Just Walking Around

The Sindhi's... And Sindhu food, my take...

A few months ago read an article about an overzealous Member of Parliament stating that Government should strike off the word Sindhi from a verse in our National Anthem... as it's now part of our neighboring country and promoter of state sponsored terrorism Pakistan... But the same was condemned by our honorable Supreme Court by stating that the sentiments of unity and cross cultural ethos stated through the verse penned by Rabidrnath Tagore should not be confined to geographical boundaries..

As matter of fact people of India should be made aware and be inspired by a community which faced uprooting, atrocities, emotional and financial loss during the worst ever event in India's history.. The Partition.

A lot has been written and documented on the vagaries and devastation faced by Muslims or the Sikhs during the partition. Even leading film maker and Sindhi Govind Nehlani brought to life the horrendous devastation on the Punjabi and Sikhs in particular in his adaptation of the Hindu novel Tamas.. A tele serial was made with stalwarts like Om Puri on the lines of todays Netflix exclusive. It was well received and even won laurels at foreign film Festival and special awards from the President ofIndia

But if look at History the Sikhs who came over to India at least had Punjab to call their own.. But the Sindhi's, they literally became people with no motherland to call their own. Most of those who decided to flee the newly declared Islamic Republic had only one hope in their hearts, that India with its secular and accommodative culture is where they will prosper and flourish. With a prayer on their lips and hope in their hearts hordes of Sindhi crossed over and accepted the heart wrenching tag of Refugee... A large number of Sindhi's faced large scale violence and atrocities but they were resilient enough to withstand this onslaught and loss to restart and resurrect like the Mythical Phoenix that rises from its ashes... And ashes it was as the Sindhi's were mostly a trading and business community hated by the zealotsin Pakistan..

If you go back in time you can understand where this resilience comes from. It comes from the inner unity among the community members and their thirst for education and love for intellect.
For several centuries in the first millennium B.C. and in the first five centuries of the first millennium A.D., western portions of Sindh, the regions on the western flank of the Indus river, were intermittently under Persian, Greek, and Kushan rule, first during the Achaemenid dynasty (500–300BC). 

The original inhabitants of ancient Sindh were believed to be aboriginal tribes speaking languages of the Indus Valley Civilisation around 3300 BC. Moen-jo-Daro was one of the largest settlements of the IndusValleyCivilisation.

The region received its name, Sindh, from the River Sindhu (Indus). The people living in the region are referred to as Sindhi. The terms Hindi and Hindu are derived from the word Sindh and Sindhu, as the ancient Persians pronounced "s" as "h" (e.g., sarasvati as harahvati). In the same way, Persians called the people of this region as Hindhi people, their language as Hindhi language and the region as Hindh, the name which is used for this region since ancient times, and later for the whole northern part of the Indian sub-continent today. India is also known as Hindustan

Sindhi was home to both Muslims and Hindus. Muslims followed Sunni Hanafi sect. Sindhi Hindus believe in tenets of Sikhism but are predominantly Sahajdhari. As a result, this group can be regarded as concurrently following Hinduism and Sikhism

Sindhi Hindus tend to have surnames that end in '-ani' (a variant of 'anshi', derived from the Sanskrit word 'ansha', which means 'descended from'). Common surnames being Adani, Kriplani, Thadani. The first part of a Sindhi Hindu surname is usually derived from the name or location of an ancestor. In northern Sindh, surnames ending in 'ja' (meaning 'of') are also common. A person's surname would consist of the name of his or her native village, followed by 'ja', common surnames being Aneja, Taneja.. 

After Partition, in 1947 Hordes of prosperous people became homeless and penniless overnight. A large majority had never left Sindh before. They crossed the new border to settle in unfamiliar lands with unfamiliar food, language and customs, stepping from a zone of sparse rain into monsoon country. They quickly got used to reading left to right instead of 

What made it a tremendous feat was that they simply picked up the pieces and kept moving without looking back. It wasn’t just a few individuals or families who did this – it was the entire community. The Hindu Sindhis, a rather heterogeneous mass for historical reasons, and without any central binding force, behaved in this moment of trauma as one entity.

In the early days, there was searing pain, confusion, bitterness and fear – but all that was bundled up and shoved aside to focus on planning and working towards a better future. Families held together, helping each other. Those already living outside Sindh opened their doors.

Besides the grit and determination one more famous aspect of any Sindhi household is their altruistic and magnanimous hospitality and offcourse their lip smacking Sindhi cuisine.

For the Sindhi’s cooking provides a vital connection to their homeland. Their kitchens, with their distinct recipes and ingredients, help identify and anchor them in the palces they adopt as their new homeland.

If look closely this is the reason frugality lies at the heart of many Sindhi recipes – having to rebuild their lives from scratch led them valuing what was available to them wherever they settled.For example Sindhi’s use every part of the Lotus plant be it the flower, the stem, the bud, pods and even its seeds are used in traditional dishes. What also adds to the distinct flavours of the Sindhi cuisine are three things: slow cooking, layering of garam masala and a penchant for combining sweet and savoury flavours. A love for amchoor (dry mango powder) and basar (onions that have been sautéed white instead of brown) are some of the characteristics of this robust and rustic cuisine.

Some of the Sindhi dishes have become signature dishes with its own cult following. Tak for example the Dal Pakwan a simple chat type dish but made in Sindhi house hold tastes like heaven. This simple but exquisite recipe is packed with flavours, Dal Pakwan is a culinary couple made in heaven. It’s basically lightly spiced yellow lentils served with deliciously crisp and thick deep-fried flatbread. A perfect bite of Dal Pakwan also includes a topping finely chopped onions and fiery chilli-coriander chutney. Another breakfast favourite in Sindhi cuisine is the Seyun Patata Seyun is sweetened and ghee-soaked vermicelli with shallow-fried Patata (potato chunks) is a dish with the perfect balance of sweetness and savouriness.

Sindhis have a soft spot for Bhee ( Lotus Stem)  a high-fibre vegetable with a bland taste. However, when cooked right, Bhee is an ingredient that is sure to perk up a simple weeknight dinner. Especially when its paired with slow-cooked potatoes in a hearty tomato-based gravy –to make it into tangy yet tasty Bhugal Bhee Alu. Another common veg recipes in every Sindhi house hold is The Sai Bhajji and the Sindhi Kadi.  A dish most Sindhis swear by, the healthy and wholesome Sai Bhajji is basically Dalslow cooked with spinach and vegetables. It is best complemented with Bhuga Chawran , which is rice cooked with caramelised onions, tomatoes and garam masala . A match made in heaven . Much Like the Dal Chawal or Waran Bhat which like the comfort food for most North Indians and Maharashtrians. For most Sindhis, a lazy Sunday afternoon is often synonymous with a bowl of hot steaming rice and fragrant Sindhi Kadhi(a besan based preparation loaded with okra, drumsticks and cluster beans). Garnished with juicy, sweet  boondi and crisp alu tuk, this combination is a much-loved comfort food for the Sindhi community.

Then there is the exotic preparation like the Tidali Dal with Juar Jo Dodo , which basically is A soul-satiating combination of three different types of lentils – like Chana dal , Arhar / Urad and green moong – which gives a unique taste to this earthy dish that goes best withJuar jo Dodo. A Sindhi speciality, this dodo or flatbread is made with jowar and often has a spicy garlic-green chilli sprinkling mixed into it.

No Sindhi will have his meal unless there is atleast one starter in the plate if its veg it has to be the crispy and mouthwatering Alu Tuk or even a Baigan Tuk . Double-fried crispy appetizers, Tuk  can be made from potatoes, brinjals and evenArbi (yam). What makes this humble recipe a culinary gem is a wonderfully tart flavour it gets from Amchoor (dried mango powder) that little tanginess which remains on your tongue long after you fineshed the crispy Tuk. Another famous dish is the Koki Thick wheat-flour flatbreads perked up with onions, whole seeds (of coriander, cumin and pomegranate) and a generous slathering of ghee, Sindhi Kokis are similar to Maharashtrian Thalipeeth and are made by toasting twice.

And if you thought Sindhis only eat Vegetarian fare then you are absolutely wrong, try their a little complicated baked fish preparation, Kok Pallo. It is basically Hilsa fish stuffed with a hand-pounded green masala (made of simple spices, green chillies, ginger, garlic and coriander) and tawa fried. Interestingly, according to traditional Sindhi technique, this stuffed fish was wrapped in a roti and roasted in a sandpit to give it a smoky taste. 

Then there is the meat delicacy also play a central role in their traditional cuisine. One of the most popular ones of these recipes is Seyal Teevam , a delectable dish in which mutton is slow-cooked (sometimes for as long as two hours) till its moist, tender and delicately flavoured.A sure shot hit with the meat eater.

And how can the meal be complete with out the mention of their sweet dishes – Tairi - A must on all important Sindhi occasions,Tairi  is a scrumptious dish made from aromatic rice that is sweetened to perfection, flavoured with fennel and garnished with roasted nuts. Any true-blue Sindhi will tell you that the simplicity of complex flavours in this dish literally feels like a symphony on the palate.

Then there is the  Singhar ji mithai a mithai made from Unsalted Sev (gram flour vermicelli), Khoya  and slivers of assorted nuts cooked to melting perfection is what creates Singhar ji Mithai ,a dish that may seem odd in theory but makes complete sense on the palate.

To taste these delicaies you need to be very close to some loving Sindhi family , I know I am that fortunate with my Wife’s favorite Maasi Sunita (mine too ) married to the effervescent , jovial and lovable Indur Uncle whose doors are always open to us.

For all the other you can try your luck at Jhama’s or VIG Refreshments in Sindhi Colony in Chembur or Guru Kripa in Sion for that Authentic Sindhi food.

To my mind Sindhis were all born under different circumstances, have faced failures, succeeded through triumphs, gone through hurt, pain, showed forgiveness, showed love, and yet they are still unlocking life's mysteries by testing new destinations and goals and scaling new heights. The most amazing thing all Sindhis have in common is to be happy by putting others first, a selfless giving, by using their talents for the greater good. Being passionate, honest, giving, and most importantly being ALIVE.

PS – This article is dedicated to Daddy – Indur (Uncle) Jethwaney ‘s Father Late Shri Puransingh Jethwaney who passed away last week . An amazing octagregarian most active in the Sindhi Community and most importantly the really really ALIVE person that I have seen.