Honey and Almond Nibbles
Honey and almond nibbles
For centuries, food has served as a bridge between civilizations. When researching food history, there are many commonalities that can be both unexpected and remarkable. The Aryans, a Germanic people, had links with ancient Persia. I wanted to share this recipe because it comes from there. My aunt Thrity, who was married to a German cook over 50 years ago, passed it along to me. The topping is a combination of honey, milk, butter, and almonds, which is typical in many cultures. Walnuts, pistachios, or a combination of the three would be a Parsi dream.
Makes 12 squares in a 23 cm|9 inch pan
Preheat the oven to 170 C | 350 F
For the pastry
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
½ cup salted butter
1 egg yolk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
A dab of butter to grease the
pan
In a bowl, mix the ingredients listed for
the pastry. Using just the fingertips of the first two fingers and the thumb,
gently mix the pastry until it all comes together. Bring it all together and
make a ball. Press it down into the well-buttered baking pan. Bake this for 15
minutes, until it is just cooked through.
For the topping
3 tbsp butter
½ cup
sugar
2 tbsp whole
milk
1 tbsp
honey
1 cup sliced almonds
In a pan, melt the butter and sugar with
the milk. Add the honey, stir, and cook on low heat until it just begins to
boil and gets sticky. This will take just 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and
carefully mix in the almonds. Work quickly, as it will harden as it cools. Pour
this mixture over the baked crust and spread it as best as possible to reach
all the corners. Bake this for another 25 minutes. Remove and make cuts on the
pastry while it is hot. Let it cool before removing the nibbles.
Tips
This recipe can be stored well for up
to a week in an airtight container. It does not need to be refrigerated.
My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.
The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022.
The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.
The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.
Wednesday 27 December 2023
Dutch Omelette
While there are no records of when or why we began making this particular dish, it is known that the Dutch enjoy eating omelettes and preparing them with meat and potatoes. At best, we may accept that the Dutch who colonised Surat, where Parsi cuisine was firmly established, were where this dish got included (among other regions of India) and became a part of our "anglicised foods." Surat was just one of many other places the Dutch ruled over in India, leaving influences on their culture and cuisine.
The only record of a dish by this name is by Sehra Albless, who published a cookbook in 1956 called My Favourite Recipes and contributed her version of the dish to the Time and Talents Club Bombay cookbook printed in 1975. She goes on to prepare the omelettes with pieces of chopped ham and asparagus covered with a cheese sauce and garnished with peas, ham, and asparagus tips. There is no mention of baking it to reheat.
Growing up, my family has always prepared this dish with a bit of a kick, layering it with the parsi poro, which we make with finely diced onions, green chillies, coriander leaves, and tomatoes in well-beaten eggs. We then went on to layer it with lightly salted, boiled, fairly small, diced meat, like lamb, goat, or mutton, and shrimp. We add layers of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, all doused in a cheese sauce, and bake to reheat. The results are quite delicious.
The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022.
The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.
Sunday 24 December 2023
My Persian Palau
My Persian Palau
The kheema no palau prepared by some Parsi families inspired this recipe. Some served palau with khichri, while others served it plain. It was served with yoghurt, raita, or kudhee. A radish and carrot salad is served alongside poppodums and a doryu onion salad (finely sliced onions dipped in tamarind-jaggery chutney).
I was constantly thinking about the rice platter that would be served at my annual Navroze feasts. I enjoy experimenting with new recipes, and this was one of them: a Persian fusion of ground meat seasoned with Parsi and Persian spices, saffron-infused rice, and sumac or zereshk with dill or parsley to finish. While parsley will most likely be a better match for the meat, I prefer dill and used that instead.
This recipe is ideal for feeding a large group.
Serves 16
1kg/ 2.2lb ground meat of beef or lamb
4 tbsp whole milk
2 large veal bones with marrow in it
1 ½ tsp salt
1 cinnamon stick
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp advieh powder
pinch of brown sugar
Juice of 2 limes or lemons
500gm/ 1.1lb fried, crushed onions
4 cups meat broth
4 cups rice + 8 cups of chicken stock
1/2 tsp crushed saffron infused in hot water
125 gm/4 oz salted melted butter
1 cup zereshk -barberries - washed
1 tsp sumac powder
A cupful of washed chopped fresh dill sprigs or finely chopped fresh parsley
The meat
In a pan, sauté the ground meat until nice and brown; it will be dry-looking. Keep adding a little milk to keep it moist. Once cooked for about 10 to 15 minutes, add 4 large veal or lamb bones for flavour. Keep cooking it to catch the colour and caramelise it.
Season with salt and add the cinnamon sticks, tomato paste, ginger and garlic paste, turmeric, cinnamon, and advieh powders, sugar, and the browned onions. Mix well, and add the stock. Bring this to a boil, cover with a lid, and cook for 45 minutes.
Squeeze the lemons over the meat and mix well. The liquid should be gone, leaving moist meat as a result. Let this cool off while you make the rice.
The rice
Cook the washed rice in stock. Overturn immediately on a flat platter and toss the
rice with the infused saffron and melted butter. Gently toss in the zereshk, sprinkle the
sumac and fresh dill. Toss it gently. Remove a third of the rice to mix with the meat.
and finish off the dish with the remainder of your rice on top. Tightly cover and steam
on a bain-marie for 30 minutes.
Serve warm with a side of yoghurt mixed with cucumber and fresh mint and a pinch each of salt and sugar. similar to the Persian Maast-O-khiar, which would use dried mint instead.
Tips
Mixing the rice and meat with your hands will prevent it from breaking.
Use a large, deep, roasting pan or silver foil.
Photo credit Niloufer Mavalvala
My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.
The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022.
The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.
The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.
Coq au vin
Coq au vin
While living and teaching in Dubai, I came across an amazing lady from France who shared my passion for food and cooking. She gave me a fantastic tip: glaze the traditional coq au vin with dark chocolate. I was a bit apprehensive and did hesitate, but I tried it. This step takes it to perfection! I do recommend it.
1 ½ kgs, 3 lbs or 8-12 pieces of chicken, bone-in
3 cups red wine, Bordeaux or pinot noir
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 sticks of celery, scraped and diced
1 large onion, diced
4 peeled cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
3 tbsp salted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to season
6 rashers of bacon
20 pearl onions, peeled
454 g | 1 lb very small mushrooms or big ones cut into square chunks
Dry herbs-boquet garni
1 -2 tbsp cognac
25 g |1.5 oz dark chocolate
1 tablespoonful of finely chopped fresh parsley
Marinate the chicken, carrots, celery, onions, and garlic in the wine. Soak it overnight, turn it once, and ensure all the pieces are well soaked.
Remove the chicken and vegetables from the marinade. Once it is all at room temperature, start the cooking.
In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. On medium-high, sauté the bacon until golden brown and until all the fat has melted. Remove the bacon and keep it aside. Drain this on kitchen paper to remove the excess fat. Fry the chicken, skin side down. Cooking it in batches will ensure a golden, crispy skin. Cook for 5 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken and season it well with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Lightly toss all the vegetables in flour. Continue to fry them in batches, making sure each one is seasoned after. Once the vegetables have browned, add all of the wine marinade to the pan, stirring it with a whisk to remove any lumps. Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and the bouquet garni. Return the chicken and bacon. bringing it all to a boil, covering, lowering the heat to simmer, and cooking for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over, add the cognac, place the dark chocolate, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and cover. Cook for a further 20 minutes on a very low flame. Turn the heat off. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Serve with garlic bread and a salad.
Tips
Bouquet garni is a mix of herbs. Bay thyme and oregano would be the choices for this dish.
Use the wine you are going to drink as an accompaniment. Bordeaux and Pinot Noir are recommended.
Dark chocolate like Lindt is recommended. The glaze and flavour are delectable.
Photo Credit: Sheriar Hirjikaka
My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.
The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022.
The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.
The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.
Scallops on Orange Wild Rice
Scallops on Orange Wild Rice
Muse-bouche, a pretty and perfect starter that could well be placed as table décor on the plate setting prior to sitting down, is best served warm. The flavours are delicate, yet each part will be a mouthful of texture and clearly identifiable. It is perfect for a small gathering.
1 ½ cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper
2 cups wild rice
1 freshly grated clove of garlic
Zest and juice of one orange
12 large scallops, split in half horizontally
3 tbsp salted butter
Zest of one lemon and juice to sprinkle scallos
4 very finely chopped green onions + 1 teaspoonful for topping
Orange aioli
2 tbsp orange mustard + 1 /2 cup mayonnaise
Boil together the garlic in the chicken stock. Add the wild rice to it and season with salt. Allow it to boil until almost all of it is dry. Add green onions and butter. Gently mix it in with the orange juice. Cover the pan. Simmer for 20 minutes on a very low flame.
Once cooked through, gently fold in the mustard and mayonnaise.
Wash and pat the scallops dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet, add a knob of butter, let it sizzle, and add half of the scallops. Panfry them quickly, turning them once, and sprinkle very lightly with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Cook the rest of the scallops exactly the same way.
To serve, fill each spoon with rice, place the scallop, and drizzle with the prepared orange aioli.
Sprinkle with some finely chopped green onion and serve.
Tips
Scallops need to be cooked on a high flame in a hot pan for only a minute on each side until they caramelise to a pretty golden brown. The caramelization on the scallops will enhance the flavour.
Pick fresh scallops that must smell like the ocean itself. The creamy or pink ones are better in flavour than the white ones.
Tarragon mustard is an option.
Substitute quinoa for wild rice if you prefer.
Photo credit: Sheriar Hirjikaka
My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.
The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022.
The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.
The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.
Friday 22 September 2023
Mugg ni daar - Mung
Mugg ni daar | Mung Lentils
This split and dehusked mung bean is tiny and
yellow. They are easy to digest, cook within an hour, and will absorb all the
flavours you may add to them.
Generally served as an accompanying dish to
fried fish, mugg ni daar was a staple to add to the menu on a rushed
day. If it is to be a meal by itself, it pairs rather well with keri ni
chutney and buffenu from The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across
Borders. Limbu khajoor ni chutney on page xxx and methia nu achar
on page xxx also pair well. Warm, fresh rotli, or crispy bread, is served
with this lentil.
Serves 6
1 lb mung lentils
1 kg, fried onions – a packed
cupful of pre-fried onions
1 tsp salt
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tomatoes cut in quarters
2 tbsp salted butter
Juice from two oranges
A teaspoon of freshly chopped
mint
Wash the lentils until the water runs clear.
Heat a tablespoon of oil and add the onions to fry until they are golden brown.
Add the salt, turmeric and chili powders. Saute` for a minute and add the
washed lentils. Add 2 cups of water and the tomato. Bring to a boil. Cover,
lower the heat, and cook for 30 minutes. Check if the water has evaporated;
continue to cook until it is al dente`. Remove the cover and add the butter and
juice of the oranges. Stir and allow it to finish cooking on a low flame.
Sprinkle with the mint and serve.
Tips
Squeeze
of lime and lemon is generally preferred. But in my opinion the orange juice
lifts the flavour in this recipe. Variations like fresh corriander to mint and
adding garlic, ginger and cumin is common.
2 whole green chillies that have been split are a favourite to add.
Freshly sliced raw onions and cucumbers tossed
in vinegar with a dash of salt make a delicious side.
The lentils should be soft but hold their shape and be whole. It
should not be dry-chora jayvee. The water has to be dry, but the dish
has to be visually moist. If necessary, add more water.
Photo courtesy Niloufer Mavalvala
My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.
The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022.
The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.
The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.
Sunday 17 September 2023
Ravo - with egg
Ravo | Semolina Egg Pudding
Ravo is a traditional Parsi food
served at every special festivity. It is also offered at various prayers in
both a celebratory Jashan as well as the Mukhtad ceremonies where
we remember the souls of those who have passed away. Made up of semolina, milk,
and sugar, it is traditionally flavoured with cardamom and nutmeg. It is an
easy, quick, and delicious pudding to prepare in a pinch.
Growing up in Karachi, ravo
always included eggs, but eggless is most common in India. Since my mother’s ravo
was famed for being the best in the city, I share this in her memory. At home
we all continue to compete to see if anyone can ever replicate it to be as perfect
as hers! The missing ingredient is always the same—my mother’s love.
Serves 6
125 g/ 4 oz salted butter
125 g/ 4 oz coarse semolina
140 g/ 5 oz sugar
3 eggs
2 cups whole milk (reserve more to
add later)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 tsp cardamom powder
Optionally ½ tsp freshly scraped nutmeg
Garnish
1 tbsp oil
50 g/ 2 oz slivered almonds
50 g/ 2 oz kismis raisins
In a pan melt the
butter. Add the semolina and roast it for a few minutes. It should be aromatic
and turn to a pale colour. Add the sugar,
stir, and remove from the fire. In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs and add
some milk into the bowl. With a whisk and a sieve, prepare to add the egg
mixture to the hot pan. Pouring it in through the sieve, vigorously whisk it
together. Pour the remaining milk into the pan, return to the heat, and cook on
a medium flame, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil. Add the vanilla,
salt, and cardamom powder. Add more milk if the rava is
too thick. Mix well. Remove to a bowl
and garnish. Serve warm
To garnish - in a pan heat
the oil and toast the nuts, remove, and add the raisins for a few seconds. Keep
aside on a kitchen paper to take away the oil. Sprinkle liberally all over the
rava.
Tips
Lightly warming the milk to add to the beaten eggs will help with tempering and avoid the egg from splitting when added to the pan.
Sieving is not crucial, but it
ensures there are no lumps of curdled egg residue.
The ravo will thicken as it
cools.
Charoli – wild almonds and cashews may be
added to the garnish.
My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.
The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022.
The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.
Saturday 9 September 2023
Buffat ma gos
Buffat
This dish has been adopted by the Parsis from
their Konkani-speaking Anglo friends on India’s southwestern coast. Regional
cuisine from Goa, Kerala, and Mangalore, among other places It symbolises
different things to different people in this community. It may have evolved,
but it was once regarded as a traditional Christmas brunch as well as a
customary Christmas Eve feast for some. While a buffat is prepared with pork,
beef, and chicken, for which a prepared masala powder is available and
considered a staple in many homes in the region, the Parsis make this with
lamb, goat, and mutton only occasionally, and we do have lots of jokes
associated with the name, which simply means making a buffat, or a slip-up.
The recipe is the Parsi version of a baffat from
my mother’s collection which is shared with you here, with the main difference
being the omission of mustard in hers. Add a tablespoon of prepared mustard if
you wish to add more heat.
Serves 6
1 kg meat
454 g small red baby onions
1 large carrot
1 tsp salt
1 kg onions
Oil to fry onions
½ - ¾ cup fruit vinegar ml???
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp garlic
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp red chilli powder
Kashmiri bedagi
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp garam masalo page xxx
6 green chillies
Flesh of one freshly scraped
coconut or xxx g of desiccated coconut
9 almonds – 1 tbsp almond
powder
454 g boiled baby potatoes
454 g parboiled green peas
3 boiled eggs, peeled and cut
in quarters
Boil the meat until tender in 4 cups of water
with the baby onions, carrot, and salt. Remove the pieces of meat and blend the
vegetables into the broth.
Thinly slice and deep-fry the onions until
crisp. Crush them. Alternatively, chop them finely and pan-fry them in a little
oil until golden brown.
Grind all of the spices and the almond in
vinegar until it is a paste. Add this to the prepared onions and cook on a low
flame, stirring often, until aromatic. 10 minutes.
Add the meat and allow it to brown with the
spices and onion for another 10 minutes. Pour 2 cups of broth into the pan, mix
well, and bring this to a boil. Add the potatoes and peas. Cover and lower the
heat to a gentle simmer. Cook to infuse the flavour. 30 minutes. Turn the heat
off. Let it rest. Check for the gravy to be thick. Serve garnished with the
boiled eggs.
My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.
The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022.
The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.
The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.