Matki Usal is a staple Maharashtrian curry made with brown sprouts/moth beans It's vegan, gluten-free & protein-rich. Serve as a salad or as a side for roti.
Maharashtra, the western state of India is known for its diverse cuisine and authentic spice blends. The flavors are strong and the taste ranges from mild to spicy to very spicy.
Some of their main dietary staples are lentils, vegetables, gluten-free flours like finger millet (Jowar) and pearl millet (Bajra), beans, and sprouts. The GF flour is used to prepare flatbread (Dill Flavored Jowar/Sorghum Flatbread and Gluten-Free Bajra Jowar Bhakhri | Sorghum & Pearl Millet Flour Flatbread) and is served alongside a curry and Dal.
While many curries or sabzi is prepared using a combination of vegetables and spices, there are some curries that are made out of sprouted beans. They are called usal and form an important source of proteins especially for vegetarians or vegans and have many other health benefits. The pods, sprouts, and protein-rich seeds of this crop are commonly consumed in Indian cuisine.
Today's recipe is called Matki Usal. These brown sprouts are also commonly known as mat bean, moth bean, Turkish gram, or dew bean.
Matki Usal
This is a protein-rich vegan side dish that can be served as a curry along with any flatbread. You can also enjoy it as a light salad. Cooked with a special spice blend, it's very easy to put together using basic ingredients and can easily become your go-to weekday meal.
- is vegan & gluten-free
- is very easy and quick to make
- is a rich source of protein, minerals, and vitamins
- is a one-pot meal
- is very flavorful and crunchy to taste
- can be enjoyed as a side or as a salad
- is a great addition to your weekly rotation of recipes
Many get confused between an Usal and Misal. Let me explain how they are similar yet different.
Usal like we know now, is a curry made with mixed sprouts. The main ingredient in this recipe is the authentic Goda Masala
which is also the base for most Maharashtrian dishes. Goda masala is a spiced powder, which is made of whole garam masala spices and dried coconut. It can be prepared at home well in advance and stored in air-tight containers. But if you are unable to make it at home, it's easily available on Amazon and in any Indian grocery store near you. Alternatively, you can also use this read spice mix from Rasoi Magic
. It's very similar to the original taste.
Once the Usal is prepared, red spicy watery gravy also called “Rassa” or “Kat“ is added to it and then it’s then topped with some farsan
, sev
, chopped onions, cilantro, and a lemon wedge to make a Misal.
Both Misal and Usal can be eaten with Pav (a small loaf of bread similar to water-rolls).
My earliest memories of Matki Usal
Thanks to having grown up in a cosmopolitan neighborhood, I got the chance to taste different Indian cuisines and that is how my palate expanded. As a community, we loved (and still do) to share our food with neighbors, friends, and family.
My immediate neighbors were Maharashtrian and I had practically grown up in their home. Naturally, I developed a liking to their food habits which is the case even today. I loved everything that was cooked in their home except of course the non-vegetarian dishes. But I was always attracted to the kind of dishes they made which was a stark contrast to the South Indian food being made in my house, their homemade masala, and the aroma coming from their kitchen. I was always intrigued by their cooking style and recipes and would often observe them cook.
Matki Usal is a dish I had for the first time at their house. I have loved it ever since. My mom eventually learned the recipe from them and would make it for me every time. In fact, even today, when I visit Bombay and am invited for a meal at their place, matki usal is always on the menu. They know how much I love it! This is why I wanted to share this fail-proof family recipe with all of you as well.
How to make Matki Usal!
The first step is to sprout the moth bean sprouts
.
Tip - Sprouting beans at home is super easy and way cheaper ($$$) than buying ready sprouts from the grocery stores. It is very easy to sprout them at home and you don’t need any special equipment to do so! It truly is the most cost-effective way to get a large number of sprouts.
Did you know - Sprouting legumes, grains, and seeds makes them much easier to digest by breaking down the anti-nutrients that are common in these foods. Plus it also increases the vitamin C and B content and the fiber! This is the method that works best for me - Wash and soak the beans in water, overnight and then strain the water the next day. Leave it in the strainer
uncovered on your kitchen counter for a day or two. Rinse it once or twice every day. You will begin to see it sprout. Now it's ready to use.
Method:
- Prepare a paste of roughly chopped onions, garlic, ginger, green chilies, fennel seeds
, coriander seeds, and grated/shredded/desiccated coconut. I use this Mixer Grinder for all my Indian cooking. - Heat oil in a pan and once its hot, temper mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they begin to crackle (in about 10 seconds), add chopped curry leaves and a tablespoon of chopped cilantro. They will splutter as well. Immediately add the ground paste to the pan. Fry this for a minute or two.
- Add chopped onions and saute till they turn translucent.
- Then add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and continue to cook till they turn soft.
- Add the spice mixes like Goda masala, turmeric powder, and salt. Saute for a minute or till the masala is cooked.
- Then add the moth bean sprouts/matki along with half a cup of water and sugar. Give it a stir and cover the pan. Allow the sprouts to cook in the steam for 8-10 minutes on low-medium flame. Keep stirring at regular intervals. Once they are soft, consider it done. Garnish with chopped cilantro and squeeze lemon juice on top and take it off the flame. It's ready to be served.
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along with half a cup of water and sugar. Give it a stir and cover the pan. Allow the sprouts to cook in the steam for 8-10 minutes on low-medium flame. Keep stirring at regular intervals. Once they are soft, consider it done. Garnish with chopped cilantro and squeeze lemon juice on top and take it off the flame. It's ready to be served.Serving suggestions:
Matki Usal tastes best with Pav or bread
. We also like it with steamed rice along with some Dal on the side
. Quinoa
or cauliflower rice is also a great option if you are looking for a low carb meal. This dish can also be served along with a flatbread like Bhakri, roti, chapati, or naan. You can also enjoy it as a light salad.
This is the perfect sabzi/curry for everyday cooking, easy to pack in lunchboxes, for weeknight meals, or as a healthy snack. This curry has all the flavors, its hot and spicy, sour, and tangy with just a hint of sweetness.
Some recipes from the Maharashtrian cuisine
Vegan Matki Misal in an Instant Pot
Maharashtrian Koshimbir | Indian Salad with Yogurt
Kobichi Vadi | Steamed Cabbage Cakes
Easy Masale Bhat Maharashtrian Style
If you’ve tried this matki Usal or any other recipe on the blog please let me know how it went by commenting below, I love hearing from you!
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Vegan Matki Usal | Indian Sprouts Salad Dish
Ingredients
To prepare the paste
- 1 small onion roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- Half inch ginger roughly chopped
- 1 green chilly or use ½ a jalapeno
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- ¼ cup grated/shredded/desiccated coconut
- 2-3 tablespoon water if needed while grinding
To prepare the curry
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3-4 roughly torn curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes finely chopped
- 2-3 tablespoon Goda Masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- Salt as required
- 3 cups sprouted brown matki/moth beans
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ cup Water add gradually
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
To prepare the paste
- Prepare a coarse paste of roughly chopped onions, garlic, ginger, green chillies, fennel seeds, coriander seeds and grated/shredded/desiccated coconut. Add water if needed to grind.
To prepare the curry
- Heat oil in a pan and once its hot, temper mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they begin to crackle (in about 10 seconds), add chopped curry leaves and a tablespoon of chopped cilantro. They will splutter as well. Immediately add the ground paste paste to the pan. Fry this for a minute or two.
- Add chopped onions and saute till they turn translucent.
- Then add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and continue to cook till they turn soft.
- Add the spice mixes like Goda masala, turmeric powder and salt. Saute for a minute or till the masala is cooked.
- Then add the sprouts/matki along with half a cup of water and sugar. Give it a stir and cover the pan. Allow the sprouts to cook in the steam for 8-10 minutes on low-medium flame. Keep stirring at regular intervals. Once they are soft, consider it done. Garnish with chopped cilantro and squeeze lemon juice on top and take it off the flame. It's ready to be served.
Notes
uncovered on your kitchen counter for a day or two. Rinse it once or twice everyday. You will begin to see it sprout. Now its ready to use.
This recipe calls for a special spice mix - The main ingredient in this recipe is the authentic Goda Masala which is also the base for most Maharashtrian dishes. Goda masala is spiced powder, which is made of whole garam masala spices and dried coconut. It can be prepared at home well in advance and stored in air-tight containers. But if you are unable to make it at home, it's easily available on Amazon and in any Indian grocery store near you. Alternatively, you can also use this ready spice mix from Rasoi Magic. It comes pretty close to the original taste.
Adjust the heat level based on your tolerance level - The masala can get spicy. Adjust is as per your taste. Reduce or omit the green chilly/jalapeno accordingly.
Gravy or dry - This is based on your preferance. You can keep the dish dry to eat it like a salad or side, else add more water to the pan along with the sprouts and make it into a gravy.
Uses of Goda Masala - You can use this masala in many other recipes. Add hem to your stir-fry, sauces, rice, etc. It is a different kind of curry powder that lends a flavorful taste to the dish.
You can make this recipe using any kind of sprouts, beans and lentils.
In absence of curry leaves, you can also add curry leaves powder or skip this step.
Adding some chopped cilantro during the tempering stage gives a nice flavor to the dish. I reserve half for this and the other half for garnish. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. For more information on my Affiliate and Advertising Policy, please click here.
Looks delicious and sure will taste great too
Thanks 🙂 Do try it..