Shengdana Amti

Maharashtrian peanut curry with coconut, tamarind and jaggery

Origin: Konkan & Pune, Maharashtra, India

From the journey of Peanut.

Shengdana amti is a uniquely Maharashtrian dish: a medium-thin curry in which roasted peanuts are both the primary protein and the thickening agent, cooked in the tangy, sweet-sour coconut-tamarind-jaggery base that defines the Konkan culinary tradition. Shengdana is the Marathi word for peanut: the groundnut introduced to the Konkan coast by Portuguese traders through Goa in the 1530s. Amti refers to the characteristic Maharashtrian style of a lightly spiced, tamarind-sharpened curry that is thinner than a dal and more sour than a sabzi. Shengdana amti is widely prepared on Ekadashi; the twice-monthly Hindu fasting day when grains and certain foods are avoided; because peanuts are classified as a permissible food on those days. The dish is served with vrat (fasting) rice or samo (barnyard millet), but is equally common as a weekday lunch dish with chapati. The combination of roasted peanut earthiness, sour tamarind, sweet jaggery, and the tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves is a classic Konkan flavour profile.

Ingredients

Peanuts

  • 250 g raw unsalted peanuts

Paste

  • 50 g fresh or frozen grated coconut (or desiccated coconut, soaked briefly in warm water)

Souring

  • 2 tbsp tamarind paste (or the pulp from a walnut-sized ball of tamarind soaked in 100ml hot water, strained)

Sweetening

  • 1.5 tbsp jaggery or brown sugar, grated

Spice

  • 1 tsp red chile powder or Kashmiri chile powder
  • 0.5 tsp turmeric

Seasoning

  • 1 tsp salt

Liquid

  • 500 ml water

Tempering

  • 2 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 10 fresh curry leaves
  • 2 dried red chiles, broken in half
  • 0.25 tsp asafoetida (hing)

Method

  1. Dry-roast the peanuts in a heavy pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 8–10 minutes until the skins blister and the peanuts are golden and fragrant. Cool briefly, then rub in a clean cloth to remove most of the skins. Set aside.
  2. In a blender, combine the grated coconut with 100ml water and blend to a smooth paste.
  3. Combine the coconut paste, tamarind paste, jaggery, chile powder, and turmeric in a medium pot. Add 400ml water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring.
  4. Add the roasted peanuts and salt. Simmer gently for 12–15 minutes until the peanuts are cooked through and the curry has thickened slightly. Taste and adjust the balance of sour (tamarind) and sweet (jaggery); the amti should be distinctly tangy but not sharp.
  5. Heat the coconut oil in a small pan over high heat. Add the mustard seeds; when they begin to pop, add the curry leaves, dried red chiles, and asafoetida. Fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour the tempering (tadka) over the curry and stir.
  6. Serve hot with chapati, bhakri (Maharashtrian sorghum flatbread), or plain rice.

Notes

Shengdana amti is also made with raw peanuts (skip the roasting step) for a lighter flavour; the roasted version has more depth. The curry thickens significantly on cooling; loosen with a splash of water when reheating. For the Ekadashi fasting version, serve with samo (barnyard millet) cooked as a simple upma, or with vrat-friendly rajgira (amaranth) roti.

The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

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