This Matki Usal is a spiced and tasty Maharashtrian style Matki Recipe featuring matki sprouts a.k.a sprouted moth beans. Also made with typical regional spices, this curry is vegan and a must try. It makes for a delicious as well as nutritious and filling meal when paired with roti, bhakri, poli or steamed rice.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 40 minutes
  • Total time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Maharashtrian

Ingredients

  • 200 grams sprouted moth beans ((matki sprouts) or about 2 to 2.5 cups)
  • ½ cup onions (- roughly chopped & heaped)
  • 1.25 cups tomatoes (- roughly chopped, 100 grams)
  • 4 to 5 garlic cloves (small to medium-sized, roughly chopped)
  • 1 inch ginger (- peeled & roughly chopped)
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 6 to 7 curry leaves
  • 1 teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder (or ½ teaspoon any other red chili powder)
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 3 to 4 teaspoon Goda Masala (or add as required)
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (- chopped)
  • 2 to 2.5 cups water (or add as required)
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • salt (as required)

Method

Preparation

  1. Rinse the matki sprouts in water first once or twice. Drain the water and set sprouts aside.
  2. Chop the onions, tomatoes, garlic and ginger roughly.
  3. Blend the onions, tomatoes, garlic and ginger to fine and smooth paste in a grinder or blender. There is no need to add water while grinding as the juice from the tomatoes is enough.

Making matki usal

  1. Heat oil in a pan. Crackle the mustard seeds first.
  2. Add the cumin and curry leaves. Fry until the cumin sizzles or changes color or becomes fragrant.
  3. Add the ground onion-tomato-ginger-garlic paste.
  4. Stir and sauté on medium-low heat until the oil starts to leave from the sides of the paste.
  5. Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and goda masala.
  6. Stir to combine very well and then add the sprouted matki/moth beans.
  7. Mix well and add water. Season with salt. Cover the pan with lid.
  8. On a medium-low to medium heat simmer the curry until the sprouted matki beans are tender and cooked well.
  9. If the liquids dry up then add some more water.
  10. The consistency of matki usal is neither thin not thick. So you can add water accordingly.
  11. Check the taste and add red chili powder, salt and goda masala if needed.
  12. Lastly, add coriander leaves and mix with the rest of the curry.
  13. Or you can garnish with coriander leaves.
  14. Serve matki usal hot with roti, bhakri, poli, paratha or bread. It can also be served with rice.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.