Cuisine of the month....Sindhi Food

Every culture in India has a land they can go back to and claim as their own....Sindhis are those few people who in its true sense lost their land to the war. Originally it was the name given to the people who resided alongside the Sindu River. The tradional attire (rarely worn anymore) was called the Jhabbo Payjamo. It was a straight cut kurta with slit along the sides worn with a waistcoat, pyjamas which were more like loose trousers with a straight cut and a dupatta.

If any culture in India comes closest to Sindhi Food, it is probably Punjabi cuisine. Like Punjabi food, Sindhi Cuisine is abundant in Onions and Garlic....and no doubt...we love to eat!!!

Sai Bhaji

Ingredients

1 bunch Spinach (palak) - washed and roughly shopped

1 small Potato - peeled and roughly chopped

1 small onion - roughly chopped

1/3 eggplant

1/4 doodhi (optional)

2 small tomatoes - roughly chopped

1/4 cup Channa Daal - washed and soaked for 30 mins

1 1/2 tsp Dhania Powder

1/4 tsp Haldi powder

Green chilli (as per your level of spice required)

Salt to taste

2 teaspoon Ghee

3 cloves garlic - finely shopped

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Method:

1. In a pressue cooker put Spinach, potatoes, onion, eggplant, doodhi, tomatoes, channa daal, dhania powder, haldi and green chilli as desired. Add 1 copy of water and cook giving 3 whistles.

2. Cool. Puree the cooked vegetables with a hand beater and then add salt. (you may add water or let it boil and thicken depending on how thick you like it.

3. Let it cook on Med heat for about 10 mins.

4. In a seperate vessel heat teh ghee and add the garlic. Let it fry till it turns golden from the edges. Immediately pour the tempering over the Sai Bhaji and mix well. Decorate with fresh coriander leaves.

Sai Bhaji is traditionally served with Onion Pullao, sliced and deep fried potatoes and eggplants alongwith beaten yoghurt slightly sweetened and sprinkled with jeera and red chilli powder.

You may also make it Jain style by not adding the eggplant and onions. For the tempering, replace the Garlic with 2 pinches of Hing (asaefotida powder).

Onion Pullao

Ingredients:

1 Onion - peeled and chopped into pieces (approx 1cm pcs)

2-3 med tomatoes - chopped well

3-4 cloves of garlic - chopped well

1/2" piece of ginger - grated or finely chopped

1" pc of Cinammon

3-4 whole cloves

2-3 small elaichi (green cardamom)

1 large Elaichi (Big Black cardamom)

1 Bayleaf

1 1/2 tsp Dhania Powder

3/4 tsp Garam masala Powder

1/2 tsp Jeera Powder

Chilli as per your taste

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Oil

2 cups Basmati Rice - washed well and drained

Method:

1. Heat the Oil in a sate Pan and when hot add in the whole spices (Cinnamom, both the Elaichis, Bayleaf and cloves). Once they start to change color and crackle add in the garlic, ginger and onions.

2. Allow the Onions to cook till the become a shade of brown (about 10-15 mins).

3. When browned add in the tomatoes and mix well. Allow to cook till the tomatoes are done and the oil starts to seperate (keep checking if it seems dry add 1/4 cup of water).

4. When mixture is cooked, add salt, Dhania Powder, Chilli, Garam masala and Jeera powder and cook for another 5 mins.

5. Next add in the rice (or alternatively if you are using a rice cooker add the mixture into the cooker) and approx 3 1/2 cups of water. Allow to cook on Med heat until the rice has absorbed all the water and is fully cooked. Using a fork run through the rice so grains seperate and it becomes fluffy. Serve hot.

Bhee Patato (Aloo and Bhee - also known as Lotus Root)

Ingredients:

2 Potatoes - peeled, thickly sliced then halved

4" - 10" piece of Bhee (Lotus root - the thickness varies from country to country if the root is 2" in diameter, then use about 4" if it is thin then use 8"-10" of the root)

1 Medium Onion - chopped well

2-3 Medium Tomatoes - chopped

3-4 cloves of garlic - chopped

1 tsp chopped Ginger

1 tsp Garam Masala

1 tsp Dhania Powder

1/2 tsp Jeera powder

Chilli as per your taste

Salt to Taste

1 1/2 tbsp Oil

Method:

1. Clean the lotus root well. You will need to peel it then depending on how much mud is in the root use a thin brush or slice it then run under the tap for a few mins...sometimes it helps to soak it for a fewmins so the mud loosens up. Slice into circles.

2. Heat the oil and wehn hot add in the Garlic and Ginger. Saute for 1 min then add Onions and saute till almost brown.

3. When onions are done add the chopped tomatoes and continue cooking till the tomatoes seem mushy (if dry add 1/4 cup of water).

4. Now add garam Masala, Dhania Powder, Jeera Powder, Chilli and some salt. Mix and cook another 4-5 min.

5. Now add the sliced Potatoes and Bhee (If you are using the thin root of bhee then wait a few mins till the potatoes are half done).

6. When its almost cooked add the rest of the salt and mix well.

Bhee in general doesn't soften up too much even after its cooked - on of the few veges that keeps its crunch and this dish is best eaten warm with Chappatis.

• Sai Bhaji - The Sindhi Breakfast
  
  
  
  Ingredients
  400 gm Spinach - Chopped
  1 teaspoon of dried methi (if available) - Soaked in water
  1/2 teacup Chana dhal - Soaked in water for 15 mins.
  4 table spoons of oil
  1 small carrot & 1 small potato - Chopped in cubes.
  1 green chilli, 2 inch ginger, 2 pieces of garlic - Chopped very finely
  3 medium sized tomatoes.
  1 glass of water.
  
  Method
  
• Heat the oil in the pressure cooker.
• Fry garlic till fragrant.
• When the color changes to light brown, add the ginger, chillie and onion.
• After 2 minutes, add the spinach, carrot, potato, tomatoes and dhal.
• Add a pinch of tumeric & coriander seed powder. Pressurize it for 15 to 20 minutes on a medium flame.
• Remove the cooker from the flame & add salt to taste. Use a wooden spoon to mix all the ingredients together.
• Serve it with PAAV
  

• Sindhi Channa
  
  Ingredients :
  
  2 cups kabuli channa (white chickpeas)
  4 onions
  1 tsp. ginger grated
  1 tsp. garlic crushed
  3 tomatoes grated
  1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
  1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
  1 tsp. dhania (coriander seed powder)
  1/2 tsp. black pepper powder
  1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
  1 tsp. amchur (dried mango powder)
  2-3 pinches asafoetida
  salt to taste
  2 cardamoms black
  7 cloves
  2 bayleaves
  10 peppercorns
  1 tsp. cumin seeds
  2 tbsp. oil
  
  Method :
  
  
• Wash and soak chickpeas in plenty of water overnight.
• Drain add fresh water (4 -5 cups) and transfer to pressure cooker.
• Add cardamoms, bayleaves, peppercorns, cloves, salt and 1 chopped onion.
• Pressure cook till channa is soft (approx. 7-8 whistles).
• Cool, drain, keep aside, channa, whole spices, water aside separately.
• Meanwhile, puree 2 onions, chop 1 fine.
• If desired, add spices while pureeing onions.
• Or discard, since their flavour is induced in channa water.
• Heat oil in large heavy saucepan.
• Add asafoetida, ginger, garlic, chopped onion, stirfry till onions are light brown.
• Add pureed onions, tomato puree, all masala powders and saute for 5-7 minutes.
• Add drained water. Boil for 7-8 minutes.
• Add peas, salt, stir and cook till gravy is thick.
• Garnish with chopped coriander.
• Serve hot with parathas, roti, or over bread.
• Accompany with slices of lemon and chopped onions.
  
  
  
  

Bhindi Aloo in Green Masala

Green gravy

Ingredients:
1 bunch coriander leaves,
1 full pod of garlic,
2" pcs. of ginger,
2 med. Onions,
100 grms. Tomatoes, 1 tsp of each Coriander seeds, chilli powder, Haldi powder & Salt.
50 grms. Green chillies

Method:
Wash and clean all the above ingredients and grind in the grinder or grind on the stone (Except the tomatoes). Take 4 tbsp. of oil and fry the above grounded paste of few minutes then add the chopped tomatoes and keep frying till the oil starts to float. Cool it and use as required.

Ingredients:
kg. of each Bindi & Potatoes
kg. Tomatoes
1 tsp. Salt

Method:
Wash bindis, peel the potatoes cut them in rounds, slit the bhindis. Heat 2 tbsp. of oil and fry the bhindis & potatoes add salt, cover & cook for 5 minutes. Now add the above masala paste and then chopped tomatoes, cook on slow fire.

Variations:
cup Paneer
cup yougart

Crumble the paneer and keep it a side. In the fried masala add yougart and fry till oil separated, then add crumbled paneer and keep all the time then add cup of fresh cream before serving.

kg. chicken breast cut into small pcs.
cup yougart
cup fresh cream
tsp. salt
cup water

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil and chicken pcs. fry a fit then add the fried masala keep on stiring, now add yougart cover and cook further for five minutes, add salt before serving add the beaten fresh cream. Serve it hot with Nan or paratha.