Simple, practical, and full of everyday flavour, katachi amti is a vegetarian Indian, Maharashtrian side dish made with simple everyday ingredients in about 35 minutes. The recipe lays out the ingredients and each cooking step clearly, so you can adjust seasoning, texture, and serving size for your own kitchen.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 3 · 3 to 4
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: Indian, Maharashtrian

Ingredients

  • strained stock (broth) (from cooking about 1 cup chana dal (bengal gram) + 3 cups water)
  • ½ cup water (or more to be added, if required)
  • reserve about 2 tablespoon of the cooked dal
  • 1 small tomato, (chopped)
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 5 to 6 curry leaves
  • 2 pinches of asafoetida ((hing))
  • 1 teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder (or red chili powder)
  • 1 teaspoon Goda Masala (or ½ teaspoon garam masala powder)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 teaspoon oil
  • 1 to 2 teaspoon fresh coconut (or desiccated coconut (optional))
  • salt as required

Method

cooking chana dal

  1. Rinse the chana dal first very well in water. Soak the chana dal for 1 to 2 hours and then drain the water.
  2. In a pressure cooker, cook the chana dal for 6 to 7 whistles. If you soak the chana dal, the cooking time will be reduced. Once the pressure settles down on its own, strain the cooked dal. The dal has to be strained well.
  3. Use the the stock to make the katachi amti. Also reserve about 2 tbsp of the cooked chana dal. The remaining chana dal can be used to make the puran poli stuffing.

making katachi amti

  1. In a pan heat oil. First crackle the mustard seeds.
  2. Then add the cumin seeds and saute till they change color and are fragrant.
  3. Then add the curry leaves, turmeric powder, chilli powder and asafoetida.
  4. Stir and add chopped tomatoes. Saute till the tomatoes soften.
  5. Add the 2 tablespoon chana dal and the stock. You can add more water if required.
  6. Season with salt, chopped coriander leaves and add the goda masala.
  7. Stir well and let the katachi amti come to a boil. If adding coconut, then you can add now.
  8. Lower the flame and then simmer for some minutes, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  9. Serve katachi amti with puran poli or steamed rice.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.