PARSI SNACKS

1. Ravo – Semolina

Ravo to be served as sweet on days of celebrations.

¼ Kg. Ravo
4 Eggs
1/2 lt. Milk
200 gms (approx) sugar
100 gms Butter
100 gms whole dry fruits (cashew, almonds n resins)

Heat the ghee in a nonstick vessel on the low heat. Add ravo to it and fry till it is light golden. In another bowl beat the eggs in milk. Once the ravo is nicely fried , slowly add the milk and egg mixture. Keep on stirring so that it is not get curdled. Keep on adding the ghee from time to time as required. Add sugar and stir continuously till sugar dissolves. Fry the dry fruits and garnish the Ravo.Add Cardamom powder and nutmeg powder while frying the Ravo.

By Hutoxi Hodiwalla

2. Sev – Vermicelli

Vermicelli fried and cooked with sugar and topped with seedless raisins (kismis) and almonds to be served as sweet on days of celebrations.

100 gms very fine vermicelli
3 tblsp. oil
3 dsp. sugar
2 tblsp. kismis (seedless raisins)
24 almonds
1 tsp. mixed cardamom and nutmeg powder
1 1/2 cups water.

In a deep pan heat the oil. Take pan off fire and add vermicelli and mix quickly till oil and vermicelli are well blended. Place pan on medium fire and cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until vermicelli is well fried and brown. Now add sugar and water and cook covered on slow fire for 5 to 10 mins. or until the vermicelli is soft and all the water absorbed. Boil almonds in water for 1 minute. Cool slightly, then remove skin and slice almonds very fine. Fry almonds gently in a little oil for 1 to 2 minutes. Do not allow almonds to brown much. Remove and keep aside. In the same oil fry the kismis for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove. Place cooked vermicelli in a serving dish, sprinkle with cardamom and nutmeg powder and top with almonds and kismis.

By Hutoxi Hodiwalla

3. Kopra pak – Coconut Fudge

1 fresh coconut grated
Sugar equal to 1 1/2 times weight of grated coconut
3 tblsp. cream
1/2 tsp. nutmeg and cardamom powder
Few drops red colouring
1/2 to 1 tsp. vanilla essence
1/2 tsp. butter.

Grease a tray with butter. In a pan add grated coconut and sugar and put on medium fire. Blend well stirring constantly with wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Add cream and blend well. Cook, stirring constantly till mixture leaves sides of pan and coats the spoon. Add vanilla essence and few drops of red coloring to give mixture a pale pink colour. Mix well. Turn out into tray, sprinkle nutmeg and cardamom powder over surface and spread out mixture evenly to 1 cm (1/2 inch) thickness. Cool for 15 minutes, then mark into 3 cm squares and allow to cool completely. Break into pieces along marking lines. Store in airtight container.

By Hutoxi Hodiwalla

4. Bhakra – Parsi Cookies

1 tblsp. oil
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup semolina (ravo)
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
1 tsp. vanilla essence
3/4 tsp. baking powder
4 cardamoms peeled and crushed
1/4 tsp. nutmeg powder
2 tblsp. almonds, blanched, peeled and finely chopped
1 dsp, curd
Oil for frying

Sift separately semolina, all purpose flour and wheat flour. Mix ghee and sugar in a deep pan and whip with mixer till it lightens. Add eggs, one by one and continue whipping till sugar has melted. Add semolina to mixture and blend well. Add all purpose flour and continue mixing. Add vanilla essence to mixture and mix all ingredients well. Add baking powder, cardamom, nutmeg and almonds to wheat flour and blend well. Add to mixture and mix till all ingredients are well blended. Add curd and make into a soft, sticky dough. Cover and keep for 3 to 4 hours. Add about 1 tblsp. more wheat flour or semolina to the dough so that it is not too sticky. sprinkle a little wheat flour onto a pastry board or table top and roll out the dough into a large round shape 1/2 centimeter thick. Cut as many rounds of 6 centimeters each. Roll leftover dough into a big round again and once more cut small rounds from it. Pour oil or ghee in a frying pan to a depth of 5 centimeters and heat. Deep fry bhakras on medium fire till golden brown. Serve at once or cool and store in an air tight container.

By Hutoxi Hodiwalla