THE DINNER FEAST (Hormazdiar Khan). If one loves non-vegetarian food, the best experience to be had is to be invited for a Parsi wedding or thread ceremony function and to dinner thereafter, at one of the halls called baughs, earmarked to hold such huge functions of the community.
One can notice long rows of wooden tables, with sitting arrangements of about 25 per row. There are 5 such rows, to entertain about 125 guests per sitting (with about 4 to 5 such sittings that follow), to totally accommodate 600 to 700 guests for dinner. Each table seat has 2 huge banana leaves,spread on the allotted slot on which the lavish dinner is served. It begins with cold drinks, consisting of a glass of soda, lemonade, ginger, raspberry, mangola, cola, orange,(any drink of your choice) with chunks of crushed ice poured in the glass. Next comes various unlimited starters in the form of paneer tikka, chicken tikka, fried prawns, wafers, cheese balls and mutton kebabs, to be enjoyed with unlimited whisky, rum or wine served at the bar. The food service starts with a huge dollop of pickle along with white crunchy wafers (called saarias) and rotis. Soon chicken in a thick gravy is followed by an egg dish, paneer or non-dessert custard. Next is a piece of pomfret fish, marinated with green chutney or a white sour sweet gravy (called ‘Saas ni macchi’ in Parsi-Gujarati) all wrapped in a banana leaf, served steaming. This is followed by mutton pulao with dal known as Dhansak. All dishes are served piping hot, just off the fire. Servings are offered twice, for guests who would like to have a second helping of any particular dish or dishes. It assures a hearty sumptuous dinner for foodies. The sweet dish served at the end of this feast usually happens to be a thick slice of malai, mango or chocolate kulfi in a small plate with a dainty spoon. A special row for vegetarians is also arranged, serving vegetarian dishes like dal rice, udhiu, shrikand puri, batata bhaji, vegetable stew, gulab jambun, dahi or curd and jelebis - all unlimited for the very few in the crowd who are vegetarians. For non-vegetarian food lovers, it is always a blessing to be closely associated with some Parsis as friends, to have a chance of a memorable dinner feast on the auspicious occasions of their weddings or Navjotes (thread ceremony) of a young Parsi boy or a girl being initiated into the Zoroastrian fold. Truly, Parsi weddings or Navjotes should be a must experience for all foodies, as it promises to be a gala feast of a memorably fine Wine & Dine experience, accompanied by live music and lively dance with your partners or jovial youngsters on an evening you will long remember. Roland. Toronto
