moong dal tadka (indian lentils)

this dal can be made more easily by someone with limited ingredients.

please check out hebbar’s kitchen for the full recipe with photo step-by-step!

moong dal recipe | moong dal tadka | restaurant style yellow moong dal

• 2 tbsp oil
• ▢ 1 inch ginger (finely chopped)
• ▢ ½ onion (finely chopped)
• ▢ 1 green chilli (slit) (I wouldn’t include this if I was cooking it for a picky eater)
• ▢ 1 tomato (finely chopped)
• ▢ ¼ tsp turmeric / haldi
• ▢ ½ tsp kashmiri red chilli powder / lal mirch powder
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ ¾ cup moong dal
• ▢ 3 cup water

for tempering / tadka:

• ▢ 1 tbsp ghee / clarified butter
• ▢ 1 tsp cumin / jeera
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic (crushed)
• ▢ 1 inch ginger (julienne)
• ▢ 1 dried kashmiri red chilli
• ▢ ¼ tsp kashmiri red chilli powder / lal mirch powder
• ▢ ¼ tsp garam masala
• ▢ pinch of hing / asafoetida
• ▢ few curry leaves
  
• ▢ 2 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
• ▢ 1 tbsp lemon juice

• in an instant pot (or regular pot) heat 2 tbsp oil and saute ½ onion.
• also saute 1 inch ginger and 1 green chilli.
• additionally saute 1 tomato till it turns soft and mushy.
• add in ¼ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp salt and saute.
• now add ¾ cup washed moong-dal and 3 cup water.
• mix well making sure everything is combined well.
• cover and cook until dal is soft.
• now prepare the tadka and pour the tadka over dal along with 2 tbsp coriander leaves and 1 tbsp lemon juice.
• finally, mix the moong dal tadka and serve with hot rice / roti.
  
  recipe by hebbars kitchen – check out their blog for a fantastic visual recipe!

---

This is not as flavorful as my favorite Gujarati dal – not coconutty like Khandeshi dal, or heavy like dal makhani – but the tadka has some good flavor. I’ll make it again. It will probably be my go-to dal recipe when I am cooking in a kitchen without many ingredients, and the dal I will recommend for picky eaters or those who are new to Indian food and aren’t ready for fenugreek, coconut, or tamarind. (Might want to cut the chili by quite a bit for a picky eater, especially if it sits overnight and the slit chili infuses itself into your leftovers!) It’s quite flavorful from the tadka, and I had absolutely no problem eating an entire batch of this over not even 24 hours. (Sorry, potluck dal…. you just lost your place in my rotation.)

Thanks again to hebbars kitchen for a great recipe. Check out all their wonderful dal recipes – or check out mine!

Advertisement

vellapayar / lobia curry (keralite black-eyed peas)

Black-eyed peas are affordable, healthy, and cook faster than some other dried beans and peas. Food from Kerala (a state in India) is super flavorful and delicious. As soon as I tasted this, I knew I’d make it again and again.

It’s the opposite of bland. Delicious and flavorful! Spices are more expensive here than in Kerala, and my budget is limited, so I’ll experiment with cutting the spices. I’ll post the original recipe from Dassana’s Veg Recipes of India, and my version.

• MY THRIFTIER VERSION:

1 c black-eyed peas & pinch of salt

2.5 c water

Pressure cook in Instant Pot for 20 minutes on high pressure. Natural release.

(If you don’t have a pressure cooker, just simmer in water until soft.)

▢ 0.75 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
▢ ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
▢ 1 inch of cinnamon
▢ 2 green cardamom
▢ 4 cloves
▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper – slightly crushed
▢ 1 dried red chili
▢ ⅓ cup sliced pearl onions, shallots, or onions
▢ 8 curry leaves
▢ 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
▢ 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
▢ ½ cup chopped tomatoes
▢ ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
▢ 1 teaspoon coriander powder
▢ ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder, optional
▢ 1.5 cups water or add as required
▢ salt as required

In large skillet or dutch oven, cook coconut oil over low heat. Add mustard seeds, cook until they splutter. Add cumin seeds, cook until they splutter. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and chili, cook for 2 seconds. Add onions, cook til soft. Add curry leaves, ginger, and garlic. Cook until fragrant. Add black pepper and tomatoes, cook for a few seconds. Add the powdered spices and cook until tomatoes soften. Add the water, cooked black-eyed peas, salt to taste, and simmer for 15 minutes or until delicious.

---

• ORIGINAL AUTHENTIC RECIPE:

1 c black-eyed peas

2.5 c water

Pressure cook for 10-12 whistles.

• ▢ 3 tablespoon coconut oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ▢ 2 pieces each of 1 inch cinnamon
• ▢ 2 green cardamoms
• ▢ 4 cloves
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper – slightly crushed
• ▢ 1 dried red chili
• ▢ ⅓ cup sliced pearl onions shallots or onions
• ▢ 8 to 10 curry leaves
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coconut
• ▢ ½ cup chopped tomatoes
• ▢ 2 green chilies – slit
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder, optional
• ▢ 1.5 cups water or add as required
• ▢ salt as required
• ▢ 1 teaspoon coconut oil to be added later
• ▢ 3 to 4 curry leaves to be added later
  recipe by Dassana at Veg Recipes of India – check out her blog for beautiful photos and more detailed instructions!

---

Easily killed an entire pot of this in 2 days and already want more. It’s delicious! Serve it with rice or flatbreads like hoppers or naan. Would be delicious with veggies as well, like kaddu ki subji (Indian sweet and sour squash) or hyderabadi baghara baingan (indian sesame peanut eggplant) or baingan musasalam / mughlai baingan masala (indian eggplant and tomato) or a kadai mushroom masala. (These vegetable recipes are from other parts of India, not Kerala – so check out a Keralite food blog like samagni if you want to cook a fully authentic Keralite meal!)

khandeshi dal (Indian Maharashtrian coconut lentils)

This lentil recipe is from Khandesh, a region in Maharashtra (the second most populous state in India.) You’ll want to add this coconut masala to everything…

+

2 tablespoons whole green moong dal
2 tablespoons pink masoor dal
2 tablespoons split toor dal
2 tablespoons split white urad dal
2 tablespoons chana dal
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
cooking oil, as required
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 dry red chillies
1 bay leaf (tej patta)
3 teaspoon lemon juice
salt, to taste
coriander/cilantro leaves, to taste

pakka masala recipe:
1/4 cup dry coconut (kopra), grated
1/2 cup onion, sliced
1.5 tablespoon coriander-cumin powder (dhania-jeera)
3 Kashmiri dry red chillies
3 cloves (laung)
2 cardamom (elaichi) pods
1 inch cinnamon stick (dalchini)
3 whole black peppercorns
4 cloves garlic

+

make the pakka masala:

Heat the oil in a wide pan. Add grated coconut (I used thin strips of dried coconut instead of shredded) and sliced onions, sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add dry red chillies, coriander cumin powder, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and black peppercorn. Sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes on low-medium flame.

Add garlic and sauté on medium flame for few seconds. Turn off the stove. Let it cool down completely.

Once cooled, blend in a mixer or in a blender to a smooth powder/paste and keep it aside.

make the dal:

soak dal for a half-hour or more.

cook on stove, or, pressure cook dal and moong with 2 cups of water, salt and turmeric powder.

Add 1/2 of the prepared masala powder/paste into dal, mix well and keep it aside.

For tempering, heat oil in a tadka pan and add mustard seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the dry red chillies and bay leaf. Sauté on medium flame.

Add the prepared dal mixture, mix well and cook. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, and stir continuously.

Add some more masala paste to taste. Add lemon juice and adjust the salt accordingly.

Cook on low flame for a couple of minutes more and turn off the stove. Garnish with some chopped cilantro (optional) and serve immediately.

+

from Archana’s Kitchen

+

Really fantastic! I used the leftover masala paste in stew, spread on the inside of a grilled cheese, mixed into cornmeal mush… I want to keep a jar of this stuff just to season my food throughout the week! The masala paste is similar to this Goan coconut sauce. Can’t wait to mess around with the ingredients and turn this into an herb-based hot sauce this summer!

This is one of my favorite recipes for dal, along with my favorite gujarati dal, and maybe dal makhani.

If you like caramelized onions and coconut and spice, give this a try!

potluck dal (vegan creamy red lentil and apple stew)

This is a great dish to bring for a vegan potluck with picky people. Not spicy, not curry – just sweet and hearty.

1.5 Tbsp. coconut oil
3/4 – 1.5+ tsp. cayenne pepper (i used 3/4t and it was mild)
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1/4 tsp. garam masala
½ large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1″ piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped
1 large apple (unpeeled), pref sour/green apple, grated on the large holes of a box grater
1½ cups red lentils
1 13.5-oz. can coconut milk
fresh lime juice, to taste
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Plain yogurt, cilantro leaves, and toasted unsweetened coconut flakes (for serving)

+

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, spices, and apple; stir-fry until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add lentils and stir to coat. Stir in coconut milk and 2½ cups vegetable stock or water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are completely soft and dal is thick, 20–25 minutes. Add lime juice and season with salt and pepper.

Divide dal among bowls and top with yogurt and cilantro.

+

recipe adapted by friedsig and originally written by bon appetit

To be honest, I’m crazy about Gujarati dal and other lentil dishes that balance sour and spicy with sweet, and this one is definitely more sweet. I think this would be a great start for people who think they could never like Indian food because they can’t handle spicy. If you’re feeding people who would find the curry leaves and mustard seeds of a Gujarati dal or a panchkuti dal to be too far outside their comfort zone, and the cream and butter in dal makhani to be overwhelming, this coconut-apple-ginger lentil dish is a good bet. It’s also good for someone who is recovering from sickness, as it’s a soft food with medicinal spices like turmeric and ginger, and sweetened naturally with apple and coconut.

No added processed sugars, totally vegan and vegetarian, gluten-free – definitely on the healthy side. Cut down the coconut milk to make it low-fat and lower in sugars – I used about half the can, and it was still sweet. You can’t specifically taste the apple in it. It’s meant to add a naturally sour and sweet kick. If you’re diabetic, use lemon juice instead of the apple. This one is maybe not the most authentic Indian dal recipe, but definitely a keeper for cooking for kids or other picky eaters. I’m calling it potluck dal because I think this is the best lentil recipe to bring to a potluck of picky eaters.

panchkuti dal (savory indian lentils)

a great savory vegan lentil dish from rajasthan. some people find my favorite gujarati dal too sweet and sour, and dal makhani too heavy. if that sounds like you, and you like something simple and hearty without sugar or cream, try this panchkuti dal. the combination of lentils works really well to set it apart, even though the spice blend reminds me a lot of other northern dal dishes, like dal from nearby punjab. i’ll make this panchkuti dal, also called panchmel dal or panchratan dal or just rajasthani dal, for my vegan or health-conscious friends – it’s one of my favorite lentil recipes with no cream, butter, sugar, or ghee. check out over thirty bean and lentil recipes right here.

+

2 tbsp chilkewale urad dal (split black lentils)
2 tbsp toovar (arhar) dal
2 tbsp green moong dal (split green gram)
2 tbsp chana dal (split bengal gram)
2 tbsp masoor dal (split red lentil)
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
about an inch of cinnamon (dalchini)
4 tsp finely chopped garlic (lehsun)
4 tsp finely chopped ginger (adrak)
2 whole dry kashmiri red chillies , broken into pieces
8 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1 bay leaf
pinch of amchur (green mango powder)
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)
0 to 4 minced fresh green chilis
salt to taste
2 tbsp lemon juice

+

cook dal by simmering in twice its volume in liquid (i just used a cup as a guide)

or tarladalal recommends, “Wash all the dals and soak them in enough water in a bowl for 1 hour. Drain. Combine the soaked dals with 1 cup of water in a pressure cooker and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Keep aside.”

in a separate pan, heat oil and add the whole mustard and cumin seeds.
When the seeds crackle, add the cinnamon, garlic, ginger, red chillies and bay and curry leaves and sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and amchur, and cook over a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the garam masala and green chillies, mix well and cook over a medium flame for 1 minute.
Add the cooked dal, salt and lemon juice, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 5 to 7 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Serve hot. Top with cilantro leaves and plain yogurt.

+

recipe adapted from tarladalal and archana’s kitchen

+

(if you don’t have all five kinds of split lentils and peas, just use a combination of anything you have in the house! just make sure to cook whole lentils separately from split peas and lentils – they have a different cook time.)

curried red lentil, squash, and coconut soup

i think this is one of the best pureed soups i’ve tried – but maybe that’s because i haven’t eaten solid food in a week. if you are on a soft foods diet on order of dentist or doctor, make sure to add this one. it’s full of medicinal spices like turmeric and garlic. get well soon!

[edit 2018: still one of my favorite soups. and yes, i got my tooth filled since this post, haha.]

+

roast a big (or 2 little) butternut squash (or acorn, or whatever you like)

saute onions and carrots in a dutch oven over medium heat

when soft, add a clove or two of garlic, and stir 2 mins

add:
– chicken stock, vegetable stock, or even lightly salted water
– a tablespoon or 2 of “curry powder” (or make your own with a lot of coriander, some turmeric and cayenne, and a little fenugreek, mustard powder, cumin, black pepper [to help your body absorb the turmeric,] and curry leaf – or whatever you have around)
– the flesh of the roasted squash
– between a half-cup and a cup of red split lentils (masoor dal)
– a good amount of ginger paste or ginger juice

bring to a boil and simmer about 20 minutes

throw everything into a blender or food processor, or mash well.

return to pot and add coconut milk. use a whole can, unless you don’t like the taste of coconut – then just add a half-can.

reheat, adjust spices if necessary

turn off heat, and add fresh lemon juice to taste, about 1/2 to one whole lemon.

–

recipe sloppily adapted by friedsig from a few different recipes, mostly this epicurious version

dal makhani (punjabi lentils)

nothing against my favorite gujarati dal.

sometimes you just want something that tastes like butter, and cream, and winter comfort.

+

cook 3/4c black split urad dal (if using whole dal, soak overnight) in 1.5c water and a pinch of salt. when cooked completely (better a little overdone than a little underdone,) add half a can of red kidney beans. mash and set aside.

in a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat about 2.5 T butter and/or ghee (i used a combination) over medium or med-high heat. (butter is a lot of the flavor of this dish, so if you’re vegan, i recommend a buttery oil like coconut.) add a teaspoon of whole cumin seed, an inch of cinnamon, 2 whole cloves, a small hot green chili pepper slit lengthwise, 3 cardamoms, and a small finely chopped onion.

cook until onions are golden brown, and turn down heat to medium.

then add 1/2 t ginger-garlic paste, cayenne (1/4 t for mild, 1/2 t for medium, 1 tsp for hot,) 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, and 1 1/2 c fresh or canned pureed tomato. simmer until oil rises to the top.

add the dal, salt to taste, and about 4 T water. simmer 15 min.

stir in a half-cup of heavy cream or, if you’re vegan, substitute coconut milk. simmer about 2 minutes. serve with fresh cilantro and rice.

+

wonderful. definitely a favorite.

adapted by friedsig from tarladalal

my favorite gujarati dal

I know, I know… there’s already been a Gujarati dal featured here.

It’s just that I started using a modified version of tarladalal’s dal, and can’t stop eating it.

It’s super healthy, and very quick and easy!

+

Cook a cup of lentils, 2 cups of water, 2 T of peanuts, and half a grated sweet potato. I like red (masoor dal) or yellow (tooval dal) lentils for this, but you can use whatever’s available or whatever you have. All the recipes say to use a pressure cooker, but I don’t have one and it comes out just fine on the stove.

In a pot on your stove, combine the cooked lentils with water and two cups of water.

Separately, in a pan, add ghee, oil, or a combination of both, to 1/4 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson). (I usually use about a tablespoon, but recipes say to use 2 tablespoons. You can cut it even more if you want.) When the seeds start to pop, add:

1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
6 to 7 curry leaves (kadi patta)
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
25 mm (1″) piece cinnamon (dalchini)
1 bay leaf (tejpatta)
2 small round red chillies (boriya mirch)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)

fresh lemon or lime (add at the end!)

If you don’t have the whole seeds, just leave them out and add powdered spices directly to the dal. (Don’t skip the curry leaves or mustard seeds, though!)

Saute until it smells roasted. Add to dal. Also add an inch of grated ginger, a chopped plum tomato (a plop of tomato sauce or tinned tomato is fine,) a dash of turmeric, a slit green chili or two, and, if you like it sweet, grated jaggery or a pinch of brown sugar. Simmer for 10-15 min. Remove from heat and add fresh squeezed lemon juice to taste.

Serve with rice and veggies, or whatever you like. You can top with fresh cilantro leaves, plain yogurt, fried onions, or sour cream.

+

adapted from tarladalal

dal fry (lentils punjabi-style)

This recipe is from from ãhãram!

+

yellow lentils/tuvar dal/pigeon peas/gandules – 1 Cup
Tomato – 1 Medium
Onion – 1 Medium
Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tsp
Green Chillies – 2
Red Chilli Powder – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric – 1/8 tsp
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Salt to Taste
Fresh Coriander for Garnish

Boil 1 c lentils in 2 c water. Or, soak the Tuvar Dal in 2 Cups water for about 30 to 60 minutes and pressure cook the dal for 4 whistles.
With a heavy ladle, mash the dal completely.
Chop the tomato into fine pieces.
Chop the onion into 1/2″ pieces.
Chop the green chillies into fine pieces.
In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat the oil.
Add the mustard seeds and wait till they splutter.
Add the onion pieces and fry till transparent.
Add the tomato pieces and stir fry till the tomato pieces are soft.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the green chillies, red chilli powder, and turmeric.
Stir fry for 2 minutes.
Add the mashed dal, salt, and 1/2 cup water to the onion-tomato mix.
Mix well and let cook for about 5 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with jeera rice or rotis.

+

from ãhãram (great blog – highly recommended)

gujarati dal dhokali

250 grams tuver daal (lentils)
200 grams wheat flour
3 green chilies
3 tbsp green chili paste
50 grams peanut
25 grams cashewnut
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
3-4 cloves
small piece of cinnamon stick
2 tomatoes
1 T Tamarind water from soaked fresh tamarind (or water down tamarind paste)
100 grams brown sugar
1 T Garam masala
1 tsp Ajama (ajwain)
4-5 tbsp. oil
2 T Red chili powder
asafetida and salt to taste
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
3-4 T ghee

Preparation:
•
mix flour, salt, turmeric, ajama, red chili powder. Mix well. Add oil and knead the flour to roti-like consistency.
•
Wash tuver dal and pressure cook it for three whistles. (or partially cook it over the stove)
•
Cool and remove the dal. Heat oil and ghee in a pot, then put cloves and cinnamon and then add mustard leaves. When they crackle add curry leaves, green chilies and a pinch of asafetida. Pour over dal.
•
Mix tamarind water, brown sugar, cashew nuts, groundnut, garam masala, and chili powder and mix well.

•
Add tomato, turmeric, salt and 2 cups of water. Boil the dal. roll out big rotis and cut them into pieces and add these pieces in boiling dal.

• Boil for 10 minutes and remove. Serve the dal dhokli warm. Sprinkle cilantro leaves.

or prepare kachori of green peas or of any other vegetable or coconut and add in boiling curry.

+

from here

+

recipe 2

For The Dhoklis
1 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1 1/2 tbsp besan (bengal gram flour)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
salt to taste

For The Dal
1 cup toovar (arhar) dal
2 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
5 curry leaves (kadi patta)
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
2 sticks cinnamon (dalchini)
1 bayleaf (tejpatta)
2 round red chillies (boriya mirch)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
5 kokum , soaked
5 tbsp jaggery (gur)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
2 green chillies slit green chillies
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp grated ginger (adrak)
2 tbsp boiled peanuts
salt to taste

For The Garnish
4 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)

Method
For the dhoklis

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and knead into a firm dough using enough water.
Divide the dough into 5 equal portions and roll out each portion into thin chapatis [approx. 200 mm. (8”)].
Heat a non-stick tava (griddle) and gently cook each chapati till light brown spots appear on both the sides.
Cool and cut each chapati into diamond or square shapes and keep aside.

For the dal

Clean, wash and drain the dal.
Combine the dal and 1½ cups of water in a pressure cooker and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Remove and blend it till smooth using a hand blender and keep aside.
Heat the ghee and oil in a deep kadhai, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, cloves, cinnamon, bayleaf, round red chillies and asafoetida, mix well and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Add the dal, 3½ cups of water, kokum, jaggery, turmeric powder, lemon juice, green chillies, chilli powder, ginger, peanuts and salt and mix well.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes while stirring once in between. Keep aside.

How to proceed

Just before serving, boil the dal, slowly add the dhokli pieces one by one, and mix gently.
Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Handy tips:

Add the dhoklis one by one into the dal, otherwise they could coagulate to form one big lump.
Add more water if the dal thickens while simmering.

from here