Makhana Curry Recipe, often called dried magic beans, is a type of legume widely cultivated across the Indian subcontinent.
In India, it is mainly grown in coastal regions and Southern India. Makhana is also widely used as a protein-rich food source and as an animal fodder crop due to its high concentration of proteins,
essential amino acids, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. This recipe for makhana curry has been famous for using dried moong dal or mung beans.
How to make Makhana Curry Recipe
Ingredients:
- Makhana Dal – 1 cup
- Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
- Curry leaves – 12 to 15
- Oil -1 tsp
Directions:
Step 1: Soak the makhana dal in water overnight.
Step 2: Drain the water from the soaked dal. Peel the skin of beans with the help of a knife.
Step 3: Place the peeled beans in a pressure cooker with enough salt and turmeric powder to prevent them from breaking up.
Add 1 cup of water and cook until soft. This would take around 25 minutes under normal pressure or 35 minutes under high pressure.
Step 4: With the help of a blender, purée the cooked dal.
Step 5: Heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves. Fry for 1 minute.
Step 6: Add the fried curry leaves to the cooked dal and mix well.
Step 7: Enjoy this makhana curry with rice or roti or any other roti/paratha.
How to prepare time?
It takes 30 minutes to cook makhana under normal pressure or 45 minutes under high pressure.
Nutrition facts of Makhana Curry Recipe
- Protein = 22 gm
- Carbohydrate = 14 gm
- Sugars = 2 gm
- Fat = 3 gm
- Fibre = 6 gm
- Vitamin C = 6.8 mg
- Calcium, Ca 74 mg
- Iron, Fe 0.7 mg
- Magnesium, Mg 29 mg
- Potassium, K 3.
Health Benefits of Makhana Curry Recipe
Makhana is high in protein and thus a good source of nutrition for vegetarians. Makhana contains the essential amino acid Lysine, which helps prevent congenital disabilities.
The high amounts of manganese, calcium, and phosphorus present in makhana help boost a person’s immunity and prevent infections. Makhana is rich in antioxidants which neutralize free radicals that can cause several diseases like cancer.
Great 5 Variations Makhana Curry Recipe
1. Vegetable Makhana Curry
Use different vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, and green peas. The addition of vegetables provides this dish with a lot of fiber and other essential nutrients for your meal.
2. Tomato Makhana Curry
Add some tomatoes to this makhana curry for a more tangy taste. You can use ripe or unripe tomatoes to make it spicier or sweeter.
3. Cucumber Makhana Curry
You can replace the curry leaves with fresh cucumber. Grate the cucumbers and mix them with cooked and puréed makhana dal, some salt, and water to make a paste. Serve this dish with rice.
4. Methi Makhana Curry
Methi or fenugreek leaves can be used to substitute for curry leaves for this recipe if you want to introduce more leaves into your diet.
5. Paneer Makhana Curry
You can replace the makhana dal with paneer (cheese) and make a high protein and calcium curry.
Just grate it and fry it to make cheese balls before adding it to the dal. You can also add cauliflower, cabbage, or spinach as vegetables to make this dish more nutritious.
How to store?
Makhana dal will last a few months when kept in airtight containers. The puréed makhana can be stored for around 6 to 8 weeks and refrigerated.
Unpuréed makhana (Moong dal) can be stored for three to four months when refrigerated and frozen for six to eight months.
How to cook rice?
You can also make this dish with rice instead of Indian roti or paratha. In this case, you can either boil the rice with water or pressure cook it.
How to freeze makhana dal?
Just like vegetables, you can also freeze makhana dal and use it to prepare dishes in the future. Just place some makhana dal in a freezer-safe bag, seal it, and store it in the freezer.
Makhana curry Vegetarian
Makhana curry Vegetarian is a great recipe of makhana, is a popular recipe all over India. This recipe is easy to cook and very tasty.
The taste of this dish will make you forget about the benefits of makhana. Please try this makhana curry recipe and share your experience with us if you have some time.
Phool makhana tomato curry
Nothing can taste better than this Phool makhana tomato curry. This is a great combination of makhana, tomato, and Indian spices.
You can use this recipe as a side dish for chapati or dosa or add some boiled rice to make it more filling. I recommend you try this Phool makhana tomato curry recipe during the winter season so that you don’t need to look for any other recipes.
Phool makhana curry by Vahchef
Vah Chef is one of the best chefs in India who has a different recipe every day. His Phool makhana curry recipe is a hit because of its taste and simplicity. You can try this dish as an alternative to kurma or a side dish for rice and roti.
Conclusion
Makhana, a green-colored bean, is an excellent source of protein. It is also a good source of fiber and minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Makhana can be consumed in makhana chaat (mixed with vegetables), or you can use it to make dals and curries. So try these recipes and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
FAQ
What dishes can be made from makhana?
Makhana can be used to make dals and curries. Makhana curry is an easy recipe that you can try at your home. Makhana soup is a dish that you can prepare using makhana, vegetables, and spices.
What is the difference between mung beans and moong dal?
Both mung beans and moong dal are used for making desserts, main dishes, snacks, and chaats. They are also known as green gram or green beans in English.
How do I make lotus seed curry?
Lotus seed curry is a type of curry that you can make from lotus seeds. You need to soak the grated lotus seeds for 30 minutes before cooking. Click here for the recipe.
Can I use powdered moong dal?
You can easily use moong dal in your daily meals by adding it to curries, salads, bread, and other recipes. However, if you want a quick makhana curry recipe, you should choose mung beans.