Our silence on the butter chicken tsunami doesn't serve New Zealand
Our silence dilutes us and it dilutes our food. The immigrant bargain has expired. Shane Jones is the outlier here. Not us.
Beyond Butter Chicken
Honest stories about the real Indian food billions of us eat every day. No radioactive orange butter chicken here.
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Latest posts
Not! Thai Green Curry
Green curry, but not the one you think. A Parsi fish (or meat, or egg) curry for tired nights, half-full fridges, and holiday brain.
Eating Vada Pav in the rain
An excerpt from my newly published chapter in the anthology, Tāmaki Makaurau 2025: Essays on Life in Auckland.
Kid Gosht and the Superman pose
A suspicious email, my dad's signature mutton curry, Parsi Kid Gosht and an unexpected trip to Coimbatore.
Can AI cure the world of bad butter chicken?
Apparently, very soon, AI will help us learn just about anything we fancy. Cure cancer and unlock world peace. So late at night I typed into ChatGPT, “How can we rid the world of bad butter chicken?” Sadly, he? she? had no good ideas. But I do!
A peek into my kitchen, me and my journey with food
Join me, Perzen Patel, as I explore my kitchen, share spice tips, and tell the story of falling in and out of love with Indian food—plus my dream of writing a cookbook.
Why do we keep buying cookbooks we might never use?
In a digital world overflowing with recipes, what's the role of the cookbook? From celebrity cookbooks to vintage finds, here's a curation of cookbook posts to get you thinking on the purpose of cookbooks in our modern society.
Amaranth Bhaji Dana ma Gosht
The best way to eat your greens is to add meat to it. Bhaji Dana ma Gosht is a flavorful Parsi dish combining leafy greens, green peas, and tender mutton, traditionally enjoyed during festive occasions and family gatherings.
Potato Cheese Cutlets
Everything tastes better with potato and cheese. A dry piece of toast, a curry or even a salad. These soft, lightly spiced cutlets with a gooey centre of cheese are the perfect snack for spice-averse kids (and adults).
Bhakras
Dense, nutty and delicious, Bhakras are the the Parsi, tea-time donut you didn't know you were missing out on.