Dal pakwan is the most popular Sindhi breakfast or brunch dish made on special occasions or weekends. This is a super filling and indulging breakfast that can be served as a meal (lunch or dinner) too.
Start by making the dough: Take all purpose flour in a bowl. Add salt, cumin seeds, and oil.
Mix thoroughly using your fingertips.
Add little water at a time and start kneading. Make a smooth yet slightly stiff dough. You can do this process in a kitchen stand mixer as well.
Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes. After that knead again 2-3 times to smooth out. Then divide it into 14 equal portions. Work with one portion at a time, make a smooth ball, and flatten it between your two palms.
Take one flattened disc on a rolling board and start rolling using a rolling pin. Make around a 5-inch round diameter circle.
Using a fork start pricking all over the surface, this prevents pakwan from puffing up while frying. Roll and prick a few pakwan similarly and lay on a large plate and keep it covered to prevent them from drying out.
Once you have enough rolled out, heat the oil on medium heat for deep-frying. Once the oil is hot enough for frying, gently slide one pakwan into the hot oil.
Once it gets light brown color from the bottom side, flip and fry the other side.
Once it is golden brown from both sides and crispy then remove and drain excess oil using a perforated spoon.
Place on a paper towel lined plate. Similarly, fry all pakwan.
Make Dal:
Take chana dal in a bowl, and rinse with water 2-3 times by massaging the dal using your finger or until the water is not cloudy anymore. Soak in enough water for 30 minutes. Then drain and discard the soaking water.
Take soaked, drained dal in a pressure cooker. Add fresh water, salt, and turmeric powder. Stir one. Cover the cooker with a lid and put the weight on.
Cook on medium heat for 4-5 whistles. Instant pot: Manual 10 minutes
Once the pressure goes down by itself then open the lid. Chana dal should be cooked and soft but still has shape intact (not mushy).
Add red chili powder, black pepper, and tamarind paste. Mix everything really well.
Let it simmer on medium-low for 4-5 minutes. If dal is getting too thick then you can add some water.
To make the tempering, heat oil in a small tadka pan. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle a bit.
Add green chili and saute for 30-40 seconds.
Add this to the simmering dal and turn off the stove.
Lastly, add chopped cilantro. Mix and dal is ready for serving dal pakwan.
Serve Dal Pakwan:
Take dal in a small bowl. Top it with green chutney and tamarind date chutney.
Sprinkle some onion.
Take a piece of pakwan and scoop dal with that (like chips and salsa) and enjoy.
Notes
Do not overcook chana dal to mushy. Dal should be cooked to soft yet hold its shape.
Dal consistency has to be thick and scoopable. Runny dal is good for eating as dal-rice but not for dal pakwan.
Do not simmer the dal after adding tempering to retain its flavor and aroma.
Pakwan dough must be medium-stiff otherwise fried pakwan may get soft after cooling down.