GUR JI KUTTI / SINDHI KUTTI / WHEAT FLOUR CRUMBLE SWEET

Kutti also known as Bhori  is a traditional Sindhi breakfast made out of crumbled wheat flour rotis to which sugar or jaggery is added. The one made with sugar has a crumbly texture as the sugar is just mixed in the crumbled bread and hot ghee is poured over it.  Kutti made with jaggery has a soft rexture as the jaggery is melted and added to the crumbled rotis. This can also be made into laddoos which are made as a prasad for Lord Ganesh.
Kuti is mostly relished in winters and is served with roasted papads.  In Sindhi homes this is considered as one of the a rich breakfast like dal /pakwan/ seero. We make it on special occasions. You may add crushed nuts to it if you like. This is also made for lactating mothers post pregnancy with a lot of ghee added to it along with crushed pepper corns and cumin seeds.
Today I have made gur ji kutti / kutti with jaggery which is my personal preference. Here is a step by step pictorial for you.

Ingredients:
Wheat flour ... 5 cups
Jaggery ......... 2 cups crushed ( which is about 500 gms )
Ghee ........... 3/4 cup + 1/4 cup (total 1 cup)
Water .. as needed

Method:

Take the flour in a big plate and make a well in the middle.
Add 3/4 cup of melted ghee.

Mix it well .

To check whether the moin (ghee added to it ) it sufficient, take a small portion in your palm and press it. If it forms into a lump then it is perfect.

Knead it adding sufficient water to make a stiff dough.

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions.

Roll each one into a thick roti.

Prick with a spoon or a knife to make incisions on it and roast it on a medium flame turning it a couple of times to cook evenly.

Remove it from the griddle and crumble it using the rolling pin or in a pestle and mortar.

Using your palms crumble it to a fine texture. Repeat the process for all the rotis.

Set it aside in a broad thali.

Heat a sauce pan or kadai and add the remaining 1/4 cup ghee. Add the crushed jaggery to it.

Also add about half cup water and start mixing until the jaggery melts.

 Keep stirring on medium flame until it starts bubbling.

Now pour this little by little to the crumbled roti and keep mixing with a spatula until it is mixed well.

You may find the texture too soft initially but remember that it becomes perfect when it is kept for half an hour or more. If you are serving immediately you may reduce the water quantity.

Remove it into a serving dish. This can be served hot or even at the room temperature.

You can also serve them in the oval shaped laddoos. We usually make these laddoos as a prashad to Ganesha on Ganesh Chaturthi.

AMBRIYUN JI MITHI KHARAIRN / SWEET MANGO PICKLE / MITHI AMBRI

Sweet mango pickle is a nice accompaniment with parathas, puris, koki, theplas.. Kids love it too. The process of making it is very simple.

Ingredients:
Raw mangoes ... 2-3
Sugar ...... 3/4 cup
Water .... 2 cups
Dry whole red chillies .. 2-3
Bay leaf ... 1-2
Cinnamon stick .. 1 piece
Cumin seeds ... 1/2 tsp
Black cardamom... 1
Green cardamoms .. 3 - 4
Nigella seeds / onion seeds .. 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder .. 1/4 tsp
Vinegar .... 1 tbsp (optional)
Salt .. 2 tsps

Method:
1. Wash the mangoes well. Peel the skin and cut them into thick strips.
2. Sprinkle salt over them and spread them on a cloth. Dry them in the sun for a day or two.
3. In a pan take the sugar, pour 2 cups water and bring it to a boil. If the mago pieces are bigger in size add half cup more.
4. When the sugar melts and it starts to bubble, add the mango pieces.
5. Now add all the whole spices mentioned in the list one by one.
6. Tip in the turmeric powder and red chilli powder and continue to stir until it thickens and the mango pieces become translucent.
7.Stir in the vinegar after it cools. I did not add any.

Note: The sugar content should be adjusted according to your liking and the sourness of the mangoes Keep tasting in between and add more if required.

GUR JO LOLO / SWEET ROTI WITH JAGGERY

This is another version of Sindhi lolo made with jaggery instead of sugar. Using jaggery is a better
option too. We usually make this as a prashad on Poonai (Guru Poornima ) day to break our fast.

Ingredients:
Wheat flour ... 5 cups
Jaggery    .  250 gms  (about 1 and 1/2 cups after crushing)
Ghee / oil ... as needed (you can use half and half too mixed together if you think only ghee will be heavy )

Method:
1. Crush the jaggery. Cook it adding about 2 cups water on low flame until it melts. Remove the impurities. Strain and set aside to cool.
2. Take the flour in a big bowl and add about 1/4 cup ghee or oil and mix well. When you take a small portion in your hand and press it like a muthiya it should be firm and not crumble. This is the test that the ghee (moin ) is sufficient.
3. Now add the melted jaggery syrup little by little and make a stiff dough.
4. Divide the dough into 5 or 6 portions. Roll each portion into a thick roti.
5. Shallow fry it on a griddle spooning a little ghee or oil on low flame until it is crisp and done.

See the procedure of making lolo in the video

AMBRIYUN JI KHATAIRN / SINDHI MANGO PICKLE

This is a Sindhi style mango pickle which is very mildly spiced compared to many other pickles or the store bought ones. It is quite close to Punjabi pickle in colour and taste as the basic masala ingredients are similar. Since it is not spicy even the kids can enjoy it. This pickle takes me back to my childhood days when we used to visit nani's place every summer holidays and would pick up pieces of mangoes from the pickle jars kept for maturing in the sunlight on the terrace and relish them.. While making the pickle make sure you wash the mangoes well and wipe them with a cloth before cutting them. If you have the facility of drying the mango pieces in the sunlight it will be good. Mix salt to the cut mango pieces and spread them on a cloth and dry them for a couple of days. After making the pickle also keep the jar out in the sun daily until it matures. Make sure the oil covers the pickle well to avoid the fungus. Use mustard oil for this pickle preferably. I had to use normal cooking oil as we do not get mustard oil in Brazil. I shall update the post with the new picture after the pickle is ready...
Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients:
Raw mangoes ..  4-5
Mustard seeds .. 1 tbsp
Methi seeds / fenugreek........ 1 tsp
Fennel seeds / saunf .. 1 tbsp
Nigella seeds / onion seeds.. 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder ... 1 tsp
Red chilli powder .... 1 tsp  (you can add more if you like )
Mustard oil ......... 1/2 cup
Asafoetida .... 2-3 pinches.
Salt  .......1  and 1/2 to 2  tbsps ( depending on the size of the mangoes. One spoon while drying them and the rest to be added while pickling )

Method:
1. Wash the mangoes well and wipe them with a cloth.
2. Cut them into slightly bigger pieces or as desired. Sprinkle about one tbsp salt and spread them on a cloth to dry in the sunlight for a couple of days.
3. You can lightly dry roast the spices or use them as it is. Just grind lightly to a coarse texture.
4. Mix the asafoetida, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and the remaining salt to the ground spices.
5. Heat the oil to a smoking point and close the gas.
6. Meanwhile in a big vessel mix the spices and the mango pieces to coat them evenly.
7. Pour the oil over them. Put the pickle in a sterilized jar. Keep it out in the sunlight everyday and give it a shake. If you want to stir it use a wooden spoon.

Note: It take a month or more for the pickle to mature. Later you can store it in the fridge and always check that the pickle should be covered with oil to avoid it from getting fungus. If needed you can follow the same method of heating the oil and add when it is cooled.

KACHALU JA TUK / CRISPY FRIED ARBI

In the Sindhi Cuisine there is a popular preparation of crispy double fried potato slices known as Tuk Patata or Alu Tuk .. This is similar to that but made with arbi or arvi which is known as Kachalu in Sindhi language. They are known as Colocasia or Taro root in English There are two ways of making this. You can either boil the kachalu and them press them flat and fry to a crispy texture or you double fry them, i.e. First half fry the slices and keep them covered in a closed container. This makes them soft and then you press them again to fry for the second time. I always prefer the second option as that is actually the traditional way of frying the Tuk . In Brazil we get lovely kachalus which are quite large in size like potatoes so I got nice and big slices.  If they are smaller you can make two halves length wise. These make a perfect accompaniment with dal chawal / kadhi chawal / sai bhaji pulao

Ingredients:

Kachalu / arbi ... as needed

Salt ... to taste

Oil ... to fry 

For sprinkling:

Cumin powder .

Black pepper powder

Red chilli powder

Amchoor powder

Garam masala powder 

(use few pinches of each as per your liking )

Method:

1. Peel the kachalu / arbi and cut them into thick round slices about half an inch thick. If they are small you can just halve them length-wise.

2. Rub salt on them and deep fry them until half done taking care not to make them brown.

3. Remove them in a container with a lid and set them aside.

4. When you are ready to serve the food, heat oil for frying themagain

5. Take each slice on a flat surface and press it with your palm to flatten it.

6. Fry them on medium flame until crisp and crunchy.

7. Sprinkle the mentioned masala powders on them.

SAAYE MASHALE WARI MACHI / GREEN MASALA FISH CURRY

This is one of the fish preparation from the Sindhi Cuisine.. It has a delicious and flavourful gravy made with mint and coriander masala. This is usually served with Khichni ( Sindhi Khichdi ) which is rice and split green moong dal cooked together. Dry version goes well with rotis as well.

Ingredients :
Fish .... 1/2 kilo (surmai or any fish available )
Oil ...... 4 tbsps
Salt .... to taste
Turmeric powder .. 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder ... 1 tsp
Cumin powder .... 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder .. 1/2 tsp

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 the fish slices and marinate them with salt. Set aside for 1 hour.
2. In a flat bottomed pan heat the oil and saute the ground green masala until the oil separates.
3. Now add the salt and the spice powders (add salt carefully as the fish is already marinated with it )
4. Rinse the fish slices and add them to the masala. Stir carefully sauteing the fish slices on both sides.
5. Add 2 cups of water (or as much gravy you prefer ) Bring to a boil and simmer for 5-7 minutes depending on the thickness of the slices. Fish cooks very fast. 

KESAR PISTA KULFI

This is a very simple recipe of kulfi made with milk powder. I prefer using milk powder to make desserts because the process is easier and takes lesser time. We get a nice creamy texture like rabri which sets very well.

Ingredients :
Milk powder ... 2 cups
Water ......... 6 cups
Sugar ....... 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder .. 1/4 tsp
Saffron ... 8-10 strands
Pistachios ....  1 tbsp crushed ( quantity depends on how much you like.)
Ice cream sticks  ( wash them with water before using )

Method:
1. Mix the milk powder in the water and bring it to a boil. Half way through add the saffron.
2. Simmer it and keep stirring until it becomes half the quantity and thick.
3. Add the sugar and cardamom powder when it is three-fouth done.
4. Add the crushed pistachios and continue simmering and stirring until thick (rabri like consistency)
5. Pour in the kulfi moulds and keep for setting in the freezer.
6. After 10 - 15 minutes when the kulfis are half set insert the sticks into the kulfis and let them set.
You can sprinkle a little pistachio powder on the kulfis before serving if you like.

MAGZA JA PAKORA ( GOAT BRAIN FRITTERS )

Ingredients:
Goat brains ..     2 (or as needed)
Gram flour / besaan ....  1 cup
Baking soda .... a pinch
Salt ... as needed
Turmeric powder ... 1/4 tsp
Whole cardamoms .. 2
Cinnamon stick .. 1 small piece
Cloves .... 2-3
Saunf / aniseeds ... 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder .... 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder ... as needed
Cumin powder ... 1/4 tsp
Oil ... to fry

Method:
1. Clean the brains carefully by immersing them in the water and remove the top skin and veins.
2. In a pan take 2-3 cups water and boil the brains adding salt, turmeric powder, cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and aniseeds.
3.Turn the side once and boil until done ( 4-5 minutes) Remove and set aside to cool.
4. Cut them into big pieces.( chunks). Sprinkle cumin powder, red chilli powder and garam masala on them.
5. Make batter with the besan adding salt, baking powder and water as needed.
6. Heat oil in a frying pan. Dip the pieces carefully in the batter and half-fry them.
7. Just before serving, press the pakoras lightly and re-fry them until crisp.
Serve with any chutney / sauce

GAJRUN JO SEERO / GAJAR KA HALWA

Gajar ka Halwa, also known as Gajrela is a traditional Indian dessert made from carrots. It is one of the most preferred Indian dessert. This sweet is mostly made during winters when the red, juicy and tender carrots are available. Though we have many recipes using the short cut method and adding consensed milk I prefer to make it the traditional way by simmering it and stirring from time to time though it is time consuming. Adding mawa / khoya is optional. Some prefer it plain.You can make it according to your personal preference.

Ingredients:
Carrots ....... 1/2 Kg
Milk ............. 2 cups
Sugar ........... 1cup
Ghee ............2 tbsp.
Cardamom Powder ... 1/2 tsp.
Almonds & Pistachios (for garnishing)

For Mawa:
Milk powder - 3 cups
Sugar - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Cardamom Powder - 1/4 th tsp
Lime Juice or Vinegar

Method: (to make mawa)
1. Mix 2 cups milk powder with 1 and 1/2 cups water and make paneer (cottage cheese) using vinegar or lime juice.
2. Drain and allow it to cool.
3. In a bowl, mix lightly :
1 cup milk powder, the prepared paneer, 1 cup sugar, ghee and cardamom powder.
4. Spread it in a flat dish and microwave it for 3-4 minutes.
(Mawa is ready)

Proceed to make the halwa:
5. Now take a thick bottommed vessel and put the milk and grated carrots.
 6. Cook until the milk is dry, stirring occasionally.
7. Add sugar, ghee and cardamom powder and stir it until the liquid is evaporated and the halwa starts leaving sides.
8. Now add the prepared mawa and mix well.
9.Garnish it with chopped almonds and pistacho nuts.

You may also use silver warq to garnish.

RADHALA MACHI / DAAG WARI MACHI ( Fish cooked in onion gravy )

In Sindhi Cuisine we have many kinds of fish preparations. This is one of the most popular one which goes well with Sindhi pulao. It tastes good with phulkas and dhodho also.

Ingredients for Onion Masala: ( Daag  )



Onions ........... 4 -5 medium sized (sliced)
Tomatoes ...... 1 (chopped)
Green chillies ... 1-2(chopped)
Ginger paste .... 1 tsp
Garlic paste ...... 1 tsp
Oil
1. Heat oil in a pan. Add the sliced onions and saute them until brown.
2. Add the chopped tomato, chillies, ginger and garlic pastes.
3. Pour 1/2 cup water and simmer it till the onion is cooked.
4. Let it cool and grind it with a hand grinder or in a mixer.
(This will be used for pulao and fish)

For Fish Curry

Fish .... Surmai (or any other variety) 200 gms
Onion Masala .. 1/2 to 1 cup ( depending on the quantity of gravy you need)
Cumin powder .. 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder .. 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder ... 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder .. 1/4 tsp (add more if you like it spicy)
Garam masala ........ 1/2 tsp
Salt
Oil
Coriander leaves .. to garnish
1. Clean the fish and sprinkle salt to marinate for 1 hour.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add the onion paste and all the dry spice powders.
3. Add the salt carefully as the fish is already marinated with salt.
4. Tip in the fish slices and saute carefully, turning the fish once. Add enough water and simmer to cook.
Garnish with coriander leaves.