East West - The Asian American Lifestyle Magazine

In sharp contrast, I am a boomer from the New England suburbs.  My breakfast tradition is based on individual cereal boxes that you split open down the middle and fill with milk, forming a perfect, self-contained, disposable bowl.

But at 22, just out of college and without domestic talent of any sort, I was determined to impress my then-boyfriend with ingenuity and ambition.    The first meal I served him was breakfast. 

One morning while he was showering, I hatched a scheme to dazzle him with my culinary skills.   I had two 99-cent breakfast specials delivered from the coffee shop on our corner and in my unadorned, little-used galley kitchen, I gently laid omelets into a skillet, tossed fried potatoes into another and poured coffee into a pot.  I buttered whole-wheat toast and poured freshly squeezed orange juice into goblets. 

“I have a surprise for you.  I made breakfast,” I lied.  I led him by the hand to the dining table set with my best (and only) dishes, and ceremoniously served him our first “home-cooked” meal.  He was astonished.  He did the dishes.

It is 25 years later, and food has served as a bridge between us, our two cultures and our very different families.    
I have fond memories of my mother sitting at the end of my bed after an evening out to dinner reliving her meal.  She would speak of the tenderness of the filet mignon, the ethereal mashed potatoes, and the night that the chef at a local restaurant “got loose with the rosemary.”  Now, my mother-in-law and I also recreate meals for each other, describing dishes in detail and swapping recipes. Although we are separated by years, values and world views, we have found a common bond in our love for food. 

I suspect that the Yankee corn pudding recipe I shared with her will morph into something more exotic by the time it reaches India, and I know she will think of me each time she serves it.  For my part, while preparing an eggplant curry recently, my mind wandered to ratatouille.  A sliced bell pepper or two and some chunks of zucchini added to the mix create something new, but familiar to my husband and I.

Such East-West culinary creations have become commonplace in my kitchen.  One of the first Parsi foods I learned to love was ekoori, a delicious egg concoction full of exotic spices and herbs.  Over time I found a way to incorporate the rich array of flavors of  ekoori into a European idea — the frittata.  It is great with tomato chutney and a fresh fruit salad or some “South Asian Home Fries” — cubes of potatoes browned in oil with nigella, fennel and/or mustard seeds.

Even with such imagination, however, my present-day culinary skills may not rival those  of Mamu.  Still, I have spent many satisfying hours in the kitchen tweaking family recipes. The result, like so much in our marriage, is often something new, but with deep roots in each of our two cultures.

Parsi Frittata

(Makes four to six servings )

8 eggs
1 large onion, finely chopped
2-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 green chilies, chopped (or to taste)
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (or 2 tablespoons cilantro and 2 tablespoons mint)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon grated ginger
Salt to taste
Butter or vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In an ovenproof skillet, sauté onions in oil over medium-low heat until translucent.  Add turmeric, cumin, garlic, chilies and tomatoes.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes.  Add fresh herbs and stir.

Pour beaten eggs into same skillet and continue to cook, pulling the eggs away from the sides of the skillet as they begin to set.  When the eggs are firm at the edges and just beginning to color, place the skillet in the oven until dish sets all the way through (10-20 minutes).  Garnish with additional herbs and chopped chilies.  

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