MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Katachi Aamti

Katachi Aamti

Katachi Aamti is complementary for the Puranpoli menu. Kat is the daal broth that is separated after cooking the chana(Bengal gram) daal for puranpoli. This broth is used for making katachi aamti. I like katachi aamti and rice more than the puranpoli. Many of my friends like to eat puranpoli and katachi aamti together.

Ingredients

Bengal Gram split (Chana Daal)- 1 cup

Water - 4- 5 cups

Turmeric - ½ teaspoon

Oil- 3 tablespoons

Salt- As per taste

Onions – 2 medium

Dry Coconut (grated) - 2 tablespoons

Ginger - ½ inch piece

Garlic - 10-12 cloves

Fresh coriander – 4-5 sprigs

Kolhapuri Kala Masala/ Kanda Lasun Masala- 1 teaspoon

Asafoetida – a pinch

Mustard Seeds- ½ teaspoon

Curry Leaves- 10-12 nos

Kokam- 2-3 nos

Method

Wash the daal well and pressure cook it along with water, a pinch of salt, turmeric and very little oil. Now strain the daal through and separate the clear liquid and daal. The clear liquid is the kat which is used for making katachi aamti. Add a teaspoon of the cooked daal to this liquid and keep it aside.

For the masala, make a paste of the onions, coconut, ginger, garlic, coriander in mixer and sauté it well in oil till oil separates and set aside.

Take little oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafetida to it. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the kolhapuri kaala masala and the above prepared masala paste. Stir for a minute and add the kat i.e. the daal broth. Add kokam and bring to a boil, lower the flame and allow to boil for about 4- minutes. Remove from fire and katachi aamti is ready to be served.

Notes/Tips/Variations

Some people like to add a little jaggery to balance the taste. You may also add a little of the sweet puran to the aamti.

You may roast the onion and piece of dry coconut directly on the gas flame and then use it in the masala paste. This gives a nice flavour to the aamti. You need to be careful while roasting dry coconut on open flame as coconut tends to catch fire because of its oil content.

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja- PuranPoli

PuranPoli

PuranPoli is a Maharashtrian delicacy which is prepared for many festive occasions, mainly Holi. It is also a must have for marriage puja ceremonies and so on. Puranpoli is prepared differently in every household, it can be made of either jaggery or sugar. Towards the Kolhapur belt, telavarchi poli is popular. Here, jaggery is used and as the puranpoli is less sweet, gulavani(jaggery syrup) is used as accompaniment. To make Puranpoli, you require the PuranYantra to churn the puran. In case, you do not have one, make use of the chutney jar of the mixer/grinder or you may use a stainless steel strainer. In earlier times, the ladies used to grind the puran using the stone grinders or pastels.

I make Puranpoli using sugar and I follow the recipe of Mangala Barve of “Annapurna” fame.

Many people enjoy “Katachi Aamti” more than the Puranpoli(Kat is the by product yielded while making Puran). I will be posting recipe of both Puranpoli as well as Katachi Aamti, enjoy.

Puranpoli Ingredients:

For Puran-

Bengal Gram (split)/Chana Daal- 1 cup

Sugar – 2 cups

Water- Approx 5 cups

Salt- A small pinch

Turmeric- A small pinch

Oil- 2 teaspoons

Cardamom Powder- ½ teaspoon

Nutmeg powder- ¼ teaspoon

Saffron (optional) - ¼ teaspoon

For Puranpoli Cover-

Wheat flour- 1 and half cup

Refined flour – 2 tablespoons

Salt- A small pinch

Water- to knead the dough

Oil – 3 tablespoons

Method

Wash the chana daal and add water, salt, turmeric, oil and pressure cook for about 15 minutes. Remove pressure, strain the cooked daal and collect the clear water (this is the kat for katachi aamti). Mash the daal well and add sugar to it and cook in a thick bottomed vessel. This mixture tends to erupt and bubble, so be careful while stirring, you need to stir this constantly. Once the mixture starts leaving the sides of the utensil, it is done. Now you need to churn the puran while hot through the Puran Yantra and finally after readying the puran, add the flavouring ingredients – cardamom, nutmeg and saffron. Set aside the puran. If you do not have Puran Yantra, you can sieve the puran through a stainless steel mesh sieve(about 1-1.5mm wide) while it is warm. Other option  churn puran in the chutney jar of the mixer/grinder once it cools down.

For the dough, mix the wheat flour, refined flour, salt and water to smooth dough and knead well by adding the oil in small quantities at a time. Let the dough aside for minimum half hour and now for making puranpoli, take a small portion and make it into a katori shape, place little quantity of puran into it and close the cover nicely and roll into a chapatti/poli/roti. Heat the tawa and cook the puranpoli lightly on both sides and then add little oil and turn on both sides till done. Puranpoli is ready to be served and is accompanied with ghee and milk.

Note- This seems a difficult recipe to be made, but, one can surely perfect it with practise.