moong dal tadka recipe, how to make moong dal recipe

By on May 22nd, 2014 39 Comments

moong dal fry

moong dal tadka recipe - amongst one of the many recipes i make with moong dal.

some people don’t like moong dal as it is little bland. but trust me this moong dal tadka is not bland and has flavors of tempered cumin, garlic, garam masala and red chili powder.

moong dal or skinned, spilt mung gram is amongst one of the most commonly used lentils in india. there are many recipes made from mung dal – like this dal (in india the dal dish is also called as dal as well the raw lentils are also called as dal), sun dried dumplings or vadis, dhokla, dosa, halwa, kheer and in veggie dishes.

moong dal is easy to digest and is often given to kids as well as convalescing adults. this does not mean that you cannot have this nutritious dal. you should include lentils in your diet, including this dal.

here’s a simple moong dal recipe. this dal is extremely good with some steamed basmati rice accompanied by a side vegetable dish or raita. have some roasted papads and lime or mango pickle also by the side. a truly comfort and satisfying meal.

i paired the moong dal with some steamed sona masoori rice and aloo methi.

moong dal tadka recipe

if you are looking for more dal recipes then do check dal tadka, chana dal fry, masoor dal, cholar dal and mango dal recipe.

moong dal tadka recipe below:

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moong dal tadka recipe
 
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moong dal tadka recipe - mung dal cooked with onion, tomatoes, ginger and then tempering with cumin, garlic, green chili and some indian spice powders.
Author:
Recipe type: main
Cuisine: indian, north indian
Serves: 3-4 servings
Ingredients (american measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)
main ingredients:
  • ¾ cup moong dal/spilt skinned mung lentils
  • 1 medium size onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium size tomato, chopped
  • ½ inch ginger, finely chopped or grated (adrak)
  • ¼ tsp red chili powder (lal mirch powder)
  • ⅓ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
  • 3 cups water
  • salt as required
for tempering
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
  • 4-5 garlic, crushed lightly (lahsun)
  • ¼ or ½ tsp garam masala powder
  • ¼ tsp red chili powder (lal mirch powder)
  • 1 or 2 green chilli - slit (hari mirch)
  • a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
  • 2-3 tbsp oil or ghee or butter
Instructions
  1. take all the ingredients listed under main ingredients except salt in a pressure cooker.
  2. stir well and pressure cook till the dal is cooked and soft.
  3. once the pressure settles down, remove the lid and stir the dal.
  4. if the dal looks thick, then add some water and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
  5. add salt and keep aside.
  6. in a small pan, heat oil or ghee or butter.
  7. first fry the cumin seeds.
  8. next add the garlic and green chili and fry for some seconds.
  9. don't brown the garlic.
  10. switch off the flame.
  11. now add the garam masala powder, red chili powder and asafoetida.
  12. switching off the flame ensures that the spice powders don't get burned.
  13. you can also fry the spice powders on a low flame.
  14. make sure you don't burn them.
  15. stir and immediately pour the tempering mixture in the dal.
  16. stir the moong dal and serve hot moong dal with steamed rice or chapatis.
  17. the moong dal tastes better as it is and there is no need to garnish or add coriander leaves to it.


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Comments

  1. Liz W says

    Made this tonight with matar pulao. Followed the recipe exactly (except added a bit more chillies and garlic), and skipped the pressure cooker because it scares me (did it stove-top and used an immersion blender to thicken/soften the dal once cooked) and it was absolutely fantastic. Tastes just like the dals I enjoyed while traveling in northern India earlier this year. None of the other recipes I tried taste this authentic or delish. I love all your recipes, and this is the best dal by far. Well, your makhani dal is really good too!. Many thanks! Liz

    Reply

    • says

      welcome liz. glad to know that you liked the moong dal. dal makhani is very popular in north india specially in punjab, delhi etc and in road side dhabas.

      Reply

  2. Bhuvana says

    Long back I had tasted some dal (at tat age, cud not identify the lentil tat was used) with chapattis in a north Indian restaurant. I was longing to cook the same combination but cud not find the recipe with moong dal. When I googled, the most of the dal recipes said, “this could be had with plain rice”. I cud not find dal for chapattis. Yday I stumbled over ur site and was so excited to find it. Tried it yday night itself and it was a damn success. My husband loved it (me too) and wanted to have it for rice too….thanq so much. By luks itself All ur recipes are sumptuous. Will keep referring .

    Reply

  3. Nisana says

    Made this today and it was so good whole family like it…really thank you so much for the wonderful recipe..

    Reply

  4. Khushi says

    Made this dal yesterday absolutely loved it. Could you please post a recipe for Sabut Moongi and Moth dal I tried this combination when I visited India in 2009 but haven’t been able to find a good recipe. Your help would be much appreciated. Thanks x

    Reply

  5. Philip pearson says

    Thank you for such a lovely authentic recipe,could just imagine you doing it at home,after all the warnings I managed to slightly burn the spices although eatable it will not happen again,I will also be looking out for future recipes as this was super and seems to me original,although not sure about the pressure cooker bit thanks again Phil

    Reply

  6. joel pope says

    This dal recipe is tip top. i love a bit of dal with my tea. imagine if rock were actually soft, but when you touched them they turned hard…that”s how i feel about dal.

    Reply

  8. Srivi says

    Made ur tadka dal just now..n came out to be very very yummy…n ur veg biriyani is ultimate. .it comes out very tasty every time I make…thank u loads…

    Reply

  9. Erica says

    Your pictures are beautiful and inspiring!

    Question: how long do you cook the dal in the pressure cooker? I have seen some recipes that say several whistles but that is rather confusing. I tried this and while tasty, the consistency was nothing like your picture :( I’m definitely going to try it again!

    Reply

    • says

      thanks erica. since moong dal gets cooked faster than the other dals, i usually cook for about 6-7 minutes. i am just thinking this aloud because i usually don’t measure time. i measure the number of whistles. to get a smooth and well cooked consistency, i cook the dal for about 5-6 whistles on medium to full flame. if you don’t get a smooth consistency after pressure cooking, then add some water if required and pressure cook the dal again for a couple of whistles. hope this helps.

      Reply

  11. kirti says

    y salt is not added during pressure cooking…though in many dals (eg dal tadka) v add it before ….vl it make much difference…?
    wanted to know cuz its difficult to remember such minute details

    Reply

    • says

      if salt is when cooking dals or lentils, then they don’t become mushy and soft. they get cooked but retain their individual shape. this is good if one wants a dal recipe where the grains are visible. but for dal we need a mashable consistency, hence adding salt is not advised. salt is added once the dal is mashed or whisked.

      Reply

  12. says

    Hi! Thank you so much for your amazing website, my husband and I are looking forward to trying many of these beautiful dishes. For this recipe, do you have a suggestion of how to make it without a pressure cooker? I appreciate your help!

    Reply

    • says

      welcome gita. here’s the answer to your query. soak the mung lentils for 45 mins to 1 hour. drain and keep aside. heat about 4-5 cups water in a pot, when the water begins to boil, lower the flame and add all the ingredients including the lentils. cook for 30 mins or more till the lentils have become soft and cooked thoroughly. add more water if required while cooking. they should have a creamy consistency but not become pasty and lumpy when mashed. if they become lumpy then add more water and break the lumps with a spoon and simmer for a few minutes. mung lentils when overcooked become pasty and lumpy. then continue with the rest of the recipe.

      Reply

  13. Amna says

    This was delicious! It was my first time making moong dal and I couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out. My husband and I devoured it! Thanks

    Reply

    • says

      yes it does change the taste and flavor. if the garlic gets too browned, it can give slight bitter tones in the oil, which won’t make much of a difference in the overall dal. a slight light browning is alright.

      Reply

  17. Nandita says

    This turned out really awesome! Made it with the Karela subzi and phulkas. Will definitely be making this again!

    Reply

  18. neha says

    I loved this. Made this today and it was so nice that my husband and I had it on its own, without any rice or chapati. Love…love …love it. Thanks again for yet another awesome recipe.

    Reply

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