Food is not just made with ingredients or spices, it doesn’t even depend completely on cooking methods or recipes. It solely depends on person who is cooking, their interest and their moods. The basic ingredient is always love. Have you heard anybody say that they don’t like their mother’s home cooked food?
Although everybody loves variety in food, who doesn’t like to explore different taste, different cuisine, different culture, specially when they are travelling? In fact, Christopher Columbus made it his quest to collect spices from around the world, deeming it as worthy as gold. Thanks to these early explorers, cultures around the world have created exquisite dishes based on spices/herbs, both homegrown and imported, and its remarkable how often these additions can change the essence of the entire meal.
Spices/herbs have health benefits and everybody understands that. They bring magic flair to the cooking, same spices, but different blends. Indians use Curry powder, Garam Masala, Sambar masala, Panch Poran, Chat masala and the interesting thing is that the blend of masala also varies from region to region, city to city.
The Chinese Five Spice powder has a balanced hit of sweet, sour, bitter and savoury. A heady combination of spicy, bitter and sweet spices of Berbere is used in Ethopia and Somalia. The seven Spices, Togarishi, that includes chili pepper, Citrus peel, Sesame seeds is used as Japanese Condiment. Four Spices called Quatre Espices is French blend that includes ground black and/or white pepper, Cloves, Nutmeg and Ginger. Adobo, an all purpose seasoning that contains Garlic, Oregano, Pepper and other spices, is used in Mexican and other Latin American Cuisines. Dukkah is an interesting Egyptian mix of toasted Nuts and Seeds like Hazelnuts, Sesame seeds, Coriander and Cumin. Adveih is a Persian mix of dried Rose petals and Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Cumin, often used in rice and stews. A dry rub from Kansas City has this sweet and smoky barbecue flavour that includes brown Sugar, Paprika and other spices.
The Home Chef Marukh Mogrelia doesn’t believe in using too much spices. She normally uses seasonal fresh vegetables to her meat/seafood dishes. The fresh seasonal vegetable are mixed with fresh herbs and chillies and made into a paste that she uses in her cuisine. “The beauty of the Parsi cuisine lies in its simplicity and the secret of the magical flavors lies in marination.” She says.
Marukh Mogrelia (of Marukh Kitchen fame) worked as a beautician all her life until one day, she randomly filled up a form that was circulated by now defunct company that would help to curate home food experiences, citing her interest in cooking regional Parsi food. They encouraged her to start home dining experiences catered towards people who would llke to understand more about her cuisine. She now works closely with a company called ‘Travellingspoon’ where they provide market visits, cooking and dining experiences to foreigh clientele.
Marukh Mogrella is a home chef specialising in Parsi Cuisine and conducts cooking cum dining experiences from her beautiful home in South Mumbai.
The very first meal that she cooked independently was when she was seven years old. The women in the house were either travelling or menstruating (in those days women were not allowed to enter kitchen while on their period) with the help of her neighbour, she prepared a simple meal of dhal chawal, which her father relished. “I remember the joy on his face even today. It was his encouragement that motivated me to hone my skill even sharper.” She beamed. Her father has been a great support in encouraging her to cook. “I remember an incident where I decided to cook sweet doodh poha for my father. I made the entire dish well, but I had forgotten to wash the poha before cooking, as a result the doodh poha had turned greyish brown, but he ate without a single complain.”
Being a foodie, she enjoys street food during her foreign trips, but her first memory of good food was close home at Snowmans, a pastry parlour at Breach Candy. “As a child, the first time I had Chicken Mayonaise Sandwich was at Snowmen, I was very happy.” she says.
She is happy to share the recipe of Khora nó Patiyo
This is like antidote for monsoon. In rural areas, lots of vine vegetables are grown in the backyard and pumpkin wines are commonly grown as leaves, flowers and Pumplin and are edible.
Prepare fresh Herb Condiment.
1. Fry 2 green onions in pure ghee.
2. Add 9 cloves of finely grated garlic,
3. Add 5tbsp of ginger.
4. Add 1 chopped chilli.
5. Add 1 cup finely chopped coriander leaves,
6. Add 2tsp turmerric powder and salt.
7. Cook it well.
8. Cool and grind it into a paste.
9. Store it in the container.
To prepare Khora nó Patiyo
1. Marinate 300gms prawns with green chilies,
2. Add 2tbsp fresh Herb condiment.
3. Add salt.
4. Keep it aside.
5. Heat 1tsp Oil,
6. Add 2 onions diced and cook till pink.
7. Add 2 cloves of finely grated garlic.
8. Add 1tsp cumin seeds.
9. Add 1tsp sambar masala.
10. Fry nicely till aroma arises.
11. Add 500gms mashed pumpkin and cook till done.
12. Serve with Khichdi or Jowar roti.
