Tikhat Mitha Usal (Spicy-Sweet Mixed Bean Curry)

Name: Tikhat Mitha Usal
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Maharashtra)
Ingredients: ½ cup (80 g) matki (moth beans), sprouted; ½ cup (80 g) kale vatane (dried black peas), soaked overnight; ½ cup (80 g) dried green peas (vatane), soaked overnight; 2 tbsp coconut oil; 1 tsp mustard seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 10 curry leaves; 2 green chillies, slit; 2 medium onions (200 g), finely chopped; 1 medium tomato (100 g), chopped; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; ½ tsp turmeric; 1.5 tsp red chilli powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 2 tsp goda masala; 1.5 tsp jaggery powder; 1 tsp tamarind paste; 1 tsp salt; 200 ml water; Cooking the pulses separately before combining is essential — each has a different texture when cooked; pre-cooking allows you to control each one; The tri-pulse combination gives this usal its festive, generous character — all three must be used; The jaggery-tamarind balance must be tasted and adjusted; different batches of tamarind vary greatly in sourness

🌱 Vegan🌾 Gluten-free📊 Easy

A festive mixed-pulse usal with a sweet-spicy balance — combined sprouted moth beans, field beans, and dried peas cooked together with goda masala and jaggery. The balance of tikhat (spicy), mitha (sweet), and ambat (sour) makes this an exemplary Maharashtrian dish that demonstrates the state's signature tripartite flavour philosophy.

⏱️15 minPrep

🔥25 minCook

🕒40 minTotal

🍽️4Serves

🧺 Ingredients

👩‍🍳 How to make Tikhat Mitha Usal

Grind coconut masala (No heat): Blend coconut, garlic and chillies into a smooth paste.
Build base (Heat: medium): Heat coconut oil. Crackle mustard and cumin seeds. Add curry leaves and green chillies. Add onion — fry 8 minutes golden. Add ginger-garlic paste — fry 2 minutes. Add tomato — cook 4 minutes. Add dry masalas and goda masala — stir 30 seconds. Add coconut paste — fry 4 minutes until oil surfaces.
Combine pulses (Heat: medium): Add all cooked pulses. Stir gently — the mix of textures (firm black peas, tender green peas, slightly crunchy sprouts) is the joy of this usal. Add 200 ml water, salt, jaggery and tamarind. Stir.
Simmer (Heat: medium-low): Cook uncovered on medium-low for 12 minutes, stirring every 3–4 minutes. The gravy should be moist, thick, and clinging. Balance the jaggery and tamarind — taste and adjust.
Finish: Drizzle coconut oil. Garnish with raw coconut, coriander, fried onion rings and lime.

📖 Cultural notes

|---|---|---|---|---| | 330 kcal | 15 g | 46 g | 12 g | 12 g | Tikhat mitha usal is made at festivals and community dinners across Maharashtra — the multi-pulse version signals a feast rather than an ordinary weeknight dinner. It is particularly associated with Makar Sankranti (the January festival of gratitude) when mixed pulses are traditionally cooked and shared. The three-flavour philosophy — tikhat (hot), mitha (sweet), ambat (sour) — is the defining principle of Maharashtrian cooking. ---

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