Dal Pakwaan

This recipe for a traditional Sindhi breakfast is definitely not an ‘everyday’ recipe. Today was the third time I had it. The first time was many years back at a picnic where a Sindhi family had brought it...that was the first time we even heard about it. Then I had it at a college friend’s house and the other day I saw the recipe in a Sanjeev Kapoor book that is when I remembered this long-forgotten dish.

I checked the recipe in some more recipe blogs and I made it today for breakfast using my own proportions and method.

Ingredients for the Dal

1 cup channa dal,

½ tsp cumin seeds,

½ tsp coriander seed powder,

2 chopped green chillies,

½ tsp turmeric powder,

½ tsp cumin seed powder,

½ tsp red chilli powder,

1 tsp amchur

1 tbsp oil,

Salt to taste

To Serve

1 small chopped onion,

1 small chopped tomato,

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves,

2 green chillies,

Juice of half a lemon

Method

Clean and soak the channa dal for about 3 hours (I soaked it overnight as I was making this for breakfast).

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the cumin seeds and let them pop. Then add the green chillies, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin seed powder and red chilli powder. Fry for a minute and then add the amchoor, dal, salt to taste and about 2 cups of water. Cook it for 2 whistles and open once the pressure is released.

Drizzle the lemon juice and serve warm garnished with the onion, tomato, coriander leaves and green chillies. Serve this with the pakwaan.

Ingredients for Pakwaan

1 ½ cup refined flour,

½ cup whole wheat flour,

2 tsp semolina,

1 pinch of asafoetida,

½ tsp ajwain,

3 tbsp oil,

Salt to taste,

Red chilli powder,

Water for kneading,

Oil for deep frying

Method

Knead the dough using all the ingredients except the oil for deep frying. The dough should not be soft. Let it rest for 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into small balls about the size of ping-pong balls. Roll them out to the size of a chapatti and make cuts on it using a knife. This is an important step to ensure it does not puff up like a puri.

Heat oil till it is hot and slide in one pakwaan and cook on a medium heat till it is golden brown and crisp. Make the remaining pakwaans following the same method.

Serve with the dal.