Kele Ambat

Kele Ambat

A very delicious sweet dish in Konkani Cuisine of Cochin GSB. Ripe plantain (Kerala banana / nentrampazham) cooked in chana dal, jaggery and coconut paste. Good combination with rice. Color of the ambat may varies from color of the jaggery ( yellow, dark yellow and brown ).

Serves: 3

Ingredients

1 cup (100 ml / 4 oz) chana dal (Chone dali / Bengal gram dal) - Please do not use any other dal

3 cups (300 ml) water

2 ripe plantain (nentrampazham) (medium size), cut into cubes

1/4 teaspoon salt

85 - to 100 ml melted & sieved jaggery or organic jaggery (3 - 4 cubes)

For coconut paste:

50 g (4 tablespoons) grated coconut

1 small green chilli, chopped

1 pinch turmeric powder

2 tablespoons water

Make a smooth paste of above ingredients with water in a mixer.

For seasoning:

2 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

1 spring curry leaves

Method

Wash and soak chana dal in 3 cups (300 ml) water for 1 hour and pressure cook (along with  soaked water) for 25 minutes / until done and soft.  (Reduce the heat after 2 nd whistle and cook on a medium heat for 20 minutes. Do not open the pressure cooker lid. Allow the cooker to cool naturally).

Boil cooked chana dal (along with dal water) with ripe banana pieces. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt (not more than 1/4 teaspoon or 2 pinches). Cover with a lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 10 minutes or half done.

Add melted and sieved jaggery or organic jaggery cubes. Cook again for another 10 minutes or until the jaggery well blended with chana dal and banana.

Add coconut paste (Do not dilute coconut paste with extra water). Mix well. Cook on a very low heat for 5 minutes. Switch off the heat.  Amabt should be medium thick in consistency (not like moru kaachiyathu / thakka kadhi).

For seasoning (phann):

Heat 2 teaspoon oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they starts crackle, add jeera (cumin seeds) and curry leaves. Fry for 2 minutes or until the curry leaves are crisp. Pour the seasoning over Kele Ambat and serve with rice / thoy / appolu .....