Everyone has their own list of comfort foods, which when savored, makes you very happy and fulfilled. When I think of comfort food, the first thing that comes to my mind is a dali ambat – which is a traditional Konkani dish with toor dal, coconut and a vegetable. Its just out of the world. Any one of a huge list of vegetables can be used for this gravy and depending on which vegetable is used, the gravy gets its unique taste. Recently aayi introduced me to a whole new dali ambat with pepper(miryakan), instead of the traditional fried coriander seeds in it. Pepper gives a very good aroma as well as taste to it. She made this with frozen suran and it was just superb.
Last month, we had been to Boston to one of my cousin’s place. My cousin asked aayi to make dali ambat with suran. Aayi used more of dal and very less coconut and made this gravy. Not only we all coconut fans, but her husband(who never eats any coconut based gravies), simply loved the taste of it. Somehow I could not recall tasting this version before, so I kept on troubling aayi saying she does not give me all her recipes :)). She made this again last week and I am sure this will be a regular at my home now.
Those who do not like coconut can decrease the amount of coconut and increase the dal to get required consistency, you won’t get a a strong coconut flavor, but coconut is a must for this.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup toor dal
3/4 cup yam (suran) or ivy gourd(tendli) or potatoes
1/2 cup fresh/frozen coconut
1/2 tea spn peppercorns
2 red chilies
1/4 tea spn tamarind extract or 1 piece of tamarind
1/2 tea spn mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
A pinch asafoetida
A pinch turmeric
Oil and ghee
Salt
Method:
Cook toor dal with a pinch of turmeric in cooker. Cook suran pieces. If using a cooker, keep the dal in bottom vessel and suran pieces in topmost vessel with a very little water. Be extra careful while using frozen suran, it cooks very fast.
Grind together coconut, tamarind, peppercorns, red chilies to a paste.
Heat together cooked dal, suran, coconut paste and salt with enough water to get it to a thick gravy consistency. Cook for about 5-6mins. Take off the heat.
In a separate pan, heat a little ghee and add mustard seeds. When they start popping, add curry leaves and pinch of asafoetida. Pour this seasoning over the gravy and close the lid.
Serve hot with rice.
Serves: 3-4
Preparation time : 15mins
Wow ..Ambat with Miryakan is new to me. I will surely try this version, as i always keep lots of frozen suran handy. One tip for the frozen suran, microwave it for just 2 min and it is ready. Thanks for sharing.
Shilpa,
was just reading through this. I have prepraed your other version which has same masala(Mooga Mole Randayi – Ankola Devasthan style ). But I like our usual mooga mole randayi better or may be I am used to that 🙂
I will try this one and let you know.
regards
Archana
Shipa: I understand Archana, its a acquired taste. For me, devasthan style randayi is a treat which we eat during Panchami devakarya at temple. During normal days, wee too make the other traditional variety. I am glad you tried.
I bought a canned Suran last week. Will try this when I come back.See you next week Shilpa, hugs:)
Ambat with miryakan, sasam+karbev+hinga paNNa!! I got to try this one, very tempting and totally new to me. Glad I did not miss out on this.
Coconut gravies are amrat to Konkanis :D.
Hi Shilpa,
Thanks for today’s lunch!Ha..i wd get back wt feedback..brought surnu yesterday for this recipe! I m sure its going to b very delicious!Thanks again! 🙂
Imm quite interesting
Heaven, I’m in heaven, coconut and dal together! 🙂
Hi Shilpa.. I made this ambat..tasted delicious..first time in amchi recipe..my mil makes curry…coco+jeerey+meerye for masolu..raw banana/red pumpkin for veggie.
phanna-karbevo+sasama in coco oil. yummy too. Tks for your recipe..best regards.