The beauty of an Indian dessert often lies not in the intricate recipe but in the significance of its offering. This holds especially true for Parsi desserts.
“On birthdays, my mother-in-law will come with some sev and dahi. When I was pregnant, we distributed the famous conical ladvo, which you only get at specific sweet marts,” says Akshata Karkaria, bakery and R&D chef at SodaBottleOpenerWala.
“People seem to know about Parsi desserts, but if you haven’t got a Parsi friend, it’s likely that you haven’t tasted the real thing,” she told HuffPost India. “It’s all fun: the Parsis, their food and their desserts. Often, it will be made like your grandmother did, or your aunt did. With it will be a little story. I love it! It is unfortunate that most people don’t get a slice of the fun.”
Fortunately for those who’re dying to dig into some sweet Parsi goodness, Karkaria has shared five of her favourite Parsi recipes below.
(A Parsi-style semolina kheer served on festive occasions)
![ravo]()
Ingredients
Ghee: 50 ml
Semolina: 200 gm
Milk: 750 ml
Water: 250 ml
Rosewater: 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder: 5 gm
Sugar: 200 gm
Charoli (also known as chironji): 15 gm (for mixing inside)
Charoli, sautéed raisins and roasted almond flakes for garnish.
Method
Slightly warm ghee in a non stick pan.
Add semolina, and roast for few seconds.
Add milk, water and sugar cook until you get the desired consistency.
Finally add cardamom powder, rosewater and charoli.
Serve in bowls and garnish with sautéed raisins, charoli and flaked almonds.
(Makes about 12-15 portions; an exotic alternative to caramel custard)
![lagan nu custard]()
Ingredients
Full fat milk: 2 litres
Sugar: 200 gms
Eggs: 6 (+ 2 yolks);
Kulfi: 2 pieces
Condensed milk: 100 ml
Fresh cream: 200 ml
Rosewater: 20 ml;
Vanilla essence: 10 ml
Green cardamom powder: 5 gm
Nutmeg powder: 5 gm
Almond powder: 50 gm
Charoli (chironji dana): 50 gm.
Method
Preheat oven to 165C.
Heat the milk until it is reduced to half.
Lightly beat the eggs and sugar.
Take the milk of the heat and lightly beat in all the other ingredients except the charoli/chironji dana.
Put back on low heat until all the ingredients have dissolved.
Pour into ramekins or one large mould.
Sprinkle the chironji dana on top.
Bake in a bain marie (hot water bath) at 165°C for about 40 minutes or for 1 hour and 10 minutes for a large mould.
Leave to cool. Refrigerate.
(A sophisticated Parsi answer to the pavlova)
![parsi]()
Ingredients
Egg whites: 6
Icing sugar: 250 gm
Ground almonds: 70gm
Chopped dates: 75 gm
White chocolate chips: 70 gm
Desiccated coconut: 70 gm
Method
Preheat oven to 190C.
Beat the eggs whites for 1-2 minutes, gradually adding the sugar a little at a time.
Fold in the rest of the ingredients.
Pipe little 3-inch rounds onto a silicon mat and bake at 190C for 25-30 minutes.
Once ready you can drizzle on some chocolate.
(A staple on festive occasions, often served with yoghurt)
![parsi sev]()
Ingredients
Sev (vermicelli): 250 gm
Sugar: 225 gm
Cardamom powder: ¾ tsp
Nutmeg: ¼ tsp
Raisins: ½ cup
Charoli (chironji): ¼ cup
Sliced almonds: ¼ cup
Rosewater: 1 tbsp
Ghee: 1 cup + 5 tbsp
Method
Make a syrup with the sugar and spices, using about 400 ml water in a deepish pan on moderate heat. Keep aside.
In another pan, add about 5 tbsp of ghee. Sauté the raisins, charoli and sliced almonds separately; make sure the raisins attain the desired plumpness and the almonds and charoli take on enough colour. Set aside.
In the remaining 1 cup of ghee toss the vermicelli around—be careful not to over handle but also do not let it stick to the bottom or burn. Do this till it is a nice golden colour.
Put the roasted vermicelli into the sugar syrup and cook it until it is soft but not soggy. You can increase the heat if the syrup isn’t getting absorbed fast enough. It should not be on the gas too long as it tends to get soggy. This is the tricky bit as it tends to get overcooked. It needs to be checked on constantly and taken off at the right time.
Pour into a bowl. Sprinkle with the rosewater and the nuts and raisins.
Serve it with sweet dahi.
(A Mumbai teatime favourite)
![mawa cake]()
Ingredients
Butter: 400 gm
Sugar: 400 gm
Eggs: 10
Vanilla essence: 5 ml
Flour: 300 gm
Oats: 300 gm
Baking powder: 5 gm
Mawa: 500 gm
Milk: 250 ml
Seeds: 250 gm
Honey: 150 ml
Method
Preheat oven to 175°C.
Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth.
Beat the eggs until nice and fluffy, and fold into the butter and sugar mixture.
Beat in the mawa, honey, flour, baking powder and milk.
Pour into greased mould (about 10-inch diameter) or cupcake cases and sprinkle seeds on top.\
Bake at 175°C—for about 15 minutes if in cases and 25-30 minutes if in one big mould.
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“On birthdays, my mother-in-law will come with some sev and dahi. When I was pregnant, we distributed the famous conical ladvo, which you only get at specific sweet marts,” says Akshata Karkaria, bakery and R&D chef at SodaBottleOpenerWala.
“People seem to know about Parsi desserts, but if you haven’t got a Parsi friend, it’s likely that you haven’t tasted the real thing,” she told HuffPost India. “It’s all fun: the Parsis, their food and their desserts. Often, it will be made like your grandmother did, or your aunt did. With it will be a little story. I love it! It is unfortunate that most people don’t get a slice of the fun.”
Fortunately for those who’re dying to dig into some sweet Parsi goodness, Karkaria has shared five of her favourite Parsi recipes below.
RAVO
(A Parsi-style semolina kheer served on festive occasions)
Ingredients
Ghee: 50 ml
Semolina: 200 gm
Milk: 750 ml
Water: 250 ml
Rosewater: 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder: 5 gm
Sugar: 200 gm
Charoli (also known as chironji): 15 gm (for mixing inside)
Charoli, sautéed raisins and roasted almond flakes for garnish.
Method
Slightly warm ghee in a non stick pan.
Add semolina, and roast for few seconds.
Add milk, water and sugar cook until you get the desired consistency.
Finally add cardamom powder, rosewater and charoli.
Serve in bowls and garnish with sautéed raisins, charoli and flaked almonds.
LAGAN NU CUSTARD
(Makes about 12-15 portions; an exotic alternative to caramel custard)
Ingredients
Full fat milk: 2 litres
Sugar: 200 gms
Eggs: 6 (+ 2 yolks);
Kulfi: 2 pieces
Condensed milk: 100 ml
Fresh cream: 200 ml
Rosewater: 20 ml;
Vanilla essence: 10 ml
Green cardamom powder: 5 gm
Nutmeg powder: 5 gm
Almond powder: 50 gm
Charoli (chironji dana): 50 gm.
Method
Preheat oven to 165C.
Heat the milk until it is reduced to half.
Lightly beat the eggs and sugar.
Take the milk of the heat and lightly beat in all the other ingredients except the charoli/chironji dana.
Put back on low heat until all the ingredients have dissolved.
Pour into ramekins or one large mould.
Sprinkle the chironji dana on top.
Bake in a bain marie (hot water bath) at 165°C for about 40 minutes or for 1 hour and 10 minutes for a large mould.
Leave to cool. Refrigerate.
COCONUT, DATE AND WHITE CHOCOLATE MERINGUE
(A sophisticated Parsi answer to the pavlova)
Ingredients
Egg whites: 6
Icing sugar: 250 gm
Ground almonds: 70gm
Chopped dates: 75 gm
White chocolate chips: 70 gm
Desiccated coconut: 70 gm
Method
Preheat oven to 190C.
Beat the eggs whites for 1-2 minutes, gradually adding the sugar a little at a time.
Fold in the rest of the ingredients.
Pipe little 3-inch rounds onto a silicon mat and bake at 190C for 25-30 minutes.
Once ready you can drizzle on some chocolate.
SEV
(A staple on festive occasions, often served with yoghurt)
Ingredients
Sev (vermicelli): 250 gm
Sugar: 225 gm
Cardamom powder: ¾ tsp
Nutmeg: ¼ tsp
Raisins: ½ cup
Charoli (chironji): ¼ cup
Sliced almonds: ¼ cup
Rosewater: 1 tbsp
Ghee: 1 cup + 5 tbsp
Method
Make a syrup with the sugar and spices, using about 400 ml water in a deepish pan on moderate heat. Keep aside.
In another pan, add about 5 tbsp of ghee. Sauté the raisins, charoli and sliced almonds separately; make sure the raisins attain the desired plumpness and the almonds and charoli take on enough colour. Set aside.
In the remaining 1 cup of ghee toss the vermicelli around—be careful not to over handle but also do not let it stick to the bottom or burn. Do this till it is a nice golden colour.
Put the roasted vermicelli into the sugar syrup and cook it until it is soft but not soggy. You can increase the heat if the syrup isn’t getting absorbed fast enough. It should not be on the gas too long as it tends to get soggy. This is the tricky bit as it tends to get overcooked. It needs to be checked on constantly and taken off at the right time.
Pour into a bowl. Sprinkle with the rosewater and the nuts and raisins.
Serve it with sweet dahi.
OATS AND HONEY MAWA CAKE
(A Mumbai teatime favourite)
Ingredients
Butter: 400 gm
Sugar: 400 gm
Eggs: 10
Vanilla essence: 5 ml
Flour: 300 gm
Oats: 300 gm
Baking powder: 5 gm
Mawa: 500 gm
Milk: 250 ml
Seeds: 250 gm
Honey: 150 ml
Method
Preheat oven to 175°C.
Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth.
Beat the eggs until nice and fluffy, and fold into the butter and sugar mixture.
Beat in the mawa, honey, flour, baking powder and milk.
Pour into greased mould (about 10-inch diameter) or cupcake cases and sprinkle seeds on top.\
Bake at 175°C—for about 15 minutes if in cases and 25-30 minutes if in one big mould.
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