Bhicoo Manekshaw

We Parsis are supposed to be an enlightened community yet there are times when we behave in a peculiar manner! We greet each other with a "Navroz Mubarak” or "Pateti Mubarak” in August but both are wrong. Navroz is meant to coincide with the vernal or spring equinox on March 21. It has come to be known as Jamshedi Navroz because "King Jamshed of the Peshdadian dynasty first observed it with éclat on the vernal equinox day,” explains Dr (Sir) J. J. Modi in The Religious Ceremonies and Customs of the Parsees. We have made a mistake by not adding the extra day to our calendar every four years as a result of which we have been falling behind.

I wish all Parsis happiness and joy always. For this festive occasion, I have chosen the following recipes from my latest cookery book, Feast of Love. I hope you enjoy this novel menu, which is quite different from traditional Parsi fare.

(Left): Cinderella Soup and (right) Chicken Veronique

CINDERELLA SOUP

Oven temperature: 180°C (350°F)

Pumpkin (3½-4 kg — Cinderella-type, ripe, yellow)

Salt (1 tsp + 1 tsp)

Bacon (8 rashers — optional)

Breadcrumbs (4 cups — fresh)

Spring onions (4 — finely chopped)

Green bell pepper (1 medium-sized — finely chopped)

Garlic (4 cloves — finely chopped)

Cheddar cheese (2 cups — grated)

Chicken or vegetable soup cubes (2)

Full cream milk (4 cups — full)

Stiff dough (made with 2 cups wholewheat flour and about ¾ cup water)

Oil (for smearing on pumpkin)

Preheat oven. Wash pumpkin well, wipe dry and slice off 1”-1½” from top with a sharp knife. Reserve top. Remove all seeds and strings inside the pumpkin with a spoon. Lightly score pumpkin flesh on the inside with a sharp knife. Sprinkle inside of pumpkin with 1 tsp salt.

Place bacon (if used) in a single layer in a frying pan without oil over moderate heat and cook till fat melts. Raise heat and fry till crisp. Drain bacon, remove fat and discard. Chop bacon and mix with 1 tsp salt, breadcrumbs, spring onions, bell pepper and garlic. Sprinkle one cup of breadcrumbs mixture inside pumpkin. Layer with half cup Cheddar cheese. Continue layering till all is used up. Crumble soup cubes into milk and pour in two cups. Allow it to soak for about 15 minutes. Pour in remaining milk, leaving about 1” below the top of the pumpkin empty, as the filling will expand on cooking. Cover pumpkin with reserved top and seal with dough. Lightly brush outer surface of pumpkin with oil and place on lightly oiled baking tray in the center of preheated oven. Bake for three-quarters to one hour. Test if done by pressing the pumpkin gently with your fingers. It should give way slightly and feel soft.

Remove dough, seal and wipe the outside of the pumpkin with a damp cloth. Place pumpkin on a round serving platter. Bring it to the table and open the soup in front of your guests. Scoop out the inside with the pumpkin flesh, spoon into warmed soup bowls and serve. Sit back and wait for the applause!

I once sent this Cinderella Soup to Indira Gandhi, at her request. That day I received an SOS from my daughter Erna while I was at work, telling me that there was a call from the Prime Minister’s house wanting to know where the soup was. "The soup is inside the pumpkin,” I replied. In return I received a delightful letter of appreciation from her!

BAKED SHELL PASTA WITH RATATOUILLE

Oven temperature: 180°C (350°F)

Onions (2 — medium sized)

Zucchini (250 g)

Long aubergines (250 g)

Salt (½ tsp + 1 tsp)

Tomatoes (6 — medium sized)

Oil (1 cup)

Garlic (6 cloves — chopped)

Parsley (1 tbsp — finely chopped)

Shell pasta (350g — cooked al dente)

Béchamel sauce (3 cups)

Eggs (3 — beaten lightly)

Cheddar cheese (1½ cups — grated)

Dry breadcrumbs (1 cup)

Butter (50 g — melted)

Preheat oven and lightly brush 10” square ovenproof dish with oil. Peel onions, cut into quarters and separate segments. Scrape zucchini. Cut zucchini and aubergines into half lengthwise and then into ½” pieces. Sprinkle aubergines with ½ tsp salt and place on a wire rack for 30 minutes to drain. Blanch tomatoes and peel. Cut tomatoes into half. Gently squeeze out seeds and discard. Cut tomato shells into cubes.

Heat oil in a wok and stir fry all the vegetables separately for 2-3 minutes each. Drain and place all vegetables (except tomatoes) on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil. Transfer all the vegetables, including tomatoes to a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt, garlic and parsley. Mix in pasta. Combine Bécha­mel sauce, eggs and Cheddar cheese. Pour sauce over vegetables and pasta and mix till well coated. Spoon into prepared ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with bread­crumbs and drizzle melted butter over breadcrumbs. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes till golden brown on top.

Variation: If you don’t want to add eggs, make a thicker béchamel sauce. Also, ½ cup white wine added with the béchamel sauce gives the dish quite a kick!

ASPARAGUS AND SMOKED SALMON TART

Oven temperature: 180°C (350°F)

Shortcrust pastry (to line an 8” x 9” flan ring lightly brushed with oil)

Asparagus spears (250 g)

Cream (150 ml — with a pinch of sodium bicarbonate)

Cream cheese (200 g)

Eggs (4 — lightly beaten)

Smoked salmon (250 g — cut into ¼” pieces)

Salt (½ tsp)

White pepper (½ tsp — freshly ground)

Tabasco sauce (4-5 drops)

Preheat oven and prepare flan ring. Line flan ring with shortcrust pastry. Bake blind in preheated oven for about 15 minutes till pale gold and crisp. Remove from oven and set aside till cool. Prepare asparagus and blanch for two minutes in boiling salted water. Refresh and drain thoroughly. Reserve about 12 spears and cut the rest into ¼” pieces. Whip cream with cream cheese till just thick. Stir in eggs and fold in chopped asparagus, smoked salmon, salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning. Spoon into cooked pastry shell. Arrange reserved asparagus spears in a lattice or circular design over the top. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Test with a thin skewer inserted into the tart: if done, the skewer should come out clean. Remove tart from ring and place on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CHICKEN VÉRONIQUE

Another dish prepared at the Cordon Bleu course.

Chicken with skin (2 — about 1 kg each)

Salt (2 tsp)

Black pepper (1 tsp — freshly ground)

Butter (100 g)

Oil (3 tbsp)

White wine (2 cups)

Cornflour (1½ tbsp)

Chicken stock (¼ cup)

Cream with a pinch of sodium bicarbonate (1 cup)

Green grapes (750 g — seedless)

Garnish

Potato straws (sali) (250 g — fine, pale straws)

Wash chicken thoroughly and pat dry. Joint chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat butter with oil in a large pan over moderate heat. Add chicken and sauté till brown. Pour in wine and simmer till chicken is tender. Mix cornflour with stock and add to pan with cream and grapes. Cook, stirring continuously till gravy thickens and remove from heat. Spoon onto a serving platter and sprinkle straw potatoes (sali) around chicken. Serve immediately.

PEARS IN WHITE WINE JELLY

Castor sugar (¼ cup)

White wine (750 ml)

Gelatine (1½ tbsp — dissolved in 6 tbsp water)

Lime juice (1½ tsp)

Lime rind (1 tbsp — grated)

Pears (3 cups — peeled, cored and cubed)

Dissolve sugar in one cup of wine over low heat. Add dissolved gelatine and mix well. Pour in remaining wine, lime juice and rind and mix well. Semi-set over ice or in the refrigerator. Fold occasionally (every five to seven minutes) with a metal spoon, so that the gelatine does not settle at the bottom. Fold in pears and continue to set. When the jelly is at setting point, spoon into coupe glasses or a large bowl and chill in the refrigerator till required.

Variations: Use any combination of seasonal fruits, like cubed or sliced peaches, pears, sliced grapes or strawberries or use any one fruit by itself. Don’t use citrus fruits, as their juices will not allow the jelly to set. Use champagne instead of wine.

SWEET LIME FRAPPÉ

This is one of the most refreshing dishes. I created it on a very hot Delhi summer day. You can use orange juice or mango puree instead of sweet lime.

Sweet lime juice (from 12 medium sized or 10 large sweet limes)

Salt (pinch)

Castor sugar (3-4 tbsp or to taste)

Lime juice (1 tbsp or to taste)

Limca or any lime-based soda (1 bottle)

Remove all pips from juice but don’t strain it. Combine all ingredients. Stir till sugar is dissolved. Taste and adjust sugar and lime juice. It should be slightly tart. Pour into a metal container, cover with a lid or foil and freeze for six to eight hours till stiff. Scrape off with a fork, spoon into ice cream glasses and serve immediately.

Note: Remember, the flavor of a dish diminishes when frozen, so make sure that the flavor of the sweet lime, sugar and lime is strong.

Bhicoo J. Manekshaw, a graduate of the prestigious Cordon Bleu School of Cookery, London and author of Traditional Recipes of India, Parsi Food and Customs and Feast of Love, has been associated with many haute cuisine organizations in the country.