jowar roti Archives | Sindhi Rasoi |Sindhi Recipes

Dhodho Chatni~ Alifbe~22

Alka Keswani — Sat, 22 May 2021 08:14:44 +0000

Parsad (Prasad or an oblation) distributed in Sindhi temples or Tikana could be as unpretentious as Misri (rock candy) or as eye appealing as D^othee , it could be as sacrosanct as the Karah parsad (Kadah Prasad) or as revered as the Dona parsad of the Puj Chaliha Sahib Mandir (in Ulhasnagar). Mostly anything sweet is offered to the deities and a prasad is generally made from different kind of flours, ghee, sugar, jaggery, used in various combinations and proportions and cooked in varying ways to make sweets of infinite flavors and textures. Fresh fruits too are abundantly distributed in temples! The basic concept is to offer a devotee, visiting from far and near, some food that is either a source of instant energy or some nourishment or both. Many devotees visit temples early morning before consuming anything and hence breaking a night long fast with some Kada prasad, daakh bugada (black raisins and roasted chana) or a fruit is an ideal practise followed by many. In the modern era, not many understand the basis of the rituals and hence it is not uncommon to find packaged food and junk being served in the name of prasad by the devotees. So while the sweets and fruits are immensely popular, there is a unique prasad, the Dhodho Chatni, that is served in Sri Sadhu Bella Ashram, also known as Sadh Belo, meaning the ‘Woods of the Sage’ or the ‘ Hermitage of a Monk’, founded by Yogiraj Sadguru Acharya Swami Bankhandiji Maharaj in the Year 1818 A.D. at Mahalakshmi, Mumbai! I am thankful to Mr Prem Hariani and Mr Ashok Lalwani for sharing with me, the history of Sri Sadhu Bella Udasin Ashram along with interesting anecdotes (that I plan to share in the near future) and I am looking forward to learn more about this wonderful place of worship, from Ashok Ji, in the coming days, as promised by him! Ashok Ji told me that the Parsi Philanthropist, Dadibhai Noshirwanji, popularly known as Dady Seth, as a token of gratitude for Sadguru Bankhandiji Maharaj, donated a sprawling plot of land in Mahalakshmi area in Mumbai and the Ashram was then made on that piece of land. The ‘Dhooni’ (sacred flame ) lit by Acharya Bankhandiji Maharaj in 1818 A.D. is still burning there, spreading the message of peace, empathy and spirituality . In around 1823, Sadguru Bankhandiji Maharaj moved in a forested Island called Menak Parbat, in Indus river, Sukkur (Now in Pakistan) and built a simple hut, which over the years, was reconstructed in a magnificent shrine built with white marble and buffed sandstone and was named Sadh Belo. Bankhandiji Maharaj belonged to Udasi panth, a sect that flourished under the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in late 1700s. The founder of Udasi panth, Baba Sri Chand, the eldest son of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, believed in monasticism i.e living a disciplined life devoid of materialistic pursuits while being spiritually devoted and hence the followers of the sect detach themselves from the worldly pleasures. Bankhandiji Maharaj, one of the greatest visionaries of the 19th century is remembered and respected for his spiritual prowess and the Sadhu Bella is a medium for spreading peace and spiritual wisdom! And as I mentioned above, Sadhu Bella is also well known for its divine prasad of ‘Dhodho Chatni ‘ i.e patted Sorghum roti with green chutney. This prasad combination is also served in many Tikana. A Tikano is a place of worship where you will find idols of many deities along with Guru Granth Sahib, teaching us to co-exist harmoniously. Mr Ashok Lalwani confirmed that this prasad (or Parsad) is made without onions or garlic. The Dhodho Chutney Parsad at Sadhu Bella is a fine example of how the simplest of foods, without overpowering ingredients, if cooked with devotion and gratitude can satiate your senses and nourish your body and soul! And with this Dhodho Chatni we are covering the 22nd letter of the AlifBe series which is ڍ in Arabic Sindhi and ढ in Devanagari. In Roman Sindhi it is Dh as in Dhaka/ or Dhokla. The Dhodho Chatni at Sadhu Bella is satvik but at home you can add pounded garlic, chillies and chopped onions along with coriander leaves while making the Jowar dough. Also you can add onion and garlic to the green chutney. Do share your memories about having this prasad or any of your favorite Prasad from any temple, in the comments ! Thanks in advance! Print Dhodho Chutney Patted Sorghum roti served with green chutney, a revered prasad of Sadhu Bella Ashram! Ingredients For Dhodho: 1.5 cups of Jowar flour Salt as per taste 1 tsp ghee or oil Water to make the dough 3-4 tbsp ghee or oil to cook the rotis For Green Chutney 1.5 cups coriander leaves ¾th cup Mint leaves Black salt/Rock salt ½ tsp Roasted cumin seeds ½ tsp Black pepper corns 4-5 Green chillies 3 or as many needed A half inch piece of ginger Tamarind (ping pong ball sized) soaked in 2-3 tbsp of water Sendha namak or regular salt as needed Method In a parat/thali or a large bowl, add jowar flour, salt and a tsp of ghee. Mix everything and gradually add water, a little at a time and bring the flour together to make a dough. No need to knead the dough. Make sure the dough is pliable. Divide the dough in to two portions. Heat a flat griddle . Take one portion of the dough. First bring together the dough to make a ball shape, flatten it in between your palms and then place it on the hot griddle and start patting the dough in circular motion ( can refer this video) to make a thick roti. Alternatively you can cut open a ziplock bag or take a (transparent) plastic sheet and pat jowar roti on the sheet and transfer it carefully on the hot griddle. Allow it to cook on one side for a minute or so and then flip over. Smear some ghee or oil and flip again after few moments. Cook till done. To make chutney just blend all the ingredients (listed under 'For Green Chutney') to make a smooth paste. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. You can add a tbsp of dalia dal or even some thin sev to the chutney. Please note: This may or may not be the exact way the Dhodho chatni is made at Sadhu Bella. The recipe shared here is based on bits and pieces of information shared by Ashok Ji and some devotees! 3.5.3251 And for those who may be curious about how to write in Arabic Sindhi script here is a short video for today’s alphabet ڍ

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Sagro|The Rituals And Food

Alka Keswani — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 13:13:31 +0000

Sagro is a unique traditional ceremony celebrated by Sindhis to express their gratitude to Lord Shiva.

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Sindh Da Swad~Sindhi Food Pop Up At Punjab Grill

Alka Keswani — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 16:34:53 +0000

And I am back to blogging! It feels really strange to accept the fact that I have been ignoring the blog since long but I can easily put the blame on the rough times me and my extended family had been through (more about that in my next post)! And while life could be really mean to you, yet there are moments when you can’t help but wonder how comforting and buoyant some incidents could be! Thanks to my blog, I have met many amazing people, online as well as offline, often discussing at length, the nitty-gritties of Sindhi cuisine and one such person is Chef Jyoti Vishnani. A sweet, petite and pretty contestant of Masterchef India, season 4, Jyoti, a Sindhi Chef from Ulhasnagar (my home town) wears many feathers in her hat. Her talent and hard work led her to be a part of a prestigious project with Chef Vikas Khanna, an opportunity to share her recipes on ‘Tata Sky Cooking’ and a privilege of gaining work experience at Chef Sanjeev Kapoor’s Signature by Sanjeev in Doha. Chef Jyoti vishnani Jyoti and I often discuss about Sindhi cuisine, its history and evolution and also rant about the way it is neglected by restaurant industry, about the dearth of fine dining Sindhi restaurants and the measures that need to be taken to bring our cuisine on global radar. So when she told me about a Sindhi Pop-Up she has curated for Punjab Grill, in Mumbai, I was obviously thrilled beyond words. Yesterday I had an honor to be one of her special guests and I thoroughly enjoyed the food and her company. Here are the deets! Punjab grill @ BKC, Mumbai The Pop-Up: Sindh Da Swad, the Sindhi food Pop-Up at Punjab Grill ( BKC and Kala Ghoda outlets) curated by super talented Chef Jyoti Vishnani, commenced on 6th April 2019, would wind up on 14th April. Folks in Mumbai, please do attend this! I visited Punjab Grill at BKC with great expectations and thankfully I was not disappointed. The ambiance was pleasant and the staff,very courteous! It was late afternoon, hence the place was quieter and Chef Jyoti and I had long conversations about Sindhi food, the pop-up, the menu and of course about our cravings for Ulhasnagar’s Sindhi street food. The Menu: If you are well versed with Sindhi Cuisine you would surely acknowledge the efforts put in by the Chef, to curate the exhaustive a la carte menu. To begin with, the Summer coolers on the menu are Rose Sherbet and Chandan (Sandalwood) Sherbet. Starters: Dal Pakwan ( Mixed lentils topped with vegetable garnish and tangy chutney served with crunchy crisps), Batan papdi chaat (unique Sindhi street food), Saibhaji Dhodho (Signature Sindhi Spinach, veggies and lentils mash topped on flavorful Jowar roti /canapé) and some more popular snacks from the cuisine. Non Veg. Starters like whole fish fry, Keema patties etc are being loved by the diners as per Chef’s observation. Mains: The most popular and loved dishes from the cuisine are thankfully up on the menu. From Tidali Dal (three lentils mix) to Sindhi Kadhi and from Bhughal mutton to traditional fish preparations, one can pick plenty of dishes to try out to satiate Sindhi food cravings. The famous Sindhi rice dishes including Bhuga chaanwran (Garam masala flavored rice cooked with caramelized onions) and popular flatbreads like Koki and Dhodho wonderfully compliment the kadhi and curries, equally! Desserts: You cannot afford to not have falooda on the menu if you are serving multi course Sindhi food or exclusive Sindhi desserts. So yes, you can gobble that after a scrumptious Sindhi meal. Singhar Ji mithai, yet another gem from the cuisine is made in-house so it is a must try dish on the menu as well. What I had: Since I was alone, I opted for few selected dishes and requested for tiny portions of each. The portions actually served to diners are obviously bigger! To begin with, there was the unique Sindhi Chaat dish called Batan Papdi also known as batarn or batar papdi. The special Batan rusks dipped in tangy chutney and topped with papdi, beetroot touched onions and Dal moath (farsan) served as a perfect start of the meal.Those who have tasted the dish at any stall or eatery in Ulhasnagar, the popular Sindhi dominated area in Mumbai, would really appreciate the perfect replication of street food flavors of this chaat. I had a hard time holding back my temptations of requesting ‘ thoda paani dena bhaiya‘ ( paani, here, refers to the chutney). Would highly recommend the chaat with an extra shot of chutney. Batan Papdi Chaat Dal Pakwan: This popular Signature Sindhi dish, usually considered as a heavy breakfast, was served as a starter. The dish of mixed lentils cooked to perfect creamy consistency, topped with typical garnish of onions, potatoes, tomatoes and green chutney, served in shot glasses along with pakwan (crisps) was modern in appearance but had remarkable traditional flavors. And since portions were moderate, you are left with plenty of room to try out other delicacies. Dal Pakwan Saibhaji Dhodho: The canapé stole my heart! Saibhaji, the mash of spinach, veggies and lentils served on the Jowar Dhodho (refers to patted flour rotis) discs reminded me of my mom ( and this is a big deal) and her signature dish; Juar Jo Dhodho! The Saibhaji had a dry-ish texture so that it could be served as a top up on Dhodho. The subzi had a perfect blend of earthiness of spinach, tartness of tomatoes, aroma of dill leaves and nuttiness of Chana dal. And the Dhodho had that magic touch of sayi thoom or fresh green garlic that makes Sindhi Dhodho so appetising. I gobbled multiple portions of this lovely dish! Yes, it was that good! Saibhaji- Dhodho Aani Basar: Aaani in Sindhi originally meant fish roes. Fish roes fritters cooked in Onion tomato base was/is known as Aani ji bhaji. The vegetarian version is made by flavorful gramflour tikkis fried and added to curry. The aani basar in this pop-up is the vegetarian version. Aani Basar The portion I received was bit high on salt but what I loved about the dish was the melt in the mouth texture of tikki. For the perfect aani dish, tikkis must be well spiced ( and not bland) and must be soft enough to cut in through, smoothly and Chef Jyoti really nailed it! Besan Ji Aani The crunch and nuttiness of whole coriander seeds while having a bite of tikki was a delight to my taste buds and the copious amounts of moyan (fat) gave the tikkis the quintessential texture and crumb. The sweetness of onions provided a delicious base to the tikkis. It was neither bland nor had overpowering masala (spices) flavors. Kadhi chaanwran. Yet another signature Sindhi dish, a delicious blend of roasted gram flour, tangy tamarind and goodness of vegetables, this humble dish is always a winner! Chef Jyoti’s version of kadhi was bit thicker than the one we make at home but it surely had the robust flavors and aroma of perfectly roasted flour, a key factor that decides the fate of the dish. The choice of vegetables used in Kadhi was completely in sync with my preferences, particularly the okra and potatoes that were cooked to perfection. Thankfully the overpowering Cauliflower or oddly placed peas or Beeh (lotus stem) were not used in the Kadhi. Sindhi Kadhi Kadhi was paired with aromatic steamed/ boiled white rice. If you happen to order this dish, I would highly recommend you to take a small portion of rice in a bowl and ladle some hot kadhi over it to make a soupy rice kind of mix and relish it the way Sindhis do, typically! Bhughal Beeh: Honestly speaking, the Bhughal Beeh I know, is a dish made from boiled lotus stem cooked in onion tomato gravy to the extent where the gravy turns like a coating on lotus stem chunks.But Chef Jyoti’s version was very different though I simply loved the bursts of flavors of this dish as well! Bhughal Beeh I am very biased towards lotus stem as I love it in any form and hence this dish too passed the taste test with flying colors. The slightly pungent flavors of garlic and green chillies complemented the earthy flavors of lotus stems while the poppy seeds gave a slightly crunchy, sweet nutty twist and the typical Sindhi garnish of amchoor powder tickled my traditional Sindhi taste buds! I hogged on these as well! Degh waari Bhaji: I had filled myself up by now, but couldn’t resist tasting Degh waari Bhaji since the dish always takes me down the memory lane, back to my childhood days when food served during marriage ceremonies in Sindhi communities was generally Kadhi chaanwaran and/or degh waari bhaji. Huge portions of lotus stem and unpeeled potato chunks cooked in brinjal, onion, tomato gravy, heavily flavored with freshly toasted and ground garam masala cooked in huge degh over logs and served with khada masala spiced rice was termed as Degh waari roti ( roti here means food and not chapati). Degh Waari Bhaji Eventually lotus stem was replaced by other ingredients like Macaroni, Phoolpatasha, Soya granules etc and now in many temples or on religious occasions/ celebration meals, you will find the later version of degh waari bhaji. If done right, the dish can beautifully mimic the flavors of meat curries. Chef Jyoti’s version had soya granules and phoolpatasha and pronounced flavors of garam masala. I would have preferred a little gravy in the dish as personally I prefer to have this curry with boiled rice, just as in good old days! Judging my love for lotus stem by the way I was focusing more on it, Chef Jyoti went inside the kitchen to get some fried Beeh kachryun for me. My soul just blessed her’s, as I munched upon the crisp, crunchy bites of sundried, fried lotus stem chunks! Beeh Jyun Kachryun I really felt sad as I couldn’t relish the classic meat dishes like Mutton, taryal machchi, keema patties etc because of the ongoing Navratras and had to resist the temptations to try out sherbet or falooda and other desserts as I am currently off sugar for health reasons. I wish I could taste everything that’s on the menu!I hope Sindh Da Swad gets extended beyond Navratri so that I can go back again and relish the rest of the dishes from the menu. Great job done Jyoti! So very proud of you! Please note: Since Chef Jyoti refused to let me pay for the meal, I don’t know the price of any dish. The portions that you see in pictures were customized aptly so as to avoid wastage of food. The actual portions served in a la carte are bigger! You can visit the BKC or Kala Ghoda outlet of Punjab grill to enjoy Sindh Da Swad pop-up!

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