Amti Dal

Name: Amti Dal
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 600 ml/20 fl oz/2½ cups water; 350 g/12 oz/2 cups toor dal (yellow lentils); 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander/cilantro; 2 tbsp grated fresh coconut; 1 tsp salt; 1½ tsp jaggery; 2 tbsp tamarind paste; 1 tbsp Kala Masala; ¼ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder; ½ tsp ground turmeric; 120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup water; 1 green chilli, finely chopped; 2 dried red chillies; 10–12 curry leaves; pinch of asafoetida; ½ tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp mustard seeds; 1 tbsp ghee

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Yatra

By Rohit Ghai

Published 2025

About

This Maharashtrian amti dal recipe is very much everyday comfort food in India and every single community has their own version of this classic. Easy to cook, the combination of sweet, tangy and spicy flavours are as ideal served with plain rice as they are eaten alone.

Ingredients

1 tbsp ghee
1 tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp

Asia
India
Maharashtra
Stew
Gluten-free
Vegetarian
Spicy

Method

Wash the lentils under cold running water several times, then place in a bowl with fresh water and leave to soak for 20–30 minutes. Drain.

In a saucepan, combine the measured water with the salt and ground turmeric. Add the drained lentils, then bring to the boil. Simmer over a medium heat for about 15–20 minutes, or until the lentils are soft.

In a large pan, heat the ghee over