Green Moong Dal | Green Gram Curry

Green Moong Dal | Green Gram Curry

December 17, 2022
Prep Time : 10 mins
Cook Time : 30 mins
Soaking Time For Lentils : 1 hr
Total Time : 1 hr 40 mins
 

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.

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