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A beloved Maharashtrian classic, this dish features tangy sorrel leaves (ambadi) cooked with lentils into a thick, savory curry. The unique sour flavor is beautifully balanced with peanuts and a touch of jaggery, making it a perfect side for bhakri or chapati.
For 4 servings
Pressure Cook the Dal
Prepare the Tempering (Tadka)
Sauté Aromatics and Ambadi Leaves
A beloved Maharashtrian classic, this dish features tangy sorrel leaves (ambadi) cooked with lentils into a thick, savory curry. The unique sour flavor is beautifully balanced with peanuts and a touch of jaggery, making it a perfect side for bhakri or chapati.
This maharashtrian recipe takes 40 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 237.07 calories per serving with 8.42g of protein, it's a beginner-friendly recipe perfect for lunch or dinner.
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Combine and Simmer
Serve
You can make this bhaji with a mix of toor dal and chana dal for a different texture and flavor profile.
For a coastal flavor, add 2-3 tablespoons of freshly grated coconut along with the peanuts and jaggery.
For a sattvic or Jain version, you can skip the onion and garlic. The dish will still be flavorful due to the other spices and the tang of the leaves.
Add a teaspoon of Maharashtrian kanda lasun masala (onion-garlic masala) along with the goda masala for an extra kick of spice.
Ambadi (sorrel) leaves are an excellent source of Vitamin C, which boosts the immune system, and are also rich in iron, which helps combat anemia and improve energy levels.
The combination of toor dal and peanuts makes this dish a powerhouse of plant-based protein, essential for muscle repair, growth, and overall body function.
Rich in dietary fiber from both the lentils and the leaves, this bhaji promotes healthy digestion, prevents constipation, and supports a healthy gut microbiome.
This dish provides a range of essential minerals like magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus from the ingredients like dal, peanuts, and jaggery, contributing to overall well-being.
Ambadichi Bhaji is a traditional Maharashtrian dish made from sour sorrel leaves (known as Ambadi in Marathi), cooked with lentils (toor dal), peanuts, and a unique blend of spices. It's known for its distinctive tangy, slightly sweet, and savory flavor.
While Ambadi leaves give the dish its signature taste, you can substitute them with other sour greens like Gongura (Roselle leaves), spinach with a generous squeeze of lemon juice, or even amaranth leaves (chaulai) with added tamarind pulp to replicate the tanginess.
Yes, it is very healthy. It's a great source of plant-based protein and fiber from the lentils, rich in iron and Vitamin C from the sorrel leaves, and provides healthy fats from peanuts. It's a well-balanced and nutritious dish.
One serving of Ambadichi Bhaji (approximately 1 cup or 165g) contains around 220-240 calories, depending on the amount of oil and jaggery used.
The sourness can vary depending on the leaves. If your bhaji is too tangy, you can balance it by adding a little more grated jaggery or a small amount of besan (gram flour) slurry, which helps mellow the flavors.
Absolutely. You can cook the soaked toor dal in a regular pot on the stovetop. It will take longer, about 30-40 minutes, until the dal is completely soft and mashable. Ensure you add enough water to prevent it from drying out.
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