(Sama Rice with Peanut Curry)
A Meal That Feels Like Prayer
In the quiet hours of a Navratri afternoon, when bells ring softly and incense curls through the air, this humble meal of Variche Tandul and Danyachi Amti arrives like a blessing. It’s not grand or flashy — it’s deeply rooted, sacred, and nourishing.
Every bite whispers stories of grandmothers in nine-yard sarees, of brass thalis laid with love, of simplicity elevated to divinity.
🥣 WHAT IS THIS DISH?
- Variche Tandul (वरीचे तांदूळ): Also known as Sama rice or Bhagar, it’s a millet-like grain used in fasting. Light, fluffy, and easy to digest.
- Danyachi Amti (दाण्याची आमटी): A mildly spiced, creamy peanut curry made without onion, garlic, or regular salt — but bursting with soulful flavor.
Together, they form a balanced, satvik meal that comforts without overwhelming.
🌿 INGREDIENTS
🥣 For Variche Tandul (Sama Rice):
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Sama rice (Bhagar) | 1 cup |
| Ghee or peanut oil | 1 tbsp |
| Cumin seeds (jeera) | 1 tsp |
| Green chili | 1–2, chopped |
| Rock salt (sendha namak) | To taste |
| Water | 2½ cups (approx) |
🍲 For Danyachi Amti (Peanut Curry):
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Roasted peanuts | ½ cup (ground coarsely) |
| Green chilies | 1–2 (as per taste) |
| Ghee or oil | 1 tbsp |
| Cumin seeds | 1 tsp |
| Curry leaves (optional) | 4–5 leaves |
| Rock salt | To taste |
| Jaggery (optional) | ½ tsp (to balance taste) |
| Lemon juice | ½ to 1 tsp (as per taste) |
| Water | 1½ to 2 cups (adjust consistency) |
🔥 RECIPE WITH FEELINGS
🌾 Step 1: Prepare Variche Tandul
- Rinse the sama rice thoroughly 2–3 times until the water runs clear.
- In a thick-bottomed pan, heat ghee.
- Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
- Add green chilies and sauté briefly.
- Add the rinsed sama rice, stir for a minute to coat in ghee.
- Add 2½ cups water and rock salt to taste.
- Cover and cook on a low-medium flame for 10–12 minutes, or until the grains are soft and fluffy.
💭 As it simmers, the aroma is subtle — clean, slightly nutty — like rain on warm stone.
🥜 Step 2: Make Danyachi Amti (Peanut Curry)
- Coarsely grind roasted peanuts (don’t make it too fine — you want a grainy texture).
- In a kadhai, heat ghee, add cumin seeds, then green chilies and optional curry leaves.
- Add the ground peanut powder and sauté for a minute.
- Add water gradually while stirring to avoid lumps.
- Season with rock salt, a pinch of jaggery, and let it simmer for 5–7 minutes.
- Adjust consistency — it should be slightly runny, like a thin dal.
- Switch off the flame and squeeze in some lemon juice for a gentle tang.
👃 The nutty, toasty aroma fills the kitchen — it’s warm, grounding, and uniquely Maharashtrian.
🪔 SERVING SUGGESTION
- Serve the fluffy Variche Tandul with a generous ladle of Danyachi Amti over it.
- Add a dollop of ghee on top.
- Accompany with cucumber salad, sweet potato bhaji, or plain curd for a fuller upvas meal.
🌼 FEELINGS ON THE PLATE
This is not just food — it’s devotion served on a banana leaf.
The sama rice is soft and light, a perfect canvas.
The amti? Rich in peanut flavor, delicately spiced — it glides over the rice like monsoon clouds drifting over the Sahyadris.
Every bite is pure, grounding, and sacred.
🧘♀️ WHY IT’S PERFECT FOR NAVRATRI
- Fulfills fasting requirements (no onion, garlic, grains, or regular salt)
- Offers satvik nutrition: protein (peanuts), carbs (sama rice), healthy fats (ghee)
- Keeps you full, yet light
- Can be made quickly with pantry staples
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