Dining With Daisy:Parsi Food

Daisy was and is one of the most cheerful persons from my class.She's now a teacher.She's an unusual Parsi cos she's vegetarian! She called us school friends over for lunch the other day.As she got married young, she learnt all the cooking from her mother in law.For herself, she usually makes vegetables Gujarati style, as that requires very little oil or masala.Parsi vegetarian dishes are usually combinations of vegetables and meat..Tamatar Ma Gosht,Pateta Ma Gosht and what not.Her folks ask if anyone is unwell when she makes only vegetables for them.Dal is very common in Parsi cuisine as are eggs.




She made Veg Dhansak and Brown Rice for all of us that day as most of my school friends are vegetarian.Years ago,Daisy had made this for me and the taste got stamped indelibly on my mind.No wonder then that I searched for those flavors everytime I had Dhansak.Daisy grinds her masalas separately herself, specially dalchini,jeera and pepper.Dhansak consists of various dals(tur,masoor,urad dal and moong) and vegetables such as pumpkin and gourd.(Dhansak masala is also available in readymade packets).After all these years,the dhansak tasted the same,thick and spicy and went well with the caramelised rice....the sort of comfort food, you yearn for.




She served these with Kachumber or Onion Salad,Sliced Beetroots and Veg and Chicken Kababs.

Contrary to popular belief,it is a dish served on the last day of mourning a person's death.However because of its popularity,it is also made over weekends and for other informal occasions....as was done that day!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Thank you for covering our get together - the real star of the whole show was really the camaraderie and joy that we all felt. The warmth has never left us. Good food is about a good life!

Popular posts from this blog

A Banana Leaf Lunch

The Malcolm Baug Parsi Pop-Up

Food at a Baarsa...A Maharashtrian Naming Ceremony