‘Super Grains’ for a Super Summer Breakfast!Nagli Ambil/Ragi Kanji Recipe

Nagli Ambil (Ragi Kanji) is a quick,rustic porridge made from Nagli/Ragi/Finger Millet flour, usually served for breakfast in many parts of Maharashtra. The nutritive benefits of Nagli are well known since ancient times. In fact these are our very own ‘Super Grains’,making a fashionable comeback of sorts, with smart colourful boxes labelled ‘Millets’ , sitting fashionably on the health food aisle in supermarkets! 🙂 A bowl of Ragi Kanji in the morning serves as a calcium+protein rich, power packed breakfast and also helps to keep the body cool (nugget of my Grandma’s wisdom J). This is one of my most…

Ambe Dal

The Mango Mania refuses to leave us. First the tangy green raw mangoes and now the luscious ripe ones. I am still hooked on to the raw mangoes and have been using them in every way I can.

Ambe Dal is a traditional Maharashtrian preparation, specially made during these hot summer days when green Mangoes are abundant. It’s super quick and easy to make (with the exception that you need to soak the dal in advance) and requires just a few easily available ingredients.

The tart raw mangoes are grated and added to coarsely ground soaked chana dal (split Bengal gram). This mixture is then flavoured with a spicy tadka (tempering) of Red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida . I personally love the flavor of asafoetida .

This cool,tangy-spicy Ambe Dal is served on a banana leaf along with Aam Panha (recipe here)

Here’s the recipe for Ambe Dal

Ingredients

1 cup Chana dal (split Bengal gram) soaked in water for 5-6 hours

½ raw mango, peeled and grated (depending on the tartness the amount can be adjusted)

½ tsp sugar

Salt to taste

For the tadka (tempering)

3tsp oil

½ tsp mustard seeds

½ tsp cumene seeds

5-6 curry leaves

Pinch of asafoetida

1-2 dry Red chillies broken into pieces

Method

Rinse and Drain the soaked Chana dal.

Grind the dal coarsely .

Add the grated mango, salt and sugar .

In a small wok/pan heat the oil.

Add the mustard seeds and once they splutter add the cumene seeds.

Add the curry leaves, asafoetida and the red chillies.

Add this tadka over the Mango Dal mixture and mix nicely .

Cool and serve on a banana leaf along with Aam Panha. I love to ‘cool this dal in the refrigerator for half an hour and then serve.