DAL PAKWAN is a typical-traditional meal from the Sindhi community which includes chana dal /split Bengal gram and a super crisp deep-fried maida poori or fried flatbread (Pakwan) This combination is the most popular breakfast or brunch among the Sindhi community that they celebrate DAL PAKWAN Day On 11th April annually which arrives around their new year.
Sindhi, a culture having its roots in Sindh (Now in Pakistan). Post-independence they scattered to different parts of India (mostly Gujarat, Mumbai, Delhi, etc) and the world too. They have a unique cuisine with Mughals, Arabs, and Turks influence as all these took over the Sindh provenance at different times.
This Dal Pakwran is a signature dish of their cuisine which has two parts to cook. The chana dal is cooked firm with a (no onion-tomato ) simple tadka/ tempering. Instead, dal is garnished with these two in the raw form. Pakwans are made with maida and crisp fried deeply in oil until it gets the golden colour all around. Both chana dal and pakwan make a complete meal together. Authenticity pakwans are made of large-sized. But feel free to keep their size to your choice.
Prep time – 20 minutes
Cook time – 30 minutes
Course – Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch
Cuisine – Sindhi
Author – Bharti Dhawan
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED FOR CHANA DAL
• Chana dal/Split Bengal Gram – 1 cup(rinsed and soaked for 20 minutes)
• Water for dal – 3 cups
• Salt – To taste
• Haldi/Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
INGREDIENTS FOR TADKA/TEMPERING
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Whole red chilies – 2 nos
• Jeera/cumin – 1 tsp
• Red chilly powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric/Haldi – 1/4 tsp
• Hing/asafetida – 1/2 tsp
INGREDIENTS FOR GARNISH CHANA DAL
• Finely chopped onions
• Finely chopped tomatoes
• Finely chopped coriander leaves
INGREDIENTS FOR PAKWAN
• Maida/Refined Flour – 1 cup
• Oil for the dough – 2 tsp
• Salt – 1/2 tsp
• Ajwain/Carom Seeds
• Water – 1/4 cup to make a tight dough
• Oil for frying – Sufficient enough
DIRECTIONS FOR CHANA DAL
1- Firstly, add soaked dal, water, salt, and turmeric/haldi powder to the pressure cooker and cook dal until 4 whistles come. Switch off the flame and allow the cooker to cool down completely. The consistency of dal should be neither undercooked nor mushy
TADKA/TEMPERING CHANA DAL
1- Heat oil in a pan and add jeera, whole red chilly, and hing/asafetida powder. Cook them for a while
2- Add haldi followed by red chilly powder
3- Stir the spices and add little water. Allow the water to boil. (Water prevents the spices from burning)
4- Add boiled chana dal and mix it with tadka/tempering
DIRECTIONS FOR PAKWAN/ DEEP-FRIED CRISP MAIDA POORI
1- Take a mixing bowl and add maida, oil, salt, and ajwain. Combine the ingredients by rubbing with fingers so that oil and salt incorporates with flour
2- The flour should come together, If does not, add little more oil. Add little water at times and make a semi tight dough. Apply little oil and cover it for 20 minutes to set
3- Work on the dough again for a minute and divide it into equal portions. Heat oil in a kadhai for deep frying the pakwan
4- Spread one ball with the rolling pin. Apply oil on the dough to spread it very thin (Avoid flour for dusting)
5- Prick the disks all around with a fork so that it does not inflate in the oil. In the meanwhile keep a pan or kadahi on the flame with oil to deep fry. The temperature of the oil should be medium-Low while frying
6- 5- Deep fry both sides by flipping carefully with the help of a tong until it gets a golden color. ( Fry pakwans by pressing them in the oil with a spatula or tongs to become crisp all around)
7- Fry all pakwans like this and allow them to get cool and crisp. Serve the pakwan with chana dal. Garnish the chana dal with onion, tomatoes, and fresh coriander leaves. A glass of cool MASALA CHASS goes well with DAL PAKWAN
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