Dal Pakwanદાળ પકવાન
Crisp fried discs topped with chana dal, chutney and onion. It came from Sindhi kitchens and is now a Sunday-morning fixture in Ahmedabad and Gandhidham.
Ingredients
Tap an ingredient to tick it off while you shop or measure.
- Pakwan: 2 cups plain flour, 3 tbsp oil, ½ tsp cumin, salt
- Dal: 1 cup chana dal, soaked 2 hours
- Turmeric, 1 tsp ginger-chilli paste, dried mango powder, garam masala
- Tempering: oil, cumin, asafoetida
- To serve: date-tamarind chutney, green chutney, onion, coriander
- Oil for frying
Method
- Knead a firm dough with the flour, oil, cumin and salt, and rest it 20 minutes.
- Pressure cook the soaked dal with turmeric and salt for 2-3 whistles; the grains should stay whole.
- Temper cumin and asafoetida in oil, add the dal, ginger-chilli paste and spices, and simmer 5 minutes.
- Roll thin discs, prick them all over with a fork and fry on medium heat until crisp.
- Top each pakwan with hot dal, both chutneys, onion and coriander, and serve at once.
Tips
- Pricking the discs stops them puffing up like puris.
- Overcooked dal turns to mush; keep the grains separate.
Storing and reheating
Once cool, the pakwan stay crisp in an airtight box at room temperature for eight to ten days. Do not refrigerate them, they pick up moisture and go soft. The dal keeps two days in the fridge and thickens as it sits, so add hot water and bring it back to a simmer when reheating. Soft pakwan crisp up again with two minutes on a low tawa.
What you can swap
- Half plain flour and half wheat flour works. The pakwan is a little thicker and less flaky, but still crisp.
- Split moong dal can replace chana dal, but it collapses faster, so stop at two whistles.
- No date-tamarind chutney? Boil jaggery with tamarind pulp for a quick version; amchur stirred into jaggery water does at a pinch.
- In place of amchur, squeeze lemon over at the table. Lemon added while the dal simmers tastes flat.
What to serve with it
A traditional Sunday breakfast in Sindhi homes, and sold in the mornings at snack shops in Ahmedabad and Mumbai. The dal has to be hot and the pakwan crisp for it to work. Chopped onion, both chutneys and a cup of tea alongside.
Mistakes to avoid
- Do not knead a soft dough. A firm dough is what makes the pakwan flaky and crisp. Soft dough drinks oil and eats greasy.
- Do not fry on high heat. The pakwan colours fast outside and stays raw inside. Only slow frying on medium gets it crisp right through.
- Do not let the dal get as thick as khichdi. It should be pourable from a ladle so it sits on the pakwan, but not watery.
- Serve the moment the dal goes on. Five minutes standing and the pakwan is soggy, which defeats the whole dish.
Questions people ask
Why is my pakwan not crisp?
Three usual causes: the dough was soft, the discs were rolled too thick, or the oil was too hot. Knead firm, roll thin and fry patiently on medium. The three tablespoons of oil rubbed into the flour also matter.
Can I make the dal in advance?
Yes. Make it a day ahead, refrigerate, then loosen with hot water and simmer in the morning. The pakwan can be fried two or three days ahead and stored in a box, which is how people manage it for festivals.
Can the pakwan be made without deep frying?
An air fryer at 180C for 10 to 12 minutes, turned halfway, works. Brush oil on both sides. The texture and flavour are not the same as fried, but they come out crisp enough to eat.
