Besani Koki

Kokis are traditional flatbreads from Sindhi cuisine and are made with wheat flour. Here are a couple of versions I have already posted, spicy koki and koki. This besani koki is another version, obviously prepared using besan / chickpea flour. These kokis are spicier and are made with a combination of chickpea flour and wheat flour. The addition of chickpea flour makes these kokis nutritious and protein loaded. 

I have tried a few times another version from Vaishali's blog where kokis are made with chickpea flour alone which are tastier as well and is a gluten free version. I usually pat them into thicker rotis, directly on the pan as I can not roll them. I find even rolling the kokis that I am a posting today a bit difficult. The dough tends to stick to the rolling board while rolling because of the chickpea flour addition. Rolling them between two greased sheets of parchment takes care of the problem. Besani kokis are made thicker than regular rotis and can be served with a preferred curry, dal pickle, yogurt or even plain if kokis are on a spicier side.

Ingredients: (Yield 6 kokis)

For the dough:
1 cup chickpea flour / besan

1 cup wheat flour

1/8 tsp. turmeric powder

Salt to taste 
1 tsp. carom seeds / ajwain
1 onion,  finely minced

2 green chilies, finely chopped
A handful of cilantro, minced
2 tbsp. melted ghee / oil

For toasting koki:

Ghee / Oil as needed

Directions:
* Add all the ingredients mentioned under 'dough' list to a bowl and mix well to combine. 

* Add water as needed to prepare a stiff dough. (I added about 6 tbsp. water.).

* Divide the dough into 6 portions and roll them into smooth balls. 

* Lightly grease a parchment paper and place it on the rolling board or any work surface that is being used. Place the dough ball at center and cover it with another parchment sheet. Roll the ball gently between the parchment sheets into a thick circle of about 4 - 5 inches diameter. 

* Remove the top parchment sheet and gently score it with a knife, not going all the way through or prick it with a fork all over.

* Heat a griddle or a pan on medium heat. Transfer the rolled circle onto the pan, lifting away the parchment sheet.

* Toast it brushing with little ghee / oil, until brown spots appear on both sides, flipping intermittently once or twice.

* Repeat the steps with the remaining dough balls and serve them warm with your choice of side dish.

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Dal Pakwan ~ A Classic Sindhi Breakfast

The Sindhi breakfast happened because the Sindhi thaali couldn't happen.😀 Dal pakwan is basically where cooked chana dal topped with spices, chutney and minced onion is served with deep fried bread called pakwan. I was glad that I picked this particular mini combo platter of dal pakwan though I was initially skeptical about the dal's role here. I should not have harbored any doubts considering that this is a very popular and traditional breakfast among Sindhis. I just hopped through a few authentic Sindhi food blogs for dal pakwan recipe and created this. Everyone at home enjoyed this meal and mentioned that it's delicious enough to be on a rotation. The daughter who is not great on experimenting with Indian food loved it and while eating the dinner, (Yes I made it for dinner and we ate it like a chaat) requested for a repeat the next day. That is like a super duper hit from my family's standards. 😋

Dal pakwaan is a classic breakfast combo from the Sindhi cuisine. It is so popular and delicious that it is made during festivals and on special occasions including in wedding breakfasts. I can completely understand why after tasting the dish though it is a calorie laden  dish. However the combo is tasty enough to indulge occasionally for a weekend brunch / lunch to break the montony of the daily grind. 
 
Did you just glance at the long list of ingredients and my lengthy post? Just don't go running as this recipe is not a complex one. If you are used to the Indian cooking then you realize that the side dishes are quick ones to make, a simple dal that can be pressure cooked and a green chutney which needs just grabbing the ingredients and grinding them in a blender. The toppings are the most commonly found ingredients in any Indian kitchen. The pakwan aka crisp flour pooris can be made in advance and that's what I did. 

It is not served in the way I have shown above but bits of pakwan are broken and dipped into spicy, yummy dal and enjoyed. Crisp pakwan, laden with dal and the spicy toppings that can be adjusted to one's preference, the sharpness lend by the onions, flavorful cilantro = yum.

Dal pakwaan preparation involves three steps. Preparation of pakwan which can be done in advance if busy, preparation of dal, and preparing the green chutney. Let us first deal with the preparation of pakwan. Pakwan are crisp, fried breads with all purpose flour or maida based dough. The dough can be used after a short resting period or can be covered and refrigerated for about two days. They are rolled into thin roundels and deep fried. The pakwan can be prepared in advance as they can be stored for a few days.

Ingredients for pakwaan: (Yield 12)
2 cups maida / all purpose flour + extra for dusting
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. carom seeds / ajwain 
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. ghee or hot oil
Oil to fry

Step 1 - Preparing pakwan
* Combine flour, cumin seeds, carom seeds, salt and ghee in a mixing bowl. 

* Add water little by little and form a soft, pliable dough. The dough should not be sticky as it would be hard to roll. (I used a little over 3/4 cup water to prepare the dough.)

* Allow the dough to rest for at least 30 minutes. (I could not prepare it immediately and refrigerated the dough for 2 days. I thawed it before using by nuking it in the microwave, covered for 20 seconds.)
* Divide the dough into 10 to 12 portions and roll them into balls. Work with one ball at a time while keeping the rest covered.

* Roll into a thin roundel of about 6 inches in diameter, dusting with flour if needed. Prick it all over with a fork, to prevent them from puffing up while frying. I made them smaller in size. (One can simultaneously roll and fry them or if one is new to this, a few can be rolled out first and then can be fried.)

* Heat oil for frying a in a thick bottomed pan or a kadai. The oil should be hot enough to fry but not reach a smoking point. When one drops a pinch of dough into the hot oil, it should immediately swim to the surface of the oil which means the oil is ready for frying. If not then heat the oil for some more time. Drop a the roundel into the hot oil, taking care to drop it from the sides gently. Cook on low medium flame.

* Fry it for few seconds, pressing downwards and flip it. Again let the other side turn golden brown as well and remove.

* Use a slotted spoon and transfer the fried pakwan onto a plate lined with paper towel. The fried pakwan should be light golden in color and crisp. 
 
* Repeat the rolling and frying steps. Use them immediately or store them in an air tight container once they reach the room temperature. They stay fresh for a few days.

Step 2 - Green chutney preparation
The green chutney is runny and on a spicy and tangier side. I am just mentioning the process since the ingredients can be added according to one's own tastes. Grind mint and coriander leaves along with green chillies, salt and tamarind pulp / lemon juice adding water as needed.
I didn't have mint leaves on hand the day I made dal pakwan. I used 2 cups of tightly packed cilantro / coriander leaves, 3 green chilles (or to taste), salt and tamarind paste and ground them adding some water.

Step 3 - Dal Preparation
Pakwan are served with a dal made with chana dal aka split chickpeas. Some versions are plain simple with a light seasoning and some use onions and tomatoes as well. I went with the simpler version. The dal needs to be cooked until soft but they should still hold their shape. The below mentioned toppings are sprinkled while serving the dal. Fried green chilies can be added as well if  chilies were not added to the dal in the tadka.

Ingredients for dal:
1 and 1/2 cups of split chickpeas / chana dal
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
2 tsp. ghee / oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
2 green chilies, chopped
1 sprig of curry leaves
Salt to taste
Toppings for dal:
Dry mango powder / amchur powder
Chili powder
Garam masala (optional)
Cilantro / coriander leaves
Green chutney and / or tamarind chutney
Minced onions

Directions:
* Soak chana dal in water for about 2 hours or more. They can be soaked overnight if not using pressure cooker so that they can be cooked faster. Drain the water after soaking and rinse the dal again.
* Pressure cook the dal adding about 3.5 cups of water and turmeric. The dal should be cooked soft but it should still hold the shape.
* Heat a pan and add ghee / oil and add cumin seeds. When they start to brown, add green chillies and sprig of curry leaves. Saute them for few seconds and pour into the cooked dal.
* If the dal appears dry, add extra water. Add salt as well to the dal, mix and let the mixture simmer for about 7 to 8 minutes, with intermittent stirring. 
* Sprinkle dry mango powder, chili powder and garam masala if using over the dal. Drizzle the chutney and sprinkle with onions. Serve hot with pakwan.

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A - Z Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi Series ~ S for Sindhi Biryani (Vegetarian Version)

I initially thought of including some international recipes in my list to pull off the difficult alphabets in the series and checked with Srivalli, the BM coordinator to see whether I can do so. There was a choice of going with a series of completely either Indian or International biryani / pulao / khichdis for this marathon but not a mix and match kind stuff from both, she confirmed. I chose to go with Indian rice dishes and so was in two minds about trying this biryani as my 'S' dish. Sindhi biryani has become a part of Pakistani cuisine since it is said to have originated in the Sindh province there.  However this dish with the Mughalai touch obviously must have originated in India centuries ago and is not a recent creation. 

This meat and potato based biryani seems to be a quite popular one in Pakistan in general and in the Sindhi community in particular which resides on both sides of the border. In fact it is so popular in Pakistan that it is served in most of the flights of 'Pakistan International Airlines'. What sets this biryani apart from the other regional versions is it being on a spicier and zesty side and also the proportion of masala to the rice used being slightly more. The usage of khatta dahi / sour tasting yogurt, generous amount of chilies and spices, mint, and tangy aloo bukhara (dried plums / prunes) are the prominent features of this biryani. The biryani is layered and cooked in dum style. I substituted soy chunks for meat and pressure cooked it for a quicker version.

Ingredients to marinate:
1/2 cup soy chunks
1/4 cup yogurt
2 tsp. mustard oil
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp. red chili powder
1/2 tsp. ginger - garlic paste
Ingredients to fry:
Oil as needed
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
1 big potato, peeled and cubed
Other ingredients:
1 tbsp. warm milk + a pinch of saffron strands 
1/2 cup basmati rice
4 dried plums / prunes
1 tbsp. ghee / oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds / caraway seeds
2 pepper corns (optional)
1 or 2 red chilies
2 cloves
2 cardamom
1 inch piece cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 inch piece grated ginger / ginger paste
1/2 tsp. garlic paste (I didn't use any.)
1 tomato, chopped
1 green chili (or use as needed)\
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
Chili powder if needed (I didn't use any)
2 tbsp. mint - cilantro leaves
1 and 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
3/4 cup water

Prep work:
1. Combine all the ingredients mentioned under 'to marinate' in a bowl while doing the frying part or until they are needed. 
2. I advise against soaking dried prunes since they turn mushy when cooked. I instead chopped each into 3 or 4 pieces since they are big and added them at the end.
3. Mix warm milk and saffron in a small bowl and keep aside.

Directions:
* Heat about 1/4 cup oil in a small pan, add onion slices and fry them until golden brown. Take care not to burn them, by stirring continuously. (I did the shallow frying but they can be deep fried.) Remove the fried onions with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel lined plate. Potatoes can be fried for a couple of minutes or fully at this point.
* Heat 1 or 2 tbsp. oil directly in a small pressure cooker or a pan. Add cumin seeds, pepper corns, red chilies, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf. Saute for few seconds and add 1/2 cup chopped onion. Fry until they turn pink.
* Next add ginger - garlic paste, green chilies and saute for few seconds. Add tomatoes, turmeric, mint and cilantro leaves, chili powder if using to the pan and cook until tomatoes soften. Next add prunes, soy chunks along with the marinade, salt and rice (that is washed and drained). Saute for about a minute and add 3/4 cup water and the saffron milk. Close the lid and pressure cook for three whistles.
* If using a pan and not using a pressure cooker, then bring the mixture to a boil and close the lid. Cook on low flame until rice is cooked, for about 15 - 20 minutes and turn off the stove.

So far in my Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi series,
A - Ambur Biryani
B - Basanti Pulao / Misthi Pulao
C - Corn - Fenugreek Greens Pulao
D - Donne Biryani
E -  Ek Toap na Dal Bhaat
F - Fada ni Khichdi
G - Gutti Vankaya Biryani
H - Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani
I - Iyengar Puliyogare
J - Jaipuri Mewa Pulao
K - Kashmiri Pulao
L - Lucknowi Biryani

M - Motiwale Pulao
N - Nei choru
O - Oodhala Pulao
P - Pariba Khechudi
Q - Quinoa Panchkuti Dal Khichdi
R - Rajma Pulao

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#99.

An InLinkz Link-up

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Spicy Koki

Another new day and new month of blogging marathon starts and I am here with wheat based dishes this week. I had earlier tried Vaishali's basic version of Koki, a flat bread from Sindhi community. Today's one is a spicy version I happened to watch on Sanjeev Kapoor's show a while ago. These koki make an interesting and flavorful variation to regular rotis. They can be served with a side dish of your choice and the combo together makes a great meal. These koki may look a little rustic because of the not so smooth edges, courtesy of the minced onions and spices in the dough. However the kokis were on a softer side and I enjoyed them.

Ingredients:(Yield 6)
1 cup wheat flour
1 tsp semolina
2 tsp. toasted chickpea flour /besan
1/2 tsp carom seeds / ajwain
2 tsp. kasuri methi / dried fenugreek green leaves
Salt to taste
1 tbsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tbsp. finely minced onion
1 tbsp cilantro chopped
3 tbsp. melted ghee / oil
Ghee / Oil to make kokis

Method
* Toast cumin seeds and coriander seeds separately on low flame, until they start to turn a few shades darker. Remove the flame and slightly crush them using a mortar and pestle. There is no need powder them. 
* Lightly crush kasuri methi between your palms and keep it aside. 
* Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix well to combine. Add water in slow increments and make a soft, pliable dough. (I added about 6 to 7 tbsp. water.).
* Rest the dough for about 10 minutes. (I rested it for about an hour or more.)
 
* Divide the dough into 6 portions and roll them into smooth balls. Work one portion at a time and roll out the ball into a circle of about 4 - 5 inches diameter. Dust the work surface with wheat flour if needed or grease the dough ball, to facilitate easy rolling.
* Toast the rolled out circle on a heated griddle / flat pan, on medium flame. Drizzle 1/2 tsp. oil around the edges and cook until brown spots appear on both sides, flipping intermittently once or twice.
* Repeat the steps with the remaining dough balls.
* Serve them with your choice of side dish.


This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #64 under the theme 'Wheat based Dishes' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.

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Sindhi Cuisine ~ Majoon for ICC

Majoon - a Sindhi delicacy from Mrs. Sabnani's blog has been this month's Indian Cooking Challenge theme. I kept contemplating until the end to go with it or not since it is a calorie laden sweet dish and only two of us at home like sweet stuff. I so enquired my son actually showed the recipe to my son and asked him whether he would like to have it. I started making it only after he assured me that he would try it. :)
Vaishaliji mentions that majoon is a winter special dish. Sindhis usually prepare it in bulk quantities and store it to last thru the winter months. It can be stored for up to six months if it doesn't come in contact with any trace of moisture. It is served as breakfast in small quantities, each day during winter. :) And newly wed daughters and married daughters receive it from their mothers during this season. 
This dish is simple in terms of preparation but takes longer since the milk and other ingredients have to reduce to a solid mass. And majoon is like embellished paalkova. It tastes fabulous as it's SouthIndian counterpart but is full of other yummy additions like poppy seeds and nuts.
I usually pick a time to cook dishes of this nature when I need to take care of things in the kitchen so that I can keep an eye on the dish instead of constantly hovering over it. This time I was cleaning in the kitchen and helping my daughter with her homework while the dish almost took care of itself. It was a lot easier since I cooked the whole time on simmer mode and didn't have to check quite often.

Ingredients: (Make about 1 & 1/4 cups)
2 cups milk (I used a cup of each - full fat milk and skim milk.)
6 Tbsp sugar (I like my sweet dishes not overtly sweet. Sugar quantity can be increased if more sweetness preferred.)
1/2 cup khoya (Another half cup can be added if preferred.)
2 Tbsp poppy seeds / khus khus
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
10 dried dates - coarsely chopped (I added pitted dates.)
3/4 cup coarsely chopped nuts - almonds, pistachios and cashews (I just pulsed them in food processor. Vaishaliji has mentioned to avoid walnuts if preparing the majoon in larger quantities.)
3 Tbsp ghee (I omitted it and still found the dish to be rich.)

Method:
When I have to deal with milk dishes and the recipe involves simmering and stirring for longer times, I usually go with a non stick saucepan. It makes the cooking job a hell lot easier and after cleanup is a cinch.
Heat milk in a nonstick pan and when it starts to boil, add everything except nuts. Cook on slow flame until it reduces to half the original quantity. Leave a spoon or a ladle in the pan so that the milk would not boil over (and so automatically your time to babysit that dish is considerably reduced. :)) Then add the nuts and ghee into the mixture and stir well. Continue to cook until the mixture turns into a thick mass and ghee starts floating over the surface.

How to serve:
Heat about  2 - 4 Tbsp of majoon with 2 tsp of milk in a microwave and serve piping hot.

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