“Tambdi Bajji ani Bikkanda Ambat with Piyav Panna / Red Amaranth Leaves and Jackfruit Seeds Spicy Curry Seasoned with Onions” … It’s been a long time since I prepared this combo dish … fresh tambdi bajji is available in plenty now … A delicious dish that goes well with Red Boiled Rice (Ukde SheetHa) … Tummy Khush … Yum Yum ..... :)
** Tambdi Bajji / Red Amaranth / Laal MatH is a leafy vegetable that is available almost all round the year but in plenty before monsoon and during monsoon too. They are very nutritious and have immense health benefits. A simple bhaji that can be consumed almost on daily basis without any worry whatsoever. However, during monsoon though they are available in plenty, one has to be careful while cleaning, chopping and using them as they are muddy and also contains worms which become difficult and time consuming one. That is why I always relish this dish just when the monsoon starts as you get the best and the cleanest one’s then.
** Ambat is a curry dish served usually with rice in Konkani Saraswat’s Cusine. It can be prepared both with and without dal depending upon what is added along with the leaves as a company. When fish is added usually dal is avoided and when veggies are added they are added on again depending upon which vegetable is added to the same. Usually when it is seasoned with onion it is called ambat and with garlic it is called bendi. However, in different parts of the cities in kokan coastal belt they are called differently too. I can only mention that which me Mangloreans refer to as I was born and brought up in Mangalore and my roots and food habits originate from there.
** I have posted many ambat varities before. I have also posted a few with red amaranth leaves too. If you use the search option you will find them. Do go through them for a knowledge of different combination. This ambat is no different from them except that this time I have added bikkand / jackfruit seeds to the same. The recipe remains the same without any changes whatsoever. I have just included this in the Blog for combination pattern sake. Do try out the various combinations or create your own one’s too. There is always no hard and fast rules as per cooking is considered. I never till date have understood why some people try to take patent rights over simple amchi dishes. They are all same with minute difference as per the regions and as per the habits of their generation people that’s all.
** Here is the simple Recipe to “Tambdi Bajji ani Bikkanda Ambat with Piyav Panna / Red Amaranth Leaves and Jackfruit Seeds Spicy Curry Seasoned with Onions” … My Mom’s Style …
** Wash well and add one cup of tuvar dal in pressure cooker with 2-3 cups of water. Keep this aside ready.
** Now, clean and finely chop the tambdi bajji / red amaranth leaves. Wash them in plenty of water to clean off all the mud it any. You can also chop and add in the tender stems. If the stems are thicker cut them into 1 inch sized pieces and add them on, they taste simply great. Drain off all the water and put them in a pressure cooker on top of the dal.
** Note : If the bunch is large you can use the leaves and the thicker stems along with some of the tender stems for ambat and keep the remaining tender stems aside to prepare ambado/ pattice or sannapolo etc. they taste awesome with tender stems. I always keep aside 2 cups of the fresh tender stems for ambado. Yo can check the same previously posted in my blog. This time to I have kept them aside and I am yet to decide on what to prepare out of the same.
** Remove the outer white dried skin of the jackfruit seeds and slightly crush them with a heavy weight. Wash and add them also into the pressure cooker by adding them on top of the amaranth leaves. Cover the cooker lid and pressure cook on medium heat for 2 whistles. Now lover the heat and cook for another 5 minutes. Don’t worry if the cooker lets out a few whistles. Now remove from heat and let cool till you are able to open the pressure cooker lid. Do not release the pressure from the cooker, there are chances then that the dal may not get cooked properly.
** For the Masala to be ground : Add 1 cup of freshly grated coconut, 8-10 kashmiri red chilly and small marble sized tamarind in a mixer grinder and grind to a very fine paste. The ground mixture should be very fine.
** Note : You can use the cooked dal-bajji water from pressure cooker to grind the masala too. That is what we usually do. We strain the water and grind the masala with it, and after removing the masala we add in a the remaining cooked water into the vessel of grinder and swirl it round to give it a nice wash and add that water to the curry too. This is actually called stone washed water as in olden days stone grinder was used for grinding purpose.
** Add the ground paste to the cooked ingredients in a vessel and mix all together well. Add salt to taste and add in water if needed to bring to a thick gravy consistency. Add in a small onion chopped finely too and cook all on medium heat till it comes to a boiling point. Keep stirring in between to avoid the curry getting burnt at the bottom.
** For Tempering : Heat 2 tblsp of oil in a small pan, when hot add in a medium sized onion chopped very finely and gry on medium heat till it turns brownish and then pour it over the simmering curry.
** Remove the curry from heat, cover with a tight lid and keep it aside for the flavors to get seeped in with each other properly. Ambat should always be kept aside for a good 20-30 minutes as the flavor of the onions should get embedded with the curry only then it tastes awesome. The curry also thickens on cooling, so to check in the consistency properly.
** “Tambdi Bajji ani Bikkanda Ambat with Piyav Panna / Red Amaranth Leaves and Jackfruit Seeds Spicy Curry Seasoned with Onions” is done and ready to be served. You can serve this dish with any type of cooked or steamed rice of your choice but it goes best in combination when served with Red Boiled Rice (Ukde SheetHa).
** If you do not prefer boiled rice it, you can serve the same with ordinary rice or jeera rice too. If you want to serve it with roti, parathas, poori, panpolo or any other dosa too. Just remember not to thin out the gravy consistency if your are serving with these items. Keep it slightly thicker in texture than when serving with rice, tastes good too.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks.