Being the cultural melting pot of a city that it is, Mumbai is known for its opulent and extravagant food scene. However no restaurant can capture the warmth, authenticity and love of a home cooked meal. One of my most cherished memories of my Mumbai trip was a true Sindhi dining experience, thanks to the gracious invitation to dinner by my Sindhi school friend, Deepak Choithramani.
The Sindhi people originally hail from the province of Sindh, an area of great historical significance dating back to the Indus Valley civilization of 2500 BCE which is now in modern day Pakistan. This was a thriving community the country’s Independence in 1947. The partition caused the displacement of hordes of Hindu Sindhis, who were forced to flee to India to avoid persecution, forced conversion and genocide. They settled in many parts of northwestern India, primarily Gujarat and Maharashtra, and started their lives from scratch. In just a few decades of that happening, the Sindhis established themselves as among the most prosperous communities in the country.
Deepak’s gracious wife Kaira treated us to the typical Sindhi Sunday meal experience for dinner. This was a weekly gathering of families and friends to partake in the main feature; Sindhi Kadhi. The word Kadhi is derived from Kadna which means to thicken, and Sindhi Kadhi is basically just that; a besan (garbanzo flour) stew incorporating a wide spectrum of vegetable varieties, simmered for hours until the flavors and textures all come together in perfect symphony. The Sindhi Kadhi unlike traditional kadhi's does not use Yogurt. The process begins with sauteing besan in oil and spices, a process not much unlike a well developed roux. Vegetables that are used range from potatoes and carrots, eggplant, cauliflower, okra and a variety of traditional Indian local varieties such as guvar phalli and drumsticks, also known as saijan ki phalli. Every family has a preference for the souring agent to impart brightness and character to the dish. While tamarind and tomato are most common, Deepak’s wife is partial to kokum, the tart fruit of a tree belonging to the mangosteen family. All of this is eaten with simply boiled white rice and papad. All to be eaten with fingers of course, to fully enjoy the experience.
Every star of the show needs a sidekick, and for Sindhi Kadhi, it is Aloo Tuk. These are twice-fried potatoes smothered in spices. Thickly cut rounds of potatoes are poached in oil until soft,
and while still a little warm, are slightly smashed to cause the cooked potato starch to ooze. When flash fried for the second time, these starchy potato morsels develop a unique crispiness. These were topped with chaat masala, aamchur (dried mango) coriander and red chili powders. I was convinced this was true culinary perfection, until the topping of sweet boondi; crispy mildly sweetened garbanzo flour granules. I can't think of many dish combinations that encompass such a flavor and texture spectrum; tart, wholesome, crisp, tangy, bitter, spicy and mildly sweet, all packed together in perfect symphony.
I think I now understand the true impact of Sindhi Kadhi experience. These people were once forcibly torn away from everything they held sacred, for a political decision they had no hand in influencing. This is the food of their ancestors, the food of their childhood, and a connection to their past. Gathering weekly around Sindhi Kadhi is how this community preserved their roots. I am ever so grateful as an outsider to be able to share in their most precious slice of history.
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