Lolo is the Sindhi name shared by both a savoury sesame flatbread and — in a different household register — this sweet fried bread with jaggery, sesame and cardamom. The sweet lolo is made for Eid al-Fitr, prepared a day ahead and distributed to neighbours in the same way that Bengalis exchange mishti or Punjabis share sewaiyan. The dough is sweetened with grated jaggery, flavoured with cardamom and studded with sesame seeds, rolled thick and fried in ghee until deep golden. The jaggery caramelises inside the bread as it fries, producing pockets of dark sweetness within. It is not a restaurant sweet; it is a home sweet, carried from kitchen to kitchen on Eid morning.
Zone: Indus Plains
SOURCE: Sindhi household, Larkana, Eid recipe, oral tradition recorded 2021
LOCAL NAME: لولو
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
- 4 tbsp grated jaggery (gur)
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds (til)
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp ghee (plus more for frying)
- warm water to knead (about 5–6 tbsp)
METHOD
- Mix the flour, grated jaggery, sesame seeds, cardamom and salt. Rub in the 2 tbsp ghee.
- Add warm water gradually to form a medium-firm dough — softer than koki dough, firmer than roti dough. Knead for 5 minutes. Cover and rest 15 minutes.
- Divide into 8 portions. Roll each into a disc about 5mm thick on a lightly floured surface.
- Heat ghee in a wide, deep pan to a steady medium heat. Fry the lolo in batches for 4–5 minutes each side until deep golden with darker caramelised patches where the jaggery has come through.
- Drain on kitchen paper. Serve warm or at room temperature. They keep for 2–3 days in an airtight tin.
NOTES
UK adaptation: Jaggery (gur) from any South Asian grocer; grated or finely chopped before mixing into the dough. Whole wheat flour (atta) from any supermarket. Sesame seeds from any supermarket. Everything else widely available.
US adaptation: Jaggery from Patel Brothers or Indian grocery stores. Atta or whole wheat flour from Patel Brothers. Sesame seeds from any grocery store. Everything else widely available.
Cook’s note: Keep the oil at a steady medium heat — jaggery burns easily and turns bitter at high temperatures. The lolo should fry to a deep, even gold over 4–5 minutes per side.
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