Talking About The Exotic Koli Pickle: Bombay Times 17 March 2016

Buy it here.

http://www.annaparabrahma.com/Koli-Style/Amboshi-cha-Loncha-200gms---copy-id-1068421.html

Prawn Pulao

I am a Koli and I can say this with authority that the Prawn pulao is not a traditional Koli recipe even though modern Koli make Prawn pulao commonly in their kitchens. The word pulao or pilaf is Persian in origin and therefore many attribute the origins of Pulao to Persia. But you will be surprised to find the mention of game meat cooked with rice in the Mahabharat.

So if you thought that Parsi prawn pulao is authentic Persian you are wrong. Rather it is something created from local ingredients available to the early Parsi refugees that settled first in Sanjan and then moved to other parts of Gujarat and Mumbai. The dhania or coriander is such a give away!

Nevertheless this is a delicious quick to make recipe. I don't know what I would have done if there was no Prawn pulao recipe on hand whenever I want to please AC that too in a jiffy.

Serves 2 

Ingredients

150 gms Basmati rice
150 gms shelled and deviened Prawns
1 onion chopped or 1 tablespoon Birista
1 tomato chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon ginger grated
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1 green chili mashed
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon oil
300 ml water

Wash and drain the basmati rice in a colander and allow to stay for atleast 1/2 hour.

Later heat oil in the pot. If using onion fry till brown Or use ready birista. Add chopped tomato. Add the ginger - garlic, fry till the tomato forms a paste. Add the dry powders of turmeric, red chili, coriander, cumin, mashed green chili and give it a stir. Add the prawns. Now follow in with the soaked and drained Basmati. Top up with water. Cook covered till water is absorbed by the basmati.

Open the lid, sprinkle chopped cilantro and fluff up the rice with a fork very carefully so as not to break the long grains of rice.

Served warm to my happy hubby.

Dotty this recipe is up here just for you, now go cook and show me how yours turns out. Bon apetite!

Made with whole prawns 🦐 just like in a paella. Also used Suhana biryani masala. A shower of grated coconut and cilantro a Koli habit.  Absolutely delicious. First time tasting my own prawn pulao. 14 April 2024

Navroze Mubarak!

It's my first Navroze after marriage. There has to be Ravo (sheera with cardamom and nutmeg) for all auspicious days for the Parsis. So I made Ravo, Saee's Mawa cake, Dhan Dar served with gajar-mewa nu achaar. Yes its a simple lunch as we will be eating at the community dinner or Gambhar tonight at the gymkhana.

I have my own mawa cake recipe but I have so far baked only eggless cakes as per my  Maharashtriya family's preferences. Since on the Parsi side eggs are omnipresent in food and customs. I went ahead and baked my first ever cake with egg! 

Well new year's beginnings, I am hoping will change atleast a few things in my life.

Posting this under the label Remake, where I cook and review recipes from other blogs. So what are the things I did in my Parsi Kitchen? 

1. I don't have muffin moulds in this kitchen so I used a square borosil dish.

2. Used 2 cups sugar as in the original recipe as AC likes his sweet dishes actually sweet unlike me. I like mine faintly sweet.

3. I skipped the doodh masala Saee used. Instead I used elchi-jaiphal as the Parsis do.

4. Since this is baked in a square dish I baked this cake at the same temperature of 150 deg C but for a good 1 hr. Until it was a golden.

The verdict:

A beautifully light crumb with a thin crust on the outside. AC loved it and that says a  lot.