Moong dal and rice is comfort food at its best. Simple food can give you satisfaction. It is perfect for a weeknight dinner or lunch. You can pair it with roti, basmati rice or vegan naan as per your eating preference. Cooking need not be elaborate all the time. It can be as simple lentil recipe or a brown rice dal khichdi.
If you want to add some dry curry you can add some air fried okra, air fried tindora or potatoes as a side. A bowl of yogurt gives comfort along with this pairing in hot summer afternoons. However, avoid it if you are a vegan, have some tangy mango pickle instead. Add some fried fryums, khichiya or potato chips for that perfect mid week lunch.
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Importance of dhal in Indian cuisine
Dal is a great source of proteins whether you are a vegetarian or vegan. I had rather eat lentils rather than eat a dead animal. Simply, because, where did the animal get its protein from? Lentils and beans give you enough protein. Just add a dash of lemon while serve for iron absorption. Also, sprouting them helps increase their nutrition. Most Indian households stress on having dal everyday. Dry lentils are also cheaper. you can get them easily from Asian store or Indian grocery stores abroad. One packet can make multiple Indian dishes, thereby helping you avoid takeaway.
What can be made from dal?
Indian cuisine is full of such amazing recipes. You can pick up any regional cuisine and you will find it. If you want a salad, have sprouts. Make dal baati churma, chilke wali dhal, misal,sambar, kadhi, dal tadka recipe if you want a gravy. Use the left over lentils as paratha. If you want to have it as an appetizer, have it as papad, pakode, kachori, dhokla, pesarattu or lentil dosa, uttapam,dosa,dal vada, medu vada, dahi vada. If you love your sweets, roasted chana dal chikki, moong dal halwa can suffice. Dal can be of thinner consistency like rasam or thick like dal makhani.
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
- Potato masher
Ingredients
- Mung dahl/split & skinned green gram
- Tomatoes
- Water
- Salt as per taste
- Red chili powder
- Turmeric powder
- Cumin seeds
- Ginger finely chopped
- Green chilies as per taste
- Heeng/ asafoetida (optional / avoid if gluten free)
refer to recipe card for details.
Instant pot yellow moong dal recipe
Equipment
- instant pot
- pressure cooker
- mathni/potato masher
Ingredients
- 1 cup moong dal
- 4 cups water
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped
Tempering
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- 1 tsp. green chilly chopped
- 1 tsp. ginger
- 1 tsp. red chili powder as per taste
- ½ tsp. turmeric powder / curry powder
- salt as per taste
Instructions
- Wash and soak the lentils for atleast 30 minutes in 2 cups of water.You may also soak a combination of lentils such as moong dal,masoor,tuvar etc.
Traditional pressure cooker method
- Boil the lentils along with chopped tomatoes , turmeric powder and salt in a pressure cooker. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.
- Mash the lentils using a potato masher or mathni.
- In a tadka pan, heat oil and add cumin seeds. Let it splutter. Add the ginger, chopped chillies and heeng. Mix well.
- Add red chilli powder to the tempering and turn off the heat. Add the tempering to the boiled lentils.Let it simmer for few minutes.
- You may garnish optionally with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with jeera rice or roti.
For instant pot:
- Heat oil in an instant pot. Add cumin seeds and let it crackle. Add ginger-garlic along with chopped tomatoes and salt. Cook until it softens.
- Add 1 cup soaked moong dal.
- Now add 4 cups of water and mix well.
- Add spices and Start the instant pot in pressure cook mode on low pressure for 10 minutes with the seal ON position. Once done ,release after 5 mins.Garnish with fresh coriander.
- Serve hot with vegan naan or basmati rice.
Notes
What are other interesting moong dal recipes?
How to make moong dal in pressure cooker?
- Wash the dal thrice or until water runs clear. Soak the lentils for atleast 30 minutes in water. You may also soak a combination of lentils such as moong dal,masoor,tuvar etc.
2. Boil the lentils in a stove top pressure cooker, along with chopped tomatoes , turmeric powder and salt. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.
3. Mash the boiled lentils using a potato masher or mathni.
4. Heat oil in a tadka pan. Add a teaspoon cumin seeds, chopped ginger, heeng along with green chillies or dry red chili. Let it splutter. If you are gluten free, avoid heeng or asafoetida.
5. Add red chilli powder to the tempering and let it cook for few seconds. Add the tempering to lentil and let it come to a boil.
6. Serve hot with roti or rice. Optionally, garnish with coriander.
How to make moong dal in an instant pot?
- Heat oil in the pan. Add cumin seeds and let it crackle. Add ginger garlic along with chopped tomatoes and salt. Let it soften.
2. Add soaked dal to it.
3. Add water and mix well.
4. Start the instant pot in pressure cook mode on low pressure for 10 minutes with the seal ON position. Once done ,release after 5 mins.
- Once done, garnish with fresh coriander leaves
Serve hot with Indian flatbread like roti or naan bread or jeera rice.
Variations
You may avoid heeng if gluten free. If you are a vegetarian, you can also make the tempering in ghee or add a dollop of butter after dhal is cooked for a creamy consistency. Make a chilke wali dahl If you have green split mung beans available.
You can also give a tempering of onions, fresh ginger and garlic if you like. Add some lemon juice on top before serving .You can also add a pinch of garam masala and some dried fenugreek leaves if you like. You can also add teaspoon black mustard seeds, curry leaves and garlic in the tempering as a variation.
Substitutions
You can use a combination of dal too. Mix half cup of moong lentils with red lentils, moong dal with toor dal or chana dal to increase quantity. If you do not have a stovetop pressure cooker , this great recipe can be made as instant pot dal too with extra cups of water.
You can also make it in a slow cooker, saucepan or small pan on stove top and slightly mash it with a masher once cooked dal is ready.(but it takes much longer!)
Use a tablespoon ginger garlic paste if you do not have fresh ginger & garlic at home. Adjust green chilies according to your taste.
Storage
Store leftover dal in an air tight container in the refrigerator for a few days, while reheating add little water and bring it to boil.
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