Moong Daal

RecipenKitchen Recipe 45 min · Serves 4 · Pakistani

Why make it A soft, gently spiced pot of split yellow moong lentils finished with a sizzling garlic and cumin tarka. Light, quick and easy to digest-friendly cooking for everyday lunches with rice or roti.

You’ll need

Serves 4 1½ cups split yellow moong daal (dhuli moong), washed until… 4 cups water, plus more if needed ½ tsp turmeric powder 1½ tsp salt, or to taste 1 medium tomato, chopped 1 tsp ginger, finely grated 2 green chillies, slit lengthwise 3 tbsp ghee or oil + 8 more in the full recipe

1 Step 1 of 8 Wash the moong daal in several changes of water, rubbing gently, until the water is mostly clear. Soak it in cool water for 15 minutes while you chop, then drain.

2 Step 2 of 8 Put the drained daal in a pot with the water, turmeric, ginger, tomato and slit green chillies. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and skim off any white foam.

3 Step 3 of 8 Reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer, stirring every 8 to 10 minutes so nothing sticks. The daal is ready when the grains are completely soft and break easily when pressed with a spoon.

4 Step 4 of 8 Add the salt and whisk the daal for a minute to make it creamy. If it is too thick, stir in hot water a quarter cup at a time until it flows like a thick soup. Keep it on the lowest heat.

5 Step 5 of 8 Heat the ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 10 seconds, then add the onion and fry until light golden, about 4 minutes. The last 3 steps are in the full recipe.

Cook’s tip Do not skip the washing and short soak. It helps the daal cook evenly and keeps the flavour clean.

Moong Daal

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