Moong dal recipe – Restaurant style moong dal fry recipe that I make often during the weekends to go with plain rice, jeera rice, paratha or roti. The taste and flavor of this dal is extra ordinary and is a perfect one to prepare anytime. It goes good even when you have guests for a meal. It can also be prepared as a side dish for a get together or party menu to accompany plain naan or butter naan.
If you have kids or folks at home who do not like moong dal then this is a must try for them as the taste is unique and delicious. This healthy moong dal fry can also be served to toddlers & babies after 10 months, just minus chilies.
Moong dal is one of the most favored dal or lentils in Indian cuisine as they are easily digestible. They are said to balance the tridosha in human body, according to Ayurveda and hence is encouraged to use in the daily diet. Yellow moong dal is split & dehusked green gram. These are fairly quick to cook and gentle on the stomach.
You may also like to check these related recipes
Masoor dal
Dal makhani
Dal fry recipe
You can find more moong dal recipes on the blog,
Dal khichdi
mung dhal dosa
mung dhal halwa
kheer / payasam
Moong dal recipe
Moong dal recipe | How to make moong dal fry recipe
Simple moong dal recipe made with basic ingredients. This can be served with plain rice, roti, paratha or any Indian breads.
Ingredients (240 ml cup used)
Ingredients for moong dal recipe
- ½ cup moong dal or skinned split green gram
- 1 ½ cups water to cook dal
Tempering ingredients
- 2 tsp Ghee (clarified butter) or oil
- 1 red chili broken
- ½ tsp cumin or jeera
- ¼ to ½ tsp mustard (optional)
- Pinch asafoetida or hing
- 1 sprig curry leaves or kadi patta (optional)
- 1 to 2 green chilies chopped (use as needed)
- 1 tsp ginger garlic grated or crushed
Spice powders for moong dal
- 1/8 tsp turmeric or haldi
- ¼ tsp red chilli powder (optional)
- 1/8 tsp garam masala (optional)
- ¼ to ½ tsp amchur powder or dry mango powder or lemon juice as needed
Other ingredients
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 large tomato chopped
- Salt as needed
- ½ tsp crushed kasuri methi or dry fenugreek leaves (optional)
- ¼ to ¾ cup water (more or less for consistency)
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves or cilantro finely chopped
How to make the recipe
How to cook moong dal
Wash moong dal thrice in a pot or pressure cooker with ample amount of water. Drain the water completely.
- Pour 1½ cups water and cook on a medium heat until soft. If cooking in pressure cooker allow to whistle twice or thrice.
If you like smooth & creamy dal then mash it well.
Tempering moong dal
Pour ghee or oil to a hot pan.
Add mustard and cumin. Let them pop.
Next add chilies, ginger garlic & curry leaves.
- Fry until the raw smell goes off.
Next fry onions until transparent.
Add fry tomatoes until soft & mushy.
Next add turmeric, salt, if desired garam masala and chilli powder. Saute for a min until aromatic.
Transfer cooked moong dal. Then pour water if needed to bring the dal to a desired consistency. Dal is usually made to a thick but of pouring consistency.
- Stir and cook till it begins to bubble.
Optional - Add kasuri methi and amchur if using. Stir and switch off.
Squeeze in some lemon juice when the dal cools down a bit.
Serve moong dal with rice, roti or any Indian bread.
Recipe Notes
Recipe notes for moong dal
This recipe can also be made with whole green gram or whole mung beans. Soak them for at least 4 hours before cooking.
How to make moong dal fry
1. Wash ½ cup dal few times until the water runs clear. Cook with 1½ cups water till soft.
2. It can be cooked in a pressure cooker for one to 2 whistles on a medium flame. When the pressure goes off, open the cooker and mash it to smooth if you like.
3. Heat ghee or oil in a pan, saute mustard, cumin and red chilies.
4. When the mustard begin to splutter, add grated ginger garlic and slit or chopped green chili. You can also add curry leaves if you have as it lends a good aroma and is healthy too.
5. When the raw smell of ginger garlic goes off, add a pinch of hing and then chopped onions.
6. When the onions turn lightly pink, add chopped tomatoes. Fry until they turn soft and raw smell disappears.
7. Add turmeric and salt. You can also saute further until tomatoes turn very soft and mushy. You can also add half tsp chili powder and 2 pinches of garam masala if you like.
8. Add ¾ cup water.
9. Add mashed dal. Stir and bring everything to a boil.
10. Add crushed kasuri methi and amchur powder. Kasuri methi can be replaced with coriander leaves, but the flavor turns out different. If you do not have amchur powder, add lemon juice just before serving. Add more salt if needed.
Serve moong dal fry with plain rice, jeera rice or paratha.
Shweta says
Swathi
I tried this recipe this morning. I used lemon juice instead of amchur
The dal is exceptional. It is so nurturing and delicious.
Thank you for this blog and your generous sharing.
I also tried the yellow mong dal Dosa and they are also too tasty.
swasthi says
Welcome Shweta
Thanks for trying the recipes. lemon juice tastes so good in any dal. Glad to know the recipes turned out well.
🙂