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A to Z Of Sindhi Food

Alka Keswani — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 13:46:01 +0000

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

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Zaroori Masalha For AlifBe~29

Alka Keswani — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 08:02:38 +0000

The 29th Consonant in Sindhi AlifBe is ض in Arabic Sindhi, ज़ in Devanagari and ‘Z‘ in Roman Sindhi. ‘Z’ as in ‘Zaroor‘ or ‘Zaroori‘! Yes, ‘Z’ is already covered in the AlifBe series but then, there are 4 variations of ‘Z’ in Persio Arabic Sindhi script. Do read the details here, in case you are interested! Coming back to the ض, since there is no Sindhi dish starting with this consonant, I am here today with a post about essential/important spices i.e ‘Zaroori Masalha ‘ in Sindhi cuisine, for AlifBe of Sindhi Food~29! I am yet to confirm the correct way of writing ‘Masalha’ in Devanagari. If you know it, please do help! Few general spices are essential to rustle up any Sindhi meal and then there are some typical spices that are used in various Sindhi dishes. Let’s begin with essential powdered spices: Haid (हैड) i.e Turmeric: Turmeric is one of the most important spices used in Sindhi cuisine. It is mandatory in all veg. and non veg. curries/subzis/dal preparations/pickles etc and it is also used in Pulav. Sometimes a tiny pinch is added to rice to get a greenish tinge. Dhaan~a (धाणा) also known as Suka dhaan~a i.e Coriander powder: Coriander powder is used in almost all the curries/veg. or non veg. preprations. It is almost always added at the beginning of the bhunoing process. Whole coriander seeds add wonderful flavors and aroma to Sanna Pakora , Aani in Aani Ji Bhaji while the pounded kernels called dhaan~an jo magaz (Dhaniya Magaz) are used to make Khoya mithai (Poppyseeds, ghee, milk and nuts slow cooked to make a fudge). G^aad^ha Mirch ( ॻाड़हा मिर्च ) i.e Red Chilli powder: Used in almost all the gravy based dishes for color and for heat as well. Red chilli powder is also a key ingredient in Bhuga Chanvar (भुॻा चांवर), pickles and many other dishes including spiced roti (Chehro Phulko) and Puri (Chehri Puri). Kaara Mirch (black pepper powder) : used widely in many Sindhi style dishes like Koki, suhanjhro, the black pepper powder is a preferred garnish for curds, raita etc. Ambachoor /Amchoor (अंबचूर) also known as Khattai/Khatt ( Dried Mango Powder): A must have in a Sindhi Kitchen, this tangy powder is a game changer for many Sindhi style preparations. Fried snacks like Kachalu/ patate ja Tuk, boiled snacks like Sawa Phota, D^adhri (lentil pods), boiled beans like Mung, raanh (black eyed beans), Kuneh Ja beeh etc are often spiced up with Ambachoor. This is one of our favorite souring agents and we do use it very liberally. Garam masalo (गरम मसालो) a Spice blend: There are probably only 2-3 spice blends used in day to day Sindhi cooking; one being a powder of roasted Caraway seeds/cumin seeds and coriander seeds , other being a mix of cardamom and caraway seeds and then there is Garam masalo, the quintessential spice blend that is not as elaborate as the commercially available curry powders or Garam masala powders. Sindhi style Garam masalo is a mix of Tej pata, cloves, black pepper, cumin seeds (sometimes even caraway seeds are added), dalchini (cinnamon), green and black cardamom and very little of nutmeg. Traditionally the above mentioned spices were collected and kept in sunlight to get rid of moisture. Small portions were made so that fresh batches could be made frequently. The freshly made garam masala powder is a key to make a well flavored Sindhi subzi/curry or aromatic gravy based dishes (veg. as well as non veg.). And though technically salt is not a spice, it is arguably one of the most used ingredients in any kitchen and hence it deserves a mention too! Known as Loon~ ( लूण) in Sindhi, this seasoning could be categorised as Loon~ ( table salt), used for regular meals, sendho loon~ (Sendha namak) for regular as well as for satvik meals (Ekadashi, Navratri etc), Kaaro loon~ (black salt/Rock salt) used in chutneys, chaat or to garnish buttermilk, lassi etc Essential Spices For Tempering: Tempering or tadka is an important process when it comes to flavoring a dish, particularly the lentils. Almost all lentil preparations in Sindhi cuisine are tempered with ghee and basic spices like Jeero (Cumin) and Aur/Ahur/Saranh i.e Mustard seeds. In some Dal preparations like Tidali dal or in whole mung, garlic and asafoetida are also added. The fat medium is generally the ghee but it could be refined oil too. Bhatia Sindhis do not consume onions or garlic and hence hing (हिंॻ) (asafoetida) is the most preferred spice for tempering in Bhatia Cuisine! Hurb^o i.e हुर्ॿो (fenugreek seeds) is yet another spice used for tadka; mostly in the dishes where spices are tempered at the beginning of the cooking process (while in dal preparations, tempering is done towards the end) e.g. Sindhi kadhi, Tamate ji ras mein patata (Potatoes cooked in tomato gravy) etc. Hurb^o is also added to many Sindhi style pickles. Laung (cloves), Kamaal Patt (Tej Patta) , Nanda phota (Green cardamoms) Vadha Phota (Black Cardamoms) are also used in many Sindhi dishes where Khada masala in required for example in Pulav, in non vegetarian curries and in some vegetarian curries too. For the tang: Tomatoes were not a part of traditional Sindhi cuisine in ancient era. Most of the traditional dishes like Tidali dal, Kukum waari dal, Bhindi basar (Bhindi pyaz), mung beans etc are still made without tomatoes, though some of us now use tomatoes in these dishes too. Gidamr^i or गिदामिड़ी (Tamarind) is generally used as a souring agent in Sindhi Kadhi and in chutneys. Kukum ja gulah (dried Kokum phool) are also widely used in Sindhi Kadhi instead of tamarind as these impart refreshing tangy flavor without altering the color of the dish. Kukum Ja gulah (dried Kokum Flowers) are also used in some dal preparations! Ambachur (as mentioned above) and D^ar^oon khatta (ॾाड़हूं खट्टा) i.e annardana or dried pomegranate seeds, both are profusely used in Sindhi cuisine! Dried Pomegranate seeds are not only used as a souring agent in Tidali Dal but these are also used to make Koki, Sanna Pakoda and many other dishes! There are some other spices like Mithi soda (cooking soda/baking soda) mostly used in batters for making Pakora, jaan~ (जाण) or ajwain used in Pakwan, Saunf (fennel seeds) used in Tairi and could be a few more that I may have missed mentioning here. Do let me know if you could think of more! And before I wind up today’s post, here is a short video explaining how to write consonants/vowels in Arabic Sindhi. If you haven’t subscribed to my YouTube channel then please do. It will motivate me to make recipe videos in the future!

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Misri And Its Importance in Sindhi Culture~ AlifBe~28

Alka Keswani — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 06:30:45 +0000

The next consonant in AlifBe (Sindhi ‘alphabet’) is ص in Arabic Sindhi, स in Devanagari and in Roman Sindhi it is ‘S’, as in ‘sandook’. If you have been following the AlifBe Series, you may remember the 10th post in which I have mentioned that in Arabic Sindhi there are three variants of ‘S’ namely; ث , ص, س . Out of these three, two alphabets i.e ث and ص are used only while writing Arabic or Urdu words in Sindhi script while س is used to write words of Sindhi origin. In Roman Sindhi and in Devanagari, these 3 alphabets are denoted with letter S and स (respectively) only. So while in my 10th Post I did mention that all three variations of ‘s’ are covered under one since there are no Sindhi dishes that start with ث , ص life had other plans for me! A few days ago my friend Anjali Koli, a fellow food blogger, the spice queen who makes wonderful spice blends, the lady whom you may have seen on T.v (The Great Indian Rasoi, season 2, cooking with Chef Ranveer Brar) wrote a lovely post about a ritual that is common across many communities, on Instagram! She was referring to a post by Shubhra Chatterji (Director, Story writer and Entrepreneur) of The Lost Recipe fame, about the sugar (cones of sugar) being a part of the engagement ceremonies. It was fascinating to know that a Sugar cone/sugar/Misri is a part of Engagement rituals in Koli and in Parsi communities, in Tamil and Kannada culture as well as in Punjabi community. As we were exchanging our thoughts on that, I realised how Misri plays an important part in Sindhi culture too. And guess what, Misri in Arabic Sindhi is written by using the 28th Consonant in our AlifBe series; ص! No Sindhi dish starts with this letter so in the past I had made my mind to skip the letter. But today here I am, with Misri! Though Misri is not a dish per se, but it plays a very important role in Sindhi rituals. But before talking about the rituals or about how the traditional Misri is made, let me share with you some details about the origin of Misri! Sugar/Misri/Khand! Some versions of the History say that the crystallised sugar was being made by people of India, some 1670 years ago and that from India, via Buddhist monks it reached to the Emperor of Tang Dynasty (around 1400 years ago). While some believe that rock sugar/crystallised sugar was discovered in Tang Dynasty and from there it spread to Europe (Southern) via Middle East. Perhaps the crystallized sugar in India, then, was brownish in color while later in China they managed to make the white crystals and maybe, since white was considered as a better or more pure version by the folks fascinated by the fairer stuff, it became more popular than the Indian Khand. Also, many believe that the term Mishri (Misri in Sindhi) comes from the Chinese ‘Mi-Sha-Li’ meaning “sweet-pebble-glassy,” i.e pebble like crystals of sugar and that the word Khand comes from the Chinese word Kan-Di, which in Arabic became Qan-D and Khand in Hindi.But again, there are theories that the Khandsari (crystallised sugar) is originally a Sanskrit word since Khand means ‘portions'(with gaps) or ‘broken’, in Sanskrit. Do you know that Romans considered Sugar as something that is used for medicinal purposes only? Trust humans to turn something as nourishing as Khand/Misri to something as poisonous as the modern table sugar! Traditionally Misri is made from Khandsari, the unrefined sugar! Juice is extracted from sugar cane, boiled with or without Palm sap, some mucilaginous extracts of vegetable plants (Like Okra/ Deola) are added to clarify the juice along with lime juice (not always)till the scum collected on the surface turns white. The juice is concentrated by boiling further and then cooled. But while cooling it is paddled continuously and thus jaggery ‘sugar’ is obtained which is unrefined (technically, bit refined or cleaner). This unrefined sugar is rich in minerals and is not a threat to your health but when this unrefined sugar goes through multiple ‘refining’ processes, we get the table sugar, an unnecessary, totally avoidable ingredient in our pantry, consumed in ample quantities. To make Misri, a supersaturated solution of the Khand (traditionaly the unrefined sugar) is made and allowed to stand undisturbed. The popular ‘Dhaage Waali Mishri’ is made by placing a string/thread in the supersaturated sugar solution. As the solution cools down the drier surface of thread is used by sugar crystals as a surface to hold on. Tiny crystals of sugar (also called ‘seeds’) first cling to the thread and as the time progresses and temperature decreases, more and more sugar from the solution turn into crystals and collect on the ‘seeds’ and that’s how we get the threaded crystallised rock candy or the Misri. If made from unrefined sugar, Misri is actually good for the health. Importance of Misri in Sindhi Culture: Since ancient times, Misri is not only used as a sweetener but also as a symbol of sweetness in our lives. Hence it is used in many Sindhi rituals. Dahi Misri (curds mixed with misri) before venturing out for important work (keeps you cool and provides energy), makhan misri (a must for Bhog to Lord Krishna) are known combinations consumed by people across the communities in India. Chaato /phook: In olden days, a new born was given a finely sieved, powdered mix of green cardamoms and misri to avoid colic pains. Later (after atleast 40 days from birth) Jwar Ji tikki is added to the same. This fine powder is called Chaato/Fook-a/Phook. Now the Doctors do not allow anything to be given to infants except mother’s milk but some still do follow the tradition! Similarly, the new moms were fed the Fakki, a powdered mix of digestive herbs, spices, almonds and misri as a part of postnatal care. Jhand/ Tonsure ceremony: In many Sindhi families (particularly the Shikarpuri Sindhis) a ritual called Chouso Kanjiri is performed by maternal grandmother, where she offers Kopra (dried coconut) and Misri to her daughter (now a mother herself) after the child is tonsured. Kheer Jalan: Soon after the tonsure ceremony, the child is taken to his/her maternal grandparents for a visit and while returning the child and his/her mother is handed some raw milk and Misri along with new clothes. Kachi Misri (Informal Engagement) : When two families agree to a marriage alliance between a girl and a boy, the key members of either side of the families decide upon a date and and an informal engagement ceremony is held, called Kachi Misri. Traditionally some fruits along with coconut and Misri were exchanged but gradually the ritual became more elaborated in terms of the gifts exchanged. The sister of the boy (future groom) does the key rituals here. She sits next to the girl (future bride) and a red dupatta is used to cover their heads. She then feeds the girl some Karao/ seero (Wheat flour halwa, or could be Suji halwa) and places coconut, 5 fruits and Misri in the extended or stretched dupatta/ sari pallu worn by the girl. Some consider it as a gesture of accepting the girl in the new family while others believe the ritual to have deeper meaning i.e the coconut is considered a symbol of fertility and a blessing of Lord Shiva, the Misri is for blessing the couple with ample sweetness in their future life, the fruits are to wish health and happiness. The families then exchange the baskets filled with fruits, dry fruits and nuts, mithai and in modern times, even packaged snacks and everything is then shared with extended family members. The ritual varies from family to family but the crux is same i.e Misri is exchanged for the informal engagement. Before marriage another ritual called Pakki Misri (or Pakka) is performed which is the formal engagement and generally rings are exchanged during this ceremony. Believed to be adapted from Western culture, Ring ceremony nowadays is more about Cocktail parties and elaborate buffet meals with DJ music and all. Times are changing and how? Ddikha: Traditionally observed on the eve of the marriage, or just before the wedding this is one of the most important ‘pre marriage’ rituals. The ladies in the extended family of the groom make a Boshshni for the groom. It is basically a plain white cloth which is stitched at one end in a way that it forms a pouch. The stitching is done using needle and thread by the aunts/sister-in-law or ladies in the family and some light embroidery is also done by them. This Boshshni is then draped around the neck of the groom and Misri, coconut/fruits are put in the ‘pouch’. This is again worn during wedding (Pheras) by the groom and is also used in important events/Pooja ceremonies later, particularly during Tel , a ritual performed in pregnancy (like Baby Shower in the West) etc. Vanva Ji kutti: On the eve of wedding or as some observe it on the day of the wedding, the bride and groom are fed a nourishing crumble of coarsely pounded (or ground) dry fruits, cardamon etc to which misri is also added. This nourishing Kutti (Kutti= Something that is pounded) is fed to the girl and the boy by their respective families and is also fed to eligible bachelors with the belief that eating it would bestow good luck and fortune in terms of marriage prospects. Behrano: A Behrano is a a sacred ritual observed by Sindhis in honor of Lord Jhulelal. It is generally made on ChetiChand (New Year of Sindhis) or during Chaliha festival (A fasting festival observed for 40 days by many Sindhi devotees) or on some other auspicious occasions. To make Behrana, a bronze Thali ( or a steel thal) is taken and some raw rice, misri, ghee and little kumkum is spread. A huge mound is made from atta ( kneaded dough) and is placed on the thal. The mound represents Lord Jhulelal. The mound is then smeared with sindoor (we avoid using sindoor as the dough is supposed to be fed to fishes) that represents clothes of Jhulelal saeen. Cloves and Nanda phota i.e green cardamoms ( ideally 101, but the count varies) are stuck in the mound that represents ornaments of Jhulelal saeen. A block of Misri or some crystals of misri are also stuck. A lamp of dough is made and filled with ghee. Fresh flowers, fruits ( 5 types of fruits) and some red cloth is also placed in the thal. This Thal is placed in front of an idol or picture of Lord Jhulelal and hymns are sang to praise the Lord. A Prasad of sweetened rice ( Tayri) and boiled chole is distributed. The Behrana ( always carried on head), along with a Pooja Thali ( coconut, dough lamp, agarbatti, flowers, kalash filled with water) is then taken to a river body and people dance and sing and pray on the way. Finally the Behrana is immersed in the river or lake and a small Pooja is done. Sindhis used to live around the Indus river and would often travel far and wide through sea routes hence water bodies were worshipped and fishes were (and still are) often fed with rice, kneaded dough, misri etc. I may have missed some rituals where Misri is used. If you know of some such traditions and customs please do let me know in comments section. I will add that information to this post with due credits. I cannot wind up this post without thanking my dear friend (a true friend in need) Pooja Juriani, for her extreme generosity and timely help. Without the pictures shared by her, this post would have been dull and lifeless! Thank you Pooja Juriani, for patiently hearing me out and for the countless pictures that you shared so that I can pick some from your collection. Heartfelt Gratitude!!! And before I end up this long post, here is the link of the video about the consonant ص

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Rabri~AlifBe~25

Alka Keswani — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 07:23:46 +0000

The Dairy products could be divided in many types, for example, heat desiccated (khoya), heat and acid coagulated (paneer, cheese), clarified butter (ghee), frozen (Ice cream), frozen concentrated milk (Kulfi variant) and condensed or concentrated products like Rabdi, Basundi etc. In the spotlight today is the Rabri or Rabdi or as many Sindhis call it, Reb^di! Rabri is a concentrated, sweetened whole fat milk and is considered to be of high nutritive value. It is a traditional preparation and its variations are mentioned in ancient food manuscripts, in food related accounts from 16th century and even in popular Mangal Kavyas (Poems of Benediction, in Bengali literature) composed between 13th (or is it 15th?) to 18th Century! There are plenty of versions of Rabri depending on the flavors of the ingredients used, for example, the dry fruit rabri, Khoye waali Rabri, Sitaphal (Custard Apple) rabri or Seb (Apple) rabri, Kesar, Mango, Gulkand Rabri etc. Also, depending on the process of making Rabri and on the texture of the final product, a Rabri it could be classified as Ghatta Rabri, Lachedar, Lachedar khurchan waali, Sar Rabri, Basundi, Faluda waali rabri , Chena Rabdi etc. The basic rules of making a Rabri are same i.e Simmer full fat milk till three fold or four fold concentrations (i.e till it reduces to 1/3rd or 1/4th of its original volume), add sugar and cook a little more. But different kinds of rabri are made by adopting different methods of treating the cream (malai) collected while the milk is being reduced. As the milk is gently simmered, layers of cream appear on the surface. The milk is allowed to simmer undisturbed as stirring would hamper formation of cream layer. Milk is stirred gently only at intervals to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom of the Kadai. The simmering milk is fanned from the top so that the surface is cooler so as to facilitate formation of cream layers from time to time. The thin cream layers are carefully collected either on the side of the pan/kadai or allowed to thicken a bit and then collected in another vessel only to be added back at the later stage! While on the side of the pan, the cream layers tend to dry out and are then scrapped and added to the final sweetened concentrated milk (here, the rabri) and hence the term Khurchan (the scrapes)! If the cream layers are thinner and are scraped from the sides and mixed in, the rabri is called Khurchan waali Rabri . If the slightly thickened cream layers are mixed and stirred in the rabri the resulting chunkier rabri is called Ghatta Rabri. The texture is not very different in both the cases and many would call both as the Rabri. If larger chunks of thick cream layers are dunked in the rabri it is called as Lachedar (flaky) Rabri. But again, not many consider Lachedar and Khurchan types to be different. Many even label either of it as Lachedar Khurchan waali rabri. Then there is Bengali style Sar Rabri where the malai is really thick and it is neatly cut into slices (squares or rectangles) and served with some thickened milk. Basundi on the other hand is more smooth (creamier) and little runny as compared to the Lachedar Rabri and is generally without any clotted cream (flakes). Rabdi for Faluda is less chunkier than Lachedar but more concentrated and grainier than Basundi! Mostly commercial Rabri is made from high fat Buffalo milk (6% or above, fat) and while some rely on basic ingredients i.e Milk and sugar only, you may find a Rabdi that is made using a little of Tatri (citric acid crystals), lemon juice, curds etc. A perfectly made Rabri will have chunkier malai bits and smooth condensed (concentrated) milk and not the chunks suspended in milk that looks curdled or whey like. And well, by now you may have figured out why the Rabri is in spotlight today, no? The 25th letter in the AlifBe of Sindhi food is ڙ in Sindhi, ड़ in Devanagari and is represented by R^ in Roman Sindhi. No word starts with ड़ in Devanagari and so is the case with Arabic Sindhi too and hence ڙ never comes in the beginning of any Sindhi word. The consonant sound (Voiced retroflex flap ) is peculiar and is used in few languages only. Sindhi and Devanagari Transliteration courtesy Deepak Keswani and Barkha Khushalani! Some Hindi words where this letter is used are: लड़का, पेड़, लड़ाई and of course रबड़ी Kindly note that the Rabri words begin with another R (We have covered it in the Previous post)! Print Rabri~AlifBe~25 Rating 3.0 from 1 reviews A rich and delicious dessert made by reducing milk! Ingredients 1 lit full fat milk ( I used Amul's milk with 6% fat) 3 Tbsp Sugar (Add a tbsp more if you like it very well sweetened) Method Take a thick bottomed kadai, add 2 tbsp of water or grease the kadai with ghee. Pour full fat milk and heat it on medium to high flame till it starts bubbling. Lower the flame. Remaining process needs to be done on medium flame only. A very low flame will not only increase the making time but will also alter the color of the final dish . Traditionally one has to swing hand held fan over the kadai to ensure that the cream is formed quickly. I just kept switching the ceiling fan on and off but it was not of much help! Do not stir milk very frequently as it will hamper cream formation. Just keep a spatula in the kadai and at decent intervals gently scrap the bottom of the kadai with it, without lifting the spatula off the surface. Collect the cream formed on the surface and gently move it to the sides of the kadai. Allow the cream to dry while being stuck on the sides. Keep collecting cream by pushing it to the sides and keep sticking cream on the sides of the kadai. Continue with the process till the milk is reduced to ⅓rd of its original volume. You can go ahead till it is ¼th of its volume. Add 3-4 tbsp of Sugar and gently mix it. Now mix in the thickened flakes and scraped dried thin layers in the reduced, sweetened milk. Allow the mix to cook a little more and then transfer the contents in a bowl. Once cool enough, refrigerate the Rabri for few hours. Rabri tends to thicken after cooling and more so, after the refrigeration. If you find it too thick for your liking after it is cool, simply mix in few tsp of boiled (but warm) milk. You can add saffron, cardamon, dried nuts etc if you wish to make Kulfi from this Rabri. 3.5.3251 And for those who are following the AlifBe series to learn Sindhi script, here is a short video about how to write ڙ in Sindhi:

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Jeth Ji Sesa~AlifBe~12

Alka Keswani — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 15:31:45 +0000

The 12th consonant in Sindhi Alif Be is ڄ, a unique one, because it is used in very few languages, one of it being Sindhi (Saraiki is another language where this is used). In Roman Sindhi it is written as J^ and as ॼ in Devanagari. ڄ is a Voiced (vocal chords vibrate when you utter this) Palatal (middle of the tongue touches hard palate) Implosive ( you breathe in instead of breathing out while uttering this). You can check this link to know how ڄ is pronounced! There are limited number of Sindhi words starting with this alphabet. Some examples are j^aari (the net), j^ibh (tongue) and j^ethu. J^ethu is the third month in Lunar calendar, also known as Jeth or Jyeshtha. There are barely any Sindhi dishes that start with the letter ڄ. So I thought to share a food ritual related to a lesser known festival of Sindhis, called J^eth Ji Sesa ! Sesa festival is observed on J^eth ji Ummas i.e Amavasya (No moon day) in Jyeshtha month as per lunar calendar . The festival is known as J^eth Ji Ummas or Khumbh or simply Sesa! Some Sindhis do observe it on the next day of Ummas which is a New moon day (Chand)! Some festivals or rituals stay close to your heart and you derive from it a certain warmth, some comfort and a feeling of being loved and cared for. Scientifically this ritual may not have any valid point but if you believe that faith can move mountains and calm the wild seas then you do believe in rituals like Sesa too. The festival reminds me of my school days, when the new academic year would start around this festival and so would rains, mostly! The thrill of reuniting with school friends after summer vacations, the pre monsoon showers bringing temporary respite from sultry summer heat and the feeling of happiness in the chaos of festivities were some of the things that would make the Sesa a special day, then, and the memories of those lovely moments still warm the cockles of my heart! Khumbh or Sesa or J^ethu Umaas/J^eth Puja, is, kind of, a patriarchal ritual followed by (generally) Sindhi ladies for the well being of male family members, in olden days. Now the ritual is either not observed at all or many Sindhis do observe it even for the girl child in the family. In olden days the male clan would often travel overseas for business purposes and the family would be worried about their safety, particularly if they happen to travel during the times when the turbulence in sea or rivers would pose a threat to the human lives. At the beginning of J^eth month a vow was taken to offer a sweet dish to the Sea/river and prayers were done for the safety of the family member/s and on the Amavasya of the J^eth month Sesa ritual was done. Elderly ladies in the family would dedicate a sweet dish to each male member and that same sweet was/is to be added to Sesa every year. I find it amusing as how our feelings and thought processes change with time. While as a kid I loved the Sesa ritual, as a headstrong teenager I disliked the aura of patriarchy this festival was surrounded by! Years later we started including sweets or dryfruits/ nuts for girl child too and that’s when I started observing it again! I remember how my mother would get busy since early morning to make the feast for J^eth Pooja and then we would accompany her for the pooja rituals in the neighbourhood. Ladies would gather and chit chat while preparing for the rituals and kids would anxiously wait to hog on the puris and pakora, mangoes and sweets. Lunch on this day, in most of the Sindhi homes would be Chola chaanwar. After reserving some boiled chole for prasad, the rest of it would be cooked in an onion tomato gravy and was had with turmeric laced rice…such a bliss! In the Thali : Whole wheatflour Puri, shallow fried potatoes, Gulabjamun (home made), Seyun, B^aat Jo seero (Broken wheat halwa), mangoes and turmeric laced rice. Ps: Updating the blog posts with fresh pics from J^eth Ji Sesa – 2021 We generally add Mesu (Mysore Pak) too but couldn’t find it in the shops around. A Sesa i.e a prasad/offering of boiled kabuli chola ( Garbanzo beans) and peela chaanwra ( Turmeric laced rice) along with seyun (sweetened vermicelli), fried potatoes or pakora, Puri, Mesu (Mysore pak), Gulab Jamun and dedicated sweets, is plated in a Thali. The ladies gather at the water bodies. Though traditionally the ritual was done near a river or sea, nowadays the urban ladies perform the ritual around taps in the home or a temple and then the food offerings are either fed to birds/cows or collected by volunteers and immersed in a lake/pond or river nearby. Sesa or J^eth ji Ummas’ Ritual: Some grass is collected and mounds are prepared of grass and some Puri, shallow fried potatoes, pakora, seyun ( sweet vermicelli) along with the respective dedicated sweet/s, coconut etc are taken from Thali and are placed on the mound . A portion of the mound is then taken and tapped with other had and a small prayer is recited: “Aamra Leemra ( aamro leemro) khayi bharyosein paet, Jiyan muhinja Putra, potra, dhotra, jin rakhaayo J^ethu. J^eth seyun khaaraye, J^eth mesu khaaraye…( Include all the names of sweets offered).. J^eth maal khaaraye ” Roughly translates as: (had) Mangoes/ lemons (or does it mean ‘lim’ i.e neem?) and filled our tummies, Long live my sons and grandsons who made me observe J^ethu rituals. J^eth feeds seyun (sweet vermicelli), J^eth feeds Mesu (a sweet), J^eth feeds us a feast. Please note: I may have erred while translating this so if you know it better, please leave a comment on this post and I will rectify! The mounds are then collected and fed to birds/cows or as done in olden days, immersed into a water body. The rest of the food brought by ladies is collected, mixed and then distributed or shared with neighbours. Another Sesa Thali, with Mesu (Mysore Pak)! At our home we pray for all the family members and particularly for Sesa ritual a sweet/dry fruits/nuts are dedicated for children irrespective of gender. Please check the following links if you seek the recipe! Seyun and Patata Gulabjamun B^aat Jo seero Atta Puri Ps: Adding this small video that I made on Sesa (2021)! And finally check this video to known or learn the formation of Sindhi letter ڄ!

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