First of all Belated Diwali Wishes to all the visitors and I hope this Diwali was as auspicious for you all, as it should be!
Well, Every one must have celebrated Diwali in some or other way……mine was buzzing full of activities and I thoroughly enjoyed that!
Pre- Diwali Days went in Cleaning and scrubbing every nook and corner of the house, followed by lots of shopping for D-Day!
Diwali Day began with a Typical Sindhi breakfast which hubby dear kept avoiding from last many months, DAL PAKWAAN….obviously due to the calories it imparts. But knowing me, can I let him have his way on this Day(this is the day to indulge, isn’t it?)
After Stuffing myself with this sinful breakfast, it was time to get back in action, a Bhee palaak for lunch (spinach with lotus stem) and then Malai Kofta for Dinner,which were made to enjoy with Whole family who visit us every year for Diwali Puja (Hatri pooja).
Hatri is nothing but a small house-like structure made of mud, where a small idol of Lakshmiji sits in the middle. Diyas are lit and prayers are sung in honor of the Goddess of Wealth, followed by Palav and then prasad distribution.
My adorable Sis-in -law made lip smacking Pavbahji and my Lovely neighbor send in this Faral (chakli, chivda, ladoo, karanji, namakpada) all relished by everyone along with of course loads of Mithais and Laai (Sindhi Chikkis), followed by more Pooja ceremonies at Relative’s homes and finally some sparklers, crackers and Zameen chakris, not to forget lanterns and Rangoli, before we signed off for the day, exhausted but contented !
So now lets hop to the recipe of the day, Dal pakwan ….which is a Typical, Authentic Sindhi breakfast.It is deepfried, crisp, unpuffed Maida puris, flavored with salt, pepper and ajwain, served with Chanadal, which in turn is topped with coriander chutney and tamarind chutney and /or chopped onions…a true delight !
Rating
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 10 servings
- 250 gm chana dal
- One small onion
- One small tomato
- 3-5 green chillies
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 5-6 of curry leaves (karipatta)
- 3 cups water
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp Red chilli powder
- Salt to taste
- 1-2 tsp oil
- A pinch of asafoetida
- 2 cups All purpose flour (Maida)
- ½ tbsp cumin seeds/Ajwain (caraway)seeds either or both
- 3 tbsp oil (Ghee is preferred)
- Salt to taste
- ½ tsp Red chilly powder
- Sufficient water to make a dough
- Oil for deep frying
- Wash dal and soak it for an hour.
- Ideally the Dal is made without any onions and tomatoes. The vendors generally add loads of butter and flavourful spices to enhance the taste of the otherwise bland dal. But at our home, we use onions for flavors and tomatoes for sourness as some family members can't consume tamarind.No butter is used in Dal made in Sindhi homes, in general.
- Pour 1-2 tspn oil in a cooker and allow it to heat. Add hing, chopped onion and fry for a couple of minutes.
- Add grated tomatoes, chopped green chillies and fry it till cooked.
- Add dal, turmeric powder and salt.
- Add 2-3 cups of water and close the lid of cooker.
- Wait for one whistle. Cook on low flame for 5 minutes. Put off the flame.Allow the cooker to cool down.
- Open the lid, check the dal, it should be tender but not mushy.
- Heat 1 tsp of oil in another pan and prepare a tempering of Cumin seeds and curry leaves and some red chillii powder.Add the tempering to dal. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- While serving, sprinkle mango powder (Amchoor), chilly powder, coriander leaves and tamarind chutney and/or coriander chutney and chopped onions( optional)
- Serve hot with crisp pakwan.
- Sieve the flour.
- Mix the flour with the cumin seeds/Ajwain, oil (Ghee), salt , chilli powder and sufficient water and make a dough.
- Dough should neither be too hard nor too soft.
- Let the dough rest for 15 min.
- Later, divide the dough into 10-12 small portions.
- Roll out each portion like a chapati
- Prick the surface with fork/ knife, so that it don't puff out (don't forget to do this)
- Heat the oil till smoking point, slide in the Pakwan and carefully fry it, on medium or low flame till it turns crisp and golden in color.
- Serve with hot dal.
Hi, do you add the chili powder to the dough or sprinkle on the pakwan after frying?
In the dough! I have updated the recipe! Thanks for pointing it out!
Where can I find the Hatri can be a clay or even the steel one.
What do you do with the 5 green chilies.?
Oops!I rectified the mistake and also adjusted the quantities of chillies so that people can use it cautiously ( some chillies are too hot).
Thanks for pointing it out!
u R doing good job spreading sindhi dishes to all
Hello
Thanks for nice recepie
lovely food my femely dal pakvan
How to eat Pakwaan ? Do you have to break it in Dal and then eat with spoon ?
You have to break a piece of Pakwan and take dal in it and eat.
Hi Alka ,made this for breakfast a few days ago and lil angel loved it.Thanks for the authentic recipes.
Luks so divine,wounderfull post…
this looks so yummmmyyy… . m sure gonna make it for dinner 🙂
Hello,
u really give very nice tips & recipes.
thanks
Hi Alka
I Am fan of your recipes.
Just wanted to know that how many Pakwan and how many portions of Dal Can be made from The measurement given by you.
Thank you
Hi again
You have produced yet another Sindhi masterpiece. I think you might have to inform a non Beh eating person that lotus roots have to be cut at an angle while being chopped, because a novice including myself might proceed to chop them like a potato.
The pic is lovely as usual
Not necessary , they can be chopped in roundels , there isn’t any hard and fast cutting rule
Man, look at all that delicious Diwali food. I wish I Was hanging out at your place for Diwali. Instead, I just polished off a bag of what Haldiram passes off as Chakli / Muruku.
I’m going to try this recipe soon! In order to avoid deep frying, have purchased an air fryer, can be very useful for weight watchers ( your husband can eat to his hearts wish) and also can replace maida for atta while making the pakwans…
Have something for you, dear! Pls. check http://vibaas-world.blogspot.com/2008/11/tomato-rice-carrot-peanut-raita-and.html
very tempting pic Alka. Lovely pics of Dowali celebrations. nice one.
Dal Pakwan is sinful but then it is so delicious – I wouldn’t mind sinning again:)
vidhas at http://vidhas-jg.blogspot.com/
ok
Hi Alka,
daal APakwan looks yummy. Nice clicks of diwali poojas. Wonerful recipes you have. Kildly check out my blog for an Award
Belated happy Diwali to you and family, Alka!
Daal pakwan looks yummy! and i love that you topped the daal with dhaniya chutney. That’s my favorite way to enjoy chana daal :).
We Punjus have something like Hatri too, it’s called Diwali, and is an earthen structure, with the statue of Lakshmi ji inside and diyas outside.
I came upon your blog from the My Legume Love Affair round up. Your pictures are gorgeous. You do a wonderful job of doing such delicious food justice.
I can see you celebrated well with the family, just as it should be.
Dal Pakhwan is new to me. Shall try this but it would be lunch for me. 🙂
one of the best b/f we can think off,we love to cook and love to eat
What a Diwali feast you had! I should have come over to your place for the celebrations!
Thx for stopping by my blog Alka. Try adding riceflour to the vada batter if it is watery and not while grinding.
I am new to sindhi recipes and all the recipes look yum. I’ve bookmarked your blog.
hi alka…all the recipes looks great…n yummy…
That is such a nice spread and a lovely post. Thanks for sharing it with us – happy Deepavali!
Looks tempting…
Alka, are you still in Mumbai? I have a list of all Mumbai bloggers on my site and would love to add you.
Alka..this is such a lovely post…very interesting to read and diwali faral looks so yum!..wish I had them ..:)..thanks for the lovely entry…do convey my wishes to your hubby on the lovely rangoli!
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this post and feasting on the pix. Thanks for the entry!
Lovely pics! Sounds like you had a great Deepavali! 🙂
oh, I just loved the first pic! Belated diwali wishes to you as well!! Sure, you had a great one!
WOW what an awesome blog. & all those yummies for diwali… looks like u had a fabulous time.
Never heard of Dal pakhwan.. looks delicous. Have to give this a try.
Thanks for sharing…
love the look of ur chikkis and gujias!!!
beautiful pics Alka….mouthwatering recipes too
Hi,
You have a nice blog going, Dal pakwan sure looks delicious.
Aparna Rao
Love dal Pakwan, now you make me want to make this and have. I was never fond of Laai they used to make so many at home and I would wonder for what and whom
Delicious and mouth watering. The Laaii is as Sindhi as you can get. In lower Sindh we call it Gurdhaani.
kind regards
U r break fast looks so similar to our Puri Baji.. Belated Diwali wishes and nice spread of food there
Wow that is a decadent feast….
Lovely, Alka. It is always interesting to read about how each family celebrates Diwali. As for the breakfast wish every day was Diwali, looks mighty tasty.
Dear Alka,
the pic looks so attractive! wonderful.
There should be dry fruit vado also with Lai.
What do u think?
Loves
Asha
Anyone Sindhi in the group kindly guide me to where I can buy a Hatri possibly a steel one but any suggestions for a clay one is also appreciated. Thank you ?
Depends on where you are based at! The clay one are found only few days before Diwali in Sindhi dominated areas. The steel ones could be ordered online. In Mumbai we get clay hatri in Ulhasnagar,Kopri Thane etc.