KAARE MIRCHA WARI KOKI / CRISPY FLATBREAD SPICED WITH BLACK PEPPER

This is the most preferred breakfast in Sindhi homes during winters. Crispy koki flavoured with crushed black pepper and cumin seeds with a cup of cardamom tea is sheer bliss. You can carry it during your travels too.

Ingredients:
Whole wheat flour ....... 2 cups
Coarsely crushed black pepper ... 2-3 tsps
Cumin seeds ........................... 2 tsps
Salt ............................ to taste
Ghee or oil .......  as needed

Method:
1. Take the flour in a large bowl or thali.
2. Add the coarsely crushed black pepper, cumin seeds, salt and 2 tbsps of ghee or oil.
3. Mix it well. It should form a lump when you press a small amount in your fist. This is the tip for testing the right amount of moin (ghee) added to it.
4. Knead it adding water as needed to make a tight dough.
5. Roll out the koki.
6. Roast it on a griddle on medium flame spooning a little ghee to make it crispy.
7. Serve it with pickle. curd or masala chai.

NUKHTI / MITHI BOONDI / SWEET BOONDI

Sweet boondi is also known as "Nukhti" in Sindhi. We usually make this as prashad during festive days and sometimes the fine variety of namkeen sev is mixed together with the boondi to balance the taste. The preparation is not very difficult if you get the consistency of the boondi batter right.

Ingredients:
Gram flour ..... 5 tbsps
Water ........... 3/4 cup or as needed (to make the batter)
Baking soda ... 1 pinch
Salt ................ 2 pinches
Sugar ............ 3/4 cup
Water ........... 1 cup (for the syrup)
Cardamoms .... 3-4 (lightly crushed)
Saffron ............ few strands
Muskmelon seeds .. 1/2 tbsp (optional)
Unsalted pistachios ... few (sliced)
Siver varq ........... for garnishing (optional)
Dried rose petals .... for garnishing
Oil ........... to fry the boondi

Method:

Mix the gram flour, salt, baking soda and water to make a smooth batter of dropping consistency.

Heat oil in a pan and take few spoons of batter on a flat ladle with small holes.Tap it to drop the boondi into the oil.

Reduce the heat and fry the boondi until it is done.

Repeat the same until all the batter is used up. Drain it on a kitchen tissue.

Now take sugar in a pan. Add water, cardamoms, saffron and bring to a boil.

Keep stirring with a spatula until it is thick and one string consistency. Tip in the muskmelon seeds and stir.

 When the sugar syrup is almost to the point where it starts crystallizing, add the fried boondi and stir stir quickly until the boondi is well coated.

Leave it uncovered for a while and the boondi will soak up the syrup and each grain is separated. Stir it carefully to separate the grains..Add the pistachios.

Allow it to cool and put it in a serving bowl. Garnish with dried rose petals and silver varq if you like.