Seyal Bhajiسيل ڀاڄي

Name: Seyal Bhaji
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Sindhi
Ingredients: 2 medium Potatoes, cut into cubes; 1.5 cups Cauliflower, cut into florets; 2 medium Onions, finely sliced; 3 medium Tomatoes, chopped; 2 Green chillies, slit; 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste; 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds; 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder; 1 tsp Coriander powder; 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder; a handful Fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves, picked; 3 tbsp Oil; to taste Salt; 2 tbsp Fresh coriander, to finish

⏱ Prep 15m🍳 Cook 35m🍽 Serves 4🌿 Vegan

Video: Tales by Vaani (YouTube)

Seyal is one of Sindhi cooking's most brilliant techniques — vegetables are cooked covered in their own steam and the moisture of onions and tomatoes, with barely any added water, until they become deeply flavourful and tender without ever going soggy. Seyal bhaji brings together whatever vegetables the season offers, slow-cooked with a simple masala into something greater than its parts. This is weekday Sindhi home cooking at its most honest: frugal, sustaining, and quietly delicious alongside roti or rice.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

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Ingredients

▪Potatoes, cut into cubes2 medium
▪Cauliflower, cut into florets1.5 cups
▪Onions, finely sliced2 medium
▪Tomatoes, chopped3 medium
▪Green chillies, slit2
▪Ginger-garlic paste1 tbsp
▪Cumin seeds1/2 tsp
▪Turmeric powder1/2 tsp
▪Coriander powder1 tsp
▪Red chilli powder1/2 tsp
▪Fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves, pickeda handful
▪Oil3 tbsp
▪Saltto taste
▪Fresh coriander, to finish2 tbsp

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

The vegetable combination is flexible — Sindhi cooks use what is at hand. Substitute or add brinjal (eggplant), capsicum, or carrots. If fresh methi leaves are unavailable, use dried kasuri methi (half the quantity) or simply omit. The key technique — minimal water, tight lid, low heat — should remain constant regardless of which vegetables you use.

Method

1Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or karahi over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 20 seconds. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 8–10 minutes until soft and golden at the edges — do not rush this step.
2Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies. Cook for 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears. Add turmeric, coriander powder, and red chilli powder, stir through for 30 seconds, then add chopped tomatoes. Cook the masala over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, pressing the tomatoes as they soften, until the oil begins to separate from the masala.
3Add potatoes and cauliflower to the pan and stir to coat thoroughly with the masala. Season with salt. Tuck in the methi leaves. Add no more than 2–3 tablespoons of water. Cover tightly with a lid and reduce heat to low.
4Cook on low heat for 15–18 minutes, lifting the lid once halfway through to stir gently. The vegetables should steam in the masala and their own moisture — this is the seyal method. When the potatoes are completely tender and the dish looks dry rather than saucy, it is done. Scatter fresh coriander over the top and serve with roti or steamed rice.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.