Katachi aamti (Chana dal cooked in sweet, sour and spicy gravy)

  Aamti dal is from maharashtrian cuisine.  It is prepared from lentil (dal) stock, regarded as an spicy dal preparation flavoured with goda masala, tamarind and gur (jaggery).  Aamti prepared using chana dal is as follows

Ingredients required

To be roast and grounded into powder

• 2-3 tsp dry coconut
• Half tsp jeera
• 3-4 dry red chillies
• 2 tsp whole dhanya
• 2 green cardamon
• 1 bayleaf
• 2 cloves
• Half tsp peppercorn
• 2-inch stick cinnamon

For aamti

• Half cup chana dal
• 3 tsp oil
• Salt, to taste
• 4-5 tsp chopped onions
• Half tsp mustard seeds
• Half tsp jeera
• 2 red chillies, broken into half
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 5 tsp of thick tamarind extract
• 3 tsp of grated jaggery
• coriander leaves and grated coconut, to garnish

Method

Soak chana dal in water for 3 hours.  Pressure cook with a pinch of haldi for 3 whistles or till done.  Roast and powder all ingredients in masala section, keep aside.

Heat oil in kadaai, add mustard seeds, wait till it splutters.  This is followed by adding jeera, red chilly, curry leaves and chopped onions.  Saute well.

 Now add masala

Saute masala and add tamarind extract.  Cook till oil separates.

After that, add cooked chana dal and lastly grated jaggery.

 Add salt and check spices, garnish with grated coconut and coriander leaves

This is an  ideal combination with roti .