Sindhi Khaana

Khaana - the Hindi word for food - is an important aspect in any Indian community. Just like millions of other Indians, the Sindhis from western India, love their food and it shows in the tasty dishes they turn out.

The Sindhis had their roots in Sindh, Pakistan. When the partition of British India happened in 1947, Sindhi Muslims stayed on in what is now Pakistan while many Hindu Sindhis came to India to set up home. The Sindhi community in India, is prosperous and some of the country's most successful entrepreneurs belong to it.

Not surprisingly, I learnt all these recipes from my Sindhi friends, so rest assured that they are the real thing! Like Sindhi Kadhi (pictured at left) that I fell in love with when a next door neighbor cooked some for me. I was so taken with this dish, after she taught me how to prepare it, I did so for several days in a row! Or Sai Bhaaji, for which I got the recipe from my Editor and mentor at my very first writing job. This delicious and healthy dish combines various leafy greens and veggies with just a hint of tanginess. I love it with hot, flaky Parathas (pan fried Indian flatbread). And then of course, there is Daal Pakwaan - Sindhi lentil curry with crispy fried bread - a weekend breakfast staple in many Sindhi homes. The lady who taught me how to cook it, gave me this tip - "The key to good Daal Pakwaan is to make the daal thick and creamy and the Pakwaan crisp."

Ok, so all this writing has stirred up some very pleasant memories and my taste buds, so I'm off to cook! How about you?

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