CHOLA DHABALA / CHANA BREAD CHAAT / SINDHI STREET FOOD

Chola Dhabala is a very popular Sindhi street food. Tangy chickpea curry is served on bread slices topped with onion kachumbar, mint coriander chutney and thin sev. This can be relished during any time of the day. It is quite filling and I prefer it for brunch or dinner. These days various ready masalas like chana masala and chaat masalas are available easily but our mothers and grand mothers used only home ground basic spices. The curry is made with lot of gravy which is nice and tangy. The bread slices are well soaked in the gravy and the chickpeas are spooned over the soaked slices followed by other garnishings.

Ingredients:
Chana / chickpeas .... 1 cup (soaked overnight)
Onion ................... 1 cup (sliced)
Tomato ............. 1 medium
Green chillies ... 1-2
Ginger ............ 1 tsp (grated)
Garlic ............ 1 tsp (crushed)
Tamarind juice ... 2-3 tbsps
Coriander powder .. 1 tsp
Cumin powder ...... 1 tsp
Garam masala ......... 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder .... 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder ... 1/4 tsp
Salt ................... to taste
Sliced bread or Pav bread .. as needed
Sev ............ for garnishing.
Mint coriander chutney ........... as needed for topping
Onion kachumbar ........... for garnishing. (soak the sliced onion in water and salt.. squeeze out and add lime juice or vinegar)
oil... 2-3 tbsps

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan and fry the sliced onions until golden brown.
2. Add the tomato, green chillies, ginger and garlic. Saute until the tomato gets cooked.
3. Add some water and simmer. Allow it to cool and blend it using hand blender.
4. Boil the chana in a pressure cooker adding a little salt.
5. Add the boiled chana to the onion gravy. Add the mentioned spice powders, salt and tamarind.
6. Add about 3 cups water and chopped coriander leaves. Simmer for a minute or two until done.

To Serve:
Place a sliced bread or pav bread in a plate. Pour the chana and gravy over it.
Spoon some mint chutney and onion kachumbar.
Sprinkle sev, bhuna jeera powder on top. If you like it spicy you can also sprinkle a little red chilli powder. Finally garnish with some chopped coriander leaves.
Some people also like to add boiled potatoes in the curry. 

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 .

BEEHA / BEA JA PAKORA ( Lotus Stem Fritters )

Beeha / bea  ( lotus stem / kamal kakdi ) is one of the delicacy in the Sindhi Cuisine. We have a variety of preparations with this vegetable like daag wari bhaji, seyala bhaji, palak mei beeha, beeha ji tikki, chutney wara beeha etc etc... When in season we add it to almost all the curries and meats.Cleaning this is the toughest part because it is covered with mud and kept fresh by sprinkling water over it. We have to wash it very well before using. Scrape the outer skin and cut into slanting slices. This way it will not be very hairy when you bite it. Today's recipe is pakoras / fritters made with the boiled lotus stem slices.

Ingredients:
Lotus stem slices .. 10 - 12  or as needed
Amchoor powder .. 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder .. 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder ..... 1/4 tsp
Chaat masala or garam masala .. 1/2 tsp
 Besan / gram flour ... 1 & 1/2 cups ( or as needed )
Baking soda ... a pinch 
Salt ...... to taste
Oil ...... to fry

Method:
1. Boil the lotus stem slices in a pressure cooker adding a little salt. Drain and set aside.
2. Mix all the dry spice powders and sprinkle on the slices.
3. Make a smooth and thick batter with besan, salt and baking soda.
4. Dip the slices in the batter and fry them until half done.
5. When you are ready to serve, press each pakora to make it little flat and fry again until crisp. ( double frying makes them nice and crisp )
Serve with any chutney or sauce.

Note: You can also stir-fry them with mint chutney instead of the dry masalas and make pakoras in the same way.

CHUTNEY WARA BEEHA / BEA ( Lotus Stem with Mint Chutney)

Beeha / bea  ( lotus stem / kamal kakdi ) is one of the delicacy in the Sindhi Cuisine. We have a variety of preparations with this vegetable like daag wari bhaji, seyala bhaji, palak mei beeha, beeha ji tikki, beeha ja pakora. Thin boiled slices can also be relished with mint chutney. When in season we add it to almost all the curries and meats.Cleaning this is the toughest part because it is covered with mud and kept fresh by sprinkling water over it. We have to wash it very well before using. Scrape the outer skin and cut into slanting slices. This way it will not be very hairy when you bite it. Today's recipe is a healthy and chatpata snack made with boiled lotus stem and mint chutney.

Ingredients :
Lotus stem - 1 ( about 10-12 slices)
Cumin powder (dry roasted).. 1/2 tsp 
Chaat Masala or Garam masala .. 1/2 tsp
Mint chutney .. 3-4 tbsps
Oil .... 1-2 tbsps.

For Mint Chutney:
Ingredients:
Mint leaves ........... 2 cups
Coriander leaves ... 1 cup
Green chillies .......... 3-4
Onion ....................... 1 chopped
Roasted chana/dalia ... 1 tbsp (optional)
Garlic ............... 8-10 cloves
Ginger ............ small piece
Vinegar or lime juice .. 1 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Sugar .................... 1 tsp.(optional)

(Grind all the above ingredients, adding a little water if required.)

Method:
1. Scrape the lotus stem and cut the slices slanting. Boil adding a little salt, preferably in a pressure cooker. Drain and set aside.
2. In a pan, heat the oil and add 3-4 tbsps of mint chutney. Saute and add the mentioned spice powders.
3. Toss the boiled lotus stem slices until they are well coated with the chutney.
Serve it as a snack, hot or cold.

Note: You can also dip these in the besan batter and fry pakoras.

TUK PATATA ( Crispy Fried Potato Slices )

Tuk patata are crispy and crunchy fried potatoes from the Sindhi Cuisine. They are served as an accompaniment with dal chawal / sai bhaji khichni/ pulao chanan ji dal..

Ingredients:
Potatoes
Salt ..... to taste
Oil ..... to fry

To Sprinkle:
Cumin powder (roasted and ground)
Amchoor powder
Red chilli powder
Black pepper
Garam masala (optional)
Salt

Method:
1. Peel and cut the potatoes into half inch thick circles.

2. Marinate them in salt water for at least half an hour.

3. Drain the water and deep fry them till half done. (4-5 mins.)

4. Keep them in a covered dish to make them soft.

5. Press each potato slice with the palm of your hand and deep fry them on medium flame to make them crispy. (fry them just before you serve)

6. Sprinkle all the above mentioned dry spice powders and salt ( if required ) on the hot potatoes.

Recipe Video

SANNA PAKORA (Sindhi Pakoras)

Sindhi Sana Pakoras are a bit different than the normal ones. Here we double-fry them. First the thick batter is fried into big chunks. These are broken into smaller pieces and fried again until crisp and crunchy.

Ingredients:
Besan / Gram flour .... 2 cups
Onion ................. 1 (finely chopped -  about half cup)
Green chillies .... 2-3 (finely chopped)
Coriander leaves .. handful
Mint leaves ........ few
Whole coriander seeds .. 1 tbsp
Anardana .......... 1 tsp (crushed) - optional
Baking soda ..............  2 pinches
Red chilli powder ..... 1/4 tsp
Salt ............................ to taste
Oil ............ to fry

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients except oil to make a thick batter.

2. Heat oil in a kadai and drop big chunks of this batter. Fry on medium flame to half done.

 3. Remove and set aside.

4. Just before serving, cut these into smaller pieces.

5. Heat oil and fry until crisp.

6. Remove them on a kitchen tissue.
Serve hot with mint chutney or any sauce of your choice.

VANGANA JA PAKORA ( Brinjal Pakoras )

Ingredients:
Baby brinjals ... 10 - 12
Besan / Gram flour ... 2 cups
Baking soda ............ a pinch
Salt .................... to taste
Mint Chutney .... For stuffing.

Method:
1. Slit the baby brinjals and leave them in salt water for 1 hour.
2. Drain the water and pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
3. Stuff them with mint chutney. Make the chutney very spicy.
4. Grill the stuffed brinjals for 5-7 minutes. You can also do it in the microwave or in a pan / griddle leaving them on low flame taking care not to over-cook them. Let them cool before frying. The grilling/cooking time depends on the size of the brinjals.
5. Mix the besan with water adding salt and baking soda to a thick batter.
6. Coat the brinjals with besan and deep fry them.
Serve them hot with any sauce.

CHURI DAL (Sindhi)

This is one of the Sindhi preparation of Moong dal. CHURI means NOT MUSHY.. the grains of dal have to be whole. We have to cook this very carefully on low flame and add very little water taking care not to make it soft and mushy. Usually this is served as an accompaniment with MALPURAS (malpuas) for breakfast. It can also be served as a side dish with PURIS and SEERO

.Ingredients:
Moong dal .... 1 cup
Turmeric powder .. 1/4 tsp
Salt .............. to taste
Black pepper (crushed) .. to sprinkle on top
Oil ..

Method:
1. Soak moong dal for a few hours.

2. Heat a little oil in a thick bottomed pan and add the soaked moong dal.

3. Stir-fry for half a minute and sprinkle a little water over it. Add salt and turmeric powder and mix.
4. Close with the lid and cook on sim. Check after a while and sprinkle a little water again if required.
5. It may look a little under-cooked but close the gas and leave it covered.
It gets perfectly cooked with the heat inside. Seperate it with a fork carefully after opening the lid.
6. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper. You can squeeze a little lime juice if you prefer.
Left-over dal can be used to make patties or stuffed parathas.

BEEHA JI TIKKI ( Lotus Root Cutlets )

 Lotus root is a favourite vegetable of Sindhis. We not only make a variety of curriesand snacks with it but also add it to the meat dishes.

Ingredients
Lotus root ..... 1 root/1 cup
Potatoes........ 2 medium sized
Bread crumbs ... 2 tbsps.
Ajwain/carom .... 1/4 tsp.
Anardana ........... 1 tbsp. (crushed) or 1 tsp. amchoor powder
Garam masala .... 1/2 tsp.
Red chilli powder ... 1/4 tsp
Green chillies ..... 1-2 (chopped finely)
Coriander leaves ... handful (chopped finely)
Salt ................... to taste
Oil ............. to fry

Method:


1. Boil the potatoes and mash them.

2. Scrape the lotus root and cut into 1 inch pieces. Boil them adding a little salt and let them cool. Crush them in the mortar and pestle.

3. Add the ingredients (except oil) Mix well and make tikkis of any desired shape.

4. Deep fry the tikkis to golden brown colour and serve hot.

PATATE JOON TIKKYOON / POTATO CUTLETS

Potato cutlets / aloo tikkis are the most popular snack of the Sindhi cuisine... perfect for any occasion like party, picnic, journey..

Ingredients:
Potatoes ...... 12
Coriander leaves ... handful
Salt to taste
Bread Crumbs: 1/2 cup or 4-5 slices
Green Chillies : 2-3 finely chopped
Garam Masala: 1 tsp (optional)
Caraway seeds ..... 1 tsp
Oil ............. to fry

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes. Peel and mash them.

2. Add the salt, bread crumbs, green chillies, caraway seeds and coriander leaves.

3. If you don't have bread crumbs soak the bread slices in water, squeeze them well and add.. Mix everything well.

4. Shape the tikkis into round or heart or tear-drop shapes.

5. Heat oil and  fry until golden brown.

6. Drain out the excess oil on a kitchen paper tissue.

7. Serve hot with chilli sauce or tomato sauce.