Kellya Ambat

My parents are celebrating their 33rd wedding anniversary today.

Wishing you both a very happy wedding anniversary Appa and Amma!!!

Special days and special moments..feeling bad that I am not with them to celebrate..!! Anyway,I am happy that I wished them first thing today morning and I am wishing them through my blog too.I am making my appa's favourite Kellya ambat today.It is made with ripe bananas(nendra pazham),channa dal,coconut and jaggery.It is very similar in taste to Pazham pulisheri sans the tangy taste of yogurt.This ambat is made for special occasions like marriage and festivals,especially during Diwali and Ugadi.I have already blogged about my hubby's displeasure to sweet curries,so no more on that.

But this reminds me of one incident.During our marriage,my ma-in-law had especially asked for inclusion of this ambat in the lunch menu coz she absolutely loved this.I remember very well,while having food ambat was untouched on my hubby's plate and when I asked him why,he said,he's gonna ask his amma why she wanted this curry when he absolutely disliked it..Ohhh..!!I would be lying if I said I was not disappointed when I heard that!!But anyway,I have stopped forcing him to taste it and become extremely selfish when it comes to having such yummies..All mine..all mine!!Hehe.

Kellya ambat

Ingredients

Ripe banana(Nendrapazham) - 2,cut into round slices
Channa dal - 100gms,about 1/2 cup
Grated jaggery - 4 tbsp
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Red chilly - 1
Haldi/turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Cashewnuts - a handful

For the seasoning

Oil/ghee(or a mix of both) - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a sprig

Method

Cook the channa dal and the cashewnuts in a pressure cooker till done.Channa dal should be just cooked enough,not mushy.
Add the bananas and cook till soft.
When the bananas are soft add jaggery and salt and mix well till the jaggery melts and blends with the dal.
Make a smooth paste of coconut,haldi and red chilly.
Add this to the cooked channa dal-banana mix.
Mix well and let it boil.
Prepare seasoning in a pan with oil,splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves.
Add it to the boiling ambat.
Serve hot!!