Dal Pakwaan

Tweet

Life .. like a journey on a train.. you meet people, they share a tiny part of your life & then they leave..like birds who are ready to migrate for greater pastures.. but still you remember them.. and cherish the time you spent with them..forever...

..during the course of our journey, we learn so much from each other, share so many moments of joy, laughter & sometimes sadness too..all these stay right with you, wherever you are..to be really honest, roommates are two types - one who are damn sweet & become friends for ever and the second type - you better stay away from them. they irritate you, give you no space what-so-ever, interfere in every little thing .. But, I have always been lucky to find only the first one and not the second..

..my sindhi roomie G, got a new job recently & left us last week and the day before she was leaving, G made (and taught me) this dish for us. though, in andhra households we make similar things , the combination of pakwan with dal was new to me and was v.v.v.v yummy!

..thanks G for sharing those wonderful moments with us. May god bless you & You achieve greater accomplishments in life..:)

Dal Pakwaan (recipe by my sindhi roomie)

For Dal:

1 cup chana dal
5-6 whole green chillies,slit lengthwise
fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/8 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp mango powder (amchur powder)
salt - to taste

1 tbsp canola oil/ghee

For Pakwaan:

2 cups all-purpose flour/maida
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
salt - to taste
water - for kneading
1 tbsp canola oil
oil - for deep frying

Preparation:

Pakwaan - Sieve the flour (if necessary). Take the flour in a mixing bowl and add - cumin seeds, oil, salt and enough water to form a soft (not too soft) dough. Divide it into small lemon-sized balls.

Roll out, each ball into a thin,round roti. With a fork poke holes on each of them. (So that it does not rise when frying.)

Heat oil in a kadai and when the oil is well hot, turn flame to medium-low. Drop in, carefully one pakwan at a time, press down on one side for 30 secs (to cook evenly) and turn, when you see small tiny brown bubbles on it. Press down again and fry on the other side no more than 30-45 secs. It gains a golden brown color after it rests for a minute or so. Place them in paper towels, to drain any excess oil.

The pakwaans will stay fresh for months, if stored in an air-tight container. Enjoy these as-is (or) with the dal mentioned below..:)


Dal - Soak the washed chana dal for couple hours (if time permits). Pressure cook them for 2-whistles. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds & green chillies. Fry for 1 minute and then add cooked lentils. Season with salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and amchur powder. Simmer for 3-4 mins and add or garnish with coriander leaves. this dal is very versatile and can be served as a side-dish for pakwaan, rice or any bread. Enjoy!

G, you will be missed by all of us, here!..:)

Ciao,
Siri