The Now Posh Jhama Sweets, Chembur Camp

In the last two years I had not been to Jhama at their flagship store in Chembur Camp though I would buy treats at the Nerul outlet. So when I did go there last week, I was in for a surprise. The sweet shop was more spacious, organized and the facade was so clean and welcoming. The yellow headboard with red lettering was replaced by a touch of royal signage. They have been around 66 yrs!

I have lived in Chembur for 12 years of my life and as a college going kid would pass by Jhama on the way back home. I had to sometimes take a different bus from Chembur camp to Tata power colony but the incentive was to be able to snack at Jhama. Buying samosas and sometimes hot Jalebis for family was a regular thing.

Sometimes my friend Preeti would coax me to eat pani puri there. Proof is to see women still lined up there waiting for their turn to eat just like yore.

They have a great range of mithais and farsans. Their sticky karachi halwa, the Sindhi specials sev barfi, tosha, badusha etc are to die for. The gulabjamuns are a class apart. In the past they would have a little pista hidden in the middle. Now that's lost with time. The Kaju katli and Kaju kesar katli has no match in entire Mumbai. When Dad bought sweets from Jhama it would be always in 2 kgs packs for our 18 member joint family. Then Mothe baba would sit down to distribute the sweets to everyone. The pink rose barfi was always moist and smelt divine.

Jalebis nice and thick frying on slow simmer.

My quarter of Jalebi being packed

Ignore those nameplates on the top. Look into the bain maries. Spot the samosa and dal pattices. See limited nos. So rush early to get your stash. They start frying at 5pm.

The Samosas are khasta and filled plump and very addictive. The Dal pattice wins the heart and bingo that is the shape it is made in. What I missed is the chhole they used to give with the samosas and pattice, they have stopped it now but give loads of chutney both green and sweet tamarind. 

Who has the patience to stop and click a photo when you lay hands on Jhama treats after a long time. The husband is glad I introduced him to Jhama as soon as we met. This day he taunted, "Diwali has just gone by no?"

Shut up and eat. My head is down over my plate I need to finish the last morsel and then devour the gulab jamuns.

Laxmi Puja 2016

Goddess Laxmi's footprints at our door and oil lamps to show her the way and welcome her to our home.

She has taken her seat in our home and we promise to take good care of her and accept her blessings. We also promise that what we get as blessings we shall share with the deserving.

While I did all the preps for the Laxmi poojan, hubby was busy doing Muhurta trading while the stock market was open today in the evening especially for this day.

While that was our evening, our morning was chilled out as my Dad visited us and we went out for lunch to A.Rama Nayak 's Udipi Shri Krishna Boarding. 

Yele oota with my Dad. There was tender chavali, ashgourd, double bean and potatoes with puri. Sambar, rasam, curd with rice and papad. Butter milk to sip thru the meal and citron pickle to lick on. We opted for Dudhi halwa along with the meal. My Bawa hubby is a proper Non vegetarian so he does not eat at vegetarian places except sweets so he ate two, Dudhi halwa and gulab jamun. 

Narak Chaturdashi 2016

That is our Narak Chaturdashi celebrations in pics. In the morning I kept out the waste and prayed "Eeda Peeda Jaoo de". It is the day of abolishment of evil represented by Narakasur by the Goddess Kali. 

Every year even though the home was deep cleaned for Diwali, my mother would sweep the house and dust the corners collecting some dust and then lighting a diya in the dust and offering haldi kunku to a new broom. Aai prayed that all eeda-peeda all obstacles and illnesses be banished from our life. Its a very vivid memory for me, the ceremonial oil massage and bath with fragrant Uttana, an ayurvedic powder. Following which we smashed the Kaarita a bitter fruit for a symbolic destruction of evil. The juice is tasted as blood and we swear to live a happy and righteous life.

After the head bath which is mandatory everyone sat down to a festive breakfast of Faral, sweets and savories.

Our faral at home today consisted of Rava and dried coconut  Karanji, Bhajani chakli, Tikhat shev, Shankarpali, Rava ladoo, Besan ladoo, Maharashtriya Motichoor ladoo, Patal pohyancha chivda, Bhajakya pohyancha chivda, Chaurichi Karanji and Kadboli (not in pic).

I put Rangoli, lit ghee lamps for my pooja, the Bawa and me put up the Kandeel and oil lamps together. He was pensive for just a moment missing his parents, sister and Bapaiji and then became cheery that Diwali was back in his home after a long gap. 

Let the light eradicate the darkness is our lives. 

Happy Dhanteras 2016 !

Here is the Parsi style pooja thali called Ses. It has the cone of sugar called Soparo that symbolizes a mountain of sweetness. The round Pigani to keep vermilion paste to apply on the forehead. The Gulabaz, a rose water sprinkler. A bowl of milk to bathe the coins. A coconut and a flower garland. A covered Divo or oil lamp is also part of this Ses, we had lit it outside the platter.

Parsis have assimilated so much of Indian culture. Today the Bawa was more enthusiastic than me to do the pooja. This is our first Diwali after marriage.

Happy Dhanteras! from our Parsi - Koli household. Hope yours is good too.

Dakshini or South Indian Pudis by Janaki Nagaraj #DecadeOfAnnaParabrahma

Janaki Nagaraj

She is a family friend, writer, dreamer and a passionate marathoner and fitness freak. She has hopped onto AnnaParabrahma Eshop to bring to us spice blends from her kitchen that get one hungry. Being a South Indian her specialities are the Dakshini pudis. 

We are introducing Rasam, Sambar, Bisibele bhaat, Garlic chutney and Pepper rasam pudis right now and more to follow. So watch this space. 

I am also inviting Janaki to write here so you get her authentic recipes too for these products.

Garlic Chutney Pudi

Bisibele Bhaat Pudi

Pepper Rasam Pudi

Sambar Pudi

#DecadeOfAnnaParabrahma

Diwali Faral 2016

Last two days left to order your Diwali Faral. Order by last date : 23 Oct 2016 . 

Deliveries between 25-26 Oct 2016 for Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. 

Shipping to other cities on 26th Oct.

Why you should not move to Mumbai

pic credit: Lonely planet

I was born at a hospital near Opera House while my parents lived in our Colaba home in the Koli community. I am a native of Mumbai. When I was 8yrs my father moved us to a more cosmopolitan area in Fort. When you live in South Mumbai everything is convenient. You walk to school. The markets are just at the end of the lane. The best theaters, stadiums, clubs etc are all at walkable distance. Even the Oval maidan and Azad maidan and several small gardens like Horniman circle and Band stand were a fresh breath of energy. The sea front just a short cab ride away. The best materialistic things in life were available and accessible in South Mumbai if you had the money.

Just read this article and had an urge to write this immediately.

http://homegrown.co.in/stories-of-10-indians-who-left-the-city-behind-for-a-quieter-life/

However when YOU have the best, everyone else comes to get the best too. So in SOBO we saw huge morchas gathering at Kala ghoda that extended right upto Flora fountain. This rarely happens now but this year when it happened it brought the city to a stand still. Remember the protests about the Ambedkar house?

The roads are old and not enough to handle the pressures of modern day migrants coming to Mumbai. Still people come in large numbers from far off places to follow their aspirations. They never think where they will live? What will they eat?

While the vada pao is the cheapest item available in Mumbai it is not a nutritious meal. A proper square meal would cost anything between 100 - 150 Rs. in a small eatery.

pic credit: Indian express

A labor class person will never be able to afford a home in Mumbai and will live in a shanty or jhopadpatti all his life. There are many low rung corporate people who also live in shanties in the beginning of their careers because accommodation is so expensive. If you are a family and in a decent job that is moving to Mumbai. Think about this, you will never save enough to send money for your parents. You will never be able to afford a home in your working life. Be prepared to live with huge financial burdens all your life.

The local trains are the lifeline of the city. If you have never commuted on them in your life, come and experience it once at peak hours if you are planning to move to this city. That one experience will make you change your decision.

Recently I took my maid’s daughter to KEM hospital for treatment. I went back to a government hospital after two decades and saw the state of the hospital. You will find the secret to how our doctors get trained so well. Millions of people with thousands of types of diseases come here from across the country. You will always have to go to a private hospital for treatment. Imagine the plight of people who do not have medical insurance.

Growing up travelling by BEST bus, which by the way is one of the really best transport services was a nightmare when commuting only a few kms from Regal to Handloom house would take 1 hour 30 mins way back in 1986. The one way traffic rules have now eased life in South Mumbai but still its only marginal. Ever since those days I had sworn to move out of Mumbai.

It took me 7 working years to get an opportunity to move to Bangalore. When I moved there it wasn’t the infrastructure mess it is now. It was a just expanding city back in 2005. The growth was a rapid 25kms radius to 250 kms radius. I chose to live first in newer developments in BLR in Ramamurthy Nagar. For a Mumbai bred like me it was fascinating, lived in a bunglow with an overgrown open space in the front. The paths muddy and undeveloped. If it had been Mumbai suburban extensions first get roads, light and water. Here though the electricity was available I was not used to one day without electricity as loading shedding! Electricity never failed in Mumbai and if it did it was may be 1 day in a few years. The tap ran water only on alternate days. I was used to a 24 hrs water supply in Mumbai.

I chose to live frugally, was enjoying it until I was targeted and my home burgled. I lost everything that I had collected to buy a plot in BLR. After which I moved to a rented bunglow in Mysore Bank colony. Lived there for 7 years among staunch Madhva brahmins. I was loved because I was an outsider but I also saw the play of caste system and food preference as the underbelly, something you don’t know exsists being a Mumbaikar and cosmopolitan.

I have lived across Mumbai from birth, 8 yrs in Colaba, 8yrs in Fort, 12 years in Chembur in a piece of heaven called Tata Power Colony, 7 years in Navi Mumbai then in between 7.5 yrs in Bangalore and was back in Navi Mumbai in 2012. Until I got married and moved to the center of Mumbai, where I live now. I am fortunate to finally live in a place which is prime area yet peaceful only until I step out for errands. I now work from home and go to office may be just once a week and meet family and friends may be once a week. I am blessed because I don’t commute. I have a green canopy to soothe my screen tired eyes. I have got lucky to have this life at middle age not because I worked for it but because of the SUPER POWER that controls our life. I still cannot afford to buy a home out of my own savings.

If you think Mumbai has more opportunities and you are prepared to sacrifice your peaceful life from where you are moving. You are prepared to accept that you will always live on the edges and not be able to save for a better life. Only then move to Mumbai.

Else choose a place where you will be able to have a work and family life balance. Those of you who are not born in Mumbai please think hard and go back from where you came or find a better place. It’s a hard decision make it now!

#DecadeOfAnnaParabrahma

#DecadeOfAnnaParabrahma 

Yes its 10 years since I began blogging while I was in Bangalore. Last year I did this 'Adda with Kalyan'. It sums up very well my journey as a blogger as we chat up with other regional bloggers.

The blog has been my place to pour my heart ever since I wrote the first post. It was my broadcast system for my family and friends. Readers followed and the anonymity of an alias allowed some speaking to the universe in those days.

In the early days it was fun to read other food blogs and make friends with Indian and a few non Indian bloggers across the globe. I have made some friends whom I treasure. Some made it a point to meet me when visiting India like P of Evolving Tastes , Manisha of Indian Food Rocks and Nupur of One Hot Stove. Among the bloggers from my birth city Mumbai Saee of My Jhola and author of Crumbs and Harini of Tongue Ticklers were the first who came to meet me when I wasn't well. Then IFBM 2014 happened and I met 40 bloggers from across the country. This continues and the most recent one I met is blogger buddy Kalyan Karmakar's (Finely Chopped) mother Mrs. Rekha Karmakar - Tabulous Mom.

What was started as a hobby has now become a full time business. AnnaParabrahma began as a blog. Then I started helping a women's group sell their Diwali Faral. There was a demand from readers and friends for Koli masala so started retailing it. After I left my job as Knowledge Manager for one of India's top IT services company it was only natural to use my experience to set up the Eshop www.annaparabrahma.com. 

This year we are moving from being a single brand shop to a multi-brand market place. We have signed up with Home Chefs to bring to you specialties from different communities and delicious signature creations. We have Parsi Pickles by Zenobia Schroff, Cookies by Bimba Nayak and South Indian spice blends by Janaki Nagaraj.

Some other interesting milestones :

• In the last couple of years I have enjoyed writing for India Food Network. 
• I do Experience with Me session on Koli cuisine, where I take the curious foodies on a Fish market tour followed by a cook and eat together.
• I was on television for the Mumbai episode of The Great Indian Rasoi with Chef Ranveer Brar.
• A Perfect Bite Studio does these Culinary Legacy Series for which I presented the Koli Cuisine.

On the personal front the blog has seen me move from Bangalore back home to Navi Mumbai and marriage brought me back to Mumbai, the city of my birth. It has documented my life as a single working woman to a married woman. A life full of learning and passion for staying happy no matter what.

#DecadeOfAnnaParabrahma is a long time and looking back brings up a multitude of memories. We will continue to celebrate through the year. Won't you join in?

Bimba Nayak's Cookies

Chef Bimba Nayak has spent 43 years in the Hotel Industry. Working a major part of her career in the Royal kitchens of Kuwait. She is an expert pastry chef and more. While she teaches cooking and baking she also churns out delicious cookies for us. Introducing 5 types of cookies on our Eshop.

Cashewnuts in every bite. Buttery and nutty.

The crunch from the corn flakes and the bite into the cookies. Such a delightful explosion of textures in the mouth.

Made with imported chocolate. There is the dark chocolate in the dough and choco chips bursting into the mouth with every bite. 

 

Tutti Fruiti Biscuits are rich with goodness of milk and fun from the tutti fruiti.

Butter biscuits made with the best butter, rich and crunchy.

We know you are tempted. Buy now! 

http://www.annaparabrahma.com/Cookies-depid-1000892-page-1.html

AnnaParabrahma Ties Up With Home Chefs

We are happy to announce that with your patronage we have done well and now plan to widen our product range.

As part of our expansion plan, we are is tying up with home chefs to bring to you specialties from different communities. You will find delicacies from Pathare Prabhu, Bengali, Parsi communities available soon on the Eshop.

It is the season of Gaboli or Fish roe and who better than Zinobia Schroff can make this seasonal delicacy. GARAB NU ACHAAR is just a click away. Order it now while the stocks last.

http://www.annaparabrahma.com/Zinobia-Schroff/Garab-Nu-Achaar-200gms-id-2553537.html

A PEEK INTO THE KOLI MONSOON KITCHEN, AUGUST 10, 2016

Men sitting on the verandah, one end of the fishing net tied to the pillar and the free ends being mended, women cleaning dried fish for the day’s curry is a common scene in Thal during AagoT or monsoon. Life is slow and gloomy. Everything smells damp, the walls, clothes and even the fishing nets with their saltiness of the sea still intact. A Koli home in Thal has that omnipresent smell of dried fish, which has been stored for the AagoT.

http://indiafoodnetwork.in/2016/08/10/a-peek-into-the-koli-monsoon-kitchen/

GANPATI SPECIAL: CHICKEN CURRY WITH EGGS FROM THE KOLI KITCHEN, September 8, 2016

“Gauri Ganpati che sanala, go Baihini, baygin sange chal maherala.”
Come Ganpati-Gauri festival and this iconic song is played everywhere in the Koliwadas. Most Koli women married within the community and many in the same village in the olden days, unlike me who married a Parsi...

Click here to read more.
http://indiafoodnetwork.in/2016/09/08/ganpati-special-chicken-curry-with-eggs-from-the-koli-kitchen

Hirvya Vatanya cha Masale Bhaat

Masale bhaat is the one pot quick rice that is churned out in 20 mins with a pressure cooker, a whistle or two in many a Maharashtriya home in modern day. It is a must on a wedding menu. We love it anytime. Gone to the doctors, come back home and make masale bhaat. You have unexpected visitors, the quick and tasty masale bhaat is ready to serve. Running short of other things on the party menu add a masale bhaat to it. Its that easy to make.

This Hirvya Vatanya cha Masale bhaat was made for lunch yesterday. I was dead tired from a super difficult Tuesday when we spent 4 hrs each way commuting from Nerul to Churchgate. The morcha protesting the demolition of Ambedkar Bhavan had brought South Mumbai to a stand still. We were unfortunate to have a docs appointment on the day. Anyways got a second opinion on Dad's cardiac condition and its a relief to know that surgery is to be avoided as of now. He is 75 and quite fit otherwise. So Wednesday morning I slept in, believe it or not Dad let me do it. Then at 11.30 am I woke up and by 12 noon we were eating a warm Masale bhaat.

I usually use untoasted masala for my masale bhaat like here in Toor Masale Bhat. Many times when we don't have the Kachha masala ready I use my Gondavale Goda Masala for a quick one. However this time I ran out of it. My friend Soumitra Velkar had gifted me the Parbhi Sambar Masala and it smelt so similar to my Gondavale Goda Masala so I thought let me try a Masale bhaat with it. No surprises the Masale bhaat turned out perfect.

Here try it out and you have two options for the masala now.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

250 gms Wada kolam rice, washed
1 cup fresh green peas shelled or frozen/ Hirve Vatane
1.5 teaspoon Parbhi Sambar Masala OR Gondavale Goda Masala
2 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 green chilies slit
salt to taste

Heat oil in a small pressure cooker. Splutter the mustard seeds and let in the green chilies. Add the Hirve Vatane and washed rice. Add the Parbhi Sambar Masala OR Gondavale Goda Masala and turmeric powder. Add salt without forgetting. Add water according to the quantity of rice and close the lid. Allow 2 whistles. Put off the cooker and allow to cool completely before you open the lid.

To finish
1 teaspoon ghee
2 tablespoon jaggery
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/4 cup fine chopped cilantro

Open the lid of the cooker. Fluff up the rice. Sprinkle the jaggery. Drizzle the ghee over the rice. Top with grated coconut and chopped cilantro. Give a nice mix. Serve hot with roasted papad, pickle and buttermilk in summer or a warm Tomato/ Kokum/ Chinchecha Saar in the cooler climes.

Enjoy this very fragrant Hirvya Vatanya cha Masale Bhaat !

The Bombay Curry I Simply Love

The Bombay Curry with Mushrooms  

My Bombay Kitchen by Niloufer Ichaporia King is a wonderful book that I cook from often. It is a wedding gift I received from my blogger buddies Evolving Tastes, The Cooker and Vadani Kaval Gheta. Gosh its a decade since we have been friends. ET visits me when she is in India. I look forward to meet the other two. This is also to thank you girls for this lovely gift which my hubby too approves of. After all the true success of a cookbook is when the recipe is cooked week on week as a family favorite and so you know why I am late to show it off here and thank you!

This is one curry I simply love to cook, eat and entertain with. I know that when I make this curry my party is a hit. 

The first few times I made it AC ate it without complaining, which means he is happy. Slowly he opened up like he always does and shares great gems of advice. He said his mother roasted the masala till it was lightly browned and nutty. The roasted masala curry is deeply satisfying. So now I roast the masala just like he said, patiently. He recounts his mother used a tablespoon of besan instead of roasted chana dal. I like the texture of roasted chana dal ground in the masala while I think besan might make the curry a little pasty. So I stick to the roasted chana dal, I may try with besan when I feel a little more adventurous. 

In the book too there is a note for the roasted masala, roasting the seeds in the masala for a richer brown color.

So here is The Bombay curry for you to try. I have reduced the quantities to Serve 2.

Ingredients

10-12 Mushrooms/ 2 chicken drumsticks/ 2 eggs / Seafood or whatever you fancy/ 

  *Pomfret heads* or *Cauliflower stems*

1/4 coconut, grated

2 cloves garlic

1/2 inch ginger

1/2 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder

2 teaspoons raw peanuts

1/2 teaspoon roasted chana dal

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon white poppy seeds

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 inch cinnamon stick

2 -3 cloves  

1 medium onion chopped

1 small potato quartered

1 sprig of curry leaves

salt to taste

1 tablespoon oil

1. First in a grinder measure out the grated coconut, garlic, ginger, Kashmiri chili powder, raw peanuts, roasted chana dal, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, poppy seeds, turmeric powder, cinnamon and cloves. Grind together everything using minimum amount of water into a fine paste.

Once the masala is ground its easy to make the curry.

2. In a deep pan measure out oil. Season with curry leaves, add the chopped onion saute till transluscent. Now add the masala paste. Roast it till the masala is fragrant and red. The oil should be released by the masala, keep your patience. This should take about 15-20 mins. Watch it so it does not burn.

3. Add potatoes to it and coat with masala. 

4. Add the non veg or veg of your choice and coat it with masala. Cover and cook for 5 mins.

5. Now top up with enough water about 300ml to cover the non veg or veggies.

6. Cook it down to a nice creamy curry.

Serve the delicious curry with steamed Basmati rice. I am not a fan of Basmati but quite enjoy this curry with it. Sometimes I make Surti kolam rice to go with it. 

I must share a secret. This curry is indeed best with rice to mix with your fingers but let me tell you, it make a delicious combo with hot soft puris too.

This one is with boiled halved eggs


---------------------------------------------------------------------
Updated 11 Feb 2018    : With Pomfret heads
For The Ugly Food Project

We the HAVES always waste a lot of food on our plate. That is ugly. This food can always be fed to animals. We buy blemish free fruits n vegetables and so the seller discards the Ugly food. Even a slight rot on a vegetable from the fridge can be removed and nutritious food can be created. I am guilty of not using seafood heads in my cooking for the bawa. Sometimes I give away things like lobster heads to anyone who accepts them. With a little bit of creativity we can feed the HAVE NOTS. This is my contribution to @chowder_singh 's The Ugly Food Project. If you are interested in contributing ideas and recipes, join the group on FB.

I usually keep aside pomfret heads so I can make a curry for my househelp. Earlier when I used to tell the fish seller to take those away she requested me to keep them for her.

You can use veg and non veg ugly food to create this delicious curry. Cauliflower stems would work really nicely too.

A Dhansak My Bawa Loves

Today I share here a Dhansak recipe I make in my style and my bawa husband polishes off heartily. The three dal combo is just so delicious. Dhansak is traditionally made with meat but I am posting the veg version here. Especially for those friends who are vegetarian and have been requesting for it. 

Usually I add the chicken to the pressure cooker itself when I am making the dhansak for just my Bawa after removing the cooked dal and veggies for me. Cook it further for 1 whistle. That is just to tell you how to make it non-veg if you want a meaty version. I haven't yet made mutton dhansak. My husband's theory is not to slaughter animals but no harm in eating frozen meat. So we buy only frozen chicken. Go figure !

How is my dhansak better? I add the micro methi greens at the final stage just before pureeing and homogenizing the dal and that adds an amazing freshness to the dhansak. 

Traditionally dhansak can have brinjal, tomatoes, carrots or any vegetable in your fridge that you want to use up. Like my archaeologist Parsi friend Kurush advised, add all and any veggies in the dhansak and feed to the veggie averse husband. He will eat it as long as it is hidden in the dhansak. When he said that I was already using that strategy on my unsuspecting husband as do Parsi Mummas and brides.

A few months before I got married I was living in with my Bawa as we wanted to crease out anything that might cause hiccups in the marriage. At the time he fell severely ill. He craved for foods from his childhood. Even before marriage I suddenly was in a wife's role nursing him back to health. So early on I realized there was no escaping the dhansak. I bought 4 of Katy Dalal's cookbooks, Jamva Chaloji both part 1 and 2 plus Vitality and Seafood Fiesta. They were very helpful for me a non-Parsi to learn Parsi cooking in the absence of Mummy, my MIL. 

Soon I was to realize that recipe books are excellent to start but tastes one grows up on are such indelible memories. My husband is a much pampered son and extremely finicky about food. I have managed to figure out only a week's menu that he has approved of and I keep repeating week after week now. 

One of the smart things I did was to make a dhansak masala in those pre-marriage days and started cooking for A and stopped the Bhonu tiffin that came from the caterer. The dhansak masala was perfected in the last 6 months. Finally its something I use in my daily cooking post marriage in the few pulses my husband eats without fussing. I have relatives and friends who love my dhansak masala. I have slipped it into their bags when they visited and asked them to try it. So it is not just my Bawa approved but I can say Parsi approved. It's up on the E-shop. Besides the Dhansak masala there is a Garam masala specific to this community which is used for meats and veggies too. Look for the Parsi Garam Masala on the Eshop.

The components of my Dhansak are... KoLu (Pumpkin) - bhaaji (methi microgreens). You can go all the nine yards with the veggies.

Ingredients

1/2 cup toor dal
1/4 cup masoor dal
1/4 cup moong dal
a small piece pumpkin
2 bunches methi microgreens
1 tablespoon fried onions / Birista (I make large quantities and freeze it in an airtight box.)
1/2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon Dhansak masala (click to buy)
1/4 teaspoon  Parsi Garam Masala (click to buy)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
2 teaspoon oil
salt to taste

Wash and soak all the dals for 1/2 hour in the pressure cooker vessel.

Add the chopped pumpkin, birista and all the masalas. The ginger garlic paste. Top up with water to cover the dals. Drizzle the oil, add salt. Mix well. Cook for 3 whistles in the pressure cooker.

Open the cooker after cooling completely. Homogenize and puree the dals n pumpkin. Now add the cleaned washed and finely chopped micro methi greens. Mix well. This is the technique that makes my dhansak stand out. It is what brings freshness to the pureed dal.

Parsis enjoy their dhansak with brown rice and Kachumbar, a simple salad of chopped cucumber, tomato and onion with a squeeze of lime.

Before I close this post let me just clarify that Dhansak means Rice (Dhan) with veggies (sak or shaak). Which means I cannot part without giving you the recipe of Brown Rice. Here Brown rice does not mean unpolished but caramel laced rice therefore the tinge of brown.

I am giving the recipe of the brown rice I make at my home as per my husbands preference. I do not caramelize sugar to get a dark brown color but a just creamish brown does it for him.

Dhan or Brown rice

Ingredients

1 cup Basmati rice

2 teaspoons fried onions/ birista

Wash and drain the basmati rice. Leave it for 30 mins. In a vessel measure out 1.5 cups water and bring it to a boil. Add the washed Basmati rice to the boiling water. Cook until rice it cooked yet separate. Fluff up with a fork.

Serve as plated here.

I make Dhansak atleast once a week and on days when we worship the people who have passed on to the other world. Yes Dhansak is never made on an auspicious day. It is a remembrance meal and so its no fuss and easy to make not really elaborate yet complete with rice, veggies and meat. Very comforting indeed.

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.