Sindhi Cooking

Last weekend, “A”’s mom, Bina Auntie taught (or directed and translated for her cook to teach) me a few yummy Sindhi dishes. Occasionally, “A”’s grandma would advice as well. I’d like to tell you more about the Sindhi people and how they originated from Sindh province, which is now in Pakistan and the migration of Hindu Sindhs to India but you could read all about it here.


Masala - used in most if not every one of the dishes.

ELICHI CHAWAL (Cardamom Rice)

Ingredients
1 cup basmati rice
¼ cup half mung dahl
9 cardamom
2 tbsp oil
1 ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
1 ½ cup of water

Method
* Soak rice and dahl for an hour
* Fry cardamom in oil in a deep pot until fragrant
* Add rice and dahl to pot and fry at high heat and until most moisture is gone
* Add salt
* Add water and bring to a boil
* Lower heat, cover pot with lid and cook for about 20 minutes or till rice is soft. If you’d like rice to be al dente, leave pot slightly uncovered.
* Serve with the other Sindhi dishes. Yummm.

METHI MACCHI (Fenugreek Fish)

Ingredients
5 seer fish fillet (I haven’t tried but I think you could also use Mackeral)
2 handful of methi (fenugreek leaves only), rinsed 4 times and chopped
3 med. onions, chopped
4 med tomato, chopped
1 tbsp blend of ginger, garlic and green chili paste (equal amount of ginger and garlic and one green chili)
Juice of ½ lime
¾ cup of water
6 tsp oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp haldi (tumeric)
¾ tsp dhania powder (cilantro)
½ tsp jeera powder (cumin)


Methi (or fenugreek leaves)

Method
* Fry onion in oil
* Add ginger garlic chili paste and fry until brown
* Add tomatoes and fry until soft
* Add masala into and continue frying
* Add methi, fry
* Squeeze ½ lime into dish and continue cooking
* Add a little water and bring to boil
* Add fish fillets
* Add salt to taste and gently stir. Try not to turn fish. Fish fillets should submerge in gravy.
* Cook for 8-10 minutes and serve with Cardomom Rice.

PEAS ALOO (Peas and Potatoes)

Ingredients
3 clove garlic, chopped
4 small tomatoes, chopped
2 small potatoes, cubed
3 handfuls of peas (can be frozen)
½ green chili, chopped (optional)
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp jeera powder (cumin)
½ tsp dhania powder (cilantro)
¼ tsp haldi (tumeric)
¼ tsp chili powder

Method
* Fry garlic until fragrant
* Add tomatoes (and chopped green chili, if you like) and cook for 15 minutes or until stewy in medium heat.
* Add salt to taste. Remove pan from stove and let cool.
* On a separate pot, boil chopped potatoes in salted water.
* Blend stewed tomato until smooth
* Pour blended tomatoes into pan again, add some water and bring to boil
* Add all the masala (garam masala, jeera, etc..) and cook for 5 minutes. Gravy should not be too thick.
* Add peas and boiled potatoes into tomatoes. Cook for a bit and dish is ready to be served. Oh, oh and add some chopped coriander as garnish.

ALOO TIKKI (Potato cutlet)

Ingredients
6-8 med potatoes boil whole with skin
Handful of dhania (coriander)
2 slices of toasted bread make into breadcrumbs (about 1 cup)
1 tsp dhania powder (coriander)
1 tsp jeera powder (cumin)
½ tsp chili powder
¾ tsp salt

Method
* Mash and mix potatoes with all the masalas (dhania, jeera, chili powders) until smooth
* Add and mix in bread crumbs
* Taste, add salt if needed
* Oil hands; take enough potato mixture to make a golf ball. Flatten slightly and set aside.
* Fry potato cutlet into very hot oil (if you like, you can test oil temperature with a tiny ball of potato mixture. If potato becomes bubbly in oil, you’re all set. Fry away!)
* Serve aloo tikki with green chutney. Recipe of green chutney TBA.

Thank you for sharing and thank you for your very warm and generous hospitality, Bina Auntie, Viyay Uncle and Dadi!