Pampering Parsi palates for 20 years

Zinobia Schroff is a star. But don't confuse her for her New York-based namesake who was nominated for a Best Actor award for a role in Sooni Taraporewala's Little Zizou. It's her solo performance in the kitchen that wins this Zinobia accolades. On the eve of Parsi New Year, we get the pickle pro to tell us what's cooking

Pampering Parsi palates for 20 years

In a community in which food is deemed sacrosanct, Zinobia Schroff's is a household name, long associated with exceptional pickles, jams and squashes. At 58 however, despite having successfully carved a reputation as the unrivalled pickle pro, Zinobia's bespectacled eyes still light up with a youthful glint when she reminisces about learning how to cook under her mother's watchful eye in Nagpur. Zinobia was a teenager when she had her first taste of success with her orange squash, which she sold for a modest Rs 3 per bottle, she tells us.

Zinobia Schroff with her pickles, jams and squashes

Today, the price is Rs 250 for a 700 ml bottle and at least 10 other flavours are available including Kokum, Guava, Ginger and Jamun.u00a0

"Even before I made cooking my profession, people would compliment my Berry Pulao, Fish Patia and Dhansak," she beams, estimating that she only made an advent into the catering business about 18 or 20 years ago, as she directs us to her Facebook page for more information on her Parsi New Year menu. You won't find it there, but run a search for Schroff Foods on the site and you'll discover items like Salli Margi (Rs 210) on the Pateti menu, Mutton Berry Pulao and Patra ni Machchi (Rs 250 each) on the New Year menu and Salee Per Idoo and Caramel Custard (Rs 55 and Rs 65 respectively) on the Khordad Saal menu (Khordad Saal being the prophet's birthday).

Telling us that the menu is planned as per her customers' requests, Zinobia smiles as she points out, "Actually, Pateti is a day of repentance, but Parsis being Parsis, I still felt the need to have a special Pateti menu." Lagan nu Achar is a recipe that Zinobia is particularly proud of, telling us that just as the name suggests, the dish is truly befitting a grand occasion like a Lagan or wedding.u00a0

Though this is the ideal season for her fish roe pickles (Garabh nu Achar which, literally translates as pickled womb), Zinobia says that dishes such Mori Dal Chawal (plain yellow dal with rice), Fish Patia, or any fish dish really, sweet vermicelli, sweet dahi (curd), sweet ravo, some form of pulao and Parsi vegetable stew are, traditionally, favoured on special occasions. She also informs us that in the frenzy of the New Year celebrations, she requires a day or two of advance notice and, "If orders amount to over Rs 2,000 there's no delivery charge, but otherwise there's a charge of Rs 100 if the delivery address is really far away from my Dadar Parsi Colony residence."

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