Traditional Pakistani Breakfast / Halwa Puri Nashta (with Aloo ki Tarkari and Cholay ka Salan!)

I have been dreaming of sharing this very traditional Pakistani breakfast spread with you for years, and I am so excited to finally be able to do so!

A traditional Halwa Puri Nashta consists of four components:

i. Sooji ka Halwa– a sweet semolina pudding spiked with cardamom and served warm. This halwa differs from dessert halwa (I have a fantastic recipe here) in that is runnier and not as light in texture. I’ve adapted my recipe from Pakistan’s very own culinary mastermind Shireen Anwar (here’s her video) by reducing the ghee or oil, and the resulting halwa tastes like the irresistible kind sold on Karachi’s local road stalls. Also, the recipe uses a technique of allowing the semolina to cook in the residual heat of sugar and water syrup, off the heat, for about half an hour. Initially there is a fear of the halwa not coming together, but I assure you that if you follow the directions, you will have the most perfect consistency of halwa for your halwa puri nashta.

ii. Cholay ka Salan– a saucy chickpea curry spiced with pickling spices (think along the lines of mustard, fenugreek, and nigella). The interesting thing about my recipe is that it includes a trick to get that perfect starchy texture that is often missing from home cooked halwa puri– a slurry of boiled potatoes and chickpeas is added to the curry. Also, the cholay ka salan is topped with a spoonful of jarred mango or mixed pickle (very commonly found at South Asian or Middle Eastern markets), and an optional tempering that really brings the roadside stalls home.

iii. Aloo ki Tarkari– a lightly spiced potato curry (my favorite!) that brings the whole meal together.

iv. Puri– the deep-fried unleavened flatbread that is meant to sop up all of this delicious carby goodness 🤤 . Traditionally, a dough is made with all-purpose flour and a tiny bit of salt. It’s divided into single servings, rolled thin, and deep fried. The resulting bubbly puri are crisp yet pliable, and the perfect piece that brings all of the components together. Although delicious, they are a bit time consuming, and I have a hack that eliminates the need to make these- uncooked tortillas! Uncooked flour tortillas can be found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store (usually near the cheese), and after being fried are about 90 to 95% similar to homemade puri in terms of taste, texture, and even appearance. I have happily adopted the uncooked tortilla-route when it comes to puri, but if you are inclined to make your own there are countless recipes to choose from online.

I’ve worked on and tweaked my recipes to perfection, and I am beyond excited to finally present them to you. I hope you love and enjoy them as much as our family has ❤️

5 from 5 votes

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Traditional Pakistani Breakfast- Halwa Puri with Aloo ki Tarkari and Cholay ka Salan

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine Pakistani

Keyword Breakfast, Brunch, Chickpeas, Curry, Dessert, Pakistani, Potatoes, Semolina, Traditional, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients

Semolina Pudding / Sooji ka Halwa

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 cups water
• 1/8 teaspoon yellow or orange food color (powder)
• ½ cup neutral flavored oil or clarified butter
• 1 cup semolina
• 6 green cardamoms, lightly crushed
• 1/8 teaspoon Kewra essence (screwpine)
• Sliced or roughly chopped pistachios or almonds, for garnish, optional

Chickpea Curry / Cholay ka Salan

• 1 medium potato, boiled until fork tender and peeled
• 3 cups boiled chickpeas, divided
• ½ cup neutral flavored oil
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon dried mango powder
• ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon nigella seeds
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• Salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon mango or mixed pickle
• ¼ cup neutral flavored oil, optional
• 1 teaspoon paprika, optional

Potato Curry / Aloo ki Tarkari

• ¼ cup neutral flavored oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced thin
• 6 curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon nigella seeds
• ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• Salt, to taste
• 3 medium potatoes (about 1-pound), peeled and diced into ¼-inch thickness
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

Prepare Sooji ka Halwa

1. Combine sugar, water, and food color in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Do not cook further, and remove from heat.
2. Heat oil or clarified butter over medium heat. Add semolina and cardamoms, and gently roast until it starts to release a fragrance, about 3 to 4 minutes, making sure to stir constantly.
3. Gently add the prepared sugar mixture, while exercising caution as the mixture will splutter when added to the semolina. Cook for 3 minutes, while gently stirring to avoid any lumps from forming. Remove from heat, stir in kewra essence, cover, and allow the halwa to sit undisturbed for 30 minutes. Do not remove the lid to check on the halwa during the 30-minute resting period.
4. Once the 30-minutes are completed, the halwa is ready to be served. If desired, garnish with nuts.

Prepare Cholay ka Salan

1. Combine boiled potato and 2-tablespoons chickpeas and blitz them in a blender or food processor to form a thick puree. Add water as necessary to help attain a smooth paste. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large vessel over medium-high heat. Add ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, black pepper, coriander powder, mango powder, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, nigella seeds, turmeric, and salt. Sauté for a few minutes, then add the potato and chickpea puree. Cook the mixture until the oil begins to separate, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir and sauté periodically, adding splashes of water as necessary to prevent the mixture from burning.
3. Add remaining chickpeas, 2-cups of water, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until the chickpeas have softened considerably- this can take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. Stir periodically and add water as necessary to prevent the mixture from burning.
4. If the gravy is too thick, add water to thin it out to desired consistency. If the gravy is too runny, increase the heat and cook off the extra liquid. Remove from heat and add pickle.
5. Prepare Tempering (optional)- Heat oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add paprika and cook for about 10 to 15 seconds, then carefully pour the oil over the prepared curry.

Prepare Aloo ki Tarkari

1. Heat oil in a large vessel over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add curry leaves, red chili flakes, cumin seeds, nigella seeds, mustard seeds, and fenugreek seeds, and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato, ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, turmeric, and salt, and cook until the oil begins to separate from the spices, about 5 minutes. Add splashes of water as necessary to prevent the mixture from burning.
2. Add potatoes and 2 cups of water. Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Cook until the potatoes have softened considerably and have started to break down. Using a cooking spoon, gently mash the potatoes to desired consistency (you can add water if the curry is too thick). Remove from heat and garnish with cilantro.

Recipe Notes

Semolina Pudding / Sooji ka Halwa-

Kewra essence can readily be found at your local South Asian grocery markets. Also, Kewra water can be used in place of essence; you may need to add extra, as it’s less potent than essence.

When the sugar syrup is added to the semolina mixture and removed from heat, it will seem extremely runny. Rest assured that if allowed to sit covered and undisturbed for a minimum of 30 minutes, the semolina will absorb all the liquid and the halwa will be at the perfect consistency. Do not be tempted to uncover the lid during those 30 minutes.

Chickpea Curry / Cholay ka Salan-

Mango or mixed pickle can readily be found at your local South Asian grocery markets. The tempering is optional. It adds a subtle color contrast to the curry, and can be left out if desired.