Jul 3, 2007

Danyachi Amti

I don't keep regular fasts; it's impossible for me to spend entire days eating nothing. More importantly, you have to continuously watch yourself before popping anything in your mouth. That's so difficult. Open the cabinet, see the pack of chips, stuff some in your mouth. There goes your fast down the drain. Last year, I did something very bad. I was fasting for Mahashivratri and had spent the entire day on fruits. I met my to-be-hubby in the evening and enjoyed a plate of bhel with him:((. I had completely forgotten that I was fasting. Oh God, forgive me! So, it's more from the fear of breaking fasts that I don't do many.

However, there are a couple of fasts that I keep and abide by. There have been a couple of additions to the list since I got married. Last Saturday was Vata Pournima. Maharashtrian ladies pray for their husband's long life and request God that they get the same husband for 7 more life times. Of course, you put this request only if your husband behaves the way you want him to:) The pooja is done by walking around a banyan tree and tying a thread around it. Banyan trees are not available in the US. So, I did my own kind of pooja by taking a print-out of a banyan tree and praying to it. This day also calls for a full-day fast. Now, I consider fasts as an excellent oppurtunity to eat my favorite items such as sabudana khichadi. Last Saturday, I made sabudana khichadi and my favorite curry - Danyachi Amti. The curry is a Maharashtrain upvaas special.

Danyachi Amti/Peanut curry


Serves: 2
Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
For the curry
1. 1 cup ground, roasted peanut powder
2. 1 cup water
3. Salt to taste
4. 1/8 tsp tamarind pulp
5. 3 green chillies chopped fine
6. 1/2 tsp sugar
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth. Heat a pan on medium flame. Transfer the curry to the pan and boil for 5-6 minutes. Stir frequently.

For the tempering:
Heat another pan and add 1 tsp ghee to it. Next, add 1 tsp cumin seeds and a pinch of asafetida. When the cumin seeds splutter, add this tempering to the above curry and mix well.
Serve hot with sabudana khichadi or varichi khichadi.

10 comments:

musical said...

Swaps, this is one thing that i would love to eat even without any upvaas :) fab dish! i love munching on daane, so this would be yummy!

FH said...

OOh!! Peanut soup!! Looks great,can't believe it's fasting food! Enjoy:))

DEEPA said...

wow!!something new to learn ..Different recipe ..will try it out soon

Sig said...

:) same husband for seven more lives... ahem.... isn't that a little too long even with the best behaved husband in the world? LOL...
Anyway,the dish looks great, if you must fast, then this would make it easier I guess.

Sia said...

LOL @you put this request only if your husband behaves the way you want him to;) nice to see ur pic on ur profile swapna and u look lovely:)
never had danyachi amti. looks very delicious.

Sharmi said...

this sounds so simple and nice. you don't add any veggies? must be great with rice.

Swapna said...

Thank you ladies for the lovely comments.
Sharmi: No dear..no veggies in this one..Just loads of peanuts:)

Tee said...

Somehow I missed this post but I am glad I looked at it today...
First of all, you are a true maharashtrian soon...printing out a picture of a banyan tree and doing the pooja...this is what I call true love ;)
Secondly, your danyachi amti looks yum! Loved it! since I too don't observe fasts due to the same reasons as yours, I do have a full upvaas menu once in a while. :)

Priyanka said...

Havent had danyachi amti in a year. You reminded of something real tasty!!!

Swapna said...

Tee: There was some problem with this post's date, that's why it didn't show up correctly on FBD. Thanks for the lovely words. I did what I cud for the pooja.
Priyanka: Try it and let me know how it turns out.