Vaali Ambat

Malabar Spinach is a leafy vegetable known as Vaali in Konkani, Basale in tulu and scientific name Basella Alba. These creepers normally grow in the backyards of the house in our place. Of course you need a backyard, as nowadays having one is a treasure ;).

We at home excluding dad (for some reasons) love it at home and relish the curry more than the rice on the day it is made. One dish is Ambat which is made with Dal and tadka is given with onion and other is Bendi which is without dal and tadka is given with garlic.

Today I am posting Ambat and here is what you need:

Ingredients

Vaali/ Chinese spinach 1 bunch

Tur dal- ¼ th  cup

Coconut, fresh or frozen -1 cup

Red chillies – 6-7(long variety that is not so spicy)roast in few tsp of oil

Tamarind marble sized

Onion -2 medium finely chopped

Coconut oil preferably – 1 tbsp ( you can use any oil if you don’t prefer this)

Method:

Pluck the leaves from stems. Cut  the stems into 2 inch pieces. Wash and clean the leaves as well as stems. Roughly chop the leaves.
Wash toor dal and pressure cook it. Mash the cooked dal and keep it aside. 

For masala/ gravy/masolu, grind roasted red chillies, tamarind and fresh/frozen coconut to a smooth paste. 

Meanwhile, cook the chopped leaves along with stems.

 Mix the ground masala, salt as per the taste to the leaves and add enough water to get desired consistency. Mix well and cook for someatleast 5-7 minutes over a medium flame.
Now heat coconut oil in a small pan or tadka pan on low flame and add finely chopped onions. Sauté it till the onions turn brown on low flame itself.

Add this seasoning to the cooked curry, switch off the flame and cover the vessel with lid.

 Serve it hot with rice. 

Note:

I have used long variety of chilly so I have added 7 of them if the chilly you use is hot/spicy kindly adjust accordingly.

If you do not consume onion then you can use mustard seeds and curry leaves for seasoning in place of onions.

Happy Cooking,