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Bastar aamat
A brothy mixed-vegetable curry from Bastar (आमट), thickened with ground rice and sharpened with bamboo shoot
Aamat comes from the forested Bastar region of southern Chhattisgarh, where Gond and Halba families cook whatever the garden and forest give: pumpkin, brinjal, beans, drumsticks and, in the monsoon, sour fermented bamboo shoot. There is almost no oil and no heavy masala. Instead a paste of soaked rice turns the broth silky, and garlic, ginger and green chilli carry the flavour. It is served in bowls with plain rice, especially at village feasts and the Bastar Dussehra gatherings. Tinned bamboo shoot works well; leave it out and add lime at the end if you cannot find it. Chef's tip: keep stirring as you pour in the rice paste, because it sinks and sets into lumps on the bottom of the pot if left alone.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the rice paste
For the curry
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Drain 2 tbsp raw rice and grind it with ½ cup water to a smooth, milky paste. Set aside.
Step 2: Bring 3 ¾ cups water to the boil in a large pot on high with ½ tsp ground turmeric and 1 ¼ tsp salt. Add 1 potato, 7 oz pumpkin and 1 drumstick (moringa pod) and cook on medium for 8 minutes until the potato is half-tender.
8 minStep 3: Add 3 ½ oz green beans, 2 small aubergines (brinjal), 3 ½ oz bamboo shoot (fermented or tinned), 5 garlic cloves, ½ oz fresh ginger and 3 green chillies. Simmer for 10 minutes until all the vegetables are just tender and the pumpkin edges start to soften into the broth.
10 minStep 4: Stir the rice paste, then pour it into the pot in a thin stream while stirring constantly. Simmer on low for 6–8 minutes, stirring often, until the broth turns slightly opaque and silky, like a thin soup, and loses any raw, starchy taste.
8 minStep 5: Heat 1 tbsp mustard oil in a small pan on medium until it just smokes and its sharp smell mellows, then pour it over the aamat. Taste for salt, add 1 tbsp lime juice if you skipped the bamboo shoot, scatter ⅓ oz fresh coriander and serve hot with rice.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bastar aamat take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of raw rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
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