When I started working on my project about documenting ancient, traditional as well as lost recipes from Sindhi cuisine, a few years ago, the biggest challenge I faced was the lack of accessible information about the same. The limited documents that I could access, were in Arabic Sindhi, a script that I never could learn, despite of trying umpteen number of times, since my childhood. I felt stuck up.
So the only way to move forward was to learn the Arabic script and to make sure that I don’t give up this time, I took up a challenge; The AlifBe of Sindhi cuisine i.e A-Z of Sindhi food. You can read more about this project here!
It was a roller coaster ride and I ain’t exaggerating!
The challenges I faced while trying to understand the basics of the scripts, the consonants (52 alphabets!!!!), the vowels, the formation of alphabets, the corresponding alphabets in Devanagari and Roman Sindhi, to find apt dishes, the recipes etc were immense and as if the stress was not enough, I took a plunge and started creating recipe videos too despite of knowing that I will have to learn shooting a video, to manage recording and cooking at the same time, to edit the video (biggest challenge) and to publish it, on my own.I was a nut case! Though I did end up taking a lot of help from my better half but still I managed to pull most of the things on my own. I feel accomplished!
I am still not well versed with the script as the word formation is bit difficult to understand unless you are able to remember how each alphabet appears in any word depending on its position in the word.
For Example look at the جهہ (Jh/झ) and its various avatars…
I need to put more efforts to learn, to memorise and to understand the nuances of the language and the script but I am feeling hopeful!
I cannot move ahead without thanking those who played an important part in this project of mine!
A big thank you to Shobha Lalchandani Di, Barkha Khushalani Di, Amrita Lal, Surraya Kapri and Deepak Keswani for being always there to help me understand the script, to clear my doubts and to encourage me to keep marching on.
Thank you Asha Chand Di, for your ‘Learn Sindhi’ App as it helped me in practising the alphabets in a fun way.
Thank you Deepak Keswani, yet again, for creating easy to use Sindhi Dictionary and Sindhi Keyboard
Winding up the project AlifBe with this handy, easy to refer list of all the dishes. Do click on the links provided, to get the recipe.
Please note that out of 52 alphabets of Alif Be (The Arabic Sindhi script) I had to skip three alphabets; ظ ,ح ,ث since I couldn’t find any Vegetarian Sindhi dish with the names starting with these particular alphabets.
So here we go!!!
A to Z of Sindhi Food (AlifBe of Sindhi food):
ا (अ/A) as inAhmedabad or as in Atte Ja Ladoon
ب (ब/B) as in Baby or as in Besan Ji Aani
ٻ (B^) as in B^aaru (child) or as in B^itto Lolo
پ (प/P) as in Parrot or P as in Pali
ڀ (भ/Bh) as in Bharat or as in Bheendi Khatti
ت (त/T~) as in Taiwan or as in Tosha
ٿ (थ/Th~) as in Thirsty or as in Thumaro
ٽ (ट/Tt) as in Towel or as in Tamate Ji Chutney
ٺ (ठ/Th) as in Thakur or as in Thab^ak Vadiyun
ث (स/S) as in Simple or as in Saandhano
ج (ज/J) as in Japan or as in Jwar Ji Tikki
ڄ (ॼ/J^) as in J^ibh or as in J^eth Ji Sesa
جهہ (झ/jh) made by combining ج ( J) and ھ (h) as in Jhansi or as in Jhang Pulao
ڃ (ञ/J~) as in J^aj`a Ji Roti
چ (च/Ch) as in Chair or as in Chetichand Ji Sesa
ڇ (छ/Chh) as in Chhattisgarh or as inChhola Dabhal
خ (ख़/Khh) as in Khalifa or as in Khhoraak
د (द/D~) as in Dehradun or as in Dal Dimma
ڌ (ध/Dh~) as in Dharamshala or as in Dhaage Waara Karela
ڏ (ड/D^) as in D^aha (Ten in Sindhi) or as in D^othiyun
ڊ (ड/D) as in Daddy or as in Dabal Pakora
ڍ (ढ/Dh) as in Dhaka or as in Dhodho Chatni
ذ (ज़/Z) as in Zaro or as in Kagzi Lemon Pickle
ر (र/R) as in Rajasthan or as in Raanh
ڙ (ड़/R^) as in लड़का, पेड़, लड़ाई or as in Rabdi
ز (ज़/Z) as in Zanzeer or as in Zaefrani Kulfi
ش (श/Sh) as in Shimla or as in Sharbat
ص (स/S) as in Summer or as in Misri
ض (ज़/Z) as in Zaroor or as in Zaroori Masalha
ط (त/T~) as in Tara or as in Ta’am
ع (अ/A) as in Arab or as in Arq
غ (ग़/G̣) as in Gazal or as in Magaz Ja Ladoo
ف (फ़/F) as in Faluda or as in Faludo
ڦ (फ/Ph) as in Phone or as in Phepho Mirch
ق (क़/Q) as in Qatar or as in Qeeme Jo Lolo
ڪ (क/K) as in Kashmir or as in Kokum Waari Dal
ک (ख/Kh) as in Khajoor or as in Khoyo
گ (ग/G) as in Ganga or as in Gyarsi Khado
ڳ (ग्/G^) as in G^aaro (Red) or as in G^ach For Mahalaxmi
گهہ (घ/Gh) as in Ghee or as in Ghotyal Saag^
ڱ (ङ/ng/G~) as in Singing or as in Singyun Tamate Mein
ل (ल/L) as in Love or as in Lor^h
م (म/M) as in Mithai or as in Majoon Barfi
ن (न/N) as in Nagpur or as in Nasarpuri Seyal Bhaji
ڻ (ण/N~) as in Brahman or as in Batan Papdi Chaat
و (व/V) as in Varanasi or as in Vataran Ji Lilotari
ھ (ह/H) as in Haridwar or as in Hurbe Jeere Mein Patata
ء (अ/A/Hamzo/Amdhro) as in Mau or as in Gogrun Ji Khatain
ي (य/Y) as in Yam or as in Viyam Ja Khaada
