A favourite among Sindhis, dal-pakwan is a available at every street corner in Sindhi-dominated areas. The crisp flaky pakwan dipped in hot steaming dal spiced with masalas and tamarind -mint chutney is what Sindhi ambrosia is made of.
Dal-pakwan is easy to prepare at home too. If receiving guests for breakfast or lunch, you can fry the pakwans a day before. Preparing dal and the chutney on the D-day does not take very long. You can serve some hot seera (roasted whole wheat flour with ghee and sugar) to complete the food orgy.
Mrs. Renu Kirpalani, the mother of a dear friend, Dipna, is an excellent cook. Her Sindhi food preparations of chicken, bhugal gosht ( mutton), fish, bhuga chawar- sai bhaji ( a combination of rice in onions browned to perfection and a nutritious spinach bhaji) , tridaal(three kinds of dals cooked together in a spicy combination), seyal mani (rotis in Sindhi seyal masala), seyal bread (bread in seyal masala), Sindhi achar and gajar gobi ji khatain (carrot- cauliflower pickle) are to die for.
She has sent her fool-proof recipe of dal-pakwan and tamarind- mint chutney to go with it.
Recipe for Dal-Pakwan (serves 5-6)
Ingredients for dal
1 cup chana dal
1 green chilli
1 big or two small onions
1/2 turmeric powder
1 tbsp oil
1tsp amchur powder (dry mango powder)
1tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
Method for dal: Wash and soak chana dal for an hour. Drain it in a colander and put it in the pressure cooker. Add chopped green chilli, turmeric and salt. Add 2 and 2 1/2 cups water , 1 tbsp oil and let it cook for 4 to 5 whistles on high flame. Open the lid and check the consistency of the dal. It should be tender and not mushy. Serve the dal in a bowl and garnish it with amchur and red chilli powder.
Ingredients for the tadka:
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp oil
Coriander leaves (optional)
1 finely chopped onion
Method for the tadka : Heat the oil in a pan and prepare the tempering of cumin seeds. Add the tempering to the dal without mixing it. Finish by adding finely chopped onions and coriander leaves, if available. Add tamarind-mint chutney for a burst of flavours in your mouth.
Ingredients for pakwan:
2 cups maida (APF)
2 tbsp oil or ghee (for moun)
1/2 tsp ajwain
A pinch of red chilli powder
salt to taste
Oil for deep frying
Method for pakwan : Sieve the flour. Add ajwain , ghee/oil, red chilli powder and salt and knead the dough with water. It should not be too soft nor too hard. Rest the dough for 15 minutes. Divide the dough into 10-12 small portions and roll it like a chapati. Prick the surface with the help of a fork or a knife so that the pakwan doesn’t puff up while frying.
Heat the oil in a pan and slide the pakwan into it. Fry on a low flame and keep pressing it till it turns crispy golden brown in colour.
Ingredients for the chutney:
1 medium bowl of mint leave
1/2 cup corainder leaves
1 raw mango or some tamarind juice
4 green chillies
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp sugar
salt to taste
Method for the chutney: Combine all the ingredients in a mixer jar and grind it till it forms a uniform paste. The chutney is ready.
Dal-pakwan is a complete meal in itself, but the tamarind-mint chutney adds a lot of flavour to it. Make it if mint is available, or you’re still good to go.
Recipe and pic by Mrs. Renu Kirpalani, Ahmedabad
Check out the recipes for other Sindhi dals:
Sindhi Maakhni Dal – Sindhi Khazana – a simple moong dal to be had with puris or khakhras
Sindhi Bassarwari Dal – Sindhi Khazana – onions in tuver dal to be had with rice, a recipe by Mrs. Diya Davara, Ahmedabad
Sindhi Thumwari Dal – Sindhi Khazana – garlic in moong dal to be had with rice, a recipe by Mrs. Urvashi Dama, Mumbai
Jyoti Mulchandani
Ahmedabad
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