These classic Sindhi recipes are perfect for a feast!
1. Baingan Raita
Serves: 6
Prep time: 5 minutes + soaking time
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Calorie count: 200 calories (per serving)
Ingredients:
Salt, to taste
1 green chilli, finely chopped
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp oil
500 g plain yoghurt
5 small brinjals, sliced fine
Method:
- Place the brinjals in a saucepan with half a litre of water a medium flame. Bring to a boil and cook until the brinjal slices are soft. Drain, and mash the slices with a fork.
- Beat the yoghurt until smooth, and add the mustard brinjals.
- Heat oil in a small pan. Add in the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the green chillies along with the curry leaves and stir for one minute. Add this tempering to the yoghurt-brinjal mixture.
- Season to taste.
Tip: Chill the baingan raita before serving.
2. Bhee Pakodas
Serves: 12 pakodas
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Calorie count: 500 calories (per serving)
Ingredients:
300 ml oil, for frying
Salt, to taste
1 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp mint leaves, finely chopped
½ tsp garam masala
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed
2 potatoes, boiled
250g bhee (lotus stem), cleaned and boiled
1 onion, finely chopped
20 ml oil
2 green chillies
1-inch piece ginger
To prepare the batter:
Salt, to taste
1 tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp baking soda
250g besan
Method:
- Coarsely grind the chillies, ginger and garlic. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a small pan over a medium flame, add the onion and continue to fry until pink.
- Add the chilli-ginger-garlic paste, cook for a minute, and remove from the flame.
- mas h the potatoes and bhee together. Add salt, coriander and mint leaves, garam masala, red chilli powder, crushed coriander seeds and onion. Mix well and shape into flat roundels. Set aside.
- Mix water, salt, red chilli powder, baking soda and besan together to make a thick batter.
- Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Dip the roundels in the besan batter, and deep fry them in hot oil. Remove from the flame, and set aside.
Tip: Fry the pakoras again just before serving.
3. Vadi Aloo Baingan
Serves: 5
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Calorie count: 350 calories (per serving)
Ingredients:
2 brinjals, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp coriander powder
2 potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tsp turmeric
Salt, to taste
3 small brinjals, finely chopped
2 medium onions, finely chopped
3 tomatoes, pulped
2 green chillies
1 2-inch piece of ginger
2 Amritsari vadis, whole
9 tsp oil
3 glasses water
To garnish:
3 tsp coriander leaves, chopped
Method:
- Grind the ginger, tomatoes, and green chillies to a fine pulp. Keep aside.
- Take a pressure cooker and heat oil on medium-high heat.
- Fry vadis in oil till they turn brown. Once done, remove and keep aside.
- Use the same cooker to fry onions till they turn light brown.
- Toss in tomato-pulp, then finely chopped brinjal, turmeric and salt. Close the cooker’s lid and cook for 4 whistles. Remove from fire and leave the cooker for a few minutes to cool.
- Open the cooker’s lid, add the red chilli powder, coriander and potatoes before switching on the flame again. Continue to cook until it turns dry.
- Next, add in the vadis, big brinjals, along with water. Season. Close the cooker’s lid and continue to cook for another 2 whistles, after which remove from heat.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve.
Tip: Serve the dish with chopped coriander leaves before serving.
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