DAL PAKWAN

'Dal Pakwan' is a Sindhi specialty - usually enjoyed as a Sunday breakfast / brunch. The dal is made with chana dal and is pretty simple and bland. 'Pakwan' is a larger 'matri' - made with maida. This is an ideal item when you have guests over at snack time as pakwans can be prepared earlier and the dal can be heated up at the moment.

Serves 4

Makes 16-18 pakwans


Ingredients

For pakwan -

1. Maida (all purpose flour) – 2 cups
2. Rava – 2 tbsp
3. Melted ghee – 10-11 tsp
4. Salt to taste
5. Ajwain – 1 tsp
6. A little warm water
7. Oil for frying

For dal - 

1. Chana dal - 1 cup
2. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
3. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
4. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
5. Asafetida - a pinch
6. Ginger - 1/2" - finely chopped
7. Green chilli - 2 (slit)
8. Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
10. Salt to taste
11. Oil - 2 tsp
12. Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1 tbsp

Method

Dal

1. Wash the dal. 
2. Add enough water and pressure-cook it with turmeric powder for 8-10 minutes on low flame after the first whistle. 
3. Allow to cool.
4. Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan.
5. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they splutter, add asafetida, ginger and green chillies and fry for a minute.
6. Add the chilli powder and coriander powder and salt to taste.
7. Add the cooked dal along with the water. 
8. Add water if necessary and boil.
9. Simmer on low heat for 2 minutes till the right consistency is reached.
10. Garnish with chopped corinder leaves and serve hot with pakwan.

Pakwan

1. Mix maida, rava, and salt. 
2. Crush ajwain between your palms and add it.
3. Mix well.
4. Add 5 tsps of melted ghee and mix together.
5. Add the remaining ghee and mix well. 
6. Add warm water little by little and knead into firm dough.
7. Keep covered for at least 20 minutes.
8. Make lemon-sized balls with the dough.
9. Dip each ball in a little oil and roll into a big puri.
10. Make a few little lines with a knife in each puri (to prevent it from puffing up).
11. Repeat with all the balls.
12. Heat oil in frying pan.
13. When the oil is hot, add one pakwan in the oil.
14. After a minute, lower the flame to medium.
15. After another minute, flip it.
16. After a couple of minutes, turn it again till both sides are light brown.
17. When the bubbles in the oil subside, it is time to remove the pakwan from oil.
18. Drain off the oil well and set the light brown pakwan on a tissue.
19. Fry the each of the pakwans.
20. Serve hot with hot dal.

Tips

1. If you want to optimize your time, keep the frying pan on the stove after rolling 4 pakwans. As one batch is getting fried, roll out a set of 4 pakwans – you can manage this if you are used to rolling puris!
2. Patiently fry the pakwans on low heat so that they are light brown as well as crisp.
3. If less ghee is used, the pakwans will be a bit hard. You can rectify this by kneading the remaining dough with your palm smeared with melted ghee.
4. If excess ghee is used, they will tend to crumble in the oil. In that case, add 2 tsp of maida to the dough and knead well before making the rest of the pakwans.

© Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.