BM # 15   Day 5
Sindhi community is renowned for diverse food stuff though this is fact that Rice and Potato are the staple Sindhi  food, Onion and Tomatoes  are highly  used in most dishes. The daily food in most Sindhi households consists of wheat-based flat-bread (phulka) and rice accompanied by two dishes, one gravy and one dry.The gravy dish could be either a curry or a daal. Frying is an important and dominating activity of Sindhi Kitchen. Sindhi cuisines are not only famous for excessive use of oil and spices but also known for the unique and typical style of cooking, Seyal is one style of cooking where lots of onion is used and the vegetables  and spices are added .This is then cooked on slow fire with a lid on top .water is poured on top  so it cooks without burning.
Daag is yet another style ,where onions are sauted till pink and then tomatoes are added to make the gravy.
 
The Sindhi menu….
Drink
Matho 
(Buttermik with musturd pwd and gram flour dumplings)
 
Snack
Sanna Pakora 
(Crisp and crunchy  and spicy fries)
 
Daal / Curries /Dry vegetables
(A blend of three lenils tempered with golden garlic)
Tamatan ji Chutney 
(Tomatoes cooked with Indian herbs and farm fresh peas)
Katt wara Karela 
(Grated onions and garlic filling the bitter gourd)
Tariyal Bhindiyu Patata (okra and Potatoes)
(Okra,onions, potatoes and raw mango simmered with dry indian spices)
 
Rice
Chawaran
 (white rice tempered with ghee and shahi jeera)
 
Roti / Breads
Sindhi Fulko
(a special chapati soft and crushed with hands…smeered in ghee)
(Flat bread made with sorgum flour,blended with onions and fresh herbs)
 
Accompaniments
Sai chutney
 (green chutney with the tanginess of raw mango )
Bazaran ji Khatan
 (Oil free baby onion pickle with musturd pwd )
Ambdiyun ji Khatan
 (mango pickle)
Kheecha,Singar, Sindhi Papad
 
Sweet
Baata jo Seero 
(broken wheat halwa cooked in pure ghee and garnished wih nuts)
 
Sanna Pakora
 
Tridaali Daal
 
Tamatan ji Chutney
 
Katt wara Karela
 
Tariyal Bhindiyu Patata
 
Baata jo Seero
 
 
Bazaran ji khatan,Sai Chatandi
 
Sindhi Fulko
 
Jowar jo Dhodho
 
Matho
 
Kheecha,Singar
 
Sindhi Papad
 
Chawara
 
The most popular sindhi snack is Saana Pakora.These are very quick to prepare and unique…you see they are fried and refried!!,served with sai chatandi (green coriander and mint chutney) they are a total tea time party hit. I remember granny asking mom to make some poori and pakoda whenever guests came in the evening……and along with this mango pickle was served.
 
The daals served in Sindhi homes are mildly spiced  and then tempered. The tempering is done either by cumin seeds or garlic which is chopped and sauted till pink.For today I have chosen tridaali daal.This is a blend of three daals.
 
Like all cuisines Sindhi Cuisine also has some set menus.With time these have changed and people hardly follow them. My sis in law is from a hard core Sindhi family who follow all Sindhi traditions  and she was the one to tell me the right combinations.
With tri dali daal it is customary to make one veg..something like fried bhindi or karela or aaloo.Since we are doing a spread I made our famous Kaatt wara Karela, these are stuffed karelas with a lovely  onion stuffing .The Bhindiyu Patata ‘s is a recipe of my aunt which is amazing and tastes heavenly in summers , the raw mango pieces are a lovely treat and everyone digs for them!The Tamatan ji Chutney is not a chutney  ,this is served as a veggie with the dhodha.The jowar jo dhodho is a roti  with spices ,little thick and fried in oil.The combination of Dhodho and Chutney is world famous.The Sindhi fulka is made from wheat flour  and has a special technique to make  which I shall surely share with you in my coming posts.
 
 
Sindhi   are fond of pickles and in summers they have the water based pickles while in the mango season the Bheendi Pickle  is one of the most traditional .
 
Curd or duedh is a must with every meal  if not serving curd then Matho is served which is very refreshing.
 
No Sindhi meal is complete without the Sindhi papad.Infact they are served on all meals,be it breakfast ,lunch or dinner.Its supposed to be a blotting paper,which absorbs all the oil…The rice papads are called kheecha and singar is the other version of rice papads which are made from sev press.
 
Coming to Sindhi sweets..Sindhis normally prefer mithais.The popular ones being Singar ji Mithai and Narael ji mithai.They love seeras and today I have made baata jo seero.This is made from broken wheat.
 
And now coming to the recipes….

Sindhi Pakora
1cup………………… besan
1………………………..finely chopped onion
2-3…………………… green chillies
¼ cup……………… coriander leaves finely chopped
Few mint leaves finely chopped
¼ tsp………………. anaardana
¼ tsp………………. whole coriander seeds
¼ tsp……………… .poppy seeds
¼ tsp………………. red chilly pwd
Pinch cooking soda
Salt to taste.


Mix all the ingredients and make a batter of a little thick consistency.
Heat oil.
Make big sized balls of this batter  and deep fry.
The oil has to be hot when you begin frying ,after you have put in the balls simmer the gas , so that these cook well from inside.
Remove.
Cool.
Break these pakoras into small pieces.
Refry on full flame till crisp.


Tareeyal Bhindi Patata
250 gms ……………….small sized bhindi
1large …………………..potato peeled and cut into rounds
2………………………….. small onions cut into quarters
2-3……………………….. green chillies slitted
For the masala
½ tsp …………………..red chilly pwd
2tsp…………………… coriander pwd
¼ tsp………………….. turmeric pwd
Salt to taste
2tsp……………………. finely chopped garlic


Wash and wipe the bhindis.
Trim off head and tails.
Slit on one side to keep them intact.
Stuff the prepared masala.
Heat oil.

Add potatoes.
Sprinkle salt and turmeric.Saute’.
Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes till half cooked.
Add onions and bhindi and green chillies and saute’.
Cover and cook on slow fire keeping the lid with edges.
Pour some water on this lid.
This shall ensure even cooking without the vegetables sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Once cooked sauté on high flame for a minute or two .
You could garnish with cumin seeds if you wish.
 
You could check out some authentic Sindhi Recipes  which I have posted earlier  from the Recipe Index.
Preparing this thaali took about 1 and 1/2 hours.The karelas were peeled and pre pared 1day before.
 

Sindhi Thaali

25 thoughts on “Sindhi Thaali”

  1. Wow Vaishali, I am impressed girl with this thali. And, guess what I happen to read this @ lunch time (even yesterday). Mine blowing pics. I cannot wait to get my hands on all those recipes.

  2. Everything on this thali is mouthwatering. I could not pick out one dish from this huge array of dishes. That is an absolute feast to my eyes

  3. Now I really wish I was your neighbor….atleast for this thaali week. Such a vast spread…I don't know if a person can take a taste of all the dishes in the thaali and live to walk….super!!!

  4. Perfect Thali. The dishes look great an your post explains Sindhi food custom. Very informative. Now I doubt, whether I can do it like this. Shall try my best next week…

  5. Vaishali, this is such a lovely platter..i have a sindhi frd for past 12 years who has been promising this treat for all the time…i will have to show this to her to ask for my share of goodies

  6. I came back to show all the thalis to my Mom and MIl Vaishali, they are delighted and in awe of your efforts. They told me to convey Hats off to your skills and passion in showcasing such beautiful thalis..:)..Looks like I have missed this one..I have seen all the thalis again..Will be back to read all of them again in detail and to try some of them..thank you again!

  7. I grew up in Khar in Mumbai and am missing the Sindhi cuisine that I ate at my friends place back then, simple easy home cooked meals! I hope you will post more menus as in classical Sindhi cooking the combinations are very important! Please post the recipe for Bhindi Dal as well, thanks. PS: Your photos make me drool 🙂

  8. Happy to see a Sindhi Thali here Vaishali..
    I just could not participate in this event because we don't get Indian groceries here in Brazil..
    Well done !
    Do drop by my space sometime.

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