The Parsi New Year – Navroz – is not just about praying at the agyaari and wishing everyone. It is also about bellyful of good food – Dhansak, farcha and lagan nu custard. So, jamva chalo (let’s go for lunch or dinner) with Parsis in Ahmedabad.
Navroz signifies the day when Parsis step foot in India to avoid religious persecution. The word ‘Navroz’ literally translates to ‘New Day’. With Gujarat home to the second-largest Parsi population in India, the authenticity of the food lies in its unique mix of flavours, which is not signified by the Parsi-made spices but with an amalgamation of all the flavours, equally.
Even though the Parsi community is small in the country, their food is still prevalent, thanks to the distinct flavours – spicy, sour and sweet – all on a plate. In Ahmedabad, there are two unique restaurants that serve authentic food. On this Parsi New Year, hop on to either of the two places if you want a taste of Parsi food.
Parsi Industrial also known as Zoroastrian Ladies Industrial near Khanpur Darwaza was established in the late 1960s by Mini Cama to serve authentic Parsi food in the city and empower young women by giving them a place to go every day. A true combination of the community’s entrepreneurial spirit and love for the trio flavours on a plate.
The Parsi Industrial is still entirely managed by women. The secretary, Kety Daruwala says, “The place is in the hands of Gujarati women who cook the food with love.” The kitchen is set up in Parsi style. Apart from providing food, the community which is known for always punching above its weight also provides employment to women.
The food service near Khanpur Darwaza is very popular for Dhansak – a curry-based meal primarily made of lentils and chicken/mutton. However, in a twist, they make a vegetarian version of Dhansak with a lot of vegetables and lentils.
The Daal ni Pori is a Parsi sweet bread with a filling of sweetened lentils, similar to Marathi cuisine Puran Poli, but tastes different. The entire world has different varieties of fish from fried to steam cooked. Parsis make patra ni machchi – fish wrapped in a leaf and cooked in vinegar and oil with lots of green spices. This fish dish is a must-try from the kitchen of Parsi Industrial.
The warm community makes you feel welcomed at their kitchen, just like you are welcomed at your home and also, provides great service at quite reasonable prices. “The food is cooked with authentic spices and the women are given complete training for cooking authentic Parsi food,” says, Dilshad Sooi, a former staffer at Parsi Industrial.
Other than these dishes, they also serve cakes and pastries, which are equally mouthwatering. The menu entails many other dishes such as Sev, cakes and pastries.
Mek Caterers is a food service established in the early 80s by a young boy of age 15 who wanted to contribute to the community and make Parsi cuisine more readily available to the people of Ahmedabad. The food menu changes every day providing a variety of Parsi dishes available. The food service is run by Malcum Bastawala who makes sure to add the spices to each dish himself, thereby maintaining the authenticity of every dish.
On Navroz, August 16, the menu for lunch and dinner includes a gravy chicken, which is spiced by the Zoroastrian palette, Mora Dal Rice and Patio, which is made by slow-cooking the lentils and rice, and chicken Russian Pattice, inspired by the Russian pattice but cooked with a Parsi twist.
For the sweet dish, they are serving Lagan nu Custard, which is a traditional Parsi sweet dish, made by boiling milk and eggs and looks a lot like Crème Brûlée. The detailed menu serves a dual purpose of satiating your hunger and your taste palette. The Mek Caterers urge to bring tiffin boxes from home to avoid the overuse of plastic. On this auspicious day, they are serving food from the Parsi Sanatorium, on Ashram Road.
Every culture has its own delicacies that are as old as the culture. Zoroastrian culture came to India to avoid religious persecution but made India its home.
Pictures by Saloni Brahmbhatt
What a beautiful story and what stunning inputs. It is one of it’s kind. You don’t see such stories everyday. Also, it left me – a amdavadi since time immemorial – wondering how come I did not know about it earlier?