Food

Moong Dal Recipe (Healthful and Nutritious)


Moong Dal recipe is a scrumptious, wholesome and protein wealthy dish constructed from hulled and cut up mung beans or yellow moong lentils. Right here I share two totally different recipes that characteristic tasty lentils: Moong Dal Tadka, with flavorful seasonings tempered in sizzling oil or ghee, and Moong Dal Fry, which incorporates flippantly sautéing aromatics earlier than mixing with the cooked yellow mung lentils. Each strategies are straightforward to arrange with my step-by-step directions and images, and create extremely savory, satisfying lentil dishes!

moong dal recipe in white bowl with a plate of steamed rice and a vegetable dish in the background

What’s Moong Dal

Lentils, and mung beans specifically, are a staple in Indian delicacies. They’re generally strain cooked to turn out to be splendidly tender, and served as saucy primary dishes with roti, paratha or steamed rice.

Moong dal right here refers to skinned and cut up mung beans also called petite yellow lentils. They initially are greenish in shade, however have a yellow shade as soon as the husks are eliminated.

However, a dal recipe can be known as Dal and so this preparation made with mung lentils can be known as Moong Dal.

In comparison with different lentils, Moong lentils are among the many best to digest. Subsequently they’re usually beneficial for low glycemic diets, and are part of the detox weight-reduction plan in Ayurveda.

Dishes with mung beans are thought to stability the Kapha, Pita and Vata doshas within the physique, and thus are tridoshic in nature as per Ayurveda.

If you’re like moong lentils, than you can even take a look at this tasty recipe made with inexperienced gram or complete moong lentils – Inexperienced Moong Dal

About Moong Dal Tadka

‘Tadka’ right here refers back to the cooking technique used to make this recipe: It’s known as tempering in English, and no, it’s not in any means associated to tempering chocolate. On this technique, the spices and herbs are first fried in oil or ghee (clarified butter).

Principally it’s blooming of spices in fats. Frying them releases their important aroma and flavors into the oil.

After being fried, this complete infusion of the spices, herbs and the oil is added to the finished cooked moong dal.

Typically moong dal recipes can lack taste. Nonetheless, as I’m positive you may think about this dish is totally bursting with daring, savory spices.

It consists of tempered cumin, garlic, garam masala and crimson chili powder. Collectively they create a wealthy, earthy, splendidly tasty dish.

When you make this scrumptious moong dal recipe, you’re going to have an entire new opinion of the standard dal!

The consistency of Moong Dal Tadka is someplace between a curry and soup, barely skinny and pourable however nonetheless with little bit of physique.

It’s good to serve with some steamed basmati rice and a facet vegetable dish and/or raita. And I all the time suggest that you’ve got some roasted papad and lemon or mango pickle on the facet, too, for an entire meal.

I like to pair moong dal tadka with some steamed basmati rice and Aloo Methi.

Step-by-Step Information

Methods to make Moong Dal Tadka – Recipe 1

Prep

1. First, rinse ½ a cup of moong dal (cut up husked mung lentils) in water a few instances. Drain all of the water and put aside.

rinsing moong dal with water

2. You will want to cook dinner the moong lentils. In a 3 litre stove-top strain cooker or within the internal pot of a 6 quart Prompt Pot add the next substances along with the rinsed moong lentils:

  • 1 medium sized finely chopped onion or ⅓ cup finely chopped onions
  • 1 medium sized chopped tomato or ½ cup chopped tomatoes
  • 1 inch of peeled and finely chopped ginger
  • ⅓ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ¼ teaspoon of crimson chili powder or cayenne pepper
moong dal recipe ingredients in pressure cooker

3. Add 1.5 cups of water, and stir effectively.

water mixed with ingredients in pressure cooker

Strain Cook dinner Lentils

4. Strain cook dinner the lentils, aromatics, spices and herbs for five to six whistles on medium warmth, till the lentils are cooked completely and softened.

Let the strain fall naturally within the stove-top cooker after which solely open the lid. Take away the lid and stir the dal.

For the Prompt Pot, it will take roughly 8 to 10 minutes on guide strain. When you hear the beep sound when the cooking is full, do a fast strain launch after 10 minutes.

cooked moong lentils

5. The dal ought to be free with a medium flowing consistency. If the moong dal appears thick, then add some water. Begin with half a cup and stir, and add extra water as wanted.

water being added to cooked moong dal

6. Simmer (or use the sauté operate on the IP) the moong dal for 1 to 2 minutes or extra till you get simply the correct consistency. It ought to have a consistency some the place like that of a curry.

simmering moong dal

7. Add salt to style and blend effectively. Set the dal apart.

small mound of salt on cooked moong dal

Make Tadka

8. Collect and measure your entire substances wanted to mood the cooked moong dal. In a small pan on low-medium warmth, soften 2 to three tablespoons of oil, ghee or butter.

ghee being melted in small pan (tadka pan)

9. Fry 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds within the sizzling oil. They need to change shade and crackle, however not burn. Flip the warmth right down to low if wanted.

cumin seeds frying in ghee in pan

10. Subsequent add 4 to five flippantly crushed garlic cloves and 1 to 2 slit inexperienced chilies to the pot. Fry for a number of seconds, however don’t brown the garlic. Flip off the stovetop warmth instantly.

slit green chilies, garlic being fried in ghee.

11. As soon as the warmth is off, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of garam masala powder, ¼ teaspoon of crimson chili powder and 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing).

Switching off the warmth ensures that the spice powders don’t get burned.

ground spices in small pan

12. Rapidly combine the spice powders effectively with a spoon. That is your tempering combination so as to add taste to the moong dal.

tadka mixture in pan

13. After stirring, instantly pour the tempering combination into the pot with the cooked lentils. Stir the moong dal tadka effectively to mix.

tadka poured on moong dal.

14. Serve Moong Dal Tadka sizzling with steamed rice or Roti. The moong dal tastes scrumptious as-is without having to garnish.

However be happy to sprinkle with some chopped coriander leaves so as to add a pop of recent taste.

For a slight tang of vibrant acidity, you can even squeeze some lemon juice onto the dish earlier than serving.

moong dal on white bowl

About Yellow Moong Dal Fry

This can be a fast and simple Punjabi recipe of scrumptious moong dal fry at house which I usually make. I make quite a lot of lentils each day and mung dal occurs to be one in every of them.

On this Moong dal fry recipe, the mung lentils are cooked first. Then a sautéed combination of onions, tomatoes and spices is added to the cooked mung lentils which is then simmered for some extra minutes. The top result’s a easy, creamy and flavorful moong dal.

moong dal fry in white bowl with a side of steamed rice on a white plate

Legumes or dal are a staple within the Indian Delicacies and there are such a lot of methods of constructing them. Within the Indian Delicacies, you will discover many variations of dal – from the best primary model made with minimal substances to spicy or wealthy variations made with many substances.

Every Indian state has their very own variations of a dal tadka or dal fry. Within the state itself, the variations carry on altering in some cities or cities.

You possibly can serve the yellow moong dal fry with Indian flat breads like roti, paratha or with cumin rice or steamed basmati rice.

Step-by-Step Information

Methods to make Moong Dal Fry – Recipe 2

Cook dinner Mung Dal

1. Firstly choose and rinse ½ cup moong dal (cut up and hulled mung lentils) for a number of instances with water. You can even rinse the yellow moong dal in a colander.

rinsing yellow moong lentils with water in colander

2. Then add the yellow mung lentils to a 3 litre stove-top strain cooker along with 2.5 cups of water and a pinch of turmeric powder. Stir and blend very effectively.

moong lentils and water being stirred in pressure cooker

3. Strain cook dinner the yellow moong dal for five to six whistles or until they’re gentle and mushy.

cooked yellow moong dal

4. Mash the lentils with a spoon.

lentils being mashed with wooden spoon

5. Add 1 cup water or as required, to get the specified consistency.

water being added to mashed yellow moong dal

6. Add salt as required and blend once more.

salt being added

7. On a low warmth, hold the cooked yellow moong dal to simmer. Bear in mind to stir usually in order that the lentils doesn’t get browned or burnt or follow the underside of the cooker.

simmering moong dal

Make Moong Dal Fry

8. In the meantime, measure and hold all of the substances prepared. In a kadai or pan, warmth 2 tablespoons oil along with ½ tablespoon butter.

oil and butter in pan

9. Crackle 1 teaspoon cumin seeds first.

cumin seeds in oil and butter mixture in pan

10. Then add 1 medium sized chopped onion (about ⅓ cup chopped onions). Sauté the onions until mild brown. Stir usually when sautéing onions.

onions being sautéed in pan

11. Then add 1 inch chopped ginger, 3 to 4 chopped small to medium garlic cloves, 1 inexperienced chili and 1 dry crimson chili (seeds eliminated). Sauté for half a minute.

ginger, green chilies, dry red chili with sautéed onions in pan

12. Add 1 medium sized tomato which has been chopped (about ½ cup chopped tomatoes). Sauté stirring usually till the tomatoes soften.

tomatoes being sautéed

13. Then add the next spices and stir to mix:

  • ¼ teaspoon crimson chili powder or cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing)
ground spices added to the sautéed mixture

14. Subsequent add ½ teaspoon crushed dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) and 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves.

coriander leaves and crushed dry fenugreek leaves in pan

15. Stir and proceed to sauté until oil begins to go away the edges of the masala. And later proceed to sauté additional for 1 to 2 minutes extra after oil has began to go away the edges.

sautéed mixture in pan

16. Add this combination to the simmering dal.

sautéed mixture added to cooked dal to make moong dal fry

17. Stir and simmer the dal for two to three minutes or extra. It’s important to simmer until the flavors have blended effectively within the moong dal and also you get the specified consistency.

simmering moong dal fry

18. In the event you want you may add a number of drops of lemon juice.

drops of lemon juice being added to moong dal fry

19. Combine effectively. Style the dal and add salt if required. Flip off the warmth. Garnish with coriander leaves.

coriander leaves on moong dal fry in the cooker

20. Serve Moong Dal Fry with steamed rice, cumin rice or with Indian flatbreads like roti, paratha or naan.

moong dal fry in white bowl

Distinction between Tadka and Fry Strategies

Although each the tadka and fry variations might look the identical, preparation strategies and the ultimate style of every dish is kind of distinctive and totally different.

  1. Moong dal tadka has the lentils cooked first with aromatics. Later the spices are bloomed in fats for his or her flavors and aroma to launch. This blooming of spices is known as as tadka, chaunk, vaghar in Indian languages. This tempering combination is combined with the cooked moong dal which perks up the flavors extra.
  2. Moong dal fry has the one the lentils cooked first. A sautéed combination of onions, tomatoes, spices and herbs is added to the cooked lentils and additional simmered for a couple of minutes. Although the phrase ‘fry’ is used, needless to say nothing is actually fried within the recipe.

Skilled Ideas

  • Whereas cooking any lentil dish, I recommend to make use of unpolished lentils for optimum taste and diet.
  • In the event you want you may soak the moong lentils for 20 to half-hour. Soaking them will scale back the cooking time.
  • Both of the recipe may be changed into a one pot cooking technique and may be made in a stove-top strain cooker or Prompt pot. Merely sauté the spices, aromatics first, add the lentils and water as wanted. Strain cook dinner till finished.
  • Be happy to scale back or improve the pungent spices and herbs like crimson chilli powder, ginger, garlic and inexperienced chilies based on your style buds.
  • Make sure that to cook dinner the lentils till they’re softened and mushy. You can even regulate the consistency by including much less or extra water.
  • For a gluten-free moong dal recipe, omit including the asafoetida.

FAQs

What can I do if I don’t have a strain cooker at house?

In the event you don’t have a strain cooker at house, then you may cook dinner the lentils together with different substances in a pot or pan on a stovetop.

Make sure that to cowl the pot or pan. Additionally, add water as required. Earlier than cooking the lentils, you can even soak them for about half-hour.

As a substitute of ginger and garlic individually, can I add ginger-garlic paste?

Sure, you may undoubtedly accomplish that.

Can I add add kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) within the moong dal tadka recipe?

In fact, you may add kasuri methi on this recipe. It is going to solely make the dish much more aromatic and scrumptious.

Why no salt is added whereas strain cooking dal?

In the event you add salt whereas strain cooking any dal or lentil, it won’t turn out to be gentle and mushy. The grains will get cooked however will retain their particular person form.

That is good in order for you a dal recipe the place the grains are seen. However on this recipe, we require a mashable consistency. Therefore, including salt whereas strain cooking the dal isn’t recommended.

How can I be sure that the flavors of the tadka are correctly seeped into the dal?

To get the correct taste of the tadka within the dal, add the tadka and instantly shut the pan or cooker with lid for a couple of minutes. This manner, aroma and taste of the tadka will infuse effectively within the dal.

Extra Indian Lentil Recipes To Attempt!

Average9 hours

Dal Makhani

Please make sure to fee the recipe within the recipe card or depart a remark under if in case you have made it. For extra vegetarian inspirations, Signal Up for my emails or comply with me on Instagram, Youtube, Fb, Pinterest or Twitter.

moong dal in a white bowl

Moong Dal Recipe (Healthful & Nutritious)

Moong Dal recipe is a scrumptious, wholesome and protein wealthy dish constructed from hulled and cut up mung beans or yellow moong dal. Right here I share two totally different recipes that embody these tasty lentils – Moong Dal Tadka and Moong Dal Fry.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook dinner Time 30 minutes

Complete Time 35 minutes

For Moong Dal Tadka – Recipe 1

For Tempering (Tadka) – Recipe 1

For Moong Dal Fry – Recipe 2

Forestall your display from going darkish whereas making the recipe

Making Moong Dal Tadka – Recipe 1

  • First rinse the moong lentils a few instances in water. Drain the water and set the lentils apart.

  • In a 3 litre stove-top strain cooker take the rinsed lentils, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes and finely chopped ginger. Additionally add the turmeric powder, crimson chili powder and water to the cooker. Combine effectively.

  • Strain cook dinner for five to six whistles on medium flame until the moong lentils are softened effectively. As soon as the strain settles down, take away the lid and stir the dal.

  • If the dal appears thick, then add some water and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.

  • Add salt. Combine very effectively and hold apart. Verify the style and if required you may add extra salt.

  • In a small pan, warmth oil or ghee or butter. First fry the cumin seeds.

  • Subsequent add the garlic and inexperienced chili and fry for some seconds. Do not brown the garlic. Swap off the flame.

  • Now add the garam masala powder, crimson chili powder and asafoetida. Switching off the flame earlier ensures that the spice powders do not get burned.

  • Rapidly stir and instantly pour the tempering combination within the dal.

  • Stir the dal and serve sizzling moong dal with steamed rice or chapatis.

  • The moong dal tadka tastes higher as it’s and there’s no have to garnish or add coriander leaves to it. However in order for you you may all the time garnish with some coriander leaves. For a slight tang you can even squeeze some lemon juice.

Making Moong Dal Fry – Recipe 2

  • Decide and rinse the mung lentils first for a number of instances in water.

  • Then add the lentils in a 3 litre stove-top strain cooker together with water and turmeric powder. Stir and strain cook dinner the lentils for five to six whistles until the dal is gentle and mushy.

  • Mash the moong dal with a spoon.Stir in some salt and add water as required to get the specified consistency. Hold the dal to simmer on a low flame.

  • Warmth oil together with the butter on a low warmth. Crackle the cumin seeds first.

  • Add onions and fry until mild brown.Now add the ginger, garlic, inexperienced chilies & dry crimson chili. Sauté for half a minute.

  • Add the tomatoes and sauté until the tomatoes soften.Add all of the crimson chili powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, kasuri methi and coriander leaves.

  • Stir and proceed to sauté until oil begins to go away the edges of the masala. Proceed to sauté for 1 to 2 minutes extra after oil has began to go away the edges.

  • Add this combination to the simmering dal. Stir and simmer the dal for two to three minutes or extra until the flavors have effectively blended within the dal and until you get the specified consistency.

  • In the event you want you may add a number of drops of lemon juice to the dal. Serve Moong Dal Fry garnished with coriander leaves with steamed rice, cumin rice and even chapati.

  1. Soaking: You possibly can soak the lentils for 20 to half-hour and it will velocity up the cooking time.
  2. Inexperienced Chillies: You should use serrano peppers as a substitute of the Indian inexperienced chillies. You possibly can even change the inexperienced chillies with dried crimson chillies.
  3. Consistency: You possibly can have a thick or medium or skinny consistency of the dal by including much less water or extra water later.
  4. Asafoetida: In the event you don’t have asafoetida, skip it. For a gluten-free moong dal skip including asafoetida.
  5. Spicing: You possibly can lower or improve the herbs & spices like crimson chilli powder, inexperienced chillies, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds based on your preferences. However don’t improve the quantity of turmeric powder. 
  6. To cook dinner moong lentils in a pot or pan:
    – Soak the lentils in water for about 30 to 40 minutes. Then drain them and add in a pot.
    – Add about 2 cups of water. Cowl and let the lentils cook dinner until finished.
    – If the mung lentils start to froth, then take away the scum and proceed to cook dinner and not using a lid or the lid partly coated.
    – You can even add a number of drops of oil to scale back the frothing.
  • Notice that the approximate diet data is for 1 serving of moong dal tadka.

Vitamin Info

Moong Dal Recipe (Healthful & Nutritious)

Quantity Per Serving

Energy 185 Energy from Fats 72

% Every day Worth*

Fats 8g12%

Saturated Fats 5g31%

Polyunsaturated Fats 1g

Monounsaturated Fats 2g

Ldl cholesterol 19mg6%

Sodium 134mg6%

Potassium 105mg3%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 324IU6%

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%

Vitamin B6 1mg50%

Vitamin C 9mg11%

Vitamin E 1mg7%

Vitamin Okay 2µg2%

Calcium 31mg3%

Vitamin B9 (Folate) 6µg2%

Iron 2mg11%

Magnesium 9mg2%

Phosphorus 18mg2%

Zinc 1mg7%

* % Every day Values are primarily based on a 2000 calorie weight-reduction plan.

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This Moong Dal recipe from the archives first printed in Might 2013 and has been up to date and republished on 11 June 2023.