Sindhi Aani Bassar is a famous Sindhi style Besan ki Sabzi. It is a delicious curry with fried lentil dumplings that are coated with a thick gravy of onion and tomatoes. It is also popular as Tikki ji Bhaji or Tikdiyun ji Bhaji.

The cuisine of Sindh, Pakistan is Sindhi Cuisine. Before the partition, Sindh was under the Bombay Presidency, but after the partition, Sindhis have spread all over the globe. The cooking style and recipes have been modified to today’s trend. We do have some very renowned dishes that steal everyone’s heart. Sindhi Kadhi Chawaran, Sai Bhaji, Bhuga Chawara, and Koki are just a few to name.

Sindhis were predominantly non-vegetarian and very fond of fish. They made pakoras and tikkis with fish eggs, which Is referred to as Aani in Sindhi. Over a period of time, many Sindhis have converted into vegetarians, and the vegetarian version with besan came up. Now we add Poppy seeds to besan, the seeds replace the eggs. We fry the Aani and then add it to either gravy or cook it over a bed of onions and tomatoes. The Bassar in Aani Bassar is a Sindhi word for Onions.

This is a gluten-free and vegan dish and is a delicacy in Sindhi homes. We like to serve the Sindhi Aani Bassar with a Fulko, but a paratha or a chapati is fine too.

Ingredients required to make Sindhi Aani Bassar

Aani

Chickpea Flour or Besan: Use a good quality organic besan. It is easily available in grocery stores. Make sure to sieve it to get rid of any lumps.

Onion: Onions give a crunch and a caramelized flavor. Add finely chopped onions.

Green Chilly: Finely chopped medium-spiced green chilies are the best to use in Aani.

Coriander Leaves: Coriander leaves add their aroma and are a must in Aani.

Mint Leaves: Mint leaves are optional, but I love their flavor. They help in digestion too.

Oil: Use oil for Moyan as well as for frying the Aani.

Anardana | Dried Pomegranate: Most Sindhis add a handful of anardana to the Aani. It gives a slight tanginess.

Poppy Seeds: A teaspoon of poppy seeds give a wonderful crunch and flavor to the Aani.

Gravy

Onion: I use red onions, but white ones will work too. Use a chopper to make work easy.

Tomato: I prefer to roughly blend the tomatoes for this gravy.

Herbs and Spices: I have used ginger, green chilly, and the basic everyday spices like turmeric, red chilly powder, and coriander powder. A pinch of Garam Masala enhances the flavor of the curry.

How to make Sindhi Aani Bassar

To make Sindhi Aani Basaar, first, we will make the Aani.

Aani

First, soak the poppy seeds for about an hour. Use a thin sieve to drain the water.
Now take besan in a wide bowl. Add chopped onions, green chili, coriander leaves, poppy seeds, dry pomegranate seeds, salt, and oil.

Mix everything very well. Rub in the oil so the flour resembles breadcrumbs. Knead the dough adding water gradually. The dough should be stiff.
Next, pinch out small balls, the size of a small lemon, and flatten them to shape them into a tikki. We call these tikki Aani.
Heat oil in a kadai and fry the Aani in medium to hot oil. Do not add all the tikkis at a time, they might disintegrate. Fry the tikkis till golden. Keep aside. Let them come to room temperature.

Now immerse them in water. ( This is a tip that my mom taught ) The Aanis absorb water and become soft.
Alternatively, we add the fried Aanis.

Next, we will make the gravy.

This gravy is thick and we do not grind it. This particular method of cooking is called Seyal.

Heat about 4 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add the chopped onion and saute till translucent. Now add ginger paste, and chopped green chilli.

Gently remove the tikkis from the water and add them to the onion. Sprinkle salt and turmeric. Do not mix, simply cover the pan with a lid and pour about half a cup of water over the lid. Simmer the flame.

( If you are using fried tikkis we will still add them at the same time and sprinkle a little water over them, cover with a lid, and cook similarly. Add tomatoes only after the tikki is soft.

After 10-12 minutes the onions become soft. Remove the lid and now add tomatoes, coriander powder, and red chilly powder. Give a gentle stir, so everything combines well. Put back the lid and let the tomatoes cook.

After about 5 minutes or till the tomatoes are mushy increase the flame and cook till all the moisture is absorbed. We will see a sheen of oil on the soft onions. Sprinkle Garam Masala. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with Sindhi Fulko or Paratha.

Serving Suggestions

We serve Aani Bassar with a ghee-smeared roti, Fulko. We can also serve it with Chapati or Paratha.

Storage Suggestions

We can store the Aani Bassar Sabzi in the frig for a day. Since it is an onion-based dish, I prefer not to store more than that.

The Aani has a good shelf life and we can store them in the refrigerator for a week. You can store them in the freezer for almost three months. Prepare fresh gravy and add the Aanis.

Notes & Tips

To make Aani, ensure that the dough for the Aani is hard. While kneading the dough add water spoon by spoon. A Tikki made from soft dough will make the tikki hard.

While frying the Tikki, do not fry it in very hot oil. They will become dark, but will not cook from inside.

Do not overcrowd the Tikkis while frying.

I immerse the Tikkis in water, but this is an optional step.

The Tikki has a good shelf life and you can store it in the refrigerator for almost a week. You can stock them in the freezer too.

After adding the Tikki to the onions, do not stir, as it will break the Tikki. When you need to stir, stir gently with a spatula.

You can enjoy the Tikki as it is, as a snack too.

I have updated the post with better pics and content.

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