I live in a location which is Sindhi Colony in Chembur, Mumbai.  This area has vast Sindhi population and also this area is well known as Khau Galli.  Chembur Sindhi Colony Khau Galli has many small road side eataries, restuarants, sweets shops which mainly has authentic sindhi and punjabi dishes which are very yummy.  One of my favorite Sindhi dish is Sindhi Dal Pakwan which I have been eating for last 35 years in small road side food joints in Sindhi Colony.  This was my family’s morning breakfast atleast once in 15 or 20 days.  In this present Covid-19 situation I am a bit reluctant to eat or buy any food from outside.  Myself and my family were missing this Sindhi Dal Pakwan dish for last four months.  So I decided to cook Sindhi Dal Pakwan at home.  Did some research and tried my best to cook at home Sindhi Dal Pakwan along with Green Chutney and Khatta Meetah Chutney which has to be there with this dish.  It really turned out to be very – very delicious.  Try it in your home too.

Recipe:

Ingredients for Dal:

  • Chana Dal – One cup.  
  • Toor Dal – 1/4th cup.
  • Moong Dal – 1/4th cup.
  • Onion – 3 medium sized.  Finely chopped.
  • Green Chilli – 3. Two chilli Finely chopped.  One chilli just slit from middle.
  • Tumeric powder – 1 tsp.
  • Salt to taste.
  • Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tbs.
  • Jeera (Cumin) seeds – 1 tbs.
  • Tamarind Pulp – 2 tbs.
  • Garam Masala – 1 tsp.
  • Aamchur (Mango) powder – 1 tbs.
  • Coriander powder – 2 tbs.
  • Chat Masala powder – 1 tbs.
  • Kashmiri Red Chilli powder (for colour) – 1 tbs.
  • Coriander Leaves – One cup. Finely chopped.
  • Hing (Asafoetida) powder – Half tsp.

Method to cook Dal:

  • Wash Chana dal, Toor dal, Moong dal with water.  Soak all three Dals in fresh water for 6 to 8 hours (may be overnight if you are cooking next day).
  • Take a pressure cooker.  Add soaked dals (all three) in to the pressure cooker.  Add tumeric powder, salt to taste, slit green chilli.  Add four cups of water.  Mix it well.  Close the pressure cooker lid.  Turn on the flame.  Cook the dals on medium flame for 3 to 4 whistles.  Turn off the flame and don’t open the pressure cooker lid.
  • Take a large frying pan.  Add 3 tbs of Ghee.  Heat it up and allow ghee to melt. Cook the below ingredients on medium flame.
  • Add Cummin seeds and allow it to crackle.
  • Add Hing powder.  Stir it for a minute.
  • Add finely chopped green chilli.  Stir it for another minute.
  • Add finely chopped onions.  Stir it and cook the onions until it becomes translucent.
  • Add ginger garlic paste.  Stir it well for 2 to 3 minutes and allow ginger garlic to turn light brown.
  • Add garam masala powder, kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder, chat masala powder, aamchur powder, salt to taste, tamarind pulp, and mix it well. 
  • At this stage turn on the heat (flame) of the pressure cooker and open to cooker lid.  Mix the dal well and keep the lid open.
  • Cook all the masala powders for 1 to 2 minutes on medium flame.
  • Transfer all the fried masalas from frying pan into dal in the pressure cooker.  Stir it well.  Cook this Dal along with the masalas for 5 minutes on low flame with the lid closed.  Turn off the heat (flame).
  • Dal is ready.
  • Serve hot with a sprinkle of fresh coriander leaves on top.

Ingredients for Pakwan:

  • Whole Wheat Flour – 2 cups.
  • Maida (Refined Flour) – 1 cup.
  • Rava (Semolina) -Half a cup.
  • Salt to taste.
  • Ghee – 2 tbs.
  • Jeera (Cummin) seeds – 1 tbs.
  • Ajwain (Carom) seeds – 1 tbs.
  • Black Pepper – 1 tbs. Crushed into coarse size.
  • Cooking Oil – as required for deep frying Pakwan.

Method to cook Pakwan:

  • Take a large mixing utensil or bowl.
  • Add whole wheat flour, rava, maida flour, salt to taste, ghee, jeera seeds, ajwain seeds, black pepper to the mixing utensil.  Mix them well without any water.
  • Add water little by little and keep kneading the dough.
  • Prepare a Pakwan dough which should be hard not soft.
  • Cover it with a moist thin cotton cloth for 30 minutes.
  • Make small orange sized balls of the pakwan dough.
  • Take a deep frying kadai.  Add cooking oil enough to deep fry pakwan.  Heat it up.
  • Take rolling board and rolling pin.
  • Place this small orange sized pakwan dough ball on rolling board.  Roll it using rolling pin into thin (thicker than pappad) big puri sized dough.
  • Take a fork.  Pierce the fork on the rolled pakwan dough surface on all sides.
  • Gently lift the rolled pakwan dough and safely put it in hot oil.  Reduce the flame to medium.
  • Fry the Pakwan from both sides until it turn golden brown and crispy.
  • Pakwan is ready.
  • Serve hot Sindhi Dal Pakwan along with green chutney and khata meetah chutney. Garnish the dal with chopped coriander leaves.

Recipe to prepare Green Chutney:

Recipe to prepare Khata Meetah Chutney: