Category: Dals or Lentils

Easy Kaancha Moong Dal Recipe for Beginners

Moong Dal or Mung Dal, ( Yellow split gram) is considered to be high in protein, and easiest to digest compared to the other dals that we usually use. It comes in whole green seeds, or split in half with the green skin still intact, or yellow grains where the green skin is completely removed. In a Bengali home the yellow variety is generally used. One variety of yellow Moong has smaller seeds, and that is considered the best, it is called Sona Moong in Kolkata. Sona moong cooks faster than the bigger grain one, and you do not need to use a pressure cooker for it.

This recipe is for Kaancha Moong Dal ( Unroasted moong dal)

Recipe

Ingredients

  • Yellow Moong 1/2 cup
  • Green chilies 4
  • Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
  • Salt 1&1/4 teaspoon or less
  • Ghee 3 teaspoons, 2 tsp for seasoning? tarka and 1 to garnish
  • Methi seeds ( Fenugreek seeds) 1/2 teaspoon
  • Ginger 1 tablespoon, divided
  • Dry red chili 2
  • Water 1 cup plus 1/2 cup more.

Some of the ingredients are shown in this photo.

The ginger is grated, and the Green chilies have to be slit.

Seasoning is best with Ghee/ clarified butter. First you add the methi seeds in the hot ghee, the half of the ginger grated and red chilies.

Method

Prepping

Wash the !/2 cup of Moong Dal well , drain out all the water and keep aside

Grind or grate the Ginger, keep in a small bowl, half is used for Phoron/ tarka/ seasoning

Slit the green chilies

Gather all the ingredients needed for Phoron / Tarka / Seasoning: Methi seeds ( Fenugreek ) !/2 teaspoon, Dry red chilies 1 or 2, and Ghee and the Ginger paste

How to make the Dal

  • Put the washed Moong Dal in the pressure cooker with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 cup of water. (If you use the Sona or small grain moong then you can cook the dal in a pan, but it will take about 20 minutes, on low heat.)
  • Cook the Moong Dal in the Pressure cooker on high heat till you get 3 whistles. Switch off the stove and wait for the cooker to cool down before you open the lid.
  • Put the cooker without the lid) back on the stove on medium heat, add the 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder, and let it boil for a few minute..
  • Add the slit Green chilies to the dal and let it boil for for a couple of minutes more.
  • In the meantime heat a Kadai or a small pan for the Phoron/Tarka/ Seasoning.
  • Add the 2 teaspoons of Ghee and as soon as it melts add the Dry red chilies and Methi seeds .When adding dry chilies make sure to break it a bit otherwise it may swell up in the oil and burst.
  • Once the Methi seeds are slightly brown add half the grated ginger to the ghee, it will splutter a bit.
  • When the spluttering lessens, pour the dal into the kadai, OR you can pour the seasoning into the boiling dal.
  • Add the remaining ginger paste and let it boil for 5 minutes.
  • This is not a thick dal, it is like a soup, if it is too thick then you may need to add a little more water. Add the 1 teaspoon of ghee before taking it off the heat.

Serve hot with Rice.

Variation

Adding Karela or Bitter gourd sliced and fried is a variation of the simple Moong dal. The karela has a slight bitter taste. It tastes great in this Dal with fresh hot Basmati Rice.

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Cholar Dal: A Traditional Bengali Delight

When I was very young, I remember helping my mother sometimes with the cooking. We would make Rotis or prepare a salad together. The first thing I learnt to cook on my own was when I was 12, and it wasCholar dal. It has been many years since I was 12. I have improved on the recipe. The recipe below is an improved version of the one I had made the first time.

Cholar Dal is a sweet and spicy dal. It is garnished with small pieces of fresh coconut. It is usuallyserved with Loochi ( Poori), or Parata or Roti.

Ingredients

  • Cholar Dal ( Split Chick Peas) 1 cup
  • Water 1 cup + 1/2 cups more
  • Salt 1 teaspoon
  • Sugar 1 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon oe less
  • Green Chili slit 2

Seasoning or Tarka

  • Ginger ground or finely grated 1 teaspoon
  • Dry red Chili. 1
  • Ghee 1 Tablespoon
  • Cloves 4
  • Cardamom 6
  • Cinnamon 1 inch stick broken into pieces
  • Bay leaf or Tej patta 1
  • Paanch Phoron* 1/2 teaspoon.
  • For Garnish 1/2 cup of Fresh coconut which has been cut into small pieces.

* To make Paanch Phoron or Five Spice mix : in a small bowl mix 1tsp of Jire /Jeera (Cumin Seeds), 1 teaspoon of Kalo Jire / Kalongi (Nigella Seeds,) 1 teaspoon of Mouri / Saunf (Fennel seeds,) 1 teaspoon of Radhuni( Celery seeds ) and 1/2 teaspoon of Meethi (fenugreek seeds). mix well . Use 1/2 teaspoon for this recipe and store the rest for another time)

Method

Wash the Cholar dal well 2 or 3 times. Then put it in a pressure cooker with 1 cup of water. Cook it for at least 5 minutes from the first whistle. If you do not have a pressure you can boil the Dal in a saucepan. In this case you need to soak the dal for at least an hour before boiling it.

When the cooker cools down open the lid and check to see if the dal is cooked as desired. It should be soft so that it can be mashed with a ladle, but the grains should hold its shape.

Add 1 tsp.salt, 1tsp.sugar, and 1/2 tsp.Turmeric powder. Add the 2 green chilies (optional) and 1/2 cup water if needed.

Let it simmer for a while, about 4 or 5 minutes.

Now we have to give Tadka (Phoron) to the dal or season the Dal . there are 2 ways of doing that.

  1. In a small pan or Kadai  heat the 1 tablespoon Ghee. Add 1 Bay leaf, 1/2 tsp. Panch Phoron, 4 Cloves, 6 Cardamoms ,1 red Chili, and pieces of Cinnamon. Then add the 1 tsp.grated ginger. (It will splutter so be careful). Once you get the aroma of cloves and other spices add this seasoning to the dal.
  2. Heat a kadai or a sauce pan big enough to hold the Dal. Add the 1 tablespoon of ghee. When it is hot, add 1 tej patta (Bay leaf). Then add 1 red chilli, 4 Cloves, 6 Cardamoms, and Cinnamon pieces. Next add the 1/2 tsp.Paanch phoron . Lastly the grated or 1tsp. ground Ginger (the ginger will splatter so be careful). pour the Dal in the cooker into the Kadai or saucepan with the seasoning or Tadka.

Simmer for another 2 or 3 minutes. Taste to see if salt is enough.

Heat some oil or Ghee in a pan. Add the coconut pieces and saute them. Then add them to the Cholar Dal.

This Dal is a rather thick, and tastes sweet and spicy and the coconut pieces add crunch. It goes best with Rotis, Parathas and Puris.

Homestyle Bengali Cholar Dal with Coconut & Ghee Tadka

Bengali Cholar Dal (Sweet & Spicy Split Chickpea Dal)

  • Servings: 4–6
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Rating: ★★★★★
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A traditional Bengali cholar dal that is mildly sweet, gently spiced, and finished with coconut and aromatic ghee tempering.


Cholar Dal is a sweet and spicy Bengali dal traditionally served with luchi (poori), paratha, or roti. This is an improved version of the recipe I first cooked when I was 12 years old. The dal should be soft enough to mash slightly while the grains still hold their shape. Fresh coconut adds the final authentic touch.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cholar dal (split chickpeas)
  • 1 ½ cups water (plus more if needed)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder (or less)
  • 2 green chilies, slit (optional)

For Tadka (Tempering):

  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 1 bay leaf (tej patta)
  • ½ tsp paanch phoron
  • 4 cloves
  • 6 green cardamoms
  • 1-inch cinnamon stick, broken
  • 1 dry red chili
  • 1 tsp grated or ground ginger

For Garnish:

  • ½ cup fresh coconut, cut into small pieces

Directions

  1. Wash the cholar dal 2–3 times and add it to a pressure cooker with 1 cup of water.
  2. Pressure cook for about 5 minutes after the first whistle. (If cooking in a saucepan, soak the dal for at least 1 hour and boil until soft.)
  3. Once the cooker cools, open the lid and check the dal. It should be soft but still hold its shape.
  4. Add salt, sugar, turmeric powder, green chilies, and up to ½ cup water if needed.
  5. Let the dal simmer for 4–5 minutes.

Method 1 (Separate Tadka):

  1. Heat ghee in a small pan. Add bay leaf, paanch phoron, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and dry red chili.
  2. Add grated ginger carefully (it will splutter).
  3. Pour the seasoning over the dal.

Method 2 (One-Pot Method):

  1. Heat ghee in a kadai or saucepan.
  2. Add bay leaf, dry red chili, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon.
  3. Add paanch phoron, then grated ginger carefully.
  4. Pour the cooked dal into the pan with the seasoning.
  5. Simmer for 2–3 minutes and adjust salt to taste.
  6. In a separate pan, heat a little ghee or oil and lightly sauté the coconut pieces.
  7. Add the coconut to the dal, mix gently, and serve hot.

Nutrition


Per serving (approx.): 260 calories, 10g fat, 32g carbs, 11g protein

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