Parsi food is a combination of Gujarati and Persian cuisines, wherein meat plays an essential role. The main ingredient in the Parsi food is white sugar or jaggery, besides three basic spices – Parsi garam masala, sambhar masala and dhansak masala. They have a lot to offer, from Dhansak, Chicken Farcha to Sali Boti, so we did some digging and found some traditional Parsi recipes straight from the treasure trove of Mumbai-based Perzen Patel aka Bawi Bride, a Parsi food expert.

Click Here for the delicious dishes and their recipes

Since then, Karnik’s husband, Field Nicholas Cady, who she met at the Physics major programme at Stanford, has been cajoling her to write a cookbook that acquaints Americans with Parsi cuisine.

The 28-year-old optical and sensor engineer with Microsoft, finally managed to self-publish Parsi Cooking at Home last month.

“I grew up in Portland, Oregon. Not having extended family closeby meant that we, women from the immigrant community, raised our kids together. We still meet every Thanksgiving. Half the spread at the table is traditionally American — turkey and stuffing — and the other half is pulao-dal,” says Karnik.

Interestingly, to the list of Parsi staples that make it to her book (pora or traditional masala omelette; kichri, which she calls Parsi Penicillin for the sick; Lagan no saas, a tangy fish gravy served at weddings and salli boti or boneless mutton in tomato-onion gravy sprinkled with vermicelli), she adds north Indian and Maharashtrian specials, tandoori chicken and srikhand, possibly to acquaint readers with all that’s cooking in her kitchen.

“Unlike with North Indian food, American restaurants don’t serve Parsi fare. You get to eat dhansak at get-togethers hosted by Parsi families. Since all ingredients required for Parsi cooking aren’t easily available overseas, I try to mimic traditional flavours by introducing local alternatives, while maintaining the soul of the dish.”

While Parsis in Mumbai love their kaleji-bukka and other offal as much as they do macchi or fish, Karnik experiments with wild meat and local seafood. “Often, my husband and I gather Pacific razor clams from the beach, and add them to the shrimp patia. Rather than goat or lamb, we eat a lot of wild elk, which is tastier and healthier than farmed meat,”
she says.

Since Parsi love to balance the khattu with the mitthu (sour and sweet), wine makes a special appearance in her recipes, together with vinegar, tamarind, tomatoes and lemon.

Having learnt the skills from her mother, Karnik’s first memory of cooking is picking coriander leaves from the garden to make it to the dinner her mother was stirring up. “I still taste my dish at every stage of cooking to check on balance of flavour, just the way she did,” she reminisces.

http://www.mid-day.com/articles/patia-in-the-wild-west/16419189#sthash.L8N3eLFH.dpuf

Breakfast of toast n butter,Cheese n bacon will always do,

Along with sunny-side-up eedoo;

Yet nothing to beat aapro sev n’ ravo

Sprinkled generously with mevo

Or eedapak, badampak or vasanoo

Curry n rice is all very nice

With pomfret, meat, bomlas, prawns galore,

I’ll take bomlas, though I love all,

Be it of Goa, Madras or Mangalore.

Aapro dhandaar nay patio

Paitt bhari ne chatio,

Or simply dhandaar n that heavenly dish,

The incomparable patra-fish.

Dhansaak ne kebab

Simply la-jawab.

Khichree n saas with kolmi is the most

Or humble rus chawal

With singh, potatoes n ghosh,

N ’pickle, kuchumber or simple lime

Turn these creations to something divine.

You simply can’t have tea

Without bhakhra, karkarias or popatji,

Or at least chapats hot or creamy oudh

Sprinkled with lots of chironji.

There’s kumas made with toddy,

Or similarly made sadhnas,

Or meva rich kervai,

Made from bananas.

But what really takes the cake

Are the khaman na larva

That mummaiji used to make,

N’ what excites most your gourmet libido

Is mewafull, ghee rich,

Delicious malido.

Masoor ma boocka,

Titori ne boomla sukhkha,

Papeta ma ghosh, kid roast,

And all sort of veggies

With ghosh of course;

But Parsis’ real favourite is – – – -per eeda,

Be it potatoes, tomatoes, bhaaji or bheeda;

Kheema, chicken shreds or brinjal,

Eeda goes rather well with ‘em all.

Chicken mai-vahlan, a dish we make

With more almonds n raisins then a Christmas cake.

Sali ma murghi, pulao daar

Along with savoury lagan nu achaar

Is what makes bearable any man’s life,

After facing a crotchety boss or a nagging wife.

JAMVA CHALOJI.

Across Mumbai’s colorful culinary landscape, one cuisine that shines through is Parsi food. Be it dhansak or Sali boti, every Mumbaikar has a Parsi dish that is close to their heart. Over the next ten days, just before the Parsi New Year you can get your fill of Parsi cuisine while revelling in five star luxury at the JW Café at the JW Marriott Sahar in Mumbai.

The JW Café has partnered up with Perzen Patel from the Bawi Bride Kitchen and is hosting a Parsi Food Festival. Until the 18^th of August, guests can feast on a range of Parsi dishes such as kheema kebabs and red prawn curry, which are close to Patel’s heart and Parsi classics like dhansak, Patra Ni Machchi and mutton pulao.

So, head over to the JW Café before August 18^th to indulge your taste buds! On Parsi New Year (18^th August), the festival will finish with limited seating at the chef’s table and a full Parsi wedding feast spread.

P.s Stay tuned for a full feature on the food on offer during the festival!

When: 7:00pm to 11:00pm until August 18^th

Price: Rs 1555 +

Contact: 022 28538656

http://www.hungryforever.com/feast-parsi-cuisine-parsi-new-year-approaches-jw-cafe/

Here is an easy Malido recipe in time for everyone to make for Muktad days that I am sharing as per requests. Papris are available to buy in the Western world, inbox me for any details – Niloufer Mavalvala

Malido

Traditionally served as part of the prayers for the family passed on, the Malido and Papdi was offered as part of the tray of food prayed upon. It was the Presiding priest and his wife and his family that made this often tedious but delicious Parsi sweet dish. Then there was the rich version of it, lots of pistachios and almonds added to it  and many more steps to get there.

Not generally eaten on birthdays and happy celebrations, the Malido is no longer a part of the younger generations must eat list. But as everything evolves, the Zarthostis in the West have decided to come up with an easy yet authentic tasting Malida for everyone tohave easy access too and carry on with their tradition. I got this recipe from an elderly aunt, who does not recall who actually shared this with her, but I have tweaked it ever so slightly and am now sharing it with you to enjoy. I think it is the best option available.

There is more good news on this, the Papdi, that completes the dish is difficult to make but freely available to buy. Interestingly on one of my travels to Spain, sitting at the breakfast buffet I noticed something very similar to the papdi. Their Aceite de Torta; it is PERFECT. Happily I bought back a few to share. A few months later our local supermarket has managed to import it and another bakery replicates it locally. I have been sharing this with others since the past 5 years and I do know you can find the same in the UK, New York and New Jersey, so lets hope it is possible to pick up a few in Texas, California and other places where everyone reading this resides!

Click Here for the recipe

Chef Khambata’s kitchen at Umame will create an array of Parsi specialties for Parsi New Year celebrations, including Achar, Saria and Rotli, Patra ni Kolmi, Jardaloo Salli Chicken, Mutton Berry Pulao, Masala Dal and the signature Filo Mille Feuille of Assorted Berries for dessert.

Where: UMAME, Cambata Building, Eros Theatre building, M Karve Road, Churchgate.
When: 18th August
Time: 12.30 pm – 3.30 pm
Price: Rs 1450 (plus taxes)

http://mumbaimag.com/mumbailist-great-places-to-feast-at-this-parsi-new-year/

Great offer – GO GRAB IT !  CLICK HERE !

Parsis love food. We’re always talking about it. At breakfast, we discuss what’s for lunch; at lunch, we discuss what’s for dinner; at dinner, we discuss the next day’s menu. While Mumbai’s many Parsi-Irani restaurants are testaments to our deep love for all things gastronomic, there’s no time of year that showcases our love for food better than the months of November to February. That’s how you know them. I know them as ‘lagan-navjote season’.

A ‘lagan’ is a wedding, while a ‘navjote’ is an initiation ceremony, where young Zoroastrians are formally inducted into the religion. But these milestone functions are usually less about the festivities and more about the food

These functions usually take place in a baug, which is really just a large open space conducive to the set-up of row after row of tables and chairs for al fresco dining. There’s also a stage where the bride/groom/host/whoever (no one really cares) spends most of their time sweating under bright lights with smiles frozen in place waiting to greet the well-wishers—no different from the formalities at any community’s wedding.

But, the one person who has everyone’s attention usually sits way at the back, past the rows of tables, almost shying away from everyone. Her name is Tanaz Godiwalla and she is the undisputed queen of catering as far as Parsi functions go. Before the friends are told, the guest list is made, or even the baug booked, Godiwalla is telephoned and informed of the date. As far as modern day figureheads of the dwindling community goes, few names evoke as much familiarity and flavour as hers.

Considering that, and the fact that she caters an average of 150 ‘lagans’ and ‘navjotes’ in December alone, surprisingly little is known about her. She prefers to remain low-key, to keep to herself. So I got hold of her number, told her I’m so-and-so’s son, (always works in the Parsi community, everyone knows everyone) and got an appointment to meet her.

I remember being nervous on my way up in the elevator. I’ve met her at functions many times. But nothing more than a casual, “Hi, I loved the food”, sort of conversation. This was going to be different. I wasn’t meeting her in a social setting. I had been invited to her home, to her private space to chitchat and get to know the real Tanaz Godiwalla. In our world, that’s the equivalent of meeting Nigella Lawson.

Just as I was about to ring her doorbell, staccato thoughts struck me: Oh god, please don’t let her offer me food. I just had lunch. But if she does, how can I refuse? It’ll look rude. She’s a caterer. She’s THE caterer! Refusing to eat her food, even politely, is like being invited to paint with Picasso and saying no. I pushed my thoughts aside and rang the doorbell. She came to the door, shook my hand and guided me in to a large, airy living room. I sat down on the sofa, and after a cup of tea and some light snacks—which I politely declined—we began to chat.

Tanaz’s parents Freny and Rohinton were the ones who set up Godiwalla Caterers. Her sister and brother were also involved in the business. Her sister married and moved away. After the death of her parents and her brother, Tanaz took charge.

Seated across from me in an armchair, Godiwalla says, “I love what I do and I do it with a lot of passion and happiness. Money always follows when you do something with all your heart. So in a way, I’m blessed to be able to do something that I love.”

Click Here for the full interview

Kainaz Contractor, 28, a B.Com graduate by education, restaurant manager by training and food writer by profession always wanted to run her own restaurant, ever since she could remember. Her dream of running a restaurant made her decide that she would “Spend her 20’s learning about all aspects of a restaurant. The idea was to learn as much as I could before I could start my own place,” tells Kainaz.

Of the three non-hotel management graduates to be selected for the management training programme at the Taj Group of Hotels, she was one. Usually trainees aim for the front desk but Kainaz’s focus was on Food and Beverage service and managing restaurants. She used her time training constructively with the Vietnamese restaurant Blue Ginger in Bangalore and finally as a restaurant manager at Pure in Land’s End, Mumbai learning the ropes. Post her training, she moved to writing about food and after a series of writing stints with TimeOut Mumbai (as an intern) and working with Burrp on a new editorial driven website, she became the Assistant Food Editor at BBC Good Food magazine. BBC Good Food opened up a lot of avenues for her, like access to a test kitchen, experimenting with relatively unknown ingredients, writing about local and sustainable food producers, creating her own recipes and interacting with and interviewing people in the food space from across the world. And this expanded her horizons. … read more on her.yourstory.com

This week our food columnist Mallika Basu settles into autumn with a Parsi lamb stew also known as Jardaloo ma Gosht.

Sweet, sour and with just a hint of chilli this lamb in apricot stew is the perfect shoulder season stew. Jardaloo ma Gosht is traditionally Parsi, the community of Zoroastrians who left Persia over a thousand years ago and settled in the West of India. They brought with them a unique cuisine that combines sweet and sour, stewing meat in fruit and vinegar to a delectable end.

http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/foodanddrink/parsi-lamb-in-apricot-stew-a-recipe-from-indian-cook-mallika-basu-a2948666.html

Akuri is parsi recipe of Scrambled Eggs is very simple, a quick and easy egg recipe which is cooked in most parsi homes.

Disclaimer – This is not a review. It would not be fair to review places or things that are sentimentally close to your heart.

Being a Zoroastrian Irani, I feel proud of my community’s contribution towards evolving the cultural landscape of a city back then known as ‘Bombay’. Irani cafes or restaurants are what initiated the dining out concept in colonial Raj. Irani restaurants were among the first community spaces that threw open their  doors to people of all caste, creed, religion and socio economic status alike, and served them copious amounts of chai with bun maska. You could be a British Army cadet, stock market babu, or a roadside vendor – an Irani restaurant would serve you equally and generously.

The journey of the Irani restaurant has been beautiful and colossal. What started off as a single Irani gentleman selling chai to officegoers from his ‘sigdi’, which later culminated into restaurants that served Parsi dishes and bakery products in addition to the humble chai. And then there is SodaBottleOpenerWala (SBOW) which is attempting to redefine the Irani cafe experience, without altering the sanctity of what an Irani cafe should be. Modern yet quirky, idiosyncratic, and nostalgic – dining at SBOW, which has just launched at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), tugged at my heartstrings because it is a beautiful attempt at trying to preserve the dying legacy of Irani restaurants.

Restaurateur AD Singh took his concept of a modern Irani restaurant to Gurgaon, New Delhi, Bangalore, and Hyderabad before returning to the homeland where it all began. As I dined there on the preview night, a bit skeptical about how a Mumbai Irani themed restaurant would fare in a city where the original Mumbai Irani restaurants already exist, I couldn’t help but draw parallels between the two – the old Irani restaurants ‘then’, and SBOW ‘now’. And it is within these similarities, and differences that lies the charm of Mr. SBOW.

The Look:
Then: Large spacious rooms, high ceilings, and cramped within that  space – glass paneled tables with red chequered table cloths. An Irani cafe was an extension of the owner’s home, and the steel Godrej cupboards and wooden showcases with curios was proof enough. The sound of the fan whirring above your head while you tucked into melt-into-your mouth mawa cakes, made up for the sweltering heat.

Now: I spent half an hour just absorbing the microscopic details that have gone into creating the Instagram worthy ambiance of SBOW by architect Clement and Sabina Singh. The basic framework of an Irani cafe exists – wooden tables and chairs, red chequered tablecloths, mismatched lamps, ‘bannis’ selling confectioneries, and vintage tiled flooring for you to click your feet against. In addition, you’ll also find a large mural of the wall from Merwan’s, a Royal Enfield gleaming proudly at the entrance, and a toy train that chugs across the perimeter of the restaurant’s ceiling. Portraits of Parsis adorning the walls, and a smattering of assorted curios give the place a far more homely vibe.  And then there’s the blackboard listing out the establishment rules, a common sight at The decor perfectly encapsulates the old and the new, is a beautiful amalgamation of an Irani restaurant and a Bawaji home, and this remains the most cherished aspect of my meal at SBOW that evening.

The Bawa OCD for cleanliness extends to the toilet too.

Rules for eating at my restaurant

The People:
Then: An Irani restaurant was lot more about the feel and the food. It was about the faces that ran the place. A space ‘where everybody knew your name’. The uncle at Koolar & Co. won’t think twice before cautioning you about mosquitoes and the rise of dengue. Mr. Zend of Yazdani bakery makes for a lovely companion to chat over chai or khari, if he is in the mood that is. And then there’s the grand maestro, Mr Boman Kohinoor of Britannia who will regale you with stories of the British, lovingly spoon out food into your empty plate, and even show his letter from Queen Elizabeth to a lucky few. These grand old men are what keep the spirit of an Irani restaurant alive – you are not simply a customer, you are family.

Now: The faces behind SBOW today are a friendly lot themselves. Chef Manager, Anahita Dhondy, not only knows her food, but is doing a commendable job bringing regional Parsi cuisine to the fore front. Chef Darius Madon picks up the baton from her, as the Mumbai chef, and it will be interesting to see where he manages to take SBOW. Mohit Balachandran, brand head and cuisine director, commonly known by his moniker Chowder Singh deserves full credit for compiling and innovating the SBOW menu, that not only contains traditional Parsi dishes, but also dishes that showcase the best of Bombay!

The Bhonu:
Then: What started off as humble places serving chai-brun maska-khari, Irani cafes also gave impetus to the bakery boom in Bombay. They later became spaces you could to for a complete meal and get your fill of akuri, kheema pav, dhansak, kababs and more. Jimmy Boy introduced the Parsi wedding feast, outside of a baug, and after that there was no looking back. Most of these continue to remain the go-to places for Mumbaikars who are looking at dining on authentic Parsi fare outside of a Parsi home or wedding, with their idiosyncrasies in place. Read: closed on weekends, only open for lunch service.

Now: What I loved about the SBOW menu was that they’ve not just restricted themselves to Parsi food. Of course there are the staples – berry pulao, dhansak, salli boti, prawn paatiyo. But then there are the dishes that showcase the best of what Mumbai has to offer – Bhendi Bazaar Seekh Paratha, Goan Sausage Pav, Eggs Kejriwal, Haji Ali Fruit Cream – which in my opinion deserve just as much fan fare. Absolutely gorgeous are the Bawa inspired cocktails that not only have funny names, but also include some Parsi ingredients such as cane vinegar or Raspberry Soda.

(Clockwise): Salli Mutton, Cocktails, Dhansak, Raspberry with Cheesy Fries

Must try on the menu –
Tareli Macchi – the baked version of the fish we fry at home. The marinade masala tasted just like the one we make!
The Eggs Kejriwal – a stupendous version with perfectly cooked eggs slathered on a firm, buttery toast.
The traditional, piquant Prawn Paatiyo, that demands dhandar on the side.
The Bhendi Bazaat Seekh Paratha – juicy, melt in the mouth seekhs paired with a surprisingly light paratha.
The Rustom Banwatala – a delicious mango juice and vodka concoction served in a Banta bottle!

(Clockwise): Bhendi Bazaar Seekh Parathas, Cocktails, Eggs Kejriwal, Prawn Paatiyo.

The underlying question here remains, will Mumbai accept Mr. SBOW – a city where the original Irani cafes still remain, a city where everyone has sampled authentic Parsi food atleast once in their life? The answer if a big, resounding Yes! Sadly, with the number of authentic Irani cafes dwindling, and most of them present across the other end of the sea link, the launch of SBOW could not have come at a better time. As Finely Chopped so rightly put in his blogpost here, SBOW will work for the slightly high end target audience, who may not be able to deal with the eccentricities of Fort’s Irani restaurants (read: open only on weekdays, for lunch).

Everyone seems to be asking me ‘ How authentic or real is the food at SBOW?’ I am strictly following the board outside the restaurant that reads ‘ We know your Mumma’s Dhansak is the best, but give ours a shot’, and I would recommend you’ll to do the same. The Lagan nu Custard may lack the sugary burnt top, and nutty cinnamon flavour that most custards do, but the non Parsis on my table didn’t seem to notice.

It is a beautiful coincidence that the original Irani cafes were situated in Bombay’s original office district – Colaba and Fort. And this modern, revamped Irani settles down in Mumbai’s newest office hub – BKC. Chef Anahita told me on the opening night, ‘SBOW is the 2015 version of an Irani restaurant like Britannia’, and I’ll have to agree with her. Hoping they have a long, delicious stint ahead like their older counterparts. Jamva Chalo Ji!

P.S.: Anyone else notice the uncanny resemblance between my father and Mr Rustom SodaBottleOpenerWala? Cannot wait to take him there for some Dhansak, and a Brandied Bawi cocktail.  #LoveTheName

SodaBottleOpenerWala, Ground Floor, The Capital Building, G Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai. 

Zenia Irani is a Clinical Audiologist and Speech Language Pathologist by profession, And a food, lifestyle, and fashion lover by passion. This blog is my personal diary.Come read it and share my adventure. Get in touch with me on zenia.irani@gmail.com for any collaborations or comments.

http://www.brandedbawi.com/2015/09/sodabottleopenerwala-nostalgia-heritage.html

Parsi cuisine is as simple as it is complex. It’s a wonderful amalgam of Persian culinary secrets which have been preserved, and passed down generations for over 1,500 years, intrinsically mingling with the flavours of Gujarat (where the Parsis landed) making the blend a truly intoxicating one. But then that did not let the tongues or the minds stop yearning for more, as the Parsis happily borrowed and assimilated tastes and flavours from the Anglo Indians, the Goans and even the Maharastrians.

The other word synonymous with a Parsi could be “foodie” as the Bawa clan is extremely fond of the “parsi-peg” and “chicken-leg!” The Parsi home is known for its penchant for good food and drink, added with the legendary hospitality that the community is famous for.

One of the most important ingredients of a Parsi kitchen is the fun and laughter that adds to the overall bonhomie and the treats that get dished out each day… Eat, drink, live, laugh and be merry.
The Parsis are one of the tiniest communities in the world, totally just 1,38,000 out of which 69,000 are in India. Even Gandhiji had some complimentary words about the Parsis. He is known to have praised the Parsi community of India as “in numbers beneath contempt, but in contribution great.”

Mumbai has the largest number of Parsis residing in one city, though through the entrepreneurship and lust for travel, you will find Parsis in almost every corner of the world and what follows is the famed Dhansak, one of the most popular Parsi dishes, closely tailed by Patra ni macchi, Sali boti and Lagan nu custard. A Parsi can’t do without eggs; it has to be a part of atleast one meal. We Parsis speak a sweeter, softer dialect of Gujarati, which includes quite a special smattering of unique swear words that add such flavour to our very own food and life!

The writer is the chef at SodaBottleOpenerWala.
A proper Bawi who looks the part, Anahita learnt cooking from her mom, who is an excellent Parsi cook and caterer. She grew up with good food and has access to some incredible family recipes — some, more than 200 years old.

PAATRA NI MACCHI 
(Fish steamed with fragrant coconut chutney wrapped in banana leaves and steamed)

Ingredients:
Silver Pomfret 1 kg
Fresh coconut 250 gm
Coriander (with stem)
500 gm
Mint 50 gm
Sugar 50 gm
Garlic 50 gm (peeled)
Green chilli 10 gm
Lemon juice 60 ml
Whole cumin (jeera) 5 gm
Ice water to blend
Banana leaves 4

Method
Grate the coconut fine, and keep all other ingredients ready.
Cut the fish into fillets, that are still attached.
Marinate with salt and lemon juice and garlic paste.
Keep for one to two hours.
Blend ingredients for the chutney. Keep aside.
Soften banana leaves on a gas flame, and then cut away the stalk and cut into squares, large enough to wrap the fish pieces.
Once everything is ready, arrange the leaf on a clean surface, apply chutney, place the fish and top with chutney.
Pack the fish parcels with the help of a toothpick or string.
Steam in a rice cooker, or an idli steamer for 15 mins till the fish is cooked.
Serve with onion rings and garnish with lemon.
This can also be served with rice, and is a main course dish.

MITHOO MONU: MAMAIJI NU RAVO
(Sweeten your mouth with my grandmother’s authentic semolina pudding!)
Ingredients
1 cup semolina
1 cup sugar
3-4 tbsps butter or ghee
2 tsps vanilla essence
4 cups milk
Roasted almond slivers
Fried raisins (for a low calorie option, you can use plain raisins too) lA few rose petals (optional)

Method
Sauté the semolina in butter or ghee on a very low flame without browning it, yet it should be cooked.
Warm the milk, just slightly enough as to dissolve the sugar. Keep aside.
Add milk slowly to the semolina, stirring continuously.
Keep stirring on simmer till it starts coating the back of the spoon and becomes thick.
Take off heat and add vanilla essence.
Take out “Ravo” in a pretty glass bowl and garnish with slivered almonds, raisins as much as you like and some rose petals.

Anahita N. Dhondy

http://www.asianage.com/dining/bawi-bites-469

How did the idea of Cafe Spice came to you? 

We were working in a much smaller restaurant down the road from Prescot Street where we are now, called ‘Namaste’ when we were invited by restaurateur cum entrepreneur, Michael Gottlieb, to go into partnership with him in the much larger Cafe Spice Namaste. Around 10 years later, we took over the ownership of the entire restaurant.
How do you remember the first steps while growing Cafe SpiceNamaste?

Cyrus and I focussed a lot on training and equipping our staff – many of whom could not speak very much English – with the tools necessary to work and live well in the UK. Most of them are still with us today. We were the first restaurant to gain a National Training Award and become an Investors in People Champion.

It is a cliché, but from the beginning our customers’ wellbeing always came first, in parallel with our staff’s wellbeing. We have always taken care of our customers and I make it a point to remember each and every one, preferably by name. When we reached our milestone 10^thanniversary, we thought of a way of honouring them and so we came out with an anniversary menu with their favourite dishes renamed after them. It was a hoot.

I had to learn to steel myself and adopt a demeanour that projected authority

What was the main purpose and expectations? 

We are Parsees, and our mantra is ‘good thoughts, good words and good deeds’. We try to live by this every day. We always wanted to make a difference – and first and foremost our goal was to offer the best authentic Indian food anyone has ever tasted. But underlying all of that has been our Parsee ethos of creating a legacy so everything we do is geared towards the long term and money is secondary; it is a means to an end. We always wanted to support the environment and local producers and suppliers. We are committed to staff training and training tomorrow’s chefs. We continue to do so till this day, particularly with the competition that Cyrus founded, ‘Zest Quest Asia’, which aims to stimulate interest in Asian cookery and cuisine among home grown chefs. This not only helps to spread the knowledge and skills of authentic, classical Asian cuisine but goes some way to addressing the skills shortages that the £3 billion Asian food industry – which includes 80,000 restaurants — is experiencing today.

Have your dreams come true with Café Spice? 

We continue to strive, but the fact we have grown –with ‘The Park Café’ in Victoria Park East, and currently two hotel restaurants in the UK, ‘Mr Todiwals’s Kitchen’ in Hilton London Heathrow T5 and ‘Assado’ at the Hampton Waterloo – is something we are thankful for.

Who are your customers and how do you maintain long-term relationships with them? 

Our customers are a good cross-section. In the beginning we used to be considered a City, ‘expense account’ restaurant but that has changed in the past few years. We still enjoy a good bulk of our business from the City – and some of our longest standing clients who have become friends such as Nick Gooding, Ipe Jacob and Tony Bond, first came to us because they worked nearby.

We owe our success to our customers…

But today our customers come from all over the UK and from many parts of the world including Japan, the Philippines, Germany, France, Sweden and the USA. We try to serve them the best we can, and Cyrus is a genius in always coming up with something new and exciting to share with them. This year we are starting year-long celebrations of our 20^th anniversary. We owe our success to our customers.

Indian cuisine is very popular – has this helped you to have more success in your business? 

It depends on what you mean by popular, or what Indian cuisine you consider popular. As a whole, yes, Indian cuisine has been embraced in the UK because of our unique history. That of course has been a great launching pad. But I think what has made us successful is our ability to innovate; Cyrus is a pioneering craftsman in the kitchen, but he also has a deep, almost incisive knowledge of food and food history. This allows us to deliver food that can be totally unexpected. One of our greatest personal and professional successes has been to raise the profile of Indian, Parsee and Goan food into the mainstream.

This year we are starting year-long celebrations of our 20^th anniversary…

What is your favourite dish? 

Mine is TANDOORI GOOSNARGH DUCK SAUSAGE and GOAN PRAWN CURRY

What are the benefits and disadvantages of a couple working together? 

Benefits outweigh disadvantages – I always have to watch Cyrus’s back and that helps for the benefit of the business. The disadvantage is that we live in a man’s world and there can be only one captain of the ship.

Who takes the business decisions? 

Every business decision is a collective decision, reached through collaboration with our team, who have a stake in our business too.

Who cooks at home? 

Me mostly

How do you manage time together out of the business? 

We try and do things with friends and also take holidays together, never separate.

What is your future dream? 

Our dream is have a Todiwala collection with our sons, bringing together their creative aspect into the business. They would take this business into a new dimension. We have also set up a Todiwala Foundation with which we hope to support education in the Asian hospitality sector. Our elder son Jamsheed has already started his own line of products from alcohol to platters etc.

To discover more about Café Spice and the cuisine, go to http://cafespice.co.uk

http://www.globalwoman.co/2015/10/pervin-todiwala-the-story-of-cafe-spice-namaste/

I have been living in Central Delhi for several years now and would have crossed Delhi Gate infinite number of times. Unfortunately, I never knew that just before Delhi Gate, there’s a Parsi Dharamshala that has been serving Parsi food in Delhi, much before we got Sodabottleopenerwala and Rustom’s Parsi Bhonu.

As one needs to place an order for the food in advance, I called the Dharamshala. To my utmost pleasure, on the other side, I found Mrs. Bagli, the caretaker, who doubles up as the Main Chef of the Canteen. There was great affection in her voice and almost instantly I felt a connection with this soft-spoken lady.

Next day, I reached the Dharamshala for lunch and the table was set for us. With beautiful Caramelized rice, Kebabs, Patra ni Machchi, Dhansak, Kachumber Salad and Roti. The homelike set up almost felt like I was having lunch at my own place. The fireplace, the dining table adjacent to the kitchen and the humble set up, instantly put me at ease.

There was so much food for two people, it felt like a challenge to finish it!

Well, not someone to back down easily, when it comes to food, we started digging in.

The thick long grains of caramelized rice with keema kebabs and Dhansak was delicious and tasted like something my mother would make at home, of course with her Punjabi touch. However I fell in love with Patra ni Machchi. Big generous piece of fish, coated with mint and raw mango chutney, wrapped in banana leaf and steamed. This was pure delight! The sole reason for one to be happy and satisfied with food and life. Again, a little bizarre though, that the raw mango and mint chutney, tasted exactly like how my mother would make at home.

I think Mrs Bagli and my mother must be secretly sharing some recipes. How I wish, this was true!

But, honestly, I always like Parsi food for its familiar, simple and clean flavours.  Although, one can sense the influences of Gujarati food and British dishes, still Parsi food has a character of its own. The Khattu Meethu flavour, the use of red vinegar, the pattice and bread and of course ‘eggs’, are all signs of how Parsi food has embraced different cuisines and then, evolved over the course of several years.

So while I was eating, I noticed two things that stood out. The Dhansak tasted more of lentils & meat and the lemons served in kachumber salad were ‘orange’ and not the normal yellow ones.

Later when I met Mrs Bagli in her office, I asked her how her Dhanksak tasted more of lentils, she immediately replied “Mummy always used to put Kaddu (pumpkin), but my cook doesn’t like the taste of it”.

With a twinkle in her eye, she narrated many stories to me. Starting from 1958, when she shifted from Bombay, after marrying her Parsi priest husband from Delhi. She talked fondly about her badminton classes, dances classes and parties. Being a quintessential Bombay girl, this was life to her.

Now, she organizes parties, conferences, meetings in the auditorium of her Dharamshala. She plans her parties on Saturday night, so that it’s convenient for everyone to come and enjoy. As we walked around her baug, she showed me the trees her husband had planted. The orange lemons were from the same baug. She spoke vividly about her son, who’s now the head priest of Delhi Parsi community and an avid wild life photographer. Kainaz Contractor and Anahita Dhondy (Chefs at Rustom’s Parsi Bhonu and Sodabottleopenerwala respectively) have grown up in front of her. The cook who worked for her husband, his third generation also now works for the Dharamshala.

Lime-tree—Parsi-DharamshalaMrs Dhun Daraius Bagli – Parsi Dharamshala

Now years have gone by, generations have changed and this, now a mother of four, still lives at this Dharamshala. A place, which her husband once told her, was their kingdom.

Address: Bahadur Zafar Road, LNJP Colony, Near Maulana Azad Medical College Campus, New Delhi, 110002
Contact: 011 23238615
Cost for two: Rs 800-1000
NOTE: They also serve delicious Kulfi sourced from Parsi Dairy.

http://www.eatstory.in/authentic-homelike-parsi-food-at-delhi-parsi-anjuman/

While many older establishments threaten to shut down, Café Irani Chaii (spelt with a double ‘i’) in Mahim, recreates fond memories of buzzing Irani cafés, once the pride of the city. When we walked into the café, the black-and-white floor tiles, wooden furniture and the jumbo glass jars filled with toffees put us into rewind mode in a flash. We loved that there was no forced attempt to create a fusion-style cafe.

The familiar interiors of Café Irani Chaii. Pics/Suprita Mitter

As we waited for Bun Maska (Rs 25) and Irani Chai (Rs 20), we noticed a few curious customers walk in, each with a host of queries. We overheard the owner, Mohammed Hussain, tell one of the visitors that the chairs were over 90 years old. “We have owned them for very long, while a few others have been sourced from relatives”, he added. “The Irani community is known for their wooden furniture,” he beamed. Cutesy, red, Irani-style kettles sat pretty in a showcase beside sepia-tinted photographs. The space is small, neat and compact, complete with a black board that lists out strict rules like ‘no combing hair’ and ‘no talking to the owner.’

(From left) Rasberry Soda, Ice Cream Soda and Ginger Soda from Pallonji’s

The décor wasn’t the only thing that reminded us a bygone era, the taste of the food and the prices did full justice to our time travel trip. The menu is limited as of now but quite a few additions are in store. Post our chai and maska treat, the melt-in-mouth Chicken Pattice (Rs 25), and the slightly sweet Mutton Pattice (Rs 25) were wolfed down in minutes. Convinced that we were in good hands, we ordered Akuri (Rs 60), Paya (Rs 80), and the Mutton Kheema Ghotala (Rs 120), which was better than the regular Kheema Pav. a Egg and Kheema were cooked together in a gravy, served with hot, buttery pav.

Mutton Paya with Pav

The Chicken Biryani (Rs 150) was also a hit as it was not too oily or spicy. We washed down these goodies with the traditional Parsi Ice Cream Soda, Rasberry Soda and Ginger Soda from Pallonji’s (Rs 25 each). The Mawa Cake (Rs 25) was soft and fresh while the greatest delights were the Dinshaw ice creams. After years, we were able to indulge in our favourite flavours Nimbu Pani, Bombay Chaat and Raw Mango (Rs 5 each).

As we were about to leave, we spotted fresh Chicken Rolls being placed in the display shelf. “We made these for the first time today, and haven’t decided on the pricing yet. You can have both for Rs 50,” Hussain offered. Needless to say, we obliged. We will certainly return for the Dhansak, the Persian Kebabs with butter rice and Berry Pulao, soon to be added to the menu. For a trip down memory lane and for some lip-smacking Irani fare, drop by this little gem.

On: 7 am to 11 pm (daily)
At: 9, Rosary Chawl, Mangireesh CHS Ltd, MMC Road, Mahim.
Call: 24455577
Food: Good
Service: Quick
Ambiance: Nostalgic

http://www.mid-day.com/articles/restaurant-review-irani-treat-in-mahim/16688191