When it comes to indulgent mithai, Sindhi desserts take the cake with their decadence and flavour. Gheeyar is perhaps the most widely consumed Sindhi dessert which is particularly made and shared during Holi. The legend goes that gheeyar was made to celebrate the victory of the Hindu mythological king Prahlad over his evil father, Hiranyakashyap.
In fact, some even believe that the spiral-like design of the gheeyar is meant to resemble Lord Vishnu’s sudharshan chakra which was in Vishnu’s rear right hand when he was saving Prahlad from the wrath of Hiranyakashap and Holika. However, besides gheeyar, there are plenty of Sindhi desserts that you can explore during the festive season. Let’s find out.
Singhar Ji Mithai (Besan Barfi)
This dessert is often compared to sohan papdi, due to the similarity in their design. This traditional Sindhi sweet made from roasted besan, ghee, and sugar is cooked to perfection and set into a firm square shape. With its rich, buttery texture and aromatic hints of cardamom, Singhar Ji Mithai is a popular choice for festive gatherings and big occasions.
Kheerni/Seviyan Kheer
This creamy rice pudding is typically made from rice, milk, sugar, seviyan and flavoured with cardamom and rose water. Kheerni is slow-cooked until the rice grains are soft and tender, which is why it’s more delicate in texture than regular kheer. It’s garnished with chopped nuts and dried fruits and is usually served chilled.
Gheeyar
Gheeyar is a traditional Sindhi sweet that features delicate layers of crispy ghee-fried goodness soaked in fragrant sugar syrup. It has a deep orange hue and may look similar to jalebi, but it’s really quite different. It’s firmer than regular jalebi and while the batter of gheeyar is similar to a jalebi, gheeyar has several intricate, pencil-thin strands which make it a more filling dessert.
Varo
This traditional Sindhi dessert is a kind of brittle renowned for its delicate and crispy texture. It is made from caramelized sugar syrup that is spread thinly and allowed to cool and harden before being cut into thin shards or threads. It has a sweet, slightly smokey aroma and satisfying crunch. It usually also has almonds, cashews and pistachios and it’s the abundance of nuts that lends terrific crispiness to the dessert.
Koki
This sweet Sindhi flatbread is as versatile as it is delicious. It’s made from a dough of whole wheat flour, sugar, ghee, and flavoured with cardamom and fennel seeds; it is rolled out into thin rounds and cooked on a griddle until golden and crisp. It’s more filling than puran poli and it’s usually served warm with a dollop of ghee or a sprinkle of powdered sugar.