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Parsis will be marking their New Year - Parties on August 21st. It is a time for celebration and piety. The day is marked with prayers and gifting of alms. And, since no Indian festival is complete without a sumptuous feast, we present a sampling of Parsi festival cuisine. So get on your apron and head to the kitchen and celebrate Pateti, the Parsi way.

PATRA NI MACHI ( Fish with chutney, in Banana leaves )

This dish is a typical Parsi speciality. Ingredients 1 kg fish (preferably Pomfret)Chutney 1/2 coconut freshly grated or 4 tbsp dry coconut flakes 1 tsp cumin seeds 7 cloves garlic 4 cups fresh coriander leaves, washed1/2 cup fresh mint leaves (optional) 1 tsp tamarind paste 1 tsp sugar2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar Method Marinate fish fillets in chutney for 3 hours. Wrap each fillet in banana leaves or butter paper. Tie with a string so that the wrapping does not come off. There are 3 methods to cook: Steaming: Put a little water in a pot or pressure cooker. Bring to a boil. Place on a steaming stand in the steaming pot for 15 minutes approx. Pressure cook only for 5 minutes. (Do not put the valve on the lid of the pressure cooker). Frying: Heat oil in a pan. Fry the wrapped fish in hot oil till cooked. Baking: Put a little oil in a baking tray. Arrange fish in single layer. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or till done. Check often.

DAHI NU GOSHT (Mutton in Curds)

Ingredients (Serves 6-8) 1 kg mutton 1/2 kg curd 1/2 kg onions 4 tbsp oil 2 tsp salt 6 hardboiled eggs Masala 1 tsp chilli powder 1 1/2 tsp turmeric 2 tsp cumin seeds 16 cardamoms 2- 1" long cinnamon sticks 5 cloves 3 black cardamoms 7-8 black peppercorns 125 gms ginger 2 pods garlic 5-6 large red chillies 5-6 small red chillies 1 tsp saffron strands Method Clean. Wash and cut the mutton into large or small pieces. Mix masala with a little water. Then, mix the ground masala with curd adding salt and saffron. Marinate the meat with this mixture for at least one hour. Heat the oil. Add sliced onions and fry till golden brown. Add the marinated meat and allow to cook on a slow fire, till tender. This will take at least an hour. While serving, arrange the sliced hard-boiled eggs and potatoes. Parboil the potatoes and then deep fry them.

Kopra Pak (Coconut Fudge delight)

Ingredients 1 fresh coconut, grated Sugar equal to l 1/2 times weight of grated coconut 2 tbsp. Whipping cream 1/2 tsp. Nutmeg Cardamom powder Few drops red colouring 1/2 to 1 tsp. vanilla essence 1/2 tsp. butter Method Grease tray with butter. In a saucepan, add grated coconut and sugar. Cook on medium heat. Blend well stirring constantly with wooden spoon, 2 minutes. Add cream and blend well. Cook, stirring constantly till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and coats the spoon. Add vanilla essence and a few drops red colouring to give mixture a pale pink colour. Mix well. Turn into 9 x l2 tray, sprinkle nutmeg and cardamom powder over surface and spread mixture evenly to 1/2 inch thickness. Cool for 15 minutes. Then mark into l 1/2 inches squares and allow to cool completely. Break into pieces along marking lines.

DOODH POHA

Ingredients 2 1/2 cups milk 1/2 cup whipping cream 3 tbs. sugar 1/2 cup poha* (flaked or pressed rice) 5 tbs. slivered almonds 1 tsp. cardamom powder 1/2 tsp. powdered nutmeg 3/4 tsp. vanilla essence Method Clean and wash poha. Bring milk to a boil. Remove 1/4 cup milk and add to cream. Keep aside. In rest of milk, add sugar and cook till sugar is melted. Boil milk once again. Then add poha and keep stirring till the mixture slightly thickened (about 20 minutes). Add almonds and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and when the bubbling stops, add cream. Cool. Then add cardamom, nutmeg, and vanilla. Blend well and refrigerate. Serve cold.

GHEE GOR NI ROTLI (Unleavened Bread with Butter & Jaggery)

Ingredients 1/2 kg jaggery 1/4 kg ghee Method Heat ghee in a pan. Pound the jaggery and add into the ghee. Keep stirring all the time. Take care so that it does not thicken too much. Remove from fire. Serve with warm, unleavened bread. MALIDO Ingredients30 grams almonds30 grams chopped cashewnuts250 grams desi ghee50 grams flour 50 grams semolina - sifted50 grams whole wheat flour 3/4 cup milk250 grams sugar1/2 cup water2 beaten eggs1 tsp. vanilla essence12 cardamoms 1/2 nutmeg powdered30 grams crystallised cherries 30 grams orange peel chopped MethodBlanch and slice the almonds. Fry the almonds and cashews in half the ghee. Drain. Keep aside.Mix the sifted ingredients with all the remaining ghee and milk. Keep aside for half an hour. Cook on a slow fire stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens, and becomes light brown in colour. Cool. This is the malido mixture.Bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring until the sugar melts. Cool. Mix malido mixture with sugar syrup and cook together until thickened, stirring constantly. Take off the fire. Slowly pour the eggs into the malido mixture and beat in thoroughly. Cook again on a slow flame stirring constantly. Cook till the ghee floats on top. Remove from the fire and lastly add the vanilla essence, cardamoms, nutmeg, half the fried almonds and cashewnuts, half the cherries and orange peel. Mix toget