Oil-Free Dalichi Amti

I know that I have already blogged about Dalichi Amti before. But there are many versions of amtis in my family. This Amti is known as "Tai chi Amti". Tai means elder sister in Marathi. None has ever met this Tai. She was my grandmother's friend who had shared this recipe with my grandma. So my grandma too used to make this amti often. She passed down the recipe and title - Tai chi Amti to the next generations.

You know what I like the best? This is actually an oil-free amti. There is not even a drop of oil in the original recipe. This is not even modified recipe by health-conscious next generation. This is the original recipe. So how was it fat-free, a few generations back? Grandma (& probably Tai too!)always served this Amti along with a big katori of clarified butter/ghee/toop. So each can take their own portion of ghee in their bowl. Now a drop or a dollop is entirely your choice. :-)

Tai Chi Amti
Oil-free Daal
Ingredients
Pressure cook all these ingredients together
3/4 cup Toor Daal
1/4 cup Moong Daal
1/2 onion, chopped
1 or 2 green chilies, slit
4-5 pieces of drumsticks, cut into 3" pieces
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida

To be added later
1 tsp goda masala
3-4 kokums, rinsed
salt to taste
2 tsp jaggery (or more)
1 sprig curry leaves

Garnish
1 tbsp freshly grated coconut
1 tbsp coriander leaves/cilantro, chopped

Accompaniment (optional)
Ghee

Method
1. Pressure cook daal along with all the ingredients till asafoetida. Add about double amount of water.
2. Pour cooked daal in a saucepan. Mash cooked daal with the back of the spoon. Add water to adjust the consistency.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients.
4. Bring to a rapid boil.
5. Simmer for about 11 - 12 minutes on a low flame. Add more water if daal is getting too thick.
6. Garnish with coconut and cilantro.
7. Serve hot with rice.

Note -
1. This daal needs to be simmered nicely on a low flame so all the flavors are nicely incorporated. 2. The consistency should be neither too thick nor too thin.