Boiled Matki dal (Moth beans / Turkish gram) & vegetable salad

Boiled Matki dal (Moth dal or Turkish gram) salad with veggies and spices is a healthy, crunchy, and tasty salad made with boiled Matki dal, finely chopped veggies like onion, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and cilantro. A touch of salt, pepper, lemon juice, and spices like red chili powder, chat masala and roasted cumin powder add a nice savory taste to the salad. To make the salad more interesting and crunchy, add some roasted peanuts, thin Indian sev, chopped cilantro, and any other toppings you may like ( such as sunflower/ pumpkin seeds or pomegranate seeds). Matki dal is a hardy bean grown in India that is rich in protein and fiber. Matki dal is commonly used for making curries and dals. This recipe doesn’t involve any cooking (other than boiling the matki dal) and is hence easy to assemble for any weekday lunch or dinner. Also, the dish is perfectly suited for vegans. Matki dal is commonly available in Indian grocery shops. Reference for online purchase:
  1. Thin Indian Sev
  2. Matki dal / Turkish gram
Credits : I first tried this Boiled Matki dal & vegetable salad at a friend's place in Charlotte. I learnt this recipe from my friend.   Please try this recipe and if you like it, please share it with your friends. I would appreciate it if you can leave your feedback with any suggestions and comments.
Cooking Method
Cuisine
Difficulty Beginner
Time
Cook Time: 30 30 mins
Servings 4
Description

A tasty, crunchy, and healthy matki dal salad that is made with finely chopped veggies and mild spices with a topping of roasted peanuts and Indian sev

 

Ingredients
    Main salad
  • 1 cup Matki dal / Moth dal / Turkish gram
  • 6 cups Water - to soak and boil the dal
  • 1 Onion - small (finely chopped)
  • 2 Cucumber (diced)
  • 2 cups cabbage (finely shredded)
  • 2 Carrots (grated or thinly chopped)
  • 3 Tomatoes (Deseeded and diced)
  • 3 teaspoons Lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Chat masala
  • 1 teaspoon Roasted cumin seed powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt (adjust to taste)
  • Toppings
  • 1 cup Roasted peanuts
  • 1 cup Thin Indian sev
  • 1/2 cup Chopped cilantro
  • Optional Ingredients
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Sunflower seeds
Instructions
  1. Prepare the Matki dal
    • Clean the matki dal
    • Soak the matki dal in the water for at least 12 hours
    • Drain the water and Separate the beans that are still hard
    • Boil the soaked matki dal on a stove or in a pressure cooker.
    • The ratio of water to matki needs to be 3:1 for boiling, 
    • If you are boiling on the stove, it takes about 20-30 minutes for the matki to soften and start to split. When the matki beans are split, it means they are ready for consumption
  2. Prepare the Vegetables
    • Finely chop the onion and cucumber
    • Grate or shred the carrots and cabbage
    • Deseed the tomatoes and cut them into small pieces
    • Chop the Cilantro
  3. Mix all the veggies and boiled matki dal
    • Take a large mixing bowl
    • Mix the boiled matki dal, onions, carrots, cucumber, cabbage, and tomatoes
    • ( You may store this mixture in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve the salad)
  4. Add the spices
    • Add chat masala, red chili powder, salt, roasted cumin powder, black pepper powder into the matki and veggies mixture
    • Add Salt and lemon juice. Taste and adjust as needed.
  5. Serving
    • Take one cup of the Matki salad in a serving bowl
    • Top it with 2 teaspoons of sev, some cilantro and 2 teaspoons of roasted peanuts
    • Add other toppings like pomegranate seeds or pumpkin/sunflower seeds as desired
Notes
  1. Add finely chopped green chilies if you would like to make the salad spicier.
  2. Add a teaspoon of Indian green mint and tamarind-date chutneys to add some sweet-sour taste
  3. You can also add some crushed golgappa puris on top, to add a little more crunch to the salad.
Keywords: Matki, Madki, Moth, dal, salad, vegetables,
Vinay Mummigatti

I love traveling, cooking, and reading. This blog is a reflection of my passion for cooking. Food is a representation of culture and I have tried to assimilate foods from different cultures across the world. I am an Indian by birth who moved to the USA 20 years back. I hope my recipes and articles bring new experiences and joy to the readers. Please share your comments and feedback.