Matki chi Usal -Another Pune delicacy

Matki or Moth bean was introduced to me once I started living in Pune. Matki's Usal and Misal are signature  dishes innate to the Maharashtrian cuisine. Usal is actually a name given to a vegetable dish made with variety of grains sprouted (it could be green gram, chick pea, black eyed pea and matki). Matki Chi Usal is a very common dish served with Chapathi (pholi) and my daughters love it being introduced in their day care. Matki is also very rich in protein, and when sprouted, it is very nutritious excellent for growing kids and diabetics and heart patients.


In Pune, you will find sprouted Matki sold in a grocery store but have to pay premium price vs. buying dry beans and sprouting it yourself. The sprouting process is an art in itself and so thought I will share some nuances on that as well.


Matki Chi Usal

 Ingredients
Matki (Moth bean) - 500 g
Finely chopped Onion - 1
Finely chopped Tomatoes - 2
Cilantro - 1 bunch finely cut
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Refined oil - 3 Tbsp
Red chilli powser - 1 Tbsp (or more)
Salt to taste

Sprouting the Matki

Matki is soaked overnight in water (12 hours) and next day when the seeds are almost ready to germinate, you wrap it up in wet cloth (muslin cotton) that has some holes to breath. You soak the cloth wet and keep it aside for an entire day (24 hours). The seeds will germinate and become sprouts. You could leave another 12 hours to get the sprouts to become longer. Otherwise, you can use them in the dish immediately. If I soak the Matki on Day 1 night, I can use it on Day 3 morning.

Cooking the Usal
Heat oil in pan, add the mustard seeds, once they pop, add the onions and saute until brown. Add the tomatoes, salt and red chilli powder and let it cook until soft. Add the sprouted Matki and saute the entire mix for 5 min until Matki is shallow fried and half cooked. Then add water and let it cook for 10 min or until the dish is dry (no water). Garnish with cilantro leaves on top and serve with hot chapathis.