Aamti

Aamti is the special way of preparing lentils or dal in Maharashtra. Aamti is a little spicy, a little sweet and a little tangy. The word aamti can also used to describe other curried preparations, but the aamti dal stands solid as the pillar of everyday food, making it a staple of almost every meal. Aamti is a good illustration of the generous use of jaggery or unrefined sugar in Marathi cooking which lends a slight sweetish tinge to even savory foods. Aamti can be made with different lentils or dals and is known by different names like Katachi aamati (made with Chana Dal), or Golyanchi Aamti (fried Balls in Dal) or Massor Aamti (made with red lentil) thought the most traditional Aamti is made with Tur Dal. Amti is best served with fresh steamed rice and a dollop of ghee (clarified butter).