By Rajlakshmi
October 30, 2025
A common Sindhi morning lentil dish, dal pakwan, consists of crunchy pakwan or crackers and chana dal. Topped with zesty chutneys, the dal is simmered in aromatic spices. Here is a super-easy and quick recipe to follow.
1 cup chana dal ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder 1 teaspoon of cumin powder 1 teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste 1 large onion, chopped 1 large tomato, chopped 2-4 green chillies, chopped
½ teaspoon of red chilli powder ½ teaspoon of garam masala 1 cup of all purpose flour ½ teaspoon of carom seeds ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds Cooking oil Salt to taste
In a bowl, wash and soak the chana daal for 3-4 hours.
In a pressure cooker, put in the dal, turmeric, water and salt. Bring it to a boil.
Take a pan, heat some oil in it. Put in the cumin seeds, ginger-garlic paste and onions. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Let the onions turn golden brown.
Next, add in the tomatoes, green chillies and spices. Cook until the tomatoes are tender and the oil has separated.
Add the dal into the mixture. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Add water as required.
In a mixing bowl, add the flour, spices and oil. Make a dough. Roll out in thin circular shapes. Deep fry the pieces.
Serve dal pakwan with chutney.