Sindhi Dal Pakwan

Ingredients

• 250 g chana dal, soaked for 4 hours
• 750 ml water
• 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp oil, for the tempering
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• pinch asafoetida
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1 tsp amchur (dried mango powder)
• 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
• 0.5 tsp red chilli powder
• 0.5 tsp garam masala
• 250 g plain flour
• 2 tbsp fine semolina
• 0.5 tsp salt, for the dough
• 0.5 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 110 ml water, for the dough
• oil for deep frying, about 1 litre
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp tamarind chutney
• handful coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 green chilli, finely sliced

Before you cook

• Soak the chana dal in plenty of cold water for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
• Finely chop the red onion and the coriander.
• Slice the green chilli into thin rings.
• Measure the ghee for the pakwan dough and let it come to room temperature.

Steps

1. Rub the ghee into the flour, semolina, salt and carom seeds until the mixture clumps when you squeeze it in your fist.
2. Add the water gradually and knead for 5 minutes to a stiff dough, then cover it and rest it for 20 minutes.
3. Drain the soaked chana dal and put it in a pan with 750 ml of water and the turmeric.
4. Bring it to the boil and skim off the grey foam that rises.
5. Simmer the dal covered for 35 minutes, until the grains are soft but still hold their shape.
6. Season the dal with salt and mash a spoonful against the side of the pan to thicken it slightly.
7. Stir in the amchur, roasted cumin, chilli powder and garam masala, then keep the dal warm.
8. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan until it ripples.
9. Add the cumin seeds, asafoetida and dried chillies and let them sizzle for 15 seconds.
10. Pour the tempering over the dal and stir it through.
11. Divide the rested dough into 8 pieces and roll each one into a thin 15 cm disc.
12. Prick each disc all over with a fork so it stays flat instead of puffing up.
13. Heat 4 cm of oil in a deep pan to 170C.
14. Fry one pakwan at a time for about 2 minutes a side, until crisp and the colour of a pale biscuit.
15. Drain the pakwan on a wire rack so they stay crackling rather than steaming soft.
16. Ladle the dal into bowls and top it with chopped onion, coriander, green chilli and a spoonful of tamarind chutney.
17. Serve with the pakwan alongside for snapping and scooping.