AESEE SAI BHAJI / NIJJI PALAK

This is another palak preparation in Sindhi Cuisine. Some call it Nijji Palak. Unlike sai bhaji in this we do noy add any dal or vegetables. It is made plain with little onion and garlic tadka.

Ingredients:
Spinach / palak ... 1 bunch
Onion ... 1 small (chopped finely)
Green chillies .. 2-3
Ginger ... 1 tsp (grated)
Garlic... 1 tbsp ( chopped or crushed coarsely for tadka / tempering )
Turmeric powder ... 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder ... 1/2 tsp
Salt ........ to taste
Cumin seeds ... 1 tsp
Oil or desi ghee .. 2-3 tbsps

Method:
1. Clean the palak leaves well and cut them
2. In a pan heat oil or ghee and tip in the cumin seeds.
3. When they crackle, add the ginger and green chillies.
4. Now add the onion and saute for a minute.
5. Add the spinach and coriander, turmeric powders. Add salt carefully as this sabzi reduces a lot in quantity.
6. Simmer it to cook. No need to add any water as the spinach leaves water and it will be enough to cook.
7. Once the sabzi is cooked and the water is dried up heat a little ghee in a small pan and saute the crushed garlic and make it golden brown.
8. Mix it to the prepared sabzi and mash a little with the spoon to mix well.
This is usually made in Satai / Satam with mitho lolo. It also goes well with jowar or bajre ki roti.

BREAD JA PAKORA (Bread Pakoras)

Ingredients:
Gram flour ........ 1 cup
Baking soda ....... a pinch
Salt to taste
Oil to fry
Bread slices ........ cut into cubes
Tomato ketchup
Mint chutney (see chutneys )

Method:
1. Make a smooth batter with gram flour, salt and baking soda, adding water.

2. Cut the bread slices into cubes.

3. Spread the chutney on one piece, place the second one on top of it and spread tomato ketchup.Place the third piece on top.

4. Now dip the entire thing in the batter and deep fry.
5. Cut into two pieces lengthwise.
Serve hot .

JUAR JO DHODHO ( Sindhi Style Jowar Ki Roti )

This is a tradional jowar roti preparation in Sindhi Cuisine. It is made in two ways - one is with onion, coriander and green chillies which is usually eaten for breakfast with chutney, pickle and curd. As a kid I used to relish this with jam.. The other is the plain one usually served with sabzis, dals or meat dishes. This roti is usually made by flattening the dough with hands and spreading it evenly. But if you find it difficult you can roll it between plastic sheets.

Ingredients:
Jowar ka atta ... 2 cups
Wheat flour .... 2-3 tbsps
Onions ....... 1/2 cup (chopped finely)
Green chillies ... 1-2  ( chopped finely )
Coriander leaves ... handful
Salt .............. to taste
Warm water ..... for kneading
Oil / desi ghee

Method:
1. Mix all the ingredients together.
2. Add 1 tbsp of desi ghee or oil.
3. Knead with warm water and set aside.
4. Sprinkle a little flour on the rolling pin and take a big chunk of the dough.
5. Spread it by patting or roll it carefully.
6. Roast it on a griddle / tawa spooning a little ghee or oil until done.
Serve hot with curd , chutney or pickle.

SATPURA (Sindhi Sweet)

This is a Traditional Sindhi sweet and is prepared in the month of Shravan for the Satai / Satam ( Saptami ) Festival. The process is a bit tedious and tricky how to roll and fry these with perfection controlling the heat without making them brown. They have to be white and crunchy. I have learnt this from my grand mother. Those days everything was prepared at home in large quantities to be shared with friends and neighbours. She used to make me sit next to her to observe how she made them. It will always be my favourite because I have memories of my grandmother attached with this dish. 

Ingredients:
White flour .......... 2-3 cups
Oil ........................ for frying
Sugar .................. (for sprinkling)

For Garnishing:
Cardamom powder
Pistachio powder

Method:

1. Knead the flour with water. (nothing else to be added)

2. In a bowl mix 2 tbsp. oil and 2 tbsp. white flour.

3. Roll a small portion of dough, without using flour to roll. You may use oil to roll if needed.

4. Cut into strips. Now stretch each strip and apply the flour-oil paste and join all the strips to make a round roll.


5. Roll this lightly, again using oil if needed.

6. In a frying pan, heat the oil and fry this. Using the tongs, open it up lightly. It has to be fried on a very low flame, taking care not to make it brown. It should be crisp.

7. Drain the oil from the satpuras and let them cool.

8. Sprinkle sugar, cardamom powder and pistachio powder on top.
(Do not sprinkle sugar while hot)

KHEERNI (Sindhi Sabudana Kheer)

Kheerni is a Sindhi kheer made in all the Sindhi homes on festive and auspicious days.

Ingredients:
Milk ....... 1 litre
Sabudana/sago ... 1/2 cup (soak with enough water to cover for 2-3 hours)
Green cardamom... 4-5
Sugar ............... 3/4 or 1 cup (depending on how sweet you want it )
Kesar/saffron ..... 7-8 threads
Salt ........... half a pinch
Ghee ....... 1/4 tsp.
Pistachios & almonds (unsalted)... a few (chopped)

Method:
1.In a pan boil the milk.(If using full cream milk, add a cup of water)
2. Add in the sabudana, cardamoms (slightly crushed) saffron, half a pinch of salt and 1/4 tsp. ghee.
3. Let it simmer and keep stirring from time to time until the sabudana are cooked and the milk is reduced to half.( It takes approx. 30 minutes)
4. Now mix the sugar well and simmer again for a minute.
5. Garnish with chopped nuts and serve hot or cold.

Check out the Kheerni Video 

MAKHNI DAL - PURI

This is a traditional Sindhi breakfast. And yes we call this moong dal preparation as Makhni dal .It is served with puris.This is my childhood favourite.
This is how we make it:

Ingredients:
Yellow Moong dal ... 1 cup
Turmeric powder .. 1/4 tsp
Salt ................ to taste
Oil ...... 1 tbsp

For garnishing or tadka take a little of each as per your liking..
Cumin powder..
Coriander powder
Red chilli powder
Black pepper
Amchoor powder or anardana powder
Garam masala powder
Oil .... 2-3 tbsps

Method:
1. Soak moong dal for at least one hour. Wash it well.
2. In a pan heat 1 tbsp oil and add dal. Saute for half a minute and add 2 cups water.
3. When dal comes to a boil remove the froth. Add turmeric and salt. Simmer to cook on low flame.
4. Keep stirring in between and add water if needed. The consistency has to be thick.
5. When it is done mash it. It takes about 20 -25 minutes to cook.. You may cook in the pressure cooker also. ( 2-3 whistles) But the texture is perfect when cooked in a pan.
6. Just before serving sprinkle all the masalas mentioned above and pour a little hot oil over the masalas.
(for kids you can serve plain or with just cumin powder and black pepper.

This is usually served with puris. But you can relish it with rotis also.(for lunch & dinner)

Puris :
To make puris, knead the dough adding salt and a little oil. Roll out the puris and fry them.

Tip: Do not dip in the flour while rolling the puris. Instead rub a little oil to the rolling pin and roll them out. This keeps the oil from turning black and remains clean.

SAAWA CHAANWARA ( Sindhi Greens Pulao )

This is a simple pulao recipe which we call Saawa Chaanwara in Sindhi.. It is usually served with sai bhaji or methi patata.

Ingredients:
Rice ....  2 cups
Tomato .. 1
Ginger ... 1 tsp (grated)
Garlic ... 1 tbsp (crushed)
Green chillies .. 2-3 (slit)
Coriander leaves .. 1/2 cup
Methi leaves ....... 1/4 cup (or 1 tbsp dry kasoori methi )
Mint leaves ... few (optional)
Black cardamoms .... 1-2 (slit)
Cinnamon stick .. 1 inch piece
Cloves ..... 3-4
Green cardamoms .. 3-4 (slit)
Bay leaves .... 1-2
Shah jeera / caraway seeds ... 1 tsp
Salt ... to taste
Turmeric powder .. 1/4 tsp

Oil ...

Method:
1. Wash the rice and soak for 30 minutes.
2. In a pan heat 2-3 tbsps of oil and add the mentioned whole spices except caraway seeds (shah jeera)
3. When they give out aroma add the ginger, garlic and green chillies. Saute.
4. Now tip in the greens and the chopped tomato. Add salt, turmeric and chilli powder.
5. When the tomato is cooked, add the rice and saute for a minute.
6. Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil.
7. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the rice until done.
8. Heat a little oil or ghee in a small pan. Spread the caraway seeds on the cooked rice and pour the hot oil over them.
9. Place the pan on a hot tawa / griddle for dum.

Note : You can also a few leaves of any greens available at home.

KANKA JI SOOJI JO SEERO ( Wheat Semolina Sheera )

Sheera is usually prepared on festive occasions as an offering ( Prashad / Bhog ) to God. It can be prepared with various ingredients like flour, semolina, besan etc etc.. Today's recipe is made with thick wheat semolina.or sooji. The consistency of this semolina is thicker and it takes a little longer to cook. I have used jaggery to sweeten as I like it better, but you can also use sugar. It tastes better when made with desi ghee. If you feel it might be heavy you can use half ghee and half oil.

Ingredients:

Wheat semolina - 1 cup ( yield is 3-4 cups after cooking )

Jaggery or sugar .. 1 cup 

Green cardamoms . 5-6

Saffron ..... few strands

Ghee or oil .........3-4  tbsps 

Salt ...... 1/8 tsp ( 2 pinches)

Almonds and pistachios ... few chopped

Method:

1. Melt the jaggery / sugar in 2 cups water. Remove the dirt and strain it. 

2. In a pan heat ghee and tip in the slit cardamoms.

3. Add the semolina and saute with a spatula until golden brown.

4. Add  one cup water and simmer it to cook. Add a pinch of salt.

5. When it is half done add the strained jaggery or sugar syrup and saffron. Cook on low flame stirring from time to time until the semolina is cooked. 

6. Towards the end place the pan on a tawa for dum. If you wish you can add a little more ghee at this stage.

Garnish with chopped almonds and pistachios.

Note: If you like a softer consistency of sheera you can add more water.The above quantity makes a grainy consistency.Also note that the sheera becomes drier after a few hours as the wheat grains absorb the moisture. The quantity of sugar / jaggery can also be adjusted according to your preference.

AESYOON TOORYOON ( Sindhi Style Ridge Gourd / Tori / Turai ki Sabzi)

This is a traditional Sindhi recipe of Toori ( Ridge Gourd) cooked with cardamoms. It is very mild and no spices are added except a pinch of turmeric and salt. is prepared for breast feeding mothers with lot of ghee however you can use oil instead or both. Many people cook it with variations to suit their taste buds, adding tomatoes,green chillies, spices cumin seeds tempering etc etc..But this is the authentic recipe as I have seen my grandma and mom cooking this way.  Since tooris contain a lot of water you need a large quantity of the vegetable. (One kilo toori makes enough sabzi for 2-3 servings )
Here goes the recipe ....

Ingredients:
Toori / ridge gourd ... 2 kgs
Green cardamoms ...... 12
Turmeric powder ..... 1/4 tsp
Salt .... to taste
Black pepper powder ... 1/4 tsp
Ghee / oil ...... 4-5 tbsps

Method:
1. Wash the tooris and peel them. Taste each toori while cutting because sometimes it is bitter and the whole sabzi will turn bitter.
2. Heat ghee or oil in a pan or a wok. Add slightly crushed cardamoms.
3. When they give out a nice aroma ( be careful not to make them black) add the tooris.
4. Allow them to cook on high flame and you will see a lot of water from the tooris.
5. When they are half done add salt and a little turmeric. Be careful in adding salt as this sabzi has a mild and sweetish taste. If there is excess salt you will not enjoy.
6. Continue cooking until the water is completely dried up stirring ocasionally.
7. Sprinkle freshly crushed black pepper before serving.

This is usually served with rotis / puris

KUAREE / PATREE KHICHNEE ( Soft Khichdi Sindhi Recipe )

Kuaree / Patri in Sindhi means soft ( porridge like consistency ) This khichdi is very simple one made with rice and split green moong dal. It is actually a traditional breakfast dish. It is usually served with fried potatoes, papads, pickle, yogurt and kachris. But if you want to eat light sometimes to cool your stomach, just have it with a bowl of curd. Since this is very light on the stomach it is perfect when one is a bit unwell. This is also given to the toddlers as a first solid food.

Ingredients:

Rice --- 3/4 th cup

Split green moong dal ... 1/4 cup

Salt ... to taste

Ghee or oil ... 2 tbsps

Mustard seeds - 2 tsps (for tempering)

Method:

1. Soak the rice and dal together for 1 hour.

2. If you are using a pressure cooker then take 3 cups of water. 

3. Add the soaked rice and dal. Bring to a boil and remove the  scum.

4. Add salt as needed and close the lid. Cook for 4-5 whistles.

5. If you cook in a pot then add more water and simmer it to cook until done.

6. Mash the khichdi with a masher.

7. Heat oil or ghee and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add them to the cooked khichdi. 

8. Mix it and serve hot.