Parsi food | Indian cuisine
In this series of diverse Indian cuisine, I'll talk about Parsi food. The Parsis (derived from Persians) were followers of the Iranian prophet Zoroaster or Zarathustra who migrated to India between the 8th and 10th century to escape religious persecution by Persian Muslims. In India, the small community settled in the western states of Gujarat and nearby port towns and became some of the most influential traders and business families in the country. They still practice Zoroastrianism and currently the majority of Parsis live in Mumbai. Their food is influenced by Persian and Indian cuisine and offers a delightful confluence of two of the richest culinary traditions of the world. They are also well known for their breads, cakes, baked meat pies, and bakeries. Edit: Freddie Mercury from Queen was Parsi and was born as Farrokh Bulsara! He changed his name to Freddie while in school in India.
I had a chance to try some Parsi food in Mumbai in a quaint but busy Parsi restaurant called Jimmy Boy! Here are a few snacks and main items I had:
Chicken Farcha: Parsi-style fried chicken or chicken drumsticks coated with egg and deep fried with mild spices.
Arabic Za'atar Bread: Flatbread baked with cheese and Za'atar, a blend of earthy spices like oregano, thyme, toasted cumin, coriander, sesame seeds, salt and sumac. I had earlier used Za'atar in the butternut squash with pearl barley recipe from the Dreamling fic wylmk by @beatnikfreakiswriting.
Mutton Kabab: Minced mutton and potato patties mixed with spices and fried or grilled. Served with various chutneys, usually mint and coriander.
