Fish Curry ~ Parsi Food

• Parsi Fish Curry

• Parsi food adores curries, particularly those with fish or prawns. Traditionally, it must be prepared with bone-in fish. Adding the whole fish is my personal favourite, as it adds to the flavour. The Western world, however, tends to eat fish fillets, and many are squeamish when served with a whole fish! Here I share my curry recipe with salmon fillets.

Smooth, deep and delicious the Parsi fish curry is hard to beat!

Serves 6 people

• 1kg/2.2 lbs fish
• 1 cup desiccated or freshly scraped Coconut
• 6 large flat dry red chillies
• 1 whole pod of fresh peeled garlic
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 12 curry patta/ leaves
• 2  slit green chillies
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup fresh tomato puree
•  1 tsp tamarind paste or kokum paste

• Grind together until fine, the coconut and red chillies. Now add the onion, garlic, sugar, salt and the coriander and cumin powders with the vinegar to make into a paste.

•  In a pan heat a tsp of oil and add turmeric curry patta/ leaves and the green chillies.

• Gently stir for a minute and add the curry paste. 

• Now add the water. Mix well, bring it to a boil, cover. Lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes. Now add the fresh pureed tomatoes and the tamarind or kokum. Cover again and cook for another 30 minutes on a very low steam. 

• Add the fish and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Cover and close the stove. Let it rest for 10 minutes and serve with freshly boiled steaming hot rice.

• Tips

• Substitute 1 cup of coconut water for water if you wish. 
• If you cannot get tamarind or kokum use the juice of one fresh lemon or lime.
• 2 tsp of chilli powder equals the 6 large flat dry chillies, however the chillies do give the colour and flavour.
• Add 1/2 cup of coconut milk to make it creamier.

• My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

  The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

  The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

  Photo courtesy Niloufer Mavalvala 

Comments
31st July 2018
A favourite made with Prawn/Shrimp

Fish Roe ~ Gharab

Gharab or Fish Roe

A delicacy like the caviar of the Beluga and its various species, fish roe is the eggs of all other fish in its casing. An acquired taste it is cooked in many ways. Parsi food tends to add it to their Patia, or pickle it for longer shelf life. Keeping it simple here, I have fried it with a few spices. 

This is a pair of Cod Fish Roe. Snipped at the very top of the two pieces where they were attached.

Sliced fish roe, cooked and ready to eat. Its soft and delicious.

2 Large  fresh fish Roe
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chillie powder
1/2 tsp salt

Wash the roe and  toss in a large bowl. Toss with the spices until it is evenly applied. 
Heat a large skillet with 3 tbsp oil. Once the oil is nice and hot place each piece of roe and cook for 5 minutes on each side. keep the flame on medium once the oil is heated and the roe is placed in. Turn only once and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Cover the pan, lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes until cooked through. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice while warm. Serve immediately.

Tips
Generally fish roe is sold in "pairs" and joined at one end. Carefully snip it into two being careful to ensure the grains dont start falling out while washing. Cut after you have washed the roe.
The fish roe must be at room temperature when you start to fry. Otherwise it will not cook evenly and start hardening up due to the shock of the cold and hot.
The oil must be hot before you place the fish roe in the pan or the skin will come out oily and not crisp.
You can rub the spices on the fish with your hands but your nails will become yellow and your hands may burn! But the result will be even spices everywhere.
In India and perhaps many other parts of the world you get many sizes and variety of fish roe dependent on the size of the fish. Some skin is thinner than others and it can burst while frying.

Fish roe is eaten as a delicacy and served as a side with other foods. It is also often pickled and savoured over a longer period of time.


For more Parsi cuisine  recipes click
Niloufer's Kitchen: Quick and Easy

Okra; Parsi or Persian Style

Okra 


Okra is a vegetable with lots of nutrients and health benefits. It is a love it or leave it vegetable. 
It can be slimy and tasteless when prepared without love. Yet it is delicious with a little hint of spice, and when flash cooked on a high heat, it can avoid the slime. 
Try this delicious dish and share your thoughts on this vegetable with us.

Serves 6

1 tbsp oil

1 kg/ 2.2 lb small whole okra

2-3 medium finely chopped onions, golden brown

2 finely chopped mangoes

1 tsp salt

Pinch of brown sugar

2 small peeled and diced or sliced tomatoes

2 slit green chillies

1 tsp freshly grated garlic

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp red chilli powder

Juice of half fresh lemon

Heat the oil and add the okra. Cook them on a high flame for a few minutes until the water has dried and they start to look slightly brown. Add the spices, except for the lemon juice. Mix well and cover well. Cook on a low flame for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle a little lemon juice all over before serving. Serve it hot with chapattis.

 Tips

While fresh is best, flash frozen okra can be used. Rinse the frozen vegetable, leave it in a collander for a few minutes to drain, or use a paper towel to dab dry before starting to cook. The less wet they are, the easier it is to get them to be crisp rather than soggy.

 

If you enjoy the flavours of Persian cuisine, substitute the chilli and cumin for 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp Advieh powders.

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself via email, in independent book stores across the world and on Amazon India.

The Route to Parsi Cooking: From Pars to India and Beyond is an award winning book. It has been self published in June 2024. Email at theroutetoparsicooking@gmail.com

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

For more recipes from the Parsi Food collection click

Niloufer's Kitchen : Quick and Easy

Super Persian recipes can be found on

Niloufer's Kitchen: Persian Fusion

For more on Okra click on the link below.

http://www.nilouferskitchen.com/2014/02/okra-pod-worth-picking-on.html

Tandoori Fries

  

Tandoori Fries


Fries are popular and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are thin, long, short, with skin, skinless, home cut, home fries which are square, curly, wedged, crinkled, and the list goes on and on.
Let me add to all of this Tandoori Fries; The latest craze found in fusion restaurants. Here is Niloufer's Kitchen's take on them.

Simple to make, not fried but baked, just taste so yummy.
My family is now hooked on these!

Tandoori fries, with the skin on

1kg / 2.2lb potato



1/4 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp red chillie powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil





Wash and cut the potatoes.  Try to keep them as equal as possible. Put them in a deep large bowl.

Mix together the dry spices. Sprinkle all over the potatoes and toss them until it evenly distributes. Drizzle the oil all over them. Toss again.

Place them all on a baking tray lined with a parchment paper.  Preheat the oven to 300F/140C degrees, cook the fries for 45 minutes and then turn the oven to 400F/210C. Cook for another 20 minutes. This will crisp it up, give it the colour . Test  to check they are cooked through and serve warm.

Tips

Choose smooth, unblemished, thin skinned potatoes if you prefer them unpeeled. I generally use Yukon Gold whenever I can. 
Different types of potatoes cook differently. It is best to test them to ensure they are soft and cooked from the inside. Cooking times will also depend on how thin or thick you cut them.
I start on a low temperature to allow them to cook properly without burning. The high flame ensures it crisps up once it is cooked. The longer cooking time also ensures the Tandoori masala cooks through.
Serve this with main meals or serve it with a mayonnaise on the side. 
I like to serves this with a lemon and lime mayonnaise.

For more delicious recipes with Indian Spices click on
Niloufer's Kitchen: Autumn

and

Niloufer's Kitchen: Quick and Easy

Chicken Xacutti

Chicken Xacutti ~ Chacuti  ~ Shakuti


The Indian Sub-continent was colonised by the Portuguese dating back to the 1490's. It was established in the territory of present day Goa  in India. Its cultural and culinary influence remains historic and strong. Goanese cuisine is defined by this indelible era.

The local language of Goa is Konkani and yet besides English and Hindi people continue to speak Portuguese. The cuisine has a love of mixing lots of spices in their food with generous amounts of vinegar (coconut vinegar is the local staple) and dry red chillies. Some of the most popular dishes are  a pork Vindaloo, Balchao - a seafood curry and Sorpotel - a meat dish.

Xacutti is a less known Goan delicacy. Pronounced as sha-ku_tea - the origins of the word Chacuti is Portuguese. Xacutti is a blend of spices cooked with chicken, lamb and even fish. The thick gravy is mopped up with the traditional rolls of bread called Poi or Pao.

The Portuguese continue to prepare Chacuti. They add potatoes and pearl onions to their recipes and d serve it with plain boiled rice. 

I share my version of it with a touch of Parsi flavours and the local Italian crusty roll from my supermarket!

                                                    Xacutti served with Goan Poi is traditional. 





Serves 4 to 6

1 kg chicken in 8 pieces  - I used thighs.

1 tbsp oil
2 finely chopped onions - fried

1 cup fresh grated coconut

#1
Grind together
(lightly toast before grinding it)
4 large dry Kashmiri red chillies
1 tsp sesame seeds
2 tsp khuskhus / poppy seeds

#2 Add to the grinder and make a paste from
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp corriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp crushed ginger
1 pod of fresh  crushed garlic
2 tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp tamarind paste

1  tsp salt 

1 tbsp scraped jaggery

2 cups coconut water

Heat the oil and sweat the onions until golden brown.. Add  the chicken and brown all over. Add the blended spices and stir fry for a minute or two. Add the coconut water. Mix well, bring to a boil, cover and lower the heat. Cook for 30 minutes.  

Check for the doneness of the chicken. Continue to cook until its cooked through.

Before serving - on a high flame boil the gravy until its fairly thick and all the water has evaporated.  

Serve this with warm crusty bread rolls. Alternately fresh chapatti, naan or rice.

Tips

An added step of frying the chicken pieces and keeping them aside adds to the flavour if its whole bone in pieces and not smaller boneless pieces. 

The garam masala is made up of equal quantity of black pepper, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. you may add them whole for the flavour if you do not have any in your pantry.

"Toasting" the spices simply means heating them in a fry pan over a flame. The warmth releases all the oils of the dry spice rejuvenating the aroma and flavours from within the spice after storage.

Using an extra tbsp or two of vinegar can be a substitute for the tamarind paste.

Goanese food uses a fruit vinegar but any rice wine vinegar can be used.
Brown sugar may be used instead of jaggery.

Freshly grated coconut is available in the freezer sections in most Indian markets. 

Desiccated coconut is a close substitute. 
Please note that the texture of this dish is NOT smooth but rather chunky.

Read more about Parsi Food and its history and origins in the cookbook  The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine . You may also like The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders.

Photo courtesy Niloufer Mavalvala

Garam Masalo

Garam Masala - garam masalo in Gujarati,  is most versatile. It can be strong and pungent or aromatic and flavourful.
I vote for the latter. This is my mum's recipe, which I personally enjoy cooking with. But I am not the only one! There are the die-hard fans who to this day request her to grind it for them. This is the honest truth.
So I am going to share it with you. For the best result,  dry grind it in a coffee grinder or any dry grinder.
The Garam masala can be stored in a glass jar for up to 1 year.

 

Just 4 ingredients

3 cinnamon sticks about 3 tbsps; once ground into powder
1 1/2 tbsp peeled cardamom pods ( without   the green skin )
3/4 tbsp black pepper corns
3/4 tbsp cloves

Grind this together until it is a fine powder.
Fill a dry glass jar and store.



For wonderful Parsi Food recipes

my published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

Photo courtesy N. Mody.

Cauliflower & Mixed Vegetable

Cauliflower Gajjar ni Subji | Cauliflower Carrot and Potato Stew

A mixed vegetable stew that is interchangeable with other root vegetables if preferred. Add parsnips, pumpkin, or sweet potatoes if desired, but the main flavour of this recipe comes from the mustard seed and curry patta tarko—a deliciously infused oil that is gently heated. Not to be confused with the traditional Parsi lagun nu Ishtu. Eaten with fresh warm rotlis, this dish is complemented by a lemon and date chutney on page xxx or the delicious tomato chutney on page xxx. 

   Serves 6                             

 

In a pan heat……

3 tbsp of oil

Fry till light brown, 2 medium sized finely chopped onions

 

Add to this pan and cook for a minute, constantly stirring,

2 sprigs of curry leaves

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 ½ tsp garlic 

1 ½ tsp tsp ginger

3 green chillies

1 ½ tsp cumin powder

¼ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chillie powder

1 tsp salt

pinch of brown sugar

 

Add in and mix well, cover and cook till almost done

3 medium finely cut tomatoes

2 medium potatoes in cubes

1 cup water

then add

small florets of 1 small cauliflower head

4 green onions cut into 2 “ pcs

2 carrots in cubes

 

Cook for another 10 minutes after adding a good handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves.

There should be no water remaining and all of the vegetables should be cooked through.

Tips

 Alternatively prepare a tarko seperately in a teaspoon of oil, with the mustard seeds and curry leaves and add it at the end.

Remove the green leaves from the cauliflower head but save the hard base since it contains more healthy nutrients than the remainder of the veggie.

Cut it into smaller pieces to ensure consistent cooking. Maintain the crispness of the cauliflower. This preserves both the flavour and the nutrition. 

A cupful of fresh green peas will add sweetness and colour to this recipe. 

To make it creamy, substitute 1 cup of light coconut milk for the water. 

If you don't like it spicy, cut the chillies in half.

      

For more recipes from the Parsi Food repertoire read my cookbooks
The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine and The World of Parsi Cooking Food Across Borders.

Photo credit Niloufer Mavalvala