Share
Winter in India means different things to different people. In Mumbai it signals the start of the slightly-less-hot months of the year, for Delhi, it mean Gajar Ka Halwa season has arrived, in Gujarat, Undhiyu becomes the winter star. In a similar way, different communities also begin making these favourite winter dishes and for the Parsis there are a few unique treats that steal the show
Though Parsis can trace their roots back to ancient Persia, the bulk of their culinary influence comes from Gujarati cuisine as it’s where they first landed in India. That influence has been carried with people across the country to other states and some of the dishes that grace winter tables are a direct connection with their Gujarati roots
Video Credits: Masala TV Recipes/YouTube
1. Vasanu
Part health food, part dessert, Vasanu is made during winters to help boost immunity and prevent the winter chill from taking hold. Made with oodles of desi ghee, sometimes a kilo at a time, with and assortment of dry fruits, nuts, lotus stems dill and unique additions like magaz (muskmelon seeds), peepremul or ganthoda and Singhoda aata or water chestnut flour. It’s rarely made at home since the original recipe has 30-odd ingredients and is truly a laborious task to undertake but families still place their orders weeks in advance from people who do and get kilos to last the whole season
2. Umbariyu
A Parsi take on the classic Gujarati winter dish, Undhiyu, the only difference being the addition of meat. It’s usually made with winter vegetables like yam, surti papdi (broad beans), eggplants and potatoes. Some people also add meat kebabs and eggs while others use whole pieces of pork, mutton or chicken. Undhiyu gets it’s name from the word ‘Oodho’ or upside down because the pot is usually layered with ingredients and then flipped and cooked underground using cow dung fuel over many hours. This smokes the dish giving it an earthy flavour.
3. Kharia
When winter rolls around it’s time for rich, hearty dishes and Kharia, a stew made from goat trotters and black-eyed peas is a simple but unctuous dish to try. The dish is slow-cooked over a fire until the meat is falling off the bone and the gravy is thick and infused with the flavours of the bone marrow. Because of its richness, it’s reserved for winter and the warming spices help make it a perfect comfort food.
Image Caption
4. Doodh Na Puff
Fluffy and aerated, doodh na puff is a treat that all children (and adults) look forward to. Sweetened milk, made creamy and thick, is halved, transferred into smaller containers, draped with muslin, and suspended overnight from tree branches. In the early morning, still adorned with dew, it is carefully taken down and briskly whisked. The rising froth is then delicately spooned into small chai glasses. Since it’s made with fresh milk, winter is the ideal season to make it.
5. Eeda Pak
Parsis are known for their love of eggs, so much so that it’s become the central character in this unique dessert and notoriously tricky to master since the proportions are key to its success. Eeda paak requires 25 egg yolks, along with a cup each of almonds, pistachios, chironji, and pine nuts. It also includes various roots and herbs similar to Vasanu. The preparation involves using an equal measure of ghee, sugar, to beat everything together and slow cook it over a low heat into a thick halwa.
6. Surti Levra
A throwback to the Parsi communities in Karachi, this mysterious winter dish is very hard to come by in modern times. It’s a type of clove-infused sugar, encrusted in sesame seeds and is sweet, hard and sugary but also serves as a breath freshener.
