Clean recipe · vegrecipesofindia.com
Green Moong Dal (Green Gram Curry)
Green Moong Dal is a wholesome Indian curry made with soaked whole green gram (sabut moong) cooked in an onion-tomato masala and pressure cooked until tender. Finished with a cumin, asafoetida and red chilli powder tempering, this protein-rich dal pairs well with rice or roti.
Original recipe: vegrecipesofindia.com
- Yield:
- 4 servings
- Prep:
- 10 min
- Cook:
- 30 min
- Total:
- 100 min
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Ingredients
- ½ cup moong beans ((whole and with husks) - soaked in water for an hour or two hours or overnight)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 tej patta (medium-sized, (Indian bay leaf))
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ⅓ cup chopped onions (or 1 medium-sized onion)
- ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes (or 1 medium to large tomato)
- 1 to 2 green chillies (or ½ to 1 teaspoon chopped)
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste (or ½ inch ginger + 3 to 4 medium garlic - crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder ((ground turmeric))
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder (or cayenne pepper)
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder ((ground coriander))
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- 2.5 to 3 cups water
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves ((cilantro))
- salt (as required)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 pinch asafoetida ((hing))
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder (or cayenne pepper)
Instructions
Preparation
Rinse green moong beans for a couple of times and then soak in enough water for an hour. You can also soak them for a couple of hours or overnight. If soaking overnight, then the pressure cooking time will reduce.- After 1 to 2 hours, drain all the water and the keep the soaked mung beans aside.
- Chop the onion, tomato and green chilies. Crush the ginger and garlic to a paste in the mortar-pestle.
Making green moong dal
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 3 litre pressure cooker. Keep the heat to a low.- Add the whole spices - tej patta, cumin seeds. Fry till the cumin seeds splutter.
- Then add the chopped onions. Sauté the onions till light golden on medium-low to medium heat.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and chopped green chilies. Stir and sauté for a few seconds till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
- Now add the chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder.
- Stir and sauté on medium-low to medium heat till the tomatoes soften, become pulpy and you see oil releasing from the sides.
- Add the soaked moong beans. Stir to combine.
- Add 2.5 to 3 cups water and salt as per taste. Mix very well.
- Cover and pressure cook sabut moong dal for 10 to 12 whistles or 15 to 17 minutes on a medium to high heat till the moong beans are softened thoroughly.
- When the pressure falls naturally down on its own in the cooker, then only open the lid and check the moong beans. If they still have slight bite to them, then add some water and pressure cook for some more whistles.
- Keep the cooker on the stove top and simmer the moong dal for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring at intervals. If the mixture looks dry, then you can add more water.
- The consistency of the dal should not be watery. While cooking you can mash a few lentils with the back of the spoon.
- Switch off the heat when you get the desired consistency in the dal. Cover the cooker with any flat steel lid or steel plate.
Tempering for green gram curry (optional step)
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small pan or tadka pan. Splutter cumin seeds first on low heat.- Switch off the heat and then add a pinch of asafoetida and red chili powder or cayenne pepper. Stir to mix.
- Add this tempering mixture to the dal. Stir and mix well.
- Add chopped coriander leaves. Stir again.
- Serve Green Moong Dal with steamed rice or chapati.
- While serving this Green Gram Curry, you can garnish with a few coriander leaves if you like.