Amti (Spicy Sweet and Sour Lentil Curry)

This traditional Gujarati Amti is a rich, sweet, and sour lentil curry made from chana dal (split Bengal gram) and flavored with a unique blend of fried onions and kokum. The dish features a distinct technique where onions are fried until crisp and then crushed with spices and gram flour to create a thick, flavorful base. Ideally served with roti or rice, this preparation offers a delightful balance of tangy kokum, spicy pepper, and earthy coriander-cumin notes.

Ingredients

1/2 cup Chana Dal (Split Bengal Gram) (Originally '0.25 lb' (approx 115g).)
4 tablespoons Ghee (Originally '5 tolas' (approx 58g).)
1 medium Onion (Originally '5 tolas'. Finely sliced.)
8 pieces Kokum (dried mangosteen rind) (Originally '1.5 tolas'. Used for sourness.)
2 tablespoons Gram flour (Besan) (Originally '1.5 tolas'.)
1 inch piece Ginger (Originally '0.5 tola'. Peeled and crushed.)
1 teaspoon Salt (Originally '0.5 tola'. Adjust to taste.)
2 teaspoons Dhana-Jira (Coriander-Cumin powder) (Originally '2 heaping spoonfuls'.)
1 teaspoon Black pepper powder (Originally '1 heaping spoonful'.)
1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Originally '1 flat spoonful'.)
5 cups Water (Divided use (soaking and cooking). Originally measured in 'pasher' (approx 1 cup).)

Instructions

1Clean the kokum and soak it in 1/2 cup of cold water in a non-reactive bowl (originally stoneware). After soaking, mash the kokum thoroughly to extract the juice, then discard the skins and reserve the liquid.
2Peel and crush the ginger. Peel the onion and slice it extremely finely (described as 'like sev' or vermicelli).
3In a heavy-bottomed pot (originally a tin-lined vessel), heat the ghee. Add the sliced onions and stir constantly until they turn brown. Add the crushed ginger and stir. Once the onions are a rich reddish-brown, remove the pot from the heat and leave it uncovered. The residual heat will make the onions crisp and crunchy.
4Once the fried onions are crisp, crush them into a powder using a spoon. Mix in the coriander-cumin powder, turmeric, black pepper, salt, and gram flour (besan) until thoroughly combined into a paste.
5Wash the chana dal. Place it in a pot with 3 cups of cold water. Cover and cook over low heat. If the water evaporates before the dal is soft, add another 1 cup of hot water. Cook until the dal is completely soft and tender.
6Pour the cooking water from the dal into the pot containing the spiced onion mixture first, stirring well to dissolve the paste. Then add the cooked dal. Cover and simmer over low heat. Stir frequently, as the gram flour tends to stick to the bottom.
7When the liquid reduces slightly, pour in the reserved kokum water. Keep on very low heat (originally embers) and ensure it doesn't stick. When the dal reaches a slightly loose, gravy-like consistency, remove from heat. Serve as is with Roti. If serving with rice, whisk the dal vigorously with a ladle to make it smooth before serving.