Usal is a classic Indian Maharashtrian dish of sprouted beans in a spicy coconut sauce. It's a great recipe for adding more nutritious legumes into your diet, and it's delicious served over steamed rice or with roti.
The cuisine of Maharashtra, my home state in India, showcases the many nourishing ingredients that grow in its rich soil, including coconut, millets, and a variety of legumes.
In addition to the more familiar toor dal, urad dal, moong dal, masoor dal, chickpeas and black-eyed peas, legumes like vaal (hyacinth beans), kulith (horse gram), matki (moth beans) and vatana (dried peas) are regulars at the dinner table.
Called "kadadhanye" or "bitter grains" in Marathi, legumes are particularly valued for their nourishing qualities and they are usually sprouted before being added to recipes, which makes them even healthier and easier to digest. Usal and misal are two delicious and beloved sprouts dishes from Maharashtra that I often make because they are as simple as they are nutritious.
Table of Contents
What is usal?
An usal is a curry made with sprouted beans, most often mung beans and matki or moth beans. The beans are cooked, then mixed into a spicy sauce made of coconut, onions and/or tomatoes.
Usal and misal are quite similar, although a misal is usually associated with street food, served with a soft bread roll called pav and plenty of "farsan"-- delicious chickpea flour snacks. An usal is everyday food made regularly in home kitchens and served with rice and roti or chapati. An usal can be made saucy or not, depending on your preference. I like mine saucy.
One quick note for those not completely familiar with Indian matki beans that are used traditionally for usal: they are slightly larger than mung beans and brown, and they cook up in a relatively short time, making this dish a lifesaver for busy cooks. You can easily find matki beans at your Indian grocer (I'll also leave an affiliate link in the recipe box).
Why you will love this recipe
- Nourishing and healthy. Sprouts contain higher levels of protein, fiber and other nutrients, compared to non-sprouted beans, and they are easier to digest. Tomatoes, onions and spices make this an even healthier dish.
- Delicious and different. Usal is not a dish you'd find at Indian restaurants, which usually serve only south Indian and north Indian foods. But if you love Indian food it's a dish well worth making and eating.
- Easy. There are a few extra steps here with the sprouting and the blended masala, but they are by no means difficult. Once you've sprouted the beans (see recipe box for instructions if you're new to sprouting) this recipe comes together easily, with a minimum amount of chopping needed. For an even quicker dish that's similar, try this easy bean sprouts curry.
- Allergy-friendly. The usal recipe is soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free and vegan.
Ingredients
- Mung beans and/or matki beans. I like mixing the two in a 50:50 ratio for the most flavor and nutrition. You can use just mung beans or matki beans or even sprouted kala chana or horsegram (kulith).
- Vegetables: onions (preferably red onions) and tomatoes.
- Grated coconut (unsweetened). I buy this in the frozen section of the Indian grocery store. You can use freshly grated coconut.
- Spices: Bay leaf, turmeric, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cayenne or any other red pepper powder like Kashmiri chilli powder and goda masala (which we recently used in our Maharashtrian bharli vangi recipe. Use garam masala if you can't source this).
- Herbs: garlic cloves, curry leaves and cilantro (for garnish).
- Jaggery (an unrefined Indian cane sugar) or any granulated sugar.
How to make usal
Place sprouted matki beans and moth beans in a pan. Add enough water to cover the sprouts by an inch. Add a bay leaf and ¼ teaspoon turmeric.
Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then cover with a lid, turn heat down to a simmer, and cook 20-30 minutes or until the beans are tender. Check a few times to make sure all of the water hasn't evaporated and add more water if needed.
In a saucepan or wide saute pan, add a teaspoon of oil. Add the garlic cloves and saute for a minutes, then add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt.
Saute the onions until they become soft and begin to brown.
Stir in the grated coconut and stir-fry the coconut until it browns. Remove the ingredients to a plate and when they have cooled blend them into a paste with ½ cup water. Set aside.
In the same pan heat another teaspoon of oil. Add the mustard seeds and, after they crackle, add cumin seeds.
Stir in the chopped onions. Saute for a few minutes until the edges start to brown.
Stir in the curry leaves.
Add tomatoes to the pan...
...then stir in the spices: cayenne, remaining ¼ teaspoon turmeric, and goda masala or garam masala. Mix well.
Continue to cook the tomatoes, onions and spices until the tomatoes are very soft.
Add the cooked sprouts with a cup of the cooking water and the blended coconut-onion paste.
Mix well and bring the usal to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue cooking about 10 minutes until you see reddish pools on top. Add jaggery and salt to taste.
Stir in the cilantro and turn off heat. Serve hot.
Top tip
When sprouting beans for Indian dishes, don't let the sprouts develop into long shoots, the way you would for some Asian stir-fries or salads. Cook the beans as soon as small sprouts appear, no more than a couple of millimeters long.
Serving suggestions
- With roti or paratha.
- Over basmati rice or jeera rice.
- Serve with a vegetable side, like this sauteed okra or cauliflower sabzi.
- Indian pickles can be served on the side, like lime pickle or carrot pickle.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: The usal can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days.
- Freeze: Freeze the usal in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
- Reheat: Thaw and reheat in a saucepan or microwave until warmed through. Usal should always be served hot.
More delicious recipes with sprouts
Recipe card
Usal Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup dried mung beans
- ½ cup matki beans (also called moth beans)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric (divided)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil or any neutral oil (divided)
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 medium red onions (One sliced, other finely chopped)
- ½ cup grated coconut (unsweetened)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 sprigs curry leaves (about 20 leaves)
- 2 medium tomatoes (diced)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne (use more or less based on your preference for heat. You can also use Kashmiri chilli powder for more color).
- 2 teaspoon goda masala (or garam masala)
- 1 teaspoon jaggery (or granulated sugar)
- 2 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Sprout the matki and mung beans. To do this place the beans in a bowl with enough water to cover and let them stand overnight. Then strain out the water, rinse, and let them stand in a colander covered with a kitchen towel for a day or two until small sprouts appear. Remember to rinse the beans a couple of times each day. In summer it shouldn't take more than a day for the beans to sprout. You can also tie the beans in cheesecloth and hang the bundle up in a cool, dark place until sprouts appear.
- Place the sprouted beans in a pan. Add enough water to cover the sprouts by an inch. Add a bay leaf and ¼ teaspoon turmeric.
- Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then cover with a lid, turn heat down to a simmer, and cook 20-30 minutes or until the beans are tender. Check a few times to make sure all of the water hasn't evaporated and add more water if needed.
- In a saucepan or wide saute pan, add a teaspoon of oil. Add the garlic cloves and saute for a minutes, then add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt. Saute the onions until they become soft and begin to brown.
- Stir in the grated coconut and stir-fry the coconut until it browns. Remove the ingredients to a plate and when they have cooled blend them into a paste with ½ cup water. Set aside.
- In the same pan heat another teaspoon of oil. Add the mustard seeds and, after they crackle, add cumin seeds. Stir in the chopped onions. Saute for a few minutes until the edges start to brown, then stir in the curry leaves.
- Add tomatoes to the pan, .then stir in the spices: cayenne, remaining ¼ teaspoon turmeric, and goda masala or garam masala. Mix well. Continue to cook the tomatoes, onions and spices until the tomatoes are very soft.
- Add the cooked sprouts with a cup of the cooking water and the blended coconut-onion paste. Mix well and bring the usal to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue cooking about 10 minutes until you see reddish pools on top. Add jaggery and salt to taste.
- Stir in the cilantro and turn off heat. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information
To print recipe card without images, uncheck "instruction images" after clicking the "print recipe" button.
SHUBHA says
wow...... Usal looks amazing, and tempting... loved it...:D, loved the photography.... hmmm.... just wanna dig into it.... just someone give me a paav..:P
Do check my blog too.. and give ur comments..:D
monkeybaker says
that looks delicious!
Vaishali says
Pooja, Thanks.
Madhavi, Thanks, and sorry to hear about your father. It is very tough dealing with a parent's loss, and I know you must miss him terribly.
Anjali, Yes. Chilies are my favorite, although I do use them in moderation compared to the rest of my extended family!
Homecooked, thanks, and hope you try it. Take care!
Nupur, Your blog has always inspired me. Thanks for your encouraging words, and I do hope you will try the usal.
Nupur says
Vaishali, that usal looks delicious! Actually, every single thing I see on this blog makes me want to run straight to the kitchen. I love your freshly ground masala and you can be sure I will be trying this.
Thank you for the kind words about my blog 🙂
Homecooked says
Wow....looks great! I have not tried making it yet but used to love the way my friends mom made it! Have to give this a try one of these days.Sorry about your mom, but you can always remember her by the great food you make.
ANJALI J. says
yes vaishali,you are right, ginger, tomatoes bring great taste.. not to forget .. chilis too.
Madhavi says
Usal looks delicious, nice entry! !!
Sorry to hear abt ur mom, i lost my father 2 years back. I miss him a lot:((((
Pooja says
i really love it sooooooooo much . thanks for the recipe 🙂
Vaishali says
Evolvingtastes, Annu, Shankari: Thanks, ladies!
Richa, You're so right- I make moong usal too, but matki is truly special.
Srivalli, Thanks. I will definitely send you a dosa entry- I just learned a very nice recipe from my visiting sis-in-law and can't wait to try it out!
Dhivya, Uma, Anjali: Thanks.
Lavi: You are very kind- and right. I do think of my love for cooking as a tribute to my mom.
Cham, thanks for your comforting words.
Saswati, Thanks, I do hope you'll try it.
Seena, thanks. I do think of her every day and especially when I cook.
Miri, I am so sorry about your mom- it is certainly very tough to lose a parent at that age. The worst part is not having enough memories- I often wish I could remember more about my mom, and it's frustrating. But it's lovely that you are passing on your love for cooking to your daughter, and I am sure she will really cherish it one day.
Arundati, Thanks. I do hope you'll try it sometime.
Sia, smn: Thanks for your kind words,ladies.
Happy cook: moth beans are available at most Indian grocery stores. They are tiny and brown and quite nuttily delicious. If you haven't tried them, I'd really encourage you to.
Sorry to hear about your father- that must've been really hard on a four-year-old child.
Bee: Thanks!
Meera: Thanks, and thanks also for pointing me to the Pedatha event which was a perfect fit- I have sent in the recipe.
Shriya, Thanks for your kind words.
shriya says
Pic is so good , very inviting. I am sorry about your mom.
Meera says
Usal indeed remains one of my favorites too. Yours looks delicious.
It's a nice tribute to your mom.
Just wanted to share about this event Jihva for love: Where the ingredient is Love, to pay tribute to the person in your life.
bee says
it's interesting. i prepare it similarly. i use goda masala and coconut milk.
Happy cook says
matki or moth beans, I have no idea what it is.
But the dish looks so delicious and i like that you make it with plenty of gravy as you said one can soak up with roti.
I lost my dad whan i was four years old
SMN says
Vaishali sorry to hear about ur mom but the dish luks awesome..
Sia says
vaishali,
i am really sorry to read abt ur mom. its heartening to see u keep her lovely memory alive by posting the recipes which u cherish. thank you for sharing these recipes with us. and the usal looks lip-smacking delicious:)
Arundathi says
That looks great and seems easy to make - been wanting to make this for a while now. Thanks!
Miri says
I loved to eat the usal at those small eateries in BB Dadar! Just got a packet of goda masala, so am going to make this in the evening...
I lost my Mom when I was 5 and I have just faint memories of an egg curry and a tomato raita - nothing beyond that - I feel my blog is a way I can pass on my love for cooking to my daughter....
Seena says
I thought abt my kids when you told abt mom. Like Lavi said, think about her in whole life..
dish looks delicious.. !
Saswati says
Vaishali that bowl looks ready to be devoured and i am salivating here...i also love maharashtrian food alot:)
Cham says
Nice bowl definetly comfort food, missing mom at this young age should have been hard for you, i feel really sorry , Vaishu.
Lavi says
vaishali..missing mom's food is really a pain. but we could bring out her taste..if we think her and cook..isnt it?
ANJALI J. says
hey thats a nice one.. i like usal very much.. will try this
Uma says
wow, usal looks delicious, Vaishali! Nicely presented.
Dhivya says
wow!looks so yummm...love the presentation
Srivalli says
thats a nice bowl!...looks too good in close up!...btw hope you are cooking up some dosa for me...:)
Richa says
d-lish! though i make moong usal as well, matki remains my fav 🙂
Shankari says
yum, I can eat it as is!
Annu says
wow.........that looks good.Nice way of presentation.
Annu says
This comment has been removed by the author.
evolvingtastes says
Mmmmmmmmm! With an usal like this, all I need is a spoon.