Gujarati Mix Kathol (Jain)

This Gujarati style mix kathol recipe is protein-packed, healthy and delicious curry made with a combination of 4 beans, cooked in thick tomato gravy. This makes a hearty, comforting meal when served with hot steamed basmati rice or rotis

A bowl of mix kathol served with basmati rice on the side.

❤️ You’ll Love This Mix Kathol Recipe

What is Kathol? ‘Kathol’ is a Gujarati word and it translates to legumes/beans. As the name says mix kathol, it is the curry made from a mixture of beans. As being Gujarati, at home, we call it mix kathol nu shaak.

Jain Recipe: This mix kathol sabzi is no onion no garlic recipe. The gravy is made from tomatoes and basic spices.

Taste: It is medium spicy, slightly tangy gravy with hearty boiled beans.

Texture: Chunky gravy with slightly creamy texture (creaminess comes from whole urad)

Make ahead: Make a large batch of it and refrigerate or freeze the leftovers for busy days in the future. You’ll just have to cook the rice and the meal is ready. 

🧾 Ingredient Notes

Here is the pic of the ingredients used in making delicious, flavor-packed mixed kathol recipe. The detailed amount is mentioned in the recipe card below.

Ingredients used in mix kathol with labels.
  • Kathol (beans): Here I have used the mixture of white chickpeas (chana or chole), black chickpeas (desi chana), red kidney beans (rajma) and black lentils (whole urad dal). You can try your choice of beans. Make sure to choose the ones that cook at almost the same time.
  • Tomato: When it comes to Indian gravy I highly recommend using ripe, fresh roma or plum tomatoes. Other tomato verity makes the gravy sour and not tasty.
  • Green chili: It is optional. Instead, you can use serrano pepper.
  • Lime or Lemon: I prefer to use lime juice in my Indian cooking. Lemon juice works too.

👩‍🍳 How To Make Mix Kathol? (stepwise photos)

Soaking & Boiling Kathol:

1) Take the mixture of beans (kathol) in a colander and rinse them under running cold water by messaging the beans using fingers gently until water runs clear. Or take them in a bowl and rinse them 2-3 times or until water is not cloudy anymore.

2) Soak in enough water (2-3 inches above the beans) overnight or at least 8 hours.

3) After the soaking time beans have doubled or tripled in size. Discard the soaking water.

4) Take beans in a pressure cooker. Add fresh water and pressure cook for 2 whistles on high and then 20 minutes on lowest possible heat. Let the pressure go down by itself.

*Instant pot: Manual (high pressure) for 20-25 minutes. 

Collage of 4 steps showing mixture of beans, soaking, soaked and boiled beans.

Cooking Mix Kathol:

1) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle a bit.

2) Add chopped green chilies and saute for 30 seconds.

3) Add tomatoes and mix.

4) Cook until tomatoes are soft and mushy. Try to mash them using the back of the spatula.

5) Add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder.

6) Mix well and cook for a minute. You’ll notice the fat is oozing out from the sides.

Collage of 6 steps showing tempering in oil, cooking tomatoes, adding and mixing spices.

7) Now add boiled beans along with its water. 

8) Mix and let it simmer for 5-8 minutes on low. Do stir once or twice in between and make sure that it is not sticking to the bottom and sides. While simmering if needed you can add a splash of more water.

9) Add lime juice and mix.

10) Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro. If not serving this right away then keep it covered so it stays warm.

Collage of 4 steps showing adding beans and simmering, adding lime juice and cilantro.

💭 Expert Tips

Forgot to soak the beans? Here is the QUICK SOAKING method: Take beans and plenty of water in a pan. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes. Then turn off the stove and cover tightly with a lid. Let it sit for 1 hour. Voila, after 1 hour your beans are at the same stage where you have after overnight soaking.

Variations:

  • Make the combination using other beans: Adzuki beans (red chori), moth beans, whole masoor (lentils), white or green peas (vatana), etc. 
  • Try with sprouted beans: In this case, you’ll have to pressure cook the sprouted beans just for 1 whistle or 2 mins in instant pot.

🍽 Serving Ideas For Mix Kathol

A bowl of mix kathol served with basmati rice on the side.

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Gujarati Mix Kathol Recipe (Jain)

5 from 2 votes
A bowl of mix kathol served with basmati rice on the side.
This Gujarati style mix kathol recipe is protein-packed, healthy and delicious curry made with a combination of 4 beans, cooked in thick tomato gravy.
Kanan
Prep Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 50 minutes
Serving Size 3

US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml)

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup Dry Kala chana (black chickpeas or desi chana)
  • ¼ cup Dried white chickpeas (Chole or kabuli chana or safed chana)
  • ¼ cup Rajma (Red kidney beans)
  • ¼ cup Whole Urad dal (Black lentils)
  • 2 cups Water, for pressure cooking
  • 2 tablespoons Oil
  • ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
  • 1 Green chili, finely chopped
  • 2 medium or 1 ¼ cups Tomato, finely chopped
  • Salt, to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Red chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons Coriander powder
  • 2 teaspoons Lemon juice or Lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons Cilantro or coriander leaves, finely chopped

Instructions

  • Take the mixture of beans (kathol) in a colander and rinse them under running cold water by messaging the beans using fingers gently until water runs clear. Or take them in a bowl and rinse them 2-3 times or until water is not cloudy anymore.
  • Soak in enough water (2-3 inches above the beans) for overnight or at least 8 hours.
  • After the soaking time beans have doubled or tripled in size. Discard the soaking water.
  • Take beans in a pressure cooker. Add fresh water and pressure cook for 2 whistles on high and then 20 minutes on lowest possible heat. Let the pressure go down by itself.
    *Instant pot: Manual (high pressure) for 20-25 minutes.
  • Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
  • Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle a bit.
  • Add chopped green chilies and saute for 30 seconds.
  • Add tomatoes and mix. Cook until tomatoes are soft and mushy. Try to mash them using the back of the spatula.
  • Add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder. Mix well and cook for a minute. You’ll notice the fat is oozing out from the sides.
  • Now add boiled beans along with its water. Mix and let it simmer for 5-8 minutes on low. Do stir once or twice in between and make sure that it is not sticking to the bottom and sides. While simmering if needed you can add a splash of more water.
  • Add lime juice and mix.
  • Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro. If not serving this mix kathol shaak right away then keep it covered so it stays warm.

Notes

Forgot to soak the beans? Here is the QUICK SOAKING method: Take beans and plenty of water in a pan. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes. Then turn off the stove and cover tightly with a lid. Let it sit for 1 hour. Voila, after 1 hour your beans are at the same stage where you have after overnight soaking.
Variations:
  • Make the combination using other beans: Adzuki beans (red chori), moth beans, whole masoor (lentils), white or green peas (vatana), etc.
  • Try with sprouted beans: In this case, you’ll have to pressure cook the sprouted beans just for 1 whistle or 2 mins in instant pot.

Nutrition

Calories: 345kcal (17%) | Carbohydrates: 46g (15%) | Protein: 15g (30%) | Fat: 12g (18%) | Saturated Fat: 1g (5%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 97mg (4%) | Potassium: 917mg (26%) | Fiber: 13g (52%) | Sugar: 7g (8%) | Vitamin A: 1728IU (35%) | Vitamin C: 28mg (34%) | Calcium: 112mg (11%) | Iron: 5mg (28%)
5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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12 Comments

  1. Hi

    the recipe looks super delicious and healthy. Just a small query, what if i want to add onion and garlic in this recipe, could i know the proportion and the step in which it needs to be added please…5 stars

    1. add 1/2 cup of onions and 1 teaspoon of garlic paste (or freshly grated / minced) after adding green chilies.
      Cook till onions become translucent and soft. Then continue adding tomatoes and next steps.

  2. this looks like an interesting recipe. i have heard about kathol but never tried it. it must be so nutritious and looks tasty too.