Navroz Mubarak

Pateti is one of the best occasions to get your hands on some traditionally prepared Parsi cuisine. The festival offers an opportunity for all foodies to take a bite into delicious dishes prepared in every Parsi home. Here are some recipes of popular special dishes that Parsis will whip up today...

Mutton Salli Boti Ingredients: Boneless Lamb, 120gm Finely sliced onions, 4 Ginger garlic paste, 1 tbsp Turmeric powder, 1 tbsp Red chilli powder, 1 tbsp Large tomatoes, chopped fine, 2 Salt to taste Finely chopped coriander leaves, 1/2 cup For the Salli: 5 large potatoes, peeled and cut into matchsticks or juliennes Vegetable cooking oil for deep frying the potato sticks Method: Heat a deep, heavy bottomed pan on medium heat. When hot, add the cooking oil to the pan and heat. Add the onions and fry until they begin to turn pale golden in colour. Now add the ginger and garlic paste, meat and fry until the meat begins to change into brown. Now add the turmeric powder and red chilly powder and stir well. Continue to fry until the oil begins to separate from the meat. This could take up to 10 minutes and indicates that the spices are well cooked through. Now add the tomatoes and salt to taste. Add a cup of hot water and stir to mix well. Cover and cook until the meat is very tender. Prepare the Salli while the meat is cooking. Heat the oil for deep-frying on low to medium heat. This ensures that when you deep fry the previously prepared potato juliennes, they cook fully and turn out crispy. Drain on paper towels and keep aside for later. When the meat is cooked, add the jaggery and vinegar to the curry and stir to mix well. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. The dish must have fairly thick when it is done. Remove the pan from the heat and stir, add chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Mutton Berry Pulao Ingredients: For the marination Lamb, 400 gm Ginger chopped, 20 gm Garlic crushed, 20 gm Turmeric powder, 15 gm Crushed coriander seeds, 10 gm Jeera powder, 10 gm Paprika powder, 12 gm Chilli powder, 8 gm Garam masala, 10 gm Oil For the pulao Onion chopped, 50 gm Tomato chopped, 50 gm Lamb Biryani masala, 20 gm Curd, 100 gm Potato cut in fours, 120 gm Berries, 25 gm Saffron, 2 gm Milk, 25 ml Rice, 250 gm Salt to taste Pepper a pinch Mint leaves a few Method Marinate the lamb in all the ingredients and keep for 4-6 hours. In a pan take some oil and add whole garam masala to it. Allow the oil to heat up and sear the lamb. Keep aside

Wash and soak the rice in water before cooking till al-dente. Cook the rice in lamb stock preferably. For the pulao Saute the onions and tomatoes and add little puréed tomato as well. Add the lamb and potatoes and allow it to cook. Finish it off with some curd and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Layer the pulao with the rice and drizzle over saffron soaked in milk. Garnish with chopped mint leaves and barberries

Recipe courtesy: Farrokh Khambata of Cafe at the NCPA

Patra Ni Macchi Ingredients: Boneless Pomfret, 130gm For chutney: Coriander, coconut, mint, green chilli and lemon juice chutney, 30 gm Banana Leaves, 4

Method Clean and wash pomfret Make fillets and cut each fillet into two. Make horizontal slits on the pieces. Sprinkle vinegar and salt and marinate for 30 minutes. Trim, wash and wipe banana leaves. Cut coconut into pieces. Clean and chop coriander. Wash, slit and remove the seeds from the green chillies. Peel garlic. Now put all these and the remaining ingredients in the mixer ginger to make a smooth paste. Keep aside. Stuff fish pieces with chutney and spread the rest on both sides. Apply oil on banana leaves and wrap each piece separately. Steam the wrapped fish pieces for 30 minutes. Cut lemon into wedges. After 30 minutes, remove fish from steam. Unwrap arrange on a platter. Serve with lemon wedges. Recipe courtesy: Ashok Gaikwad, sous chef at Bombay Vintage