Healthy eating

As I stood in the kitchen watching Yangzom prepare our feast of pumpkin soup, homegrown quinoa, pork and radish stew and, of course, chilli and cheese, I was at ease.

Despite now being a dwindling community, Parsis have left indelible imprints on South Asia, from being famed for shaping India's taste for soft drinks to establishing the institution-like Irani cafes that once dominated the subcontinent. At the same time, the cuisine reflects a coalescence of Indian and Iranian influences.

Sy instructed the class to begin their warm-up and flexibility routines – both vital parts of learning contortionism, aerial ribbon work and trapeze, skills the students will eventually perform to audiences to get on-stage experience and earn a small salary.