Skip to content
WhatToEat.Today

Ambadyachi udda methi

Hog plum coconut gravy

आंबाड्याची उडद मेथी: hog plums in a coconut gravy with roasted urad dal and fenugreek

Udda methi is a Goan Saraswat curry named for its two roasted seasonings, urad dal and fenugreek seeds, and in the monsoon months the best version is made with tart green hog plums, ambade. The plums simmer whole in a coconut gravy that is sour, a little bitter, hot and faintly sweet from jaggery, and it is eaten with plain rice on rainy days or at a Shravan meal. The common mistake is burning the fenugreek: it should be roasted only until reddish, because dark seeds make the whole pot bitter. Raw mango works in place of ambade outside the season. Chef's tip: crush each hog plum lightly with a pestle before cooking so the gravy can soak into the flesh around the stone.

Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Difficulty
Medium
Serves
4
Per serving
210 kcal
One step at a time, big text, timers, read-aloud. Your screen stays on.

Ingredients

Serves4

For the curry

For the masala

For the tempering

Tick what you have; the rest goes in the basket.

Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Simmer 9 oz hog plums (ambade), or 1 small raw mango with 1 ¾ cups water and half the 1 tsp salt for 10–12 minutes until the skins soften and a knife slides into the flesh.

    12 min
  2. Step 2: Warm 1 tsp coconut oil in a small pan over low heat. Roast 1 tbsp urad dal (split black gram) until golden, add ½ tsp fenugreek seeds and 5 dried red chillies and roast 1 minute more, just until the fenugreek turns reddish. Do not let it darken.

    4 min
  3. Step 3: Grind the roasted spices with 3 ½ oz grated fresh coconut, ¼ tsp ground turmeric and about 120 ml water to a fine paste.

    3 min
  4. Step 4: Stir the paste into the plums with 1 oz jaggery and the remaining 1 tsp salt. Simmer gently for 8 minutes until the gravy coats a spoon.

    8 min
  5. Step 5: Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil, add ½ tsp black mustard seeds; when it pops add 10 curry leaves and 1 pinch gluten-free asafoetida (hing), then pour over the curry. Serve with hot rice.

    2 min
K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.

Rate this recipe

Sign in to rate and review this recipe.

Chana masala

A North Indian staple that comes together from the store cupboard. Toasted cumin, slow-softened onion and a good spoonful of garam masala give tinned chickpeas real depth. Serve with rice, naan or a stack of warm rotis.

by KrazyBadal 16 views

Kaju curryCashew curry

Walk along any wedding buffet in Pune, Mumbai or Ahmedabad and there is usually a chafing dish of kaju curry near the paneer, with guests going back for seconds. Whole cashews are fried in ghee until golden, which makes them crunchy outside and buttery inside, then folded into a rich onion and tomato gravy thickened with more cashews, finished with cream and kasuri methi. The gravy is orange, smooth and rounded with a touch of sweetness; it should taste of roasted nuts and gentle spice, not fire. Gujarati restaurants often serve a spicier Kathiyawadi version, but the wedding style here is the mild one. Eat it with butter naan, tandoori roti or jeera rice. Common mistake: adding the fried cashews too early; they soak up the gravy and turn soft, so fold them in just before serving. Chef's tip: keep a few fried cashews back and scatter them on top at the table so every spoonful has some crunch.

by KrazyBadal 5 views

Bagara bainganBaby aubergines in peanut sesame sauce

Bagara baingan is a Hyderabadi wedding dish of small aubergines cooked whole in a dark, tangy gravy of roasted peanuts, sesame, dried coconut and tamarind. Unlike a Gujarati stuffed brinjal, the aubergines here are only quartered at the base and fried until silky, then left to soak up a thin-but-rich sauce that is finished with a tempering, the 'baghar' that gives the dish its name. It's sour, nutty and gently spiced, and is served with biryani, bagara rice or plain rice. Chef's tip: choose small, glossy purple aubergines that feel heavy for their size; soft, light ones are full of seeds and turn mushy before the gravy has a chance to cling.

by KrazyBadal 4 views