Moong usal is a popular Maharashtrian vegetarian dish. The usal is served along with pav, a similar combination to the even more popular pav bhaji. I am not claiming this recipe is an authentic version since I got it from a food-based book written by a non-Indian. The usual usal recipes I see are all gravy-based and have a lot more ingredients than my simple version but since the first time I made this usal, I have been cooking it this way and serving it with roti, rice, or even on its own. Since I don’t like the taste of raw sprouts in salads and such, this is a great alternative, and a method which doesn’t compromise the nutrition in moong sprouts.
Typically, usal is made with maki or moth bean sprouts. Using moong sprouts for usal is also not uncommon so I decided to go ahead and do just that. I also learnt from the book that Misal is Usal with has been spiced up a bit more and made into a kind of chaat. I really need to try making some misal at home too, a dish that I have only tried once when I visited TH’s aunt in Mumbai many years ago.
Some other recipes you may be interested in:
Soya chunks biryani with sprouts
Pesarattu recipe
Moong dal tadka
Vada pav recipe
How to make pav
Moong Usal Recipe
Adapted from Ginger and Ganesh
Serves 2-4
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups moong bean sprouts
1 cup onions, sliced
1/2 cup of cubed tomato
1″ piece of ginger, grated
2-3 flakes of garlic, minced
1 tsp amchoor (dry mango powder) or 1/2 tsp tamarind paste
1-2 green chillies, chopped
A pinch of turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp Kitchen King Masala (or garam masala / goda masala)
1 tsp grated jaggery or brown sugar
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Heat oil and add the onions and green chillies. Saute until the onions have turned a light brown.
2. Add the minced ginger and garlic and fry until the raw smell disappears – about a minute.
3. Now add the coriander, chilli powder, turmeric, and salt, and jaggery or sugar. Fry for another minute.
4. Add the sprouted moong dal and chopped tomato along with the amchoor. Add some water and cook on low flame covered for 8-10 mins.
5. When the beans have turned plump and soft, add the garam masala and garnish with chopped coriander.
6. Cook in open pan until the water has more or less evaporated and you have a dry dish. Adjust salt and amchoor as needed.
Step by step pictures to make Usal:
Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and add the sliced onions and green chillies.
Saute until the onions turn a golden brown.
Cook covered for 5 minutes or so or until the moong sprouts are cooked soft.
Serve usal hot with steamed rice and some gravy or pav.
Joyful
It looks so good.
Sharmilee! :)
Looks very tempting and interesting idea…yummy looking sidedish for chapathi 🙂 Nice clicks too!
divya
Omg, super delicious irresistible yummy dish..
Nags
Thank you Saee, will surely try to make misal from your recipe 🙂
Chitra, sorry about that, i have edited the recipe to add in the sugar. hope you try usal and like it!
Priya
Nutritious and protein packed moong usal..
Anonymous
Wow! I never knew this was a Maharashtrian dish! My mother and my brother makes this often at home, it is a favorite with chapatis, one of my favs too. I avoid the jaggery though:D ~Shreya
Chitra
Hi Nags,
Regular reader of your blog and I love your recipes!
Just wanted to know at what stage do you add the jaggery/brown sugar?
Thanks
Chitra
lata raja
Sprouts and spiced up make a super delicious side with rice.
Christy Gerald
Woww!Very colourful and Healthy Moong Usal. Deliciously done and clicked.Luv it.
Saee Koranne-Khandekar
Good job with the usal! It looks very Maharashtrian indeed. Usal is made with all kinds of sprouted beans, and regions of M'tra have their own ways of making it. You should try the tender cashewnut usal (my absolute fav) and the tender fresh peas usal–both have minimalistic aromatics but turn out very flavorsome. Misal is a spicy, broth-like version of usal, to which potatoes and farsaan such as sev and paapdi have been added. Occasionally, even chivda. It is sprinkled with onions and coriander, and is eaten with soft, fresh pao or cold, thick dahi. Pune and Kolhapur are most famous for their spicy, delish misals.