Uddamethi

Uddamethi is a Goan dish. It is a mild spicy, sweet and tangy coconut based curry with a tangy fruit, flavoured with urad dal (split black grams) and methi (fenugreek seeds). In a traditional festive meal, it will be preceded by varan, saar and followed by solkadi. For a regular meal, varan and saar may not be served. This curry is offered even to God on religious occasions.

The tangy fruits used in the curry are aamli (raw mango), ambade (hog plums), bimla (bilimbi) and karmala /carambola (star fruit). Either of these can be used in the curry. 

Here goes the recipe for Ambadyachi Uddamethi.

Measurement: 1Cup =180 ml

Serves: 3 For Regular Meal

Ingredients:

1. Ambade (peeled) - 3 to 4 

   

   Shankar Chhaap Hing

2. Coconut (scrapped) - 1 cup
3. Urad dal - 1/2 tsp (1/4 tsp  + 1/4 tsp)
4. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp (1/8 tsp + 1/8 tsp)
5. Shankar chhaap hing - 2 tiny pieces
6. Mustard seeds - 1/8 tsp
7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp approx
8. Peppercorns - 3 to 4
9. Kashmiri mirchi - 1 to 2
10. Red chilly powder - as per your requirement
11. Jaggery - 2 to 3 tbsp
12. Coconut oil - 4 tsp
13. Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Heat 1 tsp oil in a small pan and fry half the urad dal till it gives out aroma. Take it out. 
• Now, fry fenugreek seeds till they give out aroma. 
• Fry 1 piece of shankar chhaap hing. 
• Stir fry red chilly and peppercorns for 2 to 3 seconds.
• Combine all these ingredients with coconut and water (half cup approx), grind to a coarse or fine paste. 
• Heat remaining oil in the same pan. 
• Add urad dal, let it turn golden brown. 
• Add fenugreek seeds. 
• Add Mustard seeds.
• Crush the piece of remaining hing, and add to the tempering.

  

  Aamlechi Uddamethi

• Add ambade and stir fry for 5 seconds.
• Add a cup of water, and bring it to boil.
• Add turmeric powder and little salt.
• Cook till ambade are done.
• Add jaggery and let it dissolve.
• Add ground paste and more salt. Stir well. Add more turmeric powder, if required.
• Add water as per your requirement.
• Check the taste and add chilly powder as per your requirement.
• Simmer for 2 min.
• Serve with rice. 

Tip:

• While eating ambade seed is to be discarded, only the outer covering is edible.
• For making aamlechi uddamethi, 1 small raw mango, peeled and cubed to be used. Remaining ingredients and procedure will be the same. Same recipe, for bimlachi and karmalachi uddamethi.
• If you don't have shankar chhaap hing, then use regular powder only in the tempering. This hing is available in Goa and adds a great aroma to the vegetarian food. I have no idea where else it is available.
• If you don't get any of these fruits, then use unripe tomato. (Tomato is not offered to God)

Ambade

Bimla

Aamli