Friday, April 10, 2009

Matkichi Amti


You have seen and read about the Matkichi Usal. So now here is the Amti. This amti is a watery version of the Usal. Yet what separates an Usal from an Amti is the souring agent. We use tamarind/ kokam(garcinia indica)/tomatoes. Much like a rasam n consistency but with beans and flavored with the Kala or Goda masala.

This was a conversation between a Varkari and a Muslim that I heard one day and makes me smile when I remember it. Varkaris are people who visit Lord Vithal atPandharpur every year on foot. They are strict vegetarians and may be from any Hindu class/ caste. They could be people who have converted to vegetarianism later in life if not born into vegetarian families. Muslims are complete carnivores. So these two had a cool verbal match on whose food is better. Finally the Varkari said have you eaten Matki.chi Amti? Zak marel mutton la! Now I don't know how to translate that but I hope you understand the emotion!

Matkichi amti is that much loved by a Marathi.

Ingredients

1 cup sprouted matki/ moth beans
1 large onion
1 green chili
1/4 cup tamarind juice extract
2 inch jaggery piece
water
salt to taste
2 teaspoon oil
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon Goda/ Kala masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
chopped cilantro for garnish

Heat a pressure cooker. Add oil and do the tadka/ seasoning with mustard, slit green chili, asafoetida and onions. Add the turmeric, red chili powder, and the Goda/ Kala masala. Be quick to add the sprouted and cleaned Matki. Top up with water, as much as the consistency you like, I used 1.5 glasses. Close the lid and allow just one whistle. That much is enough else it will crumble the beans completely. Open the lid once cooled add the salt, tamarind juice and jaggery and bring to a rolling boil. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and serve.

It can be a nice beany soupy snack with less spicing. The standard amti goes with rice or bhakri the best but you can have it with chapati too.

Tip: Don't try to cook matki without sprouting, only sprouting brings out the best in Matki.

9 comments:

  1. Looks too good Anjali!

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  2. I am Vinaya's mom. I visit your blog very regularly and appreciate your enthusiasm . I would like to forward certain recipes ,if they would be of interest to you . I would like your guidance over puran poli.Though mine come out well , yet not to my expectations. Keep in touch. Mrs.Damle

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  3. Namaskar Kaku! It is your blessings. Please do send in the recipes, traditional ones prefered. Arey baap re!!! me kai guidance karNar...bara you ask me whatever you want to know about puranpoLi.

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  4. you forgot to mention when to add the onions. Please let me know. Thanks

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  5. Divya I missed it then...thanks for poiting it out. I add the onions in the tadka and saute, have updated the post now.

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  6. thanks for this recipe and the pic...made it today...is a nice change from matki chi usal...will add this to my repertoire.

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  7. Made this recipe today. Everyone loved it and conveys thanks to you. Somewhere on your blog i had read about your tip on how to add tamarind and gur while cooking and has thanks for that too.

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  8. Hi,
    Another great blog for people like me who try hard to replicate mom`s recipes! Thanks for all your efforts, you do not, these recipes bring us closer to our homes when we are in far away lands!
    No a few things, I tried similar recipe but I think add one lemon ball size tamarind pulp (so the dry tamarind was lemon size), would this work? I made a mistake of adding too much water and the aamti turned out to be "panchat".
    Another thing is many add goda masal at the boiling stage (ukali deta na), what are your observations about adding goda masala at the end stage of cooking.
    Am a food cooking fanatic, lol so please share your experience of cooking this aamti and in general. Do you feel down when a dish doesnt turn out well..lol i so do! Hope I am not the only one!
    Again thanks a lot!

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    Replies
    1. Hi, a lemon sized tamarind would give you enough pulp provided it is dark black tamarind which is aged in salt. If it is the lighter brown tamarind the taste dilutes. I add goda masala at boiling stage to get rid of the raw smell. If you are using it in the end reduce the quantity of masala. Yeah I too feel bad when the taste is hampered in anyway. You are most welcome and keep visiting and commenting!

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