Sindhi Thum Jo Varo

Thum Jo Varo ( green garlic fritters) made with green garlic (saayee thum) and coriander leaves (dhana) is a Sindhi winter specialty. The intrepid Sindhi women make the optimum use of the winter bounty of fresh and healthy greens and vegetables by making innumerable dishes and pickles, that are not only delicious but also full of winter goodness.

Most of the Sindhis in general eat Vaishnav (no onion-garlic) food on certain days of the week. Thattai Bhatia among Sindhis do not have onion or garlic at all as they offer bhog (prasad offered to God) everyday. Any food offered to God is always Vaishnav khado.

But Sindhis make a generous use of green onions and garlic on the days they are allowed to eat. Saayee thum jo varo, thum waro dodo ( millet flatbread with green garlic), sao masalo ( a masala made of green garlic and coriander leaves and serves as a base for many vegetables as well as fish or prawns), thum mein gobi (cauliflower in green garlic) and many more are dishes unique to Sindhi cuisine and are not meant for the faint hearted as they are so pungent with garlic.

Green garlic is used to treat various aliments in ancient medicine because of its anti-bacterial as well as anti-inflammatory properties. It boosts the immune system, is rich in iron, fights gastro-intestinal infections and is good for the heart.

I always fall back on my sister, Urvashi Dama, for authentic Sindhi recipes, and she never disappoints me. This time too she sent me beautiful pics and the recipe for saayee thum jo varo, bless her. Be forewarned that the varo requires a lot of green garlic, but the end result is worth it.

Recipe of Saayee Thum jo Varo ( Green garlic fritters) (makes 4-6)

Ingredients

200 gm green garlic

80 gm coriander leaves

3 chillies

2 tbsp wheat or rice flour

salt

Oil for frying

Method

Wash the greens well. Coarsely pound the greens with the chillies ( as shown in the pic). If using the grinder, pulse the greens and chillies carefully to get a coarse paste.

Add the flour for binding and salt to taste..

Apply oil on your palms, take a bit of the mixture and make a small round flat patty.

Heat oil in a kadai and fry on medium heat so that the patty is cooked through. Try frying with one patty. If the patty doesn’t hold, add a little more flour to the rest of the mixture.

Make more patties and fry them carefully on slow to medium heat till brown.

Remove them on an absorbent paper.

Serve them hot with rotis and tomato chutney or with dal and rice.

PIC: DAL-RICE WITH THUM JO VARO

Recipe and pics: Mrs. Urvashi Dama, Mumbai

Jyoti Mulchandani

Mumbai