Recipe contributed by: Tashan Mistree Byramji
This recipe is my all time favorite, fuss free but fancy enough to impress all dish!
It was shared by my Mother in Law, Lyla Byramji, who’s very own Mum, Bapsy Mehta, showcased her culinary brilliance with this dish at the Women’s International Club of Karachi in 1955. A favorite in the Mistree-Byramji house, this dish is the perfect mix of the Indo-Pak blend that is our family, with the saffron orange layer of jinga (kolmi) nu patio representing India and the glistening layer of green chutney for Pakistan.
With each bite we transcend the very borders that keep us apart. Rice in Zoroastrianism is used in all celebrations to shower blessings of happiness and represents an abundance of good wishes and fortune. Eating Ribbon Rice is one such celebration – with every bite blissful happiness, with every layer, abundance of color, and the more times you serve this dish, the more you will be asked!
Bawi Bride’s Note:
Just like Dhansak, every household has a slightly different recipe for Ribbon Rice. I actually make mine super indulgent by using not only prawns but also kheema. In fact, I even rechristened it the Surf & Turf Pulao. What I do, is make the red layer of ribbon rice using Kheema and then cook the prawns in a green chutney to form the green ribbon. When cooking the kheema, try to make it a bit thicker and spicier than the recipe above, subtracting the potatoes. For the chutney, you can either make the version below or even use whatever leftover chutney you have. Depending on what you like to cook, you can try either version. The recipe for Tashan’s version is as below.
This post is part of my ongoing series on the blog, the A to Z of Parsi Food which has been curated in collaboration with Parsi food enthusiasts globally. For more interesting recipes follow the hashtag #AtoZChallenge mentioned below.
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