Green Moong Dal | Green Gram Curry | Sabut Moong Dal
This comforting Green Moong Dal recipe includes whole moong beans pressure cooked and tempered with fragrant seasonings. It’s a healthy, satisfying Green Gram Curry that pairs perfectly with rice or roti. Here you’ll find step-by-step instructions and photos to make this Punjabi Sabut Moong Dal for a delicious lunch or dinner.
About Green Moong Dal
I make green moong dal quite often, and I’m so happy to share this classic comfort food dish with you.
Similar to my favorite Dal Makhani made with whole black gram, this vegan recipe features healthy lentils cooked with a variety of vibrant seasonings and aromatics.
However, green moong dal is also known as sabut moong dal – sabut means “whole” in Hindi – and since whole green gram are used in the recipe, hence the name. These whole lentils with the husks gives a lovely consistency and texture to the preparation.
Although Dal Makhani and this green moong dal are made with different lentils, they are cooked using a similar tried-and-true method.
The lentils are first soaked and then pressure cooked for a quick and nearly foolproof prep. Next, a fragrant tempered oil is added to the moong dal to infuse the dish with deep flavor.
Sabut moong dal has an earthy, satisfying taste and a slightly saucy consistency. It’s not quite as soup-like as a thin curry, but is still great to serve over rice or scoop with roti.
How to make Green Moong Dal
Preparation
1. Firstly, rinse ½ cup of green moong beans under running water for a few times or so. Transfer to a large bowl, cover with water, and soak for an hour.
You can also soak them for a couple of hours or even overnight. If they soak overnight then the cooking time will reduce by several minutes.
2. Now chop 1 medium onion, 1 large tomato and 1 to 2 green chilies (optional).
Cook Moong Lentils
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 3 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Add 1 medium tej patta (Indian bay leaf) and ½ tsp of cumin seeds. On a low heat fry until the cumin seeds splutter.
Omit adding tej patta if you do not have it.
You could also follow these steps of sautéing the spices, onions, tomatoes and cooking the mung beans in the Instant Pot adding water as needed.
4. Then add the ⅓ cup chopped onions.
5. Sauté the onions on medium-low to medium heat until they start to turn light golden.
6. Add 1 teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste and ½ to 1 teaspoon of the chopped green chillies. Stir and sauté on low heat for a few seconds until the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic goes away.
7. Now add the following ingredients:
- ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon of Garam Masala Powder
8. Stir and sauté until the tomatoes soften and you see oil releasing from the sides. The tomatoes would become a mush and look pulpy.
9. Drain all the water from the bowl in which the beans were soaking and add the soaked moong beans to the cooker.
10. Stir to mix well.
11. Add 2.5 to 3 cups of water and salt to taste.
12. Cover and pressure cook the lentils for 10 to 12 whistles (15 to 17 minutes) on a medium to high heat.
Once the pressure drops on its own naturally in the cooker, then open the lid and check the moong beans. If they still have slight bite to them, then add some water and pressure cook for 2 to 3 more whistles, or about 5 minutes.
If the mixture looks a bit dry and the lentils aren’t quite done, add a bit more water before pressure cooking again.
13. Keep the cooker on the stovetop and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Switch off the heat when you get the desired consistency. Cover the cooker with any flat steel lid or a steel plate.
The consistency of the dal shouldn’t be watery. To make the Sabut Moong Dal thicker you can use the back of a spoon to mash some of the lentils, and stir again.
If in case the lentils appear dry, add some water as needed and mix thoroughly.
Temper Green Gram Curry
This step is optional but helps to infuse the dal with even more deep, delicious flavor.
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small pan or tadka pan. Keep heat to a low. Add ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds and fry until they begin to crackle.
2. Turn off the heat and add a pinch of asafoetida and ¼ teaspoon of red chilli powder or cayenne pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Carefully add the tempering oil to the cooked green moong dal. Stir and mix well.
4. Add 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves (cilantro). Stir again.
5. Garnish with more chopped coriander, and serve Green Moong Dal hot or warm with your favorite sides.
FAQs
What should I serve with homemade green moong dal?
Green gram curry is like a home-cooked dal and goes well with roti, steamed basmati rice, and/or a green veggie salad.
How can I prepare sabut moong dal in a pan on the stovetop (without a pressure cooker)?
Use a thick bottomed deep pot or pan. Follow the recipe and after adding moong beans, add 3.5 cups of water. Cover the pot with a lid and cook the beans on a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender.
Add a bit of water if necessary as the lentils cook.
Tip: It’s best to soak the beans overnight, if cooking them in a pot or pan, so that they quick faster.
How long will leftovers keep well
The Green Gram Curry tastes best as soon it is served after making it. If you have leftovers keep it for a day only in the refrigerator. The flavors change after refrigeration and the consistency thickens. Let the dal completely cool at room temperature before transferring to an airtight container.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
main 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
For tempering
- 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.
Video
Nutrition
This Green Gram Dal recipe post from the archives, first published on July 2015 has been republished and updated on November 2022.
Can I serve this as a side to a vegetable biryani?
Traditionally, dal isn’t served with biryani, but there’s no rule; if you enjoy the combination, you absolutely can.
I have fond memories of eating green moong dal every morning for breakfast in my hosts home in Haryana. So when I found this recipe for the first time I was excited to make it and it was interesting to eat it again finally after so many years.
I made chapatis to go with it. It was a bit too runny. Perhaps rice would have been more suitable for the 3 cups of water I used.
Will definitely cut it back next time. I was surprised to see that only ½ cup of Moong dal was called for. Is this the correct amount? I probably could have used ¾ cup without any trouble.
Thank you. Yes ½ cup is the correct amount. The consistency can be changed by adding less water. Mashing some moong lentils will help in thickening the consistency of the curry. You could add ¾ of the moong beans, but then I think the flavors of the curry will change slightly.
I’m very fond of cooking, and especially Indian vegetarian cooking. I’ll try these recipes one by one. Doing the pink lentil curry today! Thank you very much. Ashley. Johannesburg, South Africa.
Thank you and nice to know. I hope you like the recipe.
This is a fantastic dish. Thank you for the recipe! I used 3 large cloves of garlic and it really paid off.
Great and thanks for this super feedback on the recipe. Glad to know.
Another great recipe ! Thanks 😀 ?
A related question, do you have a recipe for chilke wali green mung dal ?
When I went to the Indian store I bought both, sabut and chilke wali ?
Welcome and thanks. You could use the same recipe to make chilke wali mung dal and it will surely taste good.
Sounds good, I will try soon, I’ve got both these dals sitting waiting on the kitchen counter ? Also made your awesome mint chutney today again for the holiday.
Happy New Year ! ?
Happy New Year and Happy Holidays!
My comment disappeared
Anyway thanks I will try that, & Happy New Year ! ?
Do try and let me know how it goes for you.
Dal and rice ours every day diet. I love it ?
Thanks for your step by step guiding ?
Welcome and thanks.
Tastes very nice and still healthy
Very nice taste
Thank you Minal.
Whenever I need help in cooking typical Bengali food, I call my mom…. n for any other vegetarian Recipe, I search for vegrecipesofindia…. they always come out perfect…. thank you so much
Good to know and thanks for sharing. Thanks a lot for the positive feedback and most welcome.
My family loves this recipe, it’s so tasty! We also love your mother in laws rajma curry, thank you both for the recipes ?
Good to know and thanks for sharing. Happy cooking.
Can you please share some more recipes of green grams?
Will do.
excellent and easy to prepare
Thank you for all your recipes. I have become the de facto cook at home and always stayed away from Indian food as didn’t think I could replicate my mums cooking.. your recipes have given me a new confidence, please don’t stop ????
most welcome and thank you much for this wonderful feedback. so glad to read your comment. i won’t stop ????
I tried it…just owsome…ty for your recipe
welcome nora and thank you.
I usually look for recipes that my kids wud love to eat…less spicy, less oily, quick and simple ones with ingredients easily found in our kitchen… my kids wudnt eat green moong in any form…. but they thoroughly enjoyed thier meal with your recipe of “green moong gravy” with rice and generous serving of ghee… my husband enjoyed it with chappati…thank you for this simple but very nutritious gravy…
thank you pushpa. even i prefer to cook less spicy and less oily food for the family with easily available ingredients. on the blog, you will find many of such indian recipes with the exceptions of baking recipes, world recipes and fried recipes. i am glad your family liked the moong dal recipe. thanks for sharing. happy cooking.