(Drumsticks in split pigeon pea/Arhar dal/Toor dal curry ).

Drumsticks are nutrient-dense vegetables that are readily available in Indian markets. They grow on the Moringa plant. The vegetable is long, slender, and resembles sticks used to beat drums. That is why they are called drumsticks. Today I am sharing a delicious Maharashtrian recipe made with drumsticks - ‘The Drumstick Amti’ or ‘Shevgyachya Shenganchi Amti’.

RECIPE VIDEO

Ingredients

For cooking the drumsticks-

• 3-4 drumsticks (shehjan/Shevgyachya shenga)

• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder(haldi)

• 1 tsp salt

• water to soak the drumsticks.

For cooking the split pigeon peas -

• 1 cup split pigeon peas(Arhar/toor dal)

• 2.5cups of water

• pinch of turmeric powder (haldi)

• 1/2 tsp asafoetida powder (hing)

• some drops of oil

For the Amti-

• 2 tbsp groundnut oil

• 1 tsp mustard seeds (rai)

• 4-5 curry leaves (kadhipatta)

• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

• 1 tsp red chili powder (lal tikha powder)

• 2 tsp goda masala(store bought/home-made)

• 2 tbsp jaggery (gud)

• 1/8th cup thin tamarind pulp (imli ka pani)

  
  
  

  For the garnish -

• 1 tbsp coriander leaves

Method

• Wash the drumsticks and cut them into finger-long lengths(roughly 3-inch).

• Fill a bowl with enough water, and toss the drumstick fingers in it. Add a pinch of turmeric, and a little salt to it. Microwave for 13-15 mins till the drumsticks are just cooked. Set them aside.

• Soak tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes. Squeeze it to get the pulp. Pass it through a small sieve to remove seeds/solid particles.

• Wash the split-pigeon peas 3-4 times, discarding the water after each wash. Add 2.5 cups of water to them. Add asafoetida, and turmeric powder. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.

• After the pressure goes down, whisk the cooked split pigeon peas properly to make a smooth dal. Set this aside.

• In a pan/kadhai/pot add oil. When the oil gets hot add mustard seeds. Let them splutter. Add curry leaves, and turmeric. Give it a nice stir.

• Transfer the cooked dal, and add red chili powder, goda masala, jaggery, and tamarind pulp to it.

• Add the cooked drumsticks along with the liquid to the dal.

• Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add salt as per taste.

• Turn off the heat, and then add chopped coriander leaves. Give it a nice stir.

  
  
  

  DRUMSTICK AMTI IS READY TO BE SERVED!

  SERVE HOT.

Notes -

• Serve this Amti with steamed rice. You can have it with chapati too.

• Use fresh drumsticks as they taste much better than old ones.

• If you don’t want to microwave the drumsticks, you can cook them while making the Amti. After you add mustard seeds, curry leaves, and turmeric to hot oil(till step 6 in the above recipe), add the drumsticks, salt, and little water. Cover the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes till they are just cooked. Then proceed with adding the cooked dal as mentioned above.

• Goda Masala is easily available in grocery stores. Alternatively, you can make goda masala at home and store it in an air-tight container.

• This amti has a thin consistency. Don’t make it too thick.

Did you make this recipe?
Kindly let me know in the comments section below and tag @bitesandbokeh on INSTAGRAM.