Post-partition, Sindhi refugees settled in Chembur and brought a piece of themselves to Mumbai
India is so unique and rich in culture that one can find three different recipes of the same dish in the three households located right next to each other. This reminds me of the traditional recipe made in most Sindhi homes on a Sunday morning for breakfast - Dal Pakwaan.
I’m sure that the name strikes a nostalgic chord with every Sindhi reading this article. And I’m not sorry for making your mouths water.
“Finding lip-smacking Sindhi cuisine in in Mumbai was rather an easy task as it was all in one place – Chembur.”
And this ain’t merely Mumbai’s suburb, as Chembur bristles with history and tells post partition food stories. Chembur is where the Sindhi refugees settled post partition.
Here are my top picks for satisfying your cravings for Sindhi food:
Vig Refreshments
One of the best eateries in the heart of Sindhi Colony is Vig Refreshments. Trust me, you won’t stop eating once you enter this place. Without burning a hole in your pocket, you can relish different varieties of a typical Dhaba style meal.
This pure vegetarian outlet is a perfect spot for early risers as it open as early as 7:00 AM and serves Dal Pakwaan, Dal Pattice, Lassi and Chole Bhature among other Sindhi delicacies.
Dal Pakwaan is their most famous dish. The crispy golden brown fried pakwaan melts in mouth with generous dal, green chutney and mango pickle. I’m in seventh heaven when I say Vig is an icon.
Another recommendation would be to take a piece of the puffy golden poori with tasty chole gravy. This is the Sindhi Poori Chole. Kissed with crunch on the outside, the shallow fried, soft, yielding pattice has a heart of well-seasoned chana dal and spices topped with chole. Flavourful, moist, long-grained rice of the veg pulao dance to the “Ho Jamalo” with tasty chole. All this, topped-off with creamy, thick and luscious lassi laced with the right amount of sweetness would be a great brunch date.
This restaurant also serves some appetite fillers like various types of Kulchas. My favourites include Paneer Kulcha, Aloo Kulcha, Cheese Kulcha, Onion Kulcha, Laccha Paratha and list goes on. Their samosas are served with mouth-watering Sindhi chole and that’s another good pick.
Sindhi PaniPuri Center
Chat lovers! Do not miss the Sindh PaniPuri Center run by Sindhi brothers. Sindh PaniPuri is popular for its ice-cold PaniPuri. The USP of this joint is that the masala is prepared in Sindhi Style - the panipuri has boondi, boiled potatoes and not the usual Mumbaikar ragda fillings.
Give a Sindhi twist to your PaniPuri and let the magic happen.
Jhama Sweet Shop
Care for a sweet tooth? Then you must visit Jhama Sweet Shop. This famous store has been around for over 60 years now. Legend says that in the 60s, stalwart Raj Kapoor had sweets from Jhama shipped to his friends living in Russia.
Apparently, the Kapoors, even today, regularly order sweets from Jhama. I recommend trying out their sweets, especially the big Gulab Jamun and Sev Barfi which is a traditional Sindhi delicacy made with mawa and sev and topped with dry fruits.
Mango Barfi during summer season is also a must try.
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