Parsi New Year special: Cooking eggs the Parsi way

History says it allIn Persia Parsisrsquo diet only consisted of pulses and meat as vegetables were hard to come by Plus most Parsis who were farmers ate rotirice and meat As the latter was not an option in India chicken became the next option Around 40 to 50 years ago there were no commercial poultry farms Thus in order to have chicken one would raise poultry which meant chicken and eggs going hand in hand While chickens have a high mortality rate a large number of chickens also means a large number of eggs mdash Kurush Dalal Katyrsquos KitchenEggs and usAs the Parsis had hobnobbed with the British they have always been eggfriendly Also because Parsis have a rich background in baking which was their traditional profession in Persia eggs are integral to their cooking mdash Kurush DalalMemories galoreThis recipe was my alltime favourite as a child growing teenager and now in my early fifties I cannot forget a day when mum Perzenrsquos nani had asked me what would you like to take to college and I would quickly say mdash Sali Per Eedu I got the secret from my younger brother Rayomand who visited me in New Zealand in 2009 while I was fighting for my life against Leukaemia All the 21 days that he stayed with us and asked me what I would like to eat I chose only thisrdquo mdash Shernaz Petigara Perzen Patelrsquos mother Bawi BrideWhenever I would be sick my mother would poach eggs in milk something that I donrsquot see being done anymore A traditional breakfast treat would be Ghee Gor Naiida scrambled eggs ghee and jaggery The other delicacy that I donrsquot see any more is a semiformed egg that is less albumen and more yolk Itrsquos got when you slaughter a hen In Parsi weddings usually it would be laid out on the banana leaf and be served as a smaller dish in the common curry or like mdash Kurush DalalTaste factorEggs are a crucial component whenever we want to make a dish lsquovegetarianrsquo It helps us to jazz up our vegetables or leftovers We donrsquot like many vegetables except potato which is in about all our dishes and so we normally break an egg on top to make the vegetables more appealing or we add mutton So you have things like Tomato we say lsquoTamotarsquo Per Eedu Wafer Per Eedu and Bheeda Per Eedu mdash Perzen PatelDalal and Patel agree that eggs act as a binding ingredient for snacks like cutlets kebabs and patties and desserts like custard Another use is for garnishing of varied pulaos During the month of Bahman most Parsis become vegetarian and egg is the sole substitute for proteinDolly Mummys Sali Per EeduFor preparationgtgt2 tbsp oil gtgt1 tbsp ginger garlic pastegtgt1 tsp turmeric powdergtgt2 tsp red chilli powdergtgt1 tsp garam masalagtgt12 green chillies finely choppedgtgt1 cup coriander leaves finely choppedgtgt1 tomato finely choppedgtgt250 gm fine potato sticks saligtgt2 eggs whisked well gtgtSalt to taste less is recommended potato sticks have enough salt already Methodgtgt In a flat pan heat up the oil Saute the ginger garlic paste green chillies tomatoes coriander and all spices gtgt Add the potato sticks into it and mix wellgtgt Let all of the above be cooked on a slow fire for only then will it give away the lovely aromagtgt Flatten the mixture across the cooking pan gtgt Gently sprinkle water over the mixture to create steam but not too much that the sali gets soggygtgt Spread the whisked eggs across the pan and cover the pan with a lid allowing it to cook for 57 minutes Slide the pan across the stove so that it cooks evenlygtgtServe hot with rotlis or breadgtgtThis makes for a good working lunch If itrsquos planned for a party break into bitesized pieces and serve on rice crackers to add appealRecipe extracted from the forthcoming ebook by Bawi Bride creator Perzen Patel titled Eedu that will release in the last week of AugustEmailperzenpatelgmailcomLagan Nu Custard servings 8 plus leftoversFor preparationgtgt 5 eggs gtgt15 litre milkgtgt13 tin condensed milkgtgt300 gm sugargtgt12 tsp cardamom and nutmeggtgt1 tsp vanilla essencegtgtHandful of boiled and sliced almondspistachios optionalMethodgtgtBring the milk to a boil in a large nonstick pan gtgtOnce the milk has boiled remove from the heat and stir in the condensed milk and sugar Cook over a slow firegtgtKeep stirring this for 15 minutes until the sugar is melted and the milk sticky and ivory in colour Remove from the gas and coolgtgtWhile this is happening in a steel bowl beat the eggs vanilla nutmeg and cardamom until frothygtgtStir this mixture into the cooled milk If the milk is too hot your egg is going to get scrambled so donrsquot rush this step Once itrsquos all mixed grease a large baking dish and pour the mixture in gtgtPut the dish in a preheated oven and bake until golden atleast an hour on about 220 degrees celsius Garnish with the nuts and pop it back in the switched off ovengtgtChill and serve mdash it tastes best the next day once the custard is set Cut into small pieces and serve the familyCall 9820136511 Email katyskitchenmumbaigmailcomRecipe courtesy Kurush Dalal Katys Kitchen