FLAVOURS FROM A FADING LEGACY

THE waves of nostalgia and aroma travel together wherever home chef and culinary enthusiast Firozi Karanjia takes her Parsi food.

- SONU M KOTHARI

"Our community may be small but our food is very large in volume," shares the chef whose next stop is The Raintree on St Mary's Road.

Along with Chef Rashna Morena, Firozi has curated 'Jashn-e-Bawa', a food festival that celebrates the community's culinary heritage through an array of authentic dishes that reflect tradition, nostalgia, and a sense of togetherness.

The idea to take Parsi cuisine on the road began as a quiet mission to keep this lesser-known food culture alive. "Parsi cuisine is getting lost somewhere. Recipes are changing day by day, and ingredients are getting replaced. We wanted to take it to hotels where people come to celebrate and through food, bring the cuisine back to life," says Firozi.

Besides reviving recipes, the festival, which starts today, aims to raise awareness about the community itself, who migrated to India from Persia, Iran, almost in the 8th century. "We wanted to familiarise our culture through what we do best, food. Once they eat our food, they [consumers] will go back, read, and understand Parsis well," she adds.