Lobster salad

 

Lobster salad with kumquat drizzle

Fresh seafood is delicious by nature. It needs little to dress it up or enhance its flavour. In my opinion, adding fresh seasonal vegetables and fruit completes a good lobster salad. The texture and colours appeal to the palate and make the fresh lobster the star of the show. Hints of a bitter marmalade, especially when made with kumquats, peppery radish, tart grapefruit, and fresh courgette, balance very well.

This recipe was created by myself for Le Bon Magot several years ago for their kumquat conserve.

Serves 4

 

4 small (1.5 lb each)  lobsters that are steamed, cleaned, and the tail left whole, while the claws are in chunks.

 

Vinigiarette

8 tsp olive oil

4 pinches of salt

4 tsp kumquat conserve or a bitter marmalade

4 tsp white balsamic vinegar

4 tbsp sweet white muscato wine

 

Ribbons from 2 small baby courgettes or zucchini

2 cupfuls of microgreens

1 ruby-red grapefruit, cleaned

4 red radishes in thin, slim pieces

 

To assemble

On four plates, evenly divide the vinaigrette.

Place the ribbons of courgettes,and place all the cut pieces of lobster. Top with the microgreens. Place the whole lobster tail. Sprinkle with the radish, and place the grapefruit around. Serve with salt and pepper.

Photo courtesy Niloufer Mavalvala

 

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.

Artichoke dip

 Artichoke Dip

Makes 1 kg 

Serves 20 people as a dip

Some days, one wonders why all cooking is not that simple!

While preparing a buffet dinner party for a good friend, I had an empty spot that was calling for a quick dip.  I spotted feta and grilled artichokes while rummaging through the fridge, perfect to prepare a dip.

I mixed it to a textured pulp in a food processor using only the pulse button. It was finished with a drizzle of the herby olive oil in which the artichokes had been kept.

Such goodness is to be celebrated.

Served with tortilla chips, the bowl was wiped clean after it was praised to the heavens. 

The saltiness of the feta required no additional salt. The tanginess of the grilled artichokes balanced the saltiness, and the hint of sweetness in the olive oil rounded it up both in texture and flavour.

500 g grilled artichokes in herb and oil

500g Feta

 

Tips

I used Roussas Greek Feta, which is a traditional feta produced from pasteurised sheep and goat’s milk and is a tasty, flavorful cheese. Its maximum moisture content was 56%, and its minimum fat content was 24%.

Photo courtesy Niloufer Mavalvala

 

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.

Umea, Sweden May 27th 2023.

 This presentation below was at the Umea Food Symposium on Saturday May 27th, 2023.

The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition, won a second Gourmand award, winning "Best in the World" for a cookbook series.

This is the fifth Gourmand Award for our Parsi cuisine, and a huge stepping stone for putting Parsi food culture on the global culinary map.

Awards and certificates will come and go, but the mission is truly motivated by the fact that Parsi cuisine and culture are here to stay and are recognised worldwide. Together, we accomplished this. All of us who love our food culture, our delicious lagun nu bhonu and sagun nu bhonu, and also janam and maran nu bhonu, continue to cook and master it. To all the home cooks, it is you who should be proud of keeping that flag flying for all these years, decades, and centuries. This is for all the people who came before us—our parents, grandparents, and ancestors—who simply carried on. It is all their discipline, determination, and tenacity focused on keeping our "Parsi Pannu" alive.

The presentation was well received. The mention of a unique culture ushers in a new dawn. Let us always be proud of our history, heritage, culture, and cuisine.

Being appreciated is encouraging. This was on social media put up in seconds after the presentation by another speaker from Turkey representing the Gaziantep culture and cuisine.

The honour of receiving an award from Edouard Cointreau

The personalised inscription on the award certificate

My introduction 

Life is a journey one embraces; 

We don't always know where we are going , and that, can be exciting and interesting.

I thought I would be an ambassador's wife, but fell in love and married a banker.

What I did not know then, is that I would be an amabassador for my family and for the Parsi cuisine  and community. My name is Niloufer Mavalvala, I was born and raised in Karachi and now live in Canada. My cookbooks on Parsi cooking, a regional cuisine of India, have won me four gourmand awards for which I am most appreciative. 

(I had not won my fifth award when I was presenting). 

Saturday 27^th May 2023

Umea, Sweden

Parsi cooking, where it all began.

So why Parsi? Pars, now known as Fars, is the historical name for one of Iran’s provinces and was the birthplace of the Persian Empire and its founder, Cyrus the Great (born ca. 600 BCE).  Parsis, or the 'people from Pars’, are the Zoroastrians from ancient Persia who were forced to migrate under persecution and landed up in Gujarat, India. They brought with them their food, culture, traditions, and heritage. They adapted and adopted, and Parsi cuisine was born.

 

Despite Parsi cuisine having originated hundreds of years ago, there was very little published material to share until the 1800s, when the first Parsi cookbooks were officially published. Vividh Vani by Meherbai Wadia, is the most famous and is a handwritten journal released posthumously by her doctor, who may have even been her admirer.

 

#1 To my delight, my research confirmed that the way we cooked and prepared our foods 200 years ago is still very relevant to the way we cook today. Authentic Parsi food must be well balanced. Never overly spicy nor oily, just simply flavourful. The addition of a pinch of sugar or  a piece of jaggery, well-balanced warm spices, and the addition of fruit vinegar, lemon juice or even unripe mango, all help bring out the flavour. Tikkhu, khattu, mitthu, or spicy, sour, and sweet is the trilogy one follows. While there are no dietary restrictions in Zoroastrianism, we are taught moderation, encouraged to avoid gluttony or drunkenness, to respect nature and our planet as well as the plant and animal kingdoms. 

 

Our customs and culture are rich in symbolism. Food, culture, tradition and heritage speak volumes about where we come from and how we exist. It depicts our past and shapes our future. I like to call this our "Parsi panu" about which I speak today.

#2

 

·       These silver utensils are over 100 years old and were part of my great-grandparents' homes.

·       Water, milk, and wine are symbolically filled into the three karasyas (mini-pitchers).  

 

·       In the three katoris (bowls) are a carrot and dry fruit pickle (gajjar mewa nu achar); pickled limes, (limbu nu achar); and a tomato ginger jam (tamota nay adu ni chutney). These represent the tikkhu, khattu, mitthu trilogy I mentioned. 

 

·       The mini afarghanyu is used for light, where the candles stand in for the divo, lit in many Parsi homes. 

 

·       And the soparo is where we keep the sakur, or pieces of rock sugar. I believe that no meal is complete without a grain of salt, and I have pink salt crystals for that purpose.

 

·       Marble, wood, and metal are all elements of nature, as are the water, stone and trees that represent daily life. 

 

·       Flowers brighten everything, and the traditional rose offers its sweet fragrance.

 

 

Flowers hung at the entryway, known as torans, are popular in Parsi homes. While this is a beautifully done, complicated toran expressly made for a wedding, we prepare it with seasonal flowers that are refreshed every day at dawn with fresh flowers to brighten and perfume our homes.

My books begin by sharing inspirational stories about an ancient cuisine that has remained frozen in time. From our grandmothers to our grandchildren, over generations, Parsi cooking has continued to be, in essence, much the same. Wonderfully prepared, simple fare that has flavours and health benefits beyond our conscious knowledge, taken for granted over generations.

It seems Parsis have a food for every occasion and an occasion for every food.

Cooking in banana leaves and infusing the food with its delicious aromas by wrapping and steaming the fish in them is centuries old, but the traditions continue to this day. Patra ni macchi is an iconic dish in our cuisine and much in demand by all our non-Parsi friends when they visit.

During the winter months, when most weddings take place, a thousand people are fed at tables with banana leaves being the “plate”. Typically, the wedding feast consists of seven to ten courses. It is quite an extraordinary experience. Imagine, today, being able to cater like this in New York, London, L. A. or Toronto among others.

Have you tried bhokra before? Possibly the best 'fried' cake you've ever had. Or how about batasas, the centuries-old, simple biscuits of buttery dough and almonds ? Slowly baked, they are a household staple for dipping into a cup of strong, sweet, milky tea flavoured with fresh mint leaves and lemon grass to balance the ying and yang. We call it Parsi choi.

The daar ni pori is a sweet lentil paste wrapped in a hand-made casing that is flaky but hardy enough to transport. This tradition dates to times when people travelled for days to reach their destination. The circular shape is symbolic of the earth, while the distinct outer and inner shells reflect the physical and spiritual worlds we live within.

The open Pori is something I came up with recently, it is similar to a galette. 

At this point, I described the collage at great length, when why and how the foods are served.

I wanted to thank you, Edouard and the Gourmand Awards for the opportunity these awards have opened up for me to pursue my passion of placing our ancient Parsi cuisine on the global culinary map. When one is not a graduate of an internationally acclaimed cookery school nor attached to a big publishing house, one must work harder and smarter every single day to reach the sky. But everyone needs that one person to believe in them. Thank you, Edouard Cointreau, for being that person and allowing me to introduce my cuisine to the world. 

Clarification. While I, represent Canada, the book is officially considered under the category of the regional cuisines of India since 2019, when we won the first Gourmand Award.

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 has won two awards. 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. This book was exhibited at the Alfred Noble House.

                                                The books exhibited at the City Library in Umea Sweden. 

                                    This library has the largest collection of cookbooks in the world. 

 

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.

Parsi Custard ~ Lagun nu Custard

Parsi lagun nu custard

The iconic Parsi Lagun nu Custard | Wedding Custard is a pudding that is adopted from the British custard – our ‘custer’. The adaptation of this with lots of nuts and cardamom, is a rich silky delicious dessert worthy of being included in our wedding feast hence also called Lagun nu custard.

A Parsi wedding feast is served at long tables and menus are often between 7 and 11 courses. Interestingly there is just one dessert – lagun nu custard. Never to be underestimated by the simplicity of its visuals/ visual serving. Traditionally baked in extra large trays, always cut into equal squares, and best served at room temperature. It is the finale that depends solely on its scrumptious taste.

Traditionally only whole milk is used in this pudding. The addition of evaporated and condensed milk helps in speeding along the process of boiling down the milk to reduce to a creaminess for hours.

Part of the Parsi cookbook series.

On May 11th 2017, I was invited as a guest to Le Cordon Bleu London to demonstrate a typical Parsi menu. This was the dessert I had prepared. 

This is how the finished pudding appears at my table.

Makes 24 squares

1.5 L | 6 cups whole milk 
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
11oz | 325 ml evaporated milk
7 oz |  200 ml condensed milk
A slice of plain soft white bread, torn into crumbs
1/2 cup grated or finely chopped pistachios
1/2 cup ground almond blanched
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cardamom
6 lightly beaten eggs, sieved

In a large pot, heat the milk with sugar, salt, and both the evaporated and condensed milk.
Mix well until dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes.
Now add the bread crumbs, pistachios, and almonds. Let the mixture boil for another 15 minutes. Then remove from the heat and cool through.
Add to the cooled mixture the vanilla essence, cardamom powder, and the lightly beaten eggs through a sieve. Mix well. heat the oven to 160 C (325 F). Pour into a 33x22 cm  flat baking dish. Place the dish in a water bath and bake for 30 minutes or until just set.
Serve warm or cold.

Tips

Custard puddings are not baked but set to perfection. It is important to keep the temperature low bake so the eggs do not curdle at any point. It must wobble when you turn the oven off allowing for nice soft custard. Let it finish setting either in the oven or in the warmth of your kitchen. 

Sieve the eggs to ensure the silky smooth pudding.

Photo credit Niloufer Mavalvala

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.

Sau Badam ni Curry - Curry made from 100 Almonds

 "Aik so aik," Badam ni Curry

The 100-almond curry was cooked using a large quantity of almonds that were ground into an almond meal, hence the name "sau badam ni" curry. Badam Ni Curry can be prepared using chicken or lamb. The key is to perfectly cook your meat of choice and keep the gravy as little or as much for the consistency you want before adding the finishing ingredients, which should make it aromatic, sumptuous, and rich.

Yes, I counted the almonds before testing it, and I like to call it aik so aik badam ni curry—101 almond curry. This is keeping in mind that our culture gives parikas—envelopes filled with money—on joyous occasions like weddings, birthdays, and navjotes, and we always add one to any amount we choose to offer. This is considered auspiciously lucky, and, in reference to being "in abundance," that gives a continuation of giving a little bit more.

Cooking with almonds has always been a source of excitement for me, and it adds a slightly exotic flair to the dish. Although the reason for counting the almonds appears mundane, it has a lovely ring to it. The title does elicit thought.

Don't worry, though; there won't be any arithmetic required of you here. Using fresh almond meal or simply measuring whole almonds by weight accomplishes the same task. If you intend to make the almond meal at home, leave the almonds whole with their brown skin. Usually, if something is ready, it has already been blanched. Both will work well.

This curry, like all others, has variations: a tweak here and there, a pinch of saffron, and a preference for the thickness of the curry. I like it rather thick if served with flatbreads, naans, and lavash and thinner if served on a bed of rice—boiled, with lemon, or even khichri. My family prepared it in yoghurt, while others used narial nu dudh—coconut milk. 

Yet another recipe has been revived with the promise of transporting you back a century or two.

Interestingly, this curry has been adopted from Tamil Nadu in southern India. Its origins are deemed to be from the valleys of Mosovad, and it is often referred to as Mosavadi Curry. The original Kari is prepared with equal amounts of almonds, hung curd, and cream, sometimes mixed with milk to keep it lighter. Paneer is a good substitute for hung curd, but the textures differ. Prepared with onions, garlic, and ginger, it is flavoured with garam masalo, turmeric, and salt. Tamils cook this in heavy amounts of pure ghee and with meat but there are neither red nor green chillies nor tomatoes added to it. 

Note: You will need a hundred and one almonds only if you double this recipe.

Serves 6

1 tbsp oil
1 dry bay leaf
10-12 pieces of chicken, skinless but with bone
1 tsp fresh ground garlic
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt

Grind together

3/4th cup fresh tomatoes
4 green chillies
2 cups water

Mix together

1 cup thick yogurt with a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 tsp garam masalo
1/4 tsp cardamom powder

In a pan heat the oil, drop in the spices and the chicken, brown it for a few minutes on low so the spices do not burn but the chicken turns colour. Add the tomato and green chilli mixture.

Bring to a boil, cover the pan and cook for 30 minutes till the chicken is cooked through.
Open the lid, turn the stove on high and let all the water evaporate until only one cup of thick gravy remains. Bring the pan off the stove and let it cool until just warm. Now add the mixture of the yogurt into it. The curry is ready to eat. Reheat gently before serving it with your choice of rice or flatbread.   

Read more about Parsi Food and its origins in my cookbooks The World of Parsi Cooking Food Across Borders and The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine. And The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition.

Photo courtesy Niloufer Mavalvala

 

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.

Lebanese Palau - my concoction

 Lebanese Palau

World cuisines are both interesting and challenging. The large platters of rice, chicken, and meat served for the annual Navroze festival are a personal favourite. Every year, I attempt to prepare a dish from a different cuisine. It's thrilling and exhilarating. This year, while reading about the Lebanese Hashweh, I decided to prepare a combination with Arabic Kabsa. The end result was delicious, and I've included my recipe below.

Serves 20 at a buffet table

 500 g/ 1.1 lb ground minced meat

3 1/2 cups rice in broth

1/2 cup zereshk

A bunch of fresh mint

125 g/ 4 oz salted butter

2 kg boneless chicken thigh for shawarma

For Jujeh chicken, 1 whole spatchcocked chicken marinated in the highlighted recipe.

Two red onions sliced and oven baked

Thin pita bread toasted with garlic butter for pita chips

Yogurt with cucumber and toum

The kheema—ground minced meat.

Cook the ground minced meat in a tsp each of oil, salt, Lebanese 7 Spice or garam masala, ginger, and garlic pastes. Add a cupful of fried onions and 2 tbsp of tomato paste. Cook for 45 minutes until it is done. Add a tsp of sumac powder and mix well. 

The rice

Cook the rice in homemade chicken broth. Once you can see the top of the rice, steam it well. Toss it together with the cooked kheema—ground mince. This will blend the flavours. Mix in the 1/2 cup of zereshk berries.

The chicken shawarma

Rub the 2 kg/ 4.4 lb of chicken for shawarma with a dry shawarma rub. Once it's cool, thinly slice it. To really get crispy edges, stir fry in butter on high heat.

1 whole spatchcocked chicken

In a jujeh kebab marinade, cook the spatchcocked chicken.

The onions

 

Toss the remaining marinade over two large red onions and cook on a cookie sheet until soft.

To assemble

Arrange the rice on a large platter and layer the shawarma on top. Place the entire spatchcocked chicken. Garnish with garlic pita chips, red onions, and fresh mint. On the side, serve with cucumber-infused yoghurt.  

Photo courtesy Niloufer Mavalvala

 

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.

Rotli or Chapati

 

Rotli or chapati

Parsi food is traditionally served with rotli (chapati) or rice. I share this recipe for those who wish to prepare this daily bread at home for yourself. 

A large mixing bowl, a round marble stone, and a rolling pin are required. You'll also need a tavo or flat-bottomed cast iron pan, but alternately use a skillet. You can also use your counter to roll. Parchment paper or a wooden board are  your other choices. 

Makes 10 - size dependant.

2 cups chapati flour- this is generally a sieved whole wheat flour without large pieces of husk. 

1 teaspoon of fine salt, I use sea salt.
Approximately 1/2 cup warm water
2 tsp light cooking oil, canola, sunflower, vegetable oil, melted ghee but please avoid olive oil. 

Extra flour to dust while rolling them out.

Combine the ingredients in a large bowl, kneading it to a soft supple ball of dough. Cover lightly with a kitchen towel and rest it for 30 minutes. 

Normally a chapati is the size of your dinner plate. Make them as large or small as you can best handle. 
Form the dough into round balls and flatten them slightly in your palm.
Dust your counter, or marble or wood with a little flour. Roll the chapati into a round. The best way is to roll and turn a bit and keep repeating.  Don't be concerned if it looks odd shaped. It will come with practice. 
Heat your choice of pan to high on the stove top.

Place one chapati. keep moving it around for 30 seconds to a minute. Flip it over and press down, This will make it puff up. It should have dark spots to tell you it's cooked. 

Repeat with the rest. Cook all the chapatis. You can reheat them the next day, or freeze them. But the dough will not stay.

Brush these with butter or ghee for more decadence or if you find them dry. But generally we do not add the calories with our daily meals. 

Tips

Add more water if the dough is dry. It should be soft and supple with a spring when you push down your thumb and not at all sticky. 

The oil and salt is important.

Photo courtesy 

William Reavell and Niloufer Mavalvala