Easy Punjabi Moth Dal (Matki Curry)

A delicious, comforting, and wholesome Moth Beans Curry. Full of flavor and nutrition, this Punjabi style Moth Dal can be made in the Instant Pot in just 30 minutes!

This Instant pot Moth Beans curry is so easy to whip up and requires everyday ingredients from your kitchen. This dal pairs perfectly with warm roti, paratha, or rice.

Cooking this moth beans is quite easy, you can either use a normal pressure cooker or the instant pot. Moth beans are low in calories and high in nutrition, which makes it a wholesome meal.

What are Moth Beans?

Moth beans (pronounced as moath) are a drought-resistant legume, which are protein rich and consumed widely in India.

They are also called Matki, Mat Beans, Turkish Gram or Dew Bean. In Telugu, they are called Nundy.

They are small brown lentils with a yellow interior, and used in many dishes. They are great to sprout, and I use them frequently in curries such as this sprouts curry or the popular Maharashtrian dish misal pav.

Moth Beans Nutrition

Moth Beans are native to India and Pakistan and are also cultivated across the United States, Thailand, Australia, and other parts around the world. Just like all other lentils, Moth beans are full of nutrition. They come with a whole of benefits like:

• Mat beans are high in protein.
• They contain healthy amounts to calcium and phosphorus, vital for bone health.
• Moth dal contains zinc that strengthens the immune system
• It increases energy levels and improves digestion.

How to cook Moth Dal in Instant Pot?

Before we start making Punjabi style moth dal, gather the needed ingredients such as onion, tomato, ginger, green chili, and spices.

• Start by rinsing the dal in cold water and chop onions, tomatoes, and green chili.
• Set the Instant pot on sauté mode and heat oil in it. Add cumin and green chili to the hot oil and sauté for a few seconds.
• Then add the onions, along with ginger and garlic, and sauté till the onions become translucent.
• Then add the finely chopped tomatoes along with the spices and stir them well.
• Now is time to add the Moth dal and water. Stir well. Press Cancel and close the lid with the vent in sealing position
• Choose Pressure cook mode (manual) and set the timer for 12 minutes. Once the time is up, let the pressure release naturally.
• Once the pressure is fully released, open the lid and stir the dal.
• Then add some lime juice along with some fresh cilantro leaves and give a gentle stir.
• Serve Moth Dal Curry with roti or rice.

The bowl images show how I use my onion tomato bhuna masala to make this moth dal. This is a great way to meal prep the masala which includes onion, tomatoes, ginger and garlic. It can be used in any recipe which needs these 4 ingredients.

For this dal, I use ¼ cup bhuna masala for 1 cup of dry dal.

It is so convenient to not have to chop and stir fry onions and tomatoes every time.

How to make Moth Dal in Stovetop Pressure Cooker?

Usually, when my mom used to make this lentil curry, she used to cook the lentils separately and then do a tadka. But steps below will help you make this curry as one pot recipe.

Follow the same steps as above. Pressure cook it until you hear two whistles. Now reduce the flame to medium and pressure cook it for another 8 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. 

Cover the lid, turn the heat on high flame and pressure cook it until your hear 2 whistles. Now reduce the flame to medium and pressure cook it for another 8 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. 

Moth dal or any other lentil for that matter tends to get thick as it cools down, so adjust the water accordingly. You can also add some water while reheating the dal if you are going to have it after a while.

Enjoy the mat dal with roti, paratha, or steamed basmati rice. You can also pair this dal with some stir-fry vegetables like Aloo Gobi, Bhindi Masala (Okra) or Cabbage Peas.