I have eaten as much Parsi food as is humanly possible for a non-Parsi. And I have talked, written, and looked passionately at the dish more times than I should have. In fact, I’m now beginning to look like a condescending advocate for food as more than just a voter, fan, and admirer. Over the years, I have also declined invitations to Parsi meals, banquets and weddings, because I am so fed up with Parsi food that I often feel pained that I can be indifferent to the cuisine, and this That my fidgety and familiarity with Dhansak, Salli-Boti and Patra-Ni Machi, may have created some contempt for this scrumptious dish. In the end I found myself quite weary of it.
But this is far from the truth. Because the moment I encounter a capable champion or cook of Parsi food, I gracefully fall in love, shatter and fall in love all over again. Like I did with the food of a young chef named ‘Shezad Marolia’.
For that, you must visit the idyllic little town of Udvada, the Vatican City of the Zoroastrians. Udvada is a coastal town a few hours from Mumbai and is home to Iranshah Atash Behram, the oldest and most sacred fire temple with a fire believed to have been burning for over 1,300 years Is. It is a small beautiful village where time stopped a century ago. There are no modern places to stay, just old houses, dharamshalas and residents who might sell you some snacks. There are one or two old hotels where you can stay comfortably, but both serve a big feast for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Amidst all this decency, chef Shahzad Marolia and his mother Hilla Aunty Anokhe Sohrabji Jamshedji run Sodawaterwala Dharamshala, and the bouncy and spirited Shahzad has started a café right next door called Cafe Frohar. I met him last night at Taj Lands End in Mumbai, where he hosted a pop-up, and we engaged in a highly passionate and gastronomical conversation about the state of Parsi cuisine, and the slow death of heritage cuisine, and the need Have become. to protect them.
I had the same conversation with Dr. Khurush Dalal, the extremely learned and accomplished archaeologist, historian, and chef, and he introduced me to long-lost Parsi delicacies such as Khatta meetha resa ma pattis – sweet and sour pulled meat, patties Usually made from “last night’s sallie boti”. or Chicken Mawahalan (Mama’s favorite curry), a chicken dish cooked with almonds, pistachios, cashews, raisins, and thick cream. And he also introduced me to the cleverness of the Parsi cooks who used to garnish all the vegetables with the meat. For example, guar-ma-ghose, bhida-ma-ghose, french beans-ma-ghose, cauliflower-ma-ghose, papri-ma-ghose, even tarela-kera-ma-ghose (fried bananas meat with) and the classic kakdi ma ghosh”? ‘Cucumber’ is the cucumber or large pith.
Shahzad Maroliya has also made a conscious effort to save and preserve some of the heritage Parsi recipes. Of course, their menu included dhansak, pulav dal, patra-ni-machi, farcha and salli-boti. But there was a platter of sizzling prawns called Tatrella Kolmi, Papata Tarelli Chicken, a chicken and potato curry. Atheli margi, a slow-cooked chicken stew flavored with a variety of aromatic spices and herbs. Some say that the word “atheli” means eight, which refers to the eight pieces of chicken that are usually used to make this dish.
Bhaji Dana Ma Ghos is another traditional Parsi dish. Mutton curry is made with a variety of vegetables and spices. Vegetables including surti methi bhaji, spinach, coriander, spring onions, dill, tuvar na dana or green peas, its rich and complex taste have been largely forgotten by today’s generation. Parsi Bhatia Ghosh sounds quite contradictory, doesn’t it? Well, this is a dry spice preparation, ideal to carry with you when you are on the move. Apparently, in the olden days, dried bhatia gosht was taken by hunters to the forest for dinner. And this is just the beginning. Shahzad has also opened Udvada Bakers, a small bakery that bakes fresh Parsi delicacies such as Bhakhra, and other classics such as Khari, Chinese Khari, Batasa, Nankhatai, Cashew, Almond and Walnut Macaroons and of course Palmier Makes French pastries.
Shahzad Maroliya has now moved to Udvada after spending some time abroad and in Mumbai. His aim is to live in the past so that he can protect the future of classical Indian cuisine.
Kunal Vijaykar is a food writer based in Mumbai. He tweets @kunalvijayakar and can be followed on Instagram @kunalvijayakar. The name of his YouTube channel is Khaane Mein Kya Hai. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not represent the stand of this publication.
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