In January, SodaBottleOpenerWala, a Bombay Irani restaurant chain, introduced diners to ravaiyan baingan, small eggplant stuffed with prawns. In the vegetarian version, peanuts replaced the prawn stuffing. The dish was a mix of Iranian and Gujarati cuisines, the first visible in the choice of vegetable and the second in the ample use of sesame and peanut.
Other dishes the restaurant whipped up included aleti paleti, or liver and kidney stir-fried in spices, chicken maiwalla, a custard-like chicken preparation that defines the Parsi love for eggs, Granny’s pulao, based on a 122-year-old-recipe, and malaido, similar to kadah prasad and served with pooris.
These were recipes that Anahita Dhondy, chef manager of SodaBottleOpenerWala, unearthed during her trips to Parsi towns across Gujarat,