MASALA MOTH BEANS

Moth beans or “matki” in hindi are tiny beans which are dark from outside and pale inside. They are similar to the green moong beans.
I saw them in the desi supermarket and bought some out of curiosity. They are quite delicious and nourishing too.
I made them in an onion tomato based gravy with spices and they tasted very nice with rotis.
This recipe can be also made with brown lentils in case you cant find these type of beans
They are easy to make and also easily available.
These are best made in a pressure cooker but if you dont own one you can make them in a normal casserole pan.
INGREDIENTS:
1 small cup of moth beans (matki)
4 cups of water
1 onion chopped fine
2 tomatoes chopped fine
a pinch of asafoetida (hing) totally optional
few curry leaves
1″ piece of ginger , grated
3 cloves of garlic , grated
2-3 green chillies, chopped fine (optional)
1/2 teaspoon each of turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder
1 tablespoon of dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
1/4 cup of chopped fresh coriander leaves
4 tablespoons of cooking oil or olive oil or butter
1/2 cup of milk, optional, i did not add
salt to taste
METHOD:
Soak the moth beans in ample water for at least 4-6 hours. If you are in a rush or forgot to soak them its ok…it just means that they will take more time to cook.
When ready too cook rinse the beans well and put them in a pressure cooker or normal pot with 4 cups of water and the turmeric powder. Pressure cook them for about 4-5 whistles or for about 10 minutes.If using a normal cooking method just boil them till they are soft. It might take time and you might need to add more water but thats ok.
Once they are cooked you can either remove the excess water or leave it (this all depends on what consistency you want your daal to be).
For the masala:
Heat the oil in a pan (you can also use butter if you want a richer taste). Add the asafoetida and let it sizzle for a few seconds and then add the garlic, let that cook till it turns color and then add the ginger and the onions. Let the onions soften and then add the salt and let them turn slightly golden brown. Add the curry leaves and then spices then and cook a little more and then add the dried fenugreek leaves and the tomatoes, green chillies. Cook till the tomatoes soften and till you can see the whole mixture glistening. Cook till the whole mixture is dry and then add the cooked moth beans. Mix well, taste, check and correct seasoning and let it come to a boil. If you want a rich creamy taste you can add some milk in the end and bring it to a boil and serve.
NITU DIDI TIP:
The consistency all depends on cooking time, method of cooking and the amount of moth beans you use. You can always thicken it by adding either some milk or more water but if its too watery then it will taste insipid. Also remember while pressure cooking you need to add less water.