Be My Guest – Ugadela Math/ Sprouted Math Stir Fry

PinI am going to be a little tardy with my guest posts and book reviews from now on. I am telling myself – no keeping schedules. Hehe… It makes it easier for me to not feel pressure and I find it easier when you give a good gap and timeline for posts. So if I go kaboom with such posts in the near future, this is the reason.. 😉

 

So this month, we have a guest again on the last Saturday of the month. Can you believe we are in the last quarter of 2020? What a year it has been… Alhamdulillah… Anyway, coming to our guest, she is one of the seniors in blogging, as far as cooking experience is concerned. I don’t know if I have made it evident to her, but I admire her immensely. She has three grown up children who have settled themselves up, yet taking that into stride, she has been constantly blogging and upping her game in the process. Her blog got a full facelift, so did her clicks and way of writing. I love how she shares snippets of her life in Kenya, her past in Gujarat and her trips to be with her children. Oops, I realized I didn’t even mention who she is. Hehe… Today, I have with me Mayuriji, who blogs at “Mayuri’s Jikoni“. Do you know that “Jikoni” is the Swahili word for kitchen? I kind of felt that sounded cute… 😀

 

There are so many recipes that I would really love to try on her blog, and I have literally lost count of it. But the number one in the list is this Brown Bread Trifle. I really want to buy one small pack of brown bread to make it soon – yep, my folks prefer white and frown if they see brown bread. 😕 She recently cooked up a Gujarathi Thali, which was such a delight to look at, and surely would have been a delight to eat as well! Sigh, how much I wish we could eat off the screen. Hehe… Since I have some jaggery powder in my pantry, I am eagerly waiting for a chance to bake this Jaggery Banana Bread as soon as I have some really ripe bananas. She also has a few Kenyan recipes on her blog, which I am eyeing these sweet balls that would be a hit with the kids. She has come with a recipe that is so true to her heritage and something I am sure HD would love – he loves anything sprouted! Let’s go on and see what Mayuriji has to say…

 

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I’m Mayuri Patel and I blog at Mayuri’s Jikoni. Jikoni in the Kiswahili language means kitchen. I’m a Kenyan but of Indian Origin. I’ve always been interested in cooking as I use to help my mum in the kitchen. We were a joint family, and when growing up it was not normal to have hired help in the kitchen. So, being the eldest girl in the family, I had to do my bit of chores. The blog started as a way to put all my recipes in one place, to write down recipes that I learnt from my mum, aunt and Mother in Law and as an easier access for my cousins and friends. Since then there has been no looking back! Blogging has introduced me to so many food bloggers world over, some who have become good friends. I’m a retired lower school teacher and besides cooking, love traveling.

 

As her blog name indicates, Rafeeda has a whole array of mouthwatering, tantalizing and tempting desserts. A Malayalee living in Dubai, I got to know Rafeeda during my early years of blogging through some common groups like Bread Bakers, Shhh Cooking Secretly that we both participated in. Her exposure to International Food Scene in Dubai, her cultural background and the yearning to try something different for her family has resulted in a wide range of recipes from Kerala Cuisine, Indian, Emirati to International.

 

Do you ever get the feeling that though you’ve not met a person physically but only through the website, you’re able to bond instantly? Well, for me Rafeeda is that kind of person. Though I had not met her, I felt her warmth and humorous side through her blog posts. Love her writing style which as result makes enjoyable reading. 2013, hubby and I had planned a trot to Dubai to visit our son. As soon as our tickets were confirmed I got in touch with Rafeeda requesting that we meet up. Time, date and venue all arranged, we met and it was as though we were long lost friends. So much to talk about and the time was not enough. Rafeeda was the first food blogger that I met, warm, friendly and talkative. Busy lives have resulted in less communication over the years but we still keep in touch through our blogs.

 

MY DISH – UGADELA MATH

When Rafeeda asked to me to be her guest on her blog, I wanted to make a dish from the Swahili Cuisine, but I was not too happy how the dish turned out. The next best option was a Gujarati dish as I’m a Kenyan born Gujarati or a bread as I love baking. So narrowed it down to Ugadela Math which though is an easy dish to prepare, its really delicious and goes very well with plain rice and kadhi. Sometimes I enjoy it on its own as a light meal. During festivals or on special occasions when we make full Gujarati Thali ugadela moth is usually made if were are serving aamras, shrikhand or doodh pak as part of the thali. As a part of our regular meal, I make ugadela math, kadhi and rice. Its make a healthy and filling meal.

 

WHAT IS UGADELA MATH?

Math (pronounced as ma – th (as in mat), is Moth beans, Matki, Turkish Berry or Dew Beans. The shape is just like the green moong, but they taste different. This beans are widely used in the Gujarati and Marathi Cuisines. The word Ugadela means sprouted. I sprout the beans/math  at home as I don’t get ready sprouted ones. In India they are easily available in the vegetable markets or shops.

 

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HOW TO SPROUT MATH/MOTH?

• Soak the beans overnight in warm water.
• Next day drain out the water using a strainer or sieve.
• Wash the beans with water.
• Place the beans in a small colander or a sieve. It should be able to sit well in a bigger bowl but the bottom of the colander or sieve should not touch the bowl.
• Place a damp thick cloth (I use a hand towel) over the beans or math.
• Place a flat dish, lid or a tile slab over the towel but it should not cover the colander or sieve completely.
• Place some heavy weight like a mortar pestle or a stone on the lid, dish or tile.
• Leave in a warm place.
• After 6-8 hours wash the beans under running water. Cover as above.
• In a warm place like mine the beans sprout well within 24 -48 hours.
• The most important thing to remember is to wash the sprouting beans at least twice a day so that they do not become sticky and slimy. Unlike green moong, moth gets slimy very quickly if left unattended.
• I know some people tie the beans in a muslin or cotton cloth to sprout. However, I find that with that method, the beans get sticky and slimy very quickly. Perhaps it could be due to the fact that they don’t air.

 

UGADELA MATH/ SPROUTED MATH STIR FRY

SERVES 4

 

4 cups of sprouted moth

2 tbsp oil

1 inch cinnamon stick

4-6 cloves

6-8 pepper corns

½ tsp mustard seeds (rai)

1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

a generous pinch of asafetida (hing)

½ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

1-1½ tsp salt

1 tsp green chilli paste

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp cumin coriander powder (dhana jiru)

½ tsp cinnamon powder

¼ tsp clove powder

¼ cup water

 

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat.
2. Add cloves, cinnamon stick and peppercorns.
3. Add mustard and cumin seeds.
4. As they begin to sizzle, add asafetida.
5. Add chili and ginger paste. Stir fry for a few seconds.
6. Add turmeric powder, give it a quick stir.
7. Immediately add the sprouted moth.
8. Add salt and mix well.
9. Add water.
10. Close the lid of the pressure cooker.
11. Over medium heat let the sprouted moth cook for 1 whistle only.
12. Take the cooker off the heat. When the steam is released open the lid.
13. Add sugar, dhana jiru, clove and cinnamon powders.
14. Mix well.
15. Add chopped coriander and serve it with kadhi and plain rice.

 

Tips:

• You can enjoy ugadela math on its own, add chopped onion, tomato and some lemon juice.
• I prefer cooking sprouted moth in a pressure cooker so they cook well and are not hard.
• If you prefer, you can cook them in a pan. You may have to add extra water. Cook till done.
• When you sprout moth, remember to wash them frequently as they tend to become slimy and smelly very quickly.

 

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What a comfort meal of rice, kadhi and sprouted moth beans! I think I would have the moth beans like a snack along with my cup of chai. Thank you so much Mayuriji for gracing my space and your lovely complements… I am totally floored… 🙂 Wishing you many many more years of beautiful blogging…

 

Have a great weekend, y’all! <3