Matki Usal

Name: Matki Usal
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 23 min
Total time: 38 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Maharashtra)
Ingredients: 1.5 cups (250 g) matki (moth beans), soaked overnight, drained and sprouted for 12 hours until 5 mm tails appear; 2 tbsp oil; 1 tsp mustard seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 10 curry leaves; 1 medium onion (100 g), finely chopped; 1 medium tomato (100 g), finely chopped; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; ½ tsp turmeric powder; 1.5 tsp red chilli powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1 tsp goda masala; 1 tsp salt; 200 ml water; ½ cup (45 g) fresh grated coconut; 2 tbsp fresh coriander; 3–4 garlic cloves; 1 × 1 cm ginger; 2 green chillies; Grind with 3 tbsp water into a smooth green-white paste; Properly sprouted matki is the whole point — unsprouted matki is starchy and dense; sprouted matki is light and has a pleasant bite; The fresh coconut masala must be ground just before use — it does not store well and turns sour within hours; Usal should be slightly moist (not dry, not soupy) — a medium consistency that coats the beans

🌱 Vegan🌾 Gluten-free📊 Easy

Sprouted moth beans (matki) simmered in a freshly-made coconut-coriander masala — one of Maharashtra's most protein-rich and complete vegetarian dinners. The sprouting makes the beans lighter and more digestible; the coconut paste adds body and a distinct Maharashtrian character.

⏱️15 minPrep

🔥23 minCook

🕒38 minTotal

🍽️4Serves

🧺 Ingredients

👩‍🍳 How to make Matki Usal

Make coconut masala (No heat): Blend grated coconut, coriander, garlic, ginger, and green chillies with 3 tbsp water into a smooth paste. Set aside.
Temper and fry (Heat: medium): Heat oil. Crackle mustard seeds. Add cumin, curry leaves — crackle. Add chopped onion — fry 7 minutes golden. Add ginger-garlic paste — fry 2 minutes.
Add tomato and dry masalas (Heat: medium): Add tomato — cook 5 minutes mashing. Add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder — stir 30 seconds. Add goda masala — stir 20 seconds.
Add coconut masala (Heat: medium): Add the ground coconut paste. Fry on medium for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until paste cooks out its raw smell and oil just starts to surface.
Add sprouted matki (Heat: medium): Add sprouted moth beans and salt. Stir to coat with masala. Add 200 ml water. Stir. Bring to a boil.

📖 Cultural notes

|---|---|---|---|---| | 300 kcal | 14 g | 35 g | 12 g | 10 g | Matki usal is deeply associated with Maharashtra's wrestling and bodybuilding culture — gyms in Pune and Kolhapur traditionally serve a post-workout matki usal with rice. The high protein from sprouted moth beans, combined with the fresh coconut masala, makes it a nutritionally complete dinner. Eaten with bhakri, rice, or inside a pav roll as a street snack. ---

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