Dal Pakwan is a classic breakfast dish from Sindhi, Indian cuisine. Pakwan is a crisp, fried bread, traditionally served with, chana dal, drizzled with tamarind chutney, cilantro chutney, and chopped onions. Sharing an easy recipe to make this crisp, fried bread, using pantry staples.
In a large bowl, add whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, ghee and salt to taste.
Mix all the ingredients with your hands.
Take the flour mixture between your palms and rub it to form a crumbly breadcrumb like texture.Note: When you hold the mixture in your fist, it should hold the shape and not crumble.
Gradually, add water and form into a semi-tight, smooth dough. Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Roll The Pakwan
Divide the dough into 16 equal portions. Shape the dough into balls and cover with a clean kitchen towel.
Take a dough ball and roll it around 5-6 inch circle. Using a fork, prick the rolled pakwan for few times.Note: Note: It is important to prick the pakwan, so that it does not puff up while frying.
Cover the rolled pakwan with a clean kitchen towel, to prevent the pakwan from drying.
Continue with the rest of the dough. This recipe makes around 16 pakwan.
Step 3: Fry The Pakwan
In a kadai or a wok, add around 2 – 2 ½ cups of oil. Keep the heat to medium-low.
Once the oil is moderately hot, carefully slide the pakwan into the oil.Note: The oil should not be too hot.
Once the base of pakwan turns slightly brown, carefully turn the pakwan on the other side and let it cook.
It takes around 2-3 minutes to fry the pakwan. Fry the pakwan until both the sides are nice golden brown and crispy. Remove the pakwan on the paper towel. Finish frying rest of the pakwan.
The proportion of flour to fat ( moyen ) is important. I have tried using less ghee, however, it is difficult to get the khasta ( crisp ) pakwan.Gradually, add water to knead a tight, smooth consistency dough. Dough should be similar to pastry or poori dough, slightly tight.The dough should not be too dry or too sticky. If it feels dry add few drops of water and smooth it out. If the dough feels sticky add some more flour and knead it to a tight, smooth dough.Pakwan, is rolled slightly thin than the regular poori. If the pakwan is rolled too thick, the inside of the pakwan stays uncooked and does not crisp up well. You are looking for a crisp, flaky pakwan.Pricking the bread before frying is important, this prevents the bread from puffing while frying, and as a result you get crisp bread.Oil should be moderately hot, throughout the frying process. Maintain the heat to medium -low for best results. If oil is too hot, the outside of the pakwan gets cooked but inside remains under-cooked. If the oil is cold, the pakwan absorbs too much oil.Cook on both sides for even brown, crisp texture of the pakwan.
Storage
Pakwan stays fresh for 1-2 weeks. Store it in an air-tight container. Pakwan does not require refrigeration. If these are cooked right, they stay fresh for up to 1-2 weeks at room temperature. Store it in an air-tight container.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Sindhi Dal Pakwan | Pakwan Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
115
% Daily Value*
Fat
2
g
3
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
0.001
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
1
g
Cholesterol
5
mg
2
%
Sodium
1
mg
0
%
Potassium
39
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
12
g
4
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
0.1
g
0
%
Protein
2
g
4
%
Vitamin A
2
IU
0
%
Calcium
5
mg
1
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.