Dal Pakwan

The defining Sindhi breakfast — chana dal slow-cooked until soft but still holding its shape, seasoned with cumin, coriander, dried mango powder, and tamarind, served alongside crisp, deep-fried puris (pakwan) that are flavoured with cumin seeds and black pepper, accompanied by green chutney, sweet tamarind chutney, and finely chopped onion. The pakwan should be shatteringly crisp, unlike any other Indian fried bread; the dal should be thick and slightly sweet-sour. Eaten by breaking the pakwan and scooping the dal, layering it with both chutneys. The ritual Sunday morning Sindhi breakfast across communities from Mumbai to Delhi to Ulhasnagar; the meal's components must all be freshly made and eaten together.