5 Parsi dishes to celebrate Nowruz, the Parsi New Year
Popularly known as Nowruz, the Parsi New Year marks the first day of Farvardin (the first month of the year), as per the Zoroastrian calendar. On this auspicious day, Parsis visit temples and worship Ahura Mazda, the god of Zoroastrianism. They celebrate the day with their loved ones rejoicing over traditional Parsi dishes. Here are five recipes you can try to celebrate the day.
Akuri
This Parsi-style egg bhurji is served with buttery pao. Saute onions in oil. Add chilies, tomatoes, turmeric, and red chili powder and stir for a minute. Add cilantro and saute again. Whisk eggs and add to the pan. Cook gently while stirring frequently. Add butter in small chunks and stir well for three-five minutes. Serve your akuri with some buttered buns.
Berry pulao
Saute green cardamom, black cardamom, bay leaves, mace, and cloves in ghee. Add sliced onions, and ginger-garlic paste and cook well. Add coriander powder, cumin powder, and black salt and mix. Whisk together curd and salt, add to the kadhai and stir well. Add soaked rice, dried cherries, cranberries, kewra water, rose water, and water, and cook for 15-20 minutes. Garnish with mint leaves.
Patra ni Machi
Place fish steaks on a tray and rub them with lemon, salt, and turmeric. Set them aside for 20 minutes. Grind together grated coconut, mint leaves, coriander, crushed cumin seeds, salt, ginger, garlic, and green chilies. Coat the fish pieces with this paste and keep them aside. Place each piece on an oil-smeared banana leaf and wrap well. Steam for 15 minutes and serve.
Salli Boti
Saute onions in some oil. Add ginger-garlic paste, mutton strips, turmeric powder, and red chili powder and mix well. Add roasted cumin powder, coriander powder, and tomatoes and stir again. Add garam masala, salt, sugar, and vinegar and mix well. Cover with lid for 15-20 minutes until cooked. Sprinkle chopped coriander and stir well. Garnish with more coriander and cooked potato strips and serve.
Lagan nu custard
Cook sugar and milk together and reduce it to half. Add nutmeg powder, almonds, and vanilla essence and mix well. Add beaten eggs and milk to the reduced milk mixture. Pour this mixture into a greased baking tray, sprinkle almonds, walnuts, and pistachios, and bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. Let it cool, garnish with more chopped nuts and serve warm.
