Chutney egg pattice and a love story

Proof that you can woo your partner with food

• What is Pattice?

• Recipe for Chutney and egg pattice (paid subscribers only)

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I’ve only been to Delhi, India four times.

The third time I went there was as part of the Return to Roots program - a brilliant immersion program for Zoroastrian youth from the global diaspora started by Arzan Wadia and the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America).

That’s when I met Dhun Aunty and more importantly, when I ate the tastiest Chutney and Egg pattice, I had come across.

Dhun Bagli was our host at the Delhi Parsi Dharamshala and Dar-e-Mehr (fire temple). Dressed in an embroidered lilac sari adorned with her hair well-coiffed, Dhun Aunty reminded me of my grandmothers’ generation – the one that took their time dressing up even if they were just going to be at home. They knew how to take care of themselves.

The day we were visiting, Dhun Aunty had cooked up a storm. There was a creamy, coconut-y prawn curry, dry and spicy on the tongue, Atheli Chicken and in an unassuming round steel plate, some Chutney Egg Pattice. Golden brown and crispy on the outside, soft and comforting as you bit into the potato layer and finally spicy and sour as you hit the chutney and egg mixture stuffed inside.

Dhun aunty serving us food at the Delhi Dharamshala

I don’t enjoy eggs, but that day, I became a glutton and indulged in three pattice. And yes, I ate the curry and chicken too.

But this is not a story about the size of my stomach.

At least 55 years before I tasted these epic pattice, Dhun Aunty had tasted them too.

She was visiting Delhi as a secretary for the International Planned Parenthood Conference. At that time, the Dharamshala - a budget motel only for Parsis - only had 12 rooms. Dhun remembers showing up that day, a big suitcase in her left hand, sweat covering her brow as she waited for Darayus at the reception to finish flipping through the book and find their reservation.

After much page-turning and grunting, he grumpily announced, “You didn’t show up on time, and there were others here, so I reassigned your rooms.” You’ll have to find somewhere else to go.”

Steel plate full of chutney egg pattice

Dhun Aunty remembers her heart sinking with fear. It was only when Dhun Aunty’s Irani friend confronted him that he relented and gave them a room.

On the second day of their stay, Dhun realised that Darayus was besotted with her. While everyone else got curry rice for lunch, she got curry rice and Chutney Pattice. The others got a sloppy fried egg in the morning, she got a creamy Akoori on the side.

Delicious food, longing glances, and late-night conversations on the Dharamsala step after dinner. They all played a part in Darayus and Dhun falling in love.

But Dhun was too young to be married. She was only 21!

They decided Dhun would return to Mumbai. They’d continue their love story over letters until six months had passed. 22 was a more acceptable age to get married. However, Darayus was too impatient. It had only been seven days since Dhun had left, but Darayus could wait no longer. He caught the new air-conditioned express train from Delhi and followed her to Mumbai. With a box of Chutney Pattice for his beloved.

In Mumbai, Darayus convinced Dhun’s parents to wed them right away, and in 1958, Dhun Aunty came to Delhi as Mrs. Bagli, co-manager of the Delhi Parsi Dharamshala.

With Darayus and Dhun at the helm, the Dharamshala’s 12 rooms expanded to 44. They went from cooking just for staying guests to running a catering service that served delicious Parsi food for many of Delhi’s well-heeled Parsis. Before the popular Sodabottleopenerwala restaurant launched in 2013, their kitchen was one of the few places in Delhi where you were guaranteed to have a good Parsi meal.

And the one thing that’s stayed on the menu for 60 or more years? The Chutney Egg Pattice that Darayus wooed her with.

What is Pattice?

At its most basic, a pattice is a thick potato burger that’s stuffed with a filling. If you stuff it with spicy, dry mince, it’s a kheema pattice. If you stuff it with a sweet-sour-spicy green chutney, you’ve got a chutney pattice, and if you stuff it with chutney and egg, then you have Dhun’s Chutney egg pattice.

I don’t know if pattice is a Parsi invention but we sure do love eating them! These are not to be confused with crust pattice, which is what Indians call a pie or a puff.

I’ve also tried stuffing it Dolly Mumma’s Carrot Chutney and some fried cashews to make an Achaar pattice and can vouch for it’s deliciousness.

Making pattice can feel fiddly, especially the stuffing part. But once you get a hang of it, they are delicious.

Chutney egg pattice by Mahrukh’s Kitchen, London