SAI THOOMA MEI GAJRUN / CARROT STIR FRY WITH GREEN GARLIC / WINTER SPECIAL SINDHI BHAJI

 This is a simple carrot stir fry with fresh green garlic which is available only in winters. Even the carrots in winter are so fresh and juicy. This slow cooked stir fry really tastes amazing with the flavours of fresh garlic greens. This is a winter special sabzi from the Sindhi Cuisine. We usually serve it with rotis or dhodo (bhakri).

Ingredients:

Carrots -------- 2 large or 3 small

Green garlic .... 2 small bunches.

Tomato ............ 1

Green chillies .... 2

Oil ................... 3-4 tbsps

Turmeric powder .. 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder ....... 1 tsp

Coriander powder ... 1 tsp

Kasoori methi ........ 1 tbsp (you may also use fresh methi 1/4 cup)

Salt ................... to taste

Red chilli powder ... 1/4 tsp

Coriander leaves .... handful

Method:

1. Scrape the carrots and cut into small pieces.

2. Cut the tomato and the green chillies into small pieces.

3. Separate the white part of the garlic and dice it. Chop the greens and keep them separately.

4. Heat oil in a pan and add the white part of the garlic. saute it a bit.

5. When it changes the colour add the green chillies followed by the spice powders, salt and kasoori methi.

6. Maintain low flame so that the spices are not burnt.

7. Tip in the tomato pieces. Cover and simmer until tomatoes are soft. You can add 3-4 tbsps of water.

8. Now add the carrots, garlic greens and coriander leaves. Save some garlic and coriander for garnishing.

9. Cover the pan and cook on low flame. After 2 minutes open the lid and give it a stir.

10. Check the salt and add if required. 

11. Now cover and simmer again for 3 more minutes. If the carrot pieces are bigger then cook for 1 more minute or until done.

12. Finally add the remaining green garlic and coriander.

13. Serve it with rotis or bhakri.

JEERE TAMATE MEI SWANJHRO EIN BEEHA / DRUMSTICK FLOWERS AND LOTUS STEM STIR-FRY

 Swanjhro ( drumstick flowers ) and Beeha (lotus stem) are a delicacy for Sindhis and are extensively used in the Sindhi Cuisine. We have a variety of dishes, main course as well as snacks with them. 
Here is a simple stir-fry with the combination of both. No onion or garlic is used in this recipe yet it is so flavourful. It can be relished with rotis or dhodho ( Sindhi style bhakri)

Ingredients:

Swanjhro / Drumstick flowers ...... 1 bowl (boiled)

Beeha / Lotus Stem ...................... 10 - 12 slices (boiled)

Tomatoes ............................. 2 (cut into pieces)

Cumin seeds........................ 1 tsp

Turmeric powder ............... 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder .............. 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder .............. 1 tsp

Cumin powder .................. 1 tsp

Salt ................................ to taste

Oil .................................. 3-4 tbsps

Yogurt .......................... 1-2 tbsps (optional)

Coriander leaves ............ handful

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and addthe cumin seeds.

2. When they crackle tip in the tomatoes.

3. Saute them and cook until they are soft and mushy.

4. Now add the salt and spice powders. Stir well and add 2-3 tbsps of water and simmer.

5. Now add the boiled lotus stem pieces and saute.

6. When the oil starts to separate add the boiled drumstick flowers.

7. Saute for couple of minutes until the moisture is gone. 

8. Finally add the coriander leaves.

CHAUNRAN JI BHAJI DAAGA MEI / BLACK EYE BEANS CURRY SINDHI STYLE

This is the Sindhi style Black Eyed Bean Curry made in caramelized onion gravy. In Sindhi we call it Chaunran ji Bhaji. It is usually served with phulkas/ rotis.

Ingredients:
Black eye beans - 1 cup or as needed
Onions .............. 1 cup (sliced)
Tomatoes ........... 1 large or 2 small
Green chillies ... 1 or 2
Ginger paste ..... 1 tsp
Garlic paste ....... 1 tbsp
Cumin powder ... 1 tsp
Coriander powder .. 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder ... 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder ... 1/2 tsp (or as you like it)
Coriander leaves .... handful
Salt .................. to taste
Oil .................... 2 + 2  tbsps

Method:
1. Soak the beans for few hours.
2. Boil them adding little salt. Drain and set the water aside for gravy.
3. Heat 2 tbsps oil and fry the onions until brown in colour.
4. Add chopped tomato, green chillies, ginger and garlic paste. Saute a bit and add 1 cup water.
5. Simmer to cook. Allow it to cool. Mash it to a paste.
6. Now in a different pan add 2 tbsps oil . On low heat add the spice powderstaking carenot to burn them.
7. Stir in the onion paste and the boiled beans.
8. Add salt and the water left over from boiling the beans. Check the quantity as per your preference of the gravy. (thick or thin)
9. Simmer for couple of minutes and add the coriander leaves.

BEA (BEEHA) JA KOFTA / LOTUS ROOT KOFTAS

Try out these delicious lotus root koftas from the Sindhi Cuisine. They are easy to make and can be relished with rotis.

Ingredients:
Lotus root .. 1 large piece (1 &1/2 cups of thin slices boiled)
Onions ...... 2 medium sized (1 & 1/2 cups sliced)
Tomatoes ... 2
Potato ........ 1 (boiled)
Ginger ..... 1" piece (grated)
Garlic ..... 1 tbsp (crushed)
Green chillies ... 2 (finely chopped)
Bread crumbs ... 2 tsps or as required
Salt ................. to taste
Coriander powder .. 2 tsps
Cumin powder ....... 2 tsps
Turmeric powder .. 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder ... 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves .... handful
Oil .................. as needed for cooking and frying the koftas

Method:
1. Heat 2 tbsps of oil and add the onions. Fry them to a golden brown colour.
2. Add tomato, 1 green chilli, ginger and garlic. Add a cup of water and simmer.
3. Grind it with hand blender after it is cooled. Set aside.
4. Now grind the boiled lotus root, green chilli and some coriander leaves to a coarse texture using a chopper.
5. Mash the boiled potato. Remove the lotus root mixture in the same plate.
6. Add little salt, chilli powder, half of the cumin and coriander powders saving the rest for the gravy.
7. Next add about 2 tsps of bread crumbs for binding.
8. Mix everything well. Make round koftas from this mixture.
9. Heat the oil and fry them. Remove on a kitchen tissue.
10. Now take a pan and add about 1 tbsp of oil.
11. Add the remaining masalas to it and stir on low flame.
12. Stir in the ground onion paste and add little salt.
13. Add about one and half cups of water for the gravy.
14. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes.
15. Before serving place the koftas in a dish and pour the hot gravy on them.
16. Garnish with coriander leaves.
17. This pairs well with rotis ..

Check out the recipe video

JEERE TAMATE MEI MEHA / TINDE KI SABZI TAMATAR WALI / APPLE GOURD CURRY

This is a simple Sindhi style tinda curry made in tomato gravy with cumin seed tempering. It comes out so delicious even with minimum spices and no addition of ginger, garlic or onions. Select small and tender tindas as they have no seeds.

Ingredients:
Meha / tinda ............ 250 gms
Tomatoes ................ 3-4
Cumin seeds .......... 1/2 tsp
Salt ...................... to taste
Turmeric powder .. 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder ..... 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder ... 1 tsp
Red chili powder ... 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves .... handful
Oil ................... 2-33 tbsps

Method:

Wash the meha well.

Peel them and make criss-cross slits half way through.

Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.

When they crackle add the tomatoes. Saute and simmer until they are soft and mushy.

Add the salt and turmeric powder.  Saute and simmer until they are soft and mushy.

Next add the chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder. Stir everything together.

Tip in the meha and saute for a minute.

Stir fry them until the oil is separated.

Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer to cook.
After 10-12 minutes check it out and add more water if required.

Simmer until done. It takes about 30 - 40 minutes on low flame. Finally add the coriander leaves and serve.

SWANJHRO / SWANJHRE JI BHAJI / DRUMSTICK FLOWERS CURRY

 Drumsticks are used extensively in almost all the cuisines but seldom do we come across any dish made with the drumstick flowers. These are known as Swanjhro or Swanjhre Ja Gulla  in Sindhi language.They are mostly available in winter season.
Swanjhre ji bhaji (drumstick flowers curry) is a delicacy and a speciality of the Sindhi Cuisine.
This curry can be made plain or sometimes we add lotus stem, green peas or varyun (dried lentil dumplings) for a variation. It goes well with fulko or dodho (bhakris) or khichni .
Apart from making curries we also use them to make raita with crushed mustard seeds for the flavour.

Before we proceed to cook the Swanjhro the stems have to be discarded which a a bit tedious.. nevertheless it is worth the efforts. The flowers are then boiled  changing the water once to remove the bitterness. Drain them well and they are ready to be used.

You can store the boiled flowers for a couple of days in the refrigerator or freeze them in a zip lock bag for later use. You can also sun-dry them and store in a jar. The dried flowers are also available in the Sindhi grocery stores but the curry made with these does not taste as good as the one with fresh flowers.

Ingredients:
Swanjhro / drumstick flowers ... 400 gms
Daag / brown onion paste ......... 1/2 cup
Yogurt ............................... 2-3 tbsps
Turmeric powder ............ 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder ........... 1 tsp
Cumin powder .............. 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder ......... 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder ... 1/2 tsp
Salt ............................ to taste
Vinegar .................. 1 tbsp (to add while boiling the flowers)
Oil ....................... 4 tbsps
Coriander leaves ... handful


How to make Daag / Brown Onion Paste :

Onions ........... 6-8 (sliced)
Tomatoes ...... 2 (chopped)
Green chillies ... 4-5 (chopped)
 Ginger paste .... 1 tbsp
Garlic paste ...... 2 tbsp
 Oil ...................... 6 -7 tbsp
Saute the onion until golden brown.
Add all the ingredients and water to cook.
Blend it with hand blender.


How to make the Swanjhre ji Bhaji:

1. Boil water in a large pan adding salt and vinegar. Tip in the flowers.

2. Boil for 5 minutes.

3. Drain the water and repeat the process.

4. Boil again for a couple of minutes.

5. Drain them and set aside.

6.Heat the oil lightly in a pan. Add the mentioned spice powders except garam masala.

7.When they give out an aroma add the fried onion paste.

8.Add salt to taste.

9. Stir in the yogurt.

10. Mix well to avoid curdling.

11. Now add the boiled and drained flowers.

12. Saute for 4-5 minutes. Add the garam masala and simmer for few minutes until done.

13. Garnish with coriander leaves.

SAAYE MASHALE MEI VANGAN / BRINJAL CURRY IN GREEN MASALA / HARE BHARE BAIGAN

Here is a brinjal recipe made with aromatic green masala. This masala is very much used in the Sindhi Cuisine to make many dishes. You can make it dry or with gravy as you prefer. You can serve it with rotis, rice or pulao.

Ingredients:
Brinjals .. 8-10 ( small variety)
Coriander powder .... 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder ..... 1/4 tsp.
Salt ......... to taste
Oil

For Green Masala


Coriander Leaves.....1 cup
Mint leaves ........... 1/2 cup
Green Chillies........2-3
Onions................1 chopped
Tomatoes...........1 chopped
Garlic.................7 to 8 cloves
Ginger ...............1 inch piece
(Grind the above ingredients to make the green masala.)

Method:

1. Wash and slit the brinjals leaving the stem intact. Soak them in salt water.

2. In a pan add a little oil and shallow fry the brinjals on medium flame and simmer until half done. Remove and set aside.

3. In the same pan heat a little oil and add the green masala paste. Add the salt, turmeric powder and coriander powder.

4. Put the fried brinjals. Add half cup water and simmer to cook. If you need more gravy to serve with rice, add 1 cup water.

GYARSI BHAJI / PATATE JI BHAJI / POTATO CURRY FOR FASTING

This sabzi is usually made during Ekadashi fasting. As we don't use any spices, this is flavoured with cardamoms sauteed in ghee and tempered with rock salt and crushed black pepper.


Ingredients:
Potatoes : 4-5
Cardamoms .. 2-3
Rock salt ....... to taste
Black pepper powder ... 1/4 tsp.
Ghee or oil

Method:
1. Boil the potatoes. Peel and cut into pieces.

2.In a pan heat a little ghee and add the crushed cardamoms.Now add the potato and salt. Stir well to blend and crush a few pieces of potato to make a thick gravy. Add a little water (depends on how much gravy you like) and simmer.

4. Sprinkle the crushed pepper and serve with puris or rotis made with the shingara flour or kuttu.

TOORI JI BHAJI / BASARA TAMATE MEIN TOORYUN / SEYALA TOORYUN

There are many ways of cooking ridge gourd. This is a simple Sindhi preparation as we call it seyala tooryun.cooked with onion tomato and basic spices. It is very light on your stomach and is usually served with rotis or puris.

Ingredients:

Turai / ridge gourd ... 1 kg.

Onion ................... 1 cup sliced

Tomato ................ 1 

Green chillies ..... 1-2

Garlic ................. 1 tsp (optional)

Turmeric powder .. 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder .. 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder ..... 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder .. 1/8 tsp

Salt ................ to taste

Oil ............ 3-4 tbsps

Coriander leaves .. handful

Method:

1. Peel the ridge gourd and cut into pieces. Heat oil in a pan and saute the onion until translucent.

2. Add garlic, green chillies and tomato. Stir fry until tomato gets cooked.

3. Tip in the chopped ridge gourd. Add the salt and spice powders. Mix well and cover it.

4. Cook on medium flame until the water gets dried up stirring a couple of times. Turai leaves a lot of water. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rotis or puris.