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.

FOTE BHUGO TEEVAN / SINDHI STYLE CARDAMOM FLAVOURED MUTTON STEW

This is a cardamom flavoured mutton stew from the Sindhi Cuisine. It is usually served with rotis and makes a very light meal. The soupy gravy tastes good with fresh and soft pav bread too. I remember mom used to make it when we were unwell and recovering from fever to regain the energy.
This preparation usually is made by simmering on low flame but these days the mutton is so hard that it takes very long to cook. I have pressure cooked it.

Ingredients:
Mutton with bones .... 1/2 kg
Green cardamoms ..... 8
Cinnamon stick ........ 1 small piece
Bay leaves ............... 1-2
Turmeric powder ..... 1/8 tsp
Garam masala powder .. 1/2 tsp
Wheat flour ................... 1 tbsp (to make slurry)
Salt ..................... to taste
Oil .................... 1-2 tbsp
Freshly crushed black pepper ... 2 pinches or as per your liking.

Method:

1. Clean the mutton pieces and set aside.

2. In a pressure cooker heat the oil and tip in the crushed cardamoms, cinnamon and bay leaf.

3. When they give out a nice aroma add the mutton pieces.

 4. Saute for few minutes until the colour changes.

5. Next add the salt and turmeric powder.

6. Add 3-4 cups of water.

7.. Close the lid and cook for 7 - 8 whistles.

8. After few minutes open the lid and check if the mutton needs to be cooked further.

9. In a bowl mix the wheat flour with water to make a slurry.

10. Add the slurry into the mutton and mix it well.

11. Adjust the gravy and add little water if needed. Add garam masala powder and simmer for a minute or two.

12. Sprinkle the crushed black pepper while serving.

GUR JI CHURI / CHURMO / WHOLE WHEAT CRUMBLE WITH JAGGERY

Gur ji churi or churmo is a crumble made with whole wheat flour. Flour dumplings are deep fried to a crispy texture and crumbled in a pestle and mortar or ground in a chopper. Sugar or jaggery is added along with hot ghee and mixed together. This is made as a prashad on Shivratri day.
Since I am using organic jaggery powder in this recipe I have added and mixed it. If you are using the usual jaggery it needs to be melted with water to remove the impurities. Then we have to thicken the syrup until it starts bubbling and then mixed it to the crumble along with hot ghee.

Ingredients:
Wheat flour .... 2 cups
Organic jaggery .. 3/4 cup to 1 cup (to your liking)
Ghee ...........  4-5  tbsps
Oil ........... for frying the dumplings.
Cardamom powder ... 1/4 tsp (optional)

Method:

Take the flour in a plate or bowl. Make a well in the middle and add 2 tbsps of ghee.

Mix it well and check the moin. If the flour forms a lump then it is perfect.

Add water little by little and make a stiff dough.

Divide the dough into 7-8 small dumplings.

Heat oil and drop the dumplings.

Turn them to fry evenly to a golden brown colour.

Remove them on a paper tissue.

Grind them coarsely in a chopper or pound in a pestle and mortar to make the crumble.

 Add the jaggery powder and cardamom powder.

Heat the remaining ghee and pour it over the mixture.

Mix it well.

SWANJHRE JO RAITO / DRUMSTICK FLOWERS RAITA

Swanjhro (drumstick flowers) is one of the edible flowers used in the Sindhi Cuisine. Surprisingly I have not come across any recipes with this flowers in any other cuisine though the drumstick leaves are used extensively in South India.
Apart from making curries we also make raita with swanjhro.
Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:
Swanjhro / drumstick flowers .... 100 gms (about 1and 1/2  cups)
Yogurt .......................... 1 cup
Yellow mustard seeds .. 1/2 tsp (crushed coarsely)
Pepper corns ............ few (crushed )
Salt .................... to taste.
White vinegar .... 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Pick out the stems from the flowers.

2. Boil water adding salt and little vinegar. Tip in the flowers.

3. Boil for about 5 minutes and drain the water.

4. Repeat the boiling process again with fresh water to remove the bitterness from the flowers.

5. Drain the flowers and set aside.

6. Allow them to cool.

7. In a bowl take the whisked yogurt and add the flowers, salt, crushed mustard seeds and black pepper. Mix well.

8. Serve as an accompaniment with your meals.

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.