Share
It’s no secret that India is home to a wide variety of cultures and cuisines. Pick any region in the country and you’ll find there a host of unique and delicious dishes. Some have been known for ages, while the others were formed as a result of historical influences. One such culinary style is the Sindhi cuisine that originates from Sindh, now a province in Pakistan.
After Partition, many Sindhis migrated to India, leading to the formation of the unique Sindhi cuisine, which also blends in influences from the Arabs, Turks, and Mughals, who ruled the region for a long time. Most often, it is the Sindhi kadhi and papad that are talked about, but the fare also boasts a large variety of non-vegetarian options, like the Seyal Teevan. A Sindhi-style mutton curry, this dish is full of robust flavours.
There are dishes that also follow a distinct style of cooking, and Seyal is one among them. Here the gravy is prepared using an onion or ginger-garlic base, sans water. In fact, the word ‘seyal’ itself refers to food that is cooked using little or no water. This is what makes the dish so different from other mutton curries. ‘Teevan’, on the other hand, means mutton.
Therefore, Seyal Teevan is a Sindhi mutton curry that is made without water. Despite that, the curry is rich, flavourful and manages to get the right consistency and texture. Yoghurt is added to make the gravy thick and creamy, while spices like turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and cardamom are responsible for lending it a delectable flavour. The final outcome is a mildly spicy curry dunked with tender meat pieces that are cooked properly in a brown onion paste.
The richness and strong flavours of the dish lie in the marination of the mutton. Coated in a host of spices for an hour, the mutton is then cooked in a pot along with onion and garlic paste. With the pressure cooking technique, the meat falls off the bone and is soft and juicy. Sometimes, baby potatoes are also added to the meaty delight. The dark-brown mutton gravy is then garnished with mint leaves and served hot with either rice or chapati.
