Toor dal simmered sweet, sour and spicy with goda masala, jaggery and tamarind; the everyday dal of Maharashtra, tempered with mustard and curry leaves.
Lunch · 10 min prep · 30 min cook · serves 3 Newly added
Ingredients
- ¾ cup toor dal (split pigeon peas)
- 3 cups water
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp ghee
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 8 curry leaves
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 1½ tsp goda masala
- 1 tbsp jaggery , grated
- 1 tsp tamarind , pulp
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- to taste rock salt
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves , chopped
Preparation
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Pressure-cook the dal with the water and turmeric until soft (4–5 whistles), then whisk it smooth and loose.
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Heat the ghee, pop the mustard seeds, and add cumin, curry leaves and hing.
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Pour in the dal, then add the goda masala, chili powder, jaggery, tamarind and salt.
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Simmer 5–7 minutes so the sweet, sour and spice marry; loosen with hot water to a pourable dal.
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Finish with coriander and serve with steamed rice or phulka.
In the tradition
Amti is the taste of a Maharashtrian thali: one dal carrying all the key flavours at once, sweet from jaggery, sour from tamarind or kokum, warm from goda masala. The name itself is said to come from “amatya”, sour; a reminder that this dal was being poured over rice in these kitchens long before “dal tadka” was a menu phrase.
Sources & further reading
- Family recipe notebook (recipe #10, "Amti: tur dal, water, jaggery, goda/kala masala, tamarind, curry leaves")
- Amti Recipe (Amti Dal) (opens in a new tab) , Spice Up The Curry
Classical citations mark where a tradition is drawn on; modern books are shared as further reading, not as prescriptions.