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Brian Sunter

Moong Dal

Hulled and skinned moong dal with a choice of three tarkas.

50 minutes cook 10 minutes prep 1 hour total 4 servings
main dal indian vegetarian
Scale
Units

Ingredients

  • 210 g moong dal
  • 900 ml water
  • 0.50 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1-2 green chillies
  • 0.50 tsp red chilli powder
  • 0.75 tsp salt
  • 6 tbsp ghee
  • 3 pinch asafoetida
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 3 dried red chillies
  • 6 tbsp onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 75 g tomato
  • 0.50 tsp ground coriander
  • 0.50 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 15-20 curry leaves

Equipment

  • sieve
  • heavy pot
  • skimmer
  • heavy frying pan
  • frying pan

Instructions

Basic Dal

1

Put the 210 g moong dal in a bowl and wash in several changes of water. When the water seems almost clear, drain the dal into a sieve .

2

Put the dal into a medium-sized heavy pot . Add the 900 ml water and bring to a simmer over a medium-high heat. Keep a watchful eye and do not let it boil over.

3

Reduce the heat to medium, or lower, as soon as the water rises and starts to froth. Remove the froth with a skimmer .

4

Add the 0.50 tsp ground turmeric and 1-2 green chillies (or 0.25-0.5 tsp red chilli powder ) and stir them in.

5

Cover partially, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 40-50 minutes without stirring until the dal is really tender.

6

Stir in the 0.75 tsp salt . Cover and turn the heat off.

Simple North Indian / Delhi Tarka

7

Put the 2 tbsp ghee (or vegetable oil) in a very small heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat. When hot, put in the 1 pinch asafoetida and, a second later, the 0.50 tsp cumin seeds . As soon as the cumin seeds are a shade darker, put in the 1-2 dried red chillies . Turn them quickly so both sides darken, then put in the 2 tbsp onion slices. Stir so the onion darkens all over.

More Elaborate North Indian Tarka

8

Heat the 2 tbsp ghee (or vegetable oil) in a small frying pan over a medium heat. When hot, put in the 1 pinch asafoetida . A few seconds later, put in the 0.50 tsp cumin seeds . A few seconds after that, put in the 4 tbsp onion , chopped. Stir and fry until the onion is browned.

9

Add the 2 cloves garlic , peeled and finely chopped, and stir once or twice. Add the 75 g tomato , chopped. Stir and fry until the tomato is soft.

10

Now add the 0.50 tsp ground coriander and 0.25-1 tsp red chilli powder . Stir once.

Simple South Indian Tarka

11

Put the 2 tbsp ghee in a small heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat. When really hot, put in the 1 pinch asafoetida and, a second later, the 0.50 tsp black mustard seeds . As soon as the mustard seeds start popping, put in the 2-3 dried red chillies . Turn the chillies quickly so all sides darken, then add the 15-20 curry leaves .

Finish

12

Lift the dal lid and pour the contents of the tarka pan into the dal. Put the lid back on immediately to retain the aromas.

View Cooklang Source
recipe.cook 
---
title: Moong Dal
description: "Hulled and skinned moong dal with a choice of three tarkas."
servings: 4
total time: 1 hour
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 50 minutes
tags: [dal, indian, vegetarian, main]
cuisine: Indian
difficulty: easy
---

== Basic Dal ==

Put the @moong dal{210%g} in a bowl and wash in several changes of water. When the water seems almost clear, drain the dal into a #sieve{}.

Put the dal into a medium-sized #heavy pot{}. Add the @water{900%ml} and bring to a simmer over a medium-high heat. Keep a watchful eye and do not let it boil over.

Reduce the heat to medium, or lower, as soon as the water rises and starts to froth. Remove the froth with a #skimmer{}.

Add the @ground turmeric{1/2%tsp} and @green chillies{1-2} (or @red chilli powder{1/4-1/2%tsp}) and stir them in.

Cover partially, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for ~{40-50%minutes} without stirring until the dal is really tender.

> Check the consistency, adding some boiling water if you want it thinner.

Stir in the @salt{3/4%tsp}. Cover and turn the heat off.

== Simple North Indian / Delhi Tarka ==

Put the @ghee{2%tbsp} (or vegetable oil) in a very small #heavy frying pan{} over a medium-high heat. When hot, put in the @asafoetida{1 pinch} and, a second later, the @cumin seeds{1/2%tsp}. As soon as the cumin seeds are a shade darker, put in the @dried red chillies{1-2}. Turn them quickly so both sides darken, then put in the @onion{2%tbsp} slices. Stir so the onion darkens all over.

== More Elaborate North Indian Tarka ==

Heat the @ghee{2%tbsp} (or vegetable oil) in a small #frying pan{} over a medium heat. When hot, put in the @asafoetida{1 pinch}. A few seconds later, put in the @cumin seeds{1/2%tsp}. A few seconds after that, put in the @onion{4%tbsp}, chopped. Stir and fry until the onion is browned.

Add the @garlic{2 cloves}, peeled and finely chopped, and stir once or twice. Add the @tomato{75%g}, chopped. Stir and fry until the tomato is soft.

Now add the @ground coriander{1/2%tsp} and @red chilli powder{1/4-1%tsp}. Stir once.

== Simple South Indian Tarka ==

Put the @ghee{2%tbsp} in a small #heavy frying pan{} over a medium-high heat. When really hot, put in the @asafoetida{1 pinch} and, a second later, the @black mustard seeds{1/2%tsp}. As soon as the mustard seeds start popping, put in the @dried red chillies{2-3}. Turn the chillies quickly so all sides darken, then add the @curry leaves{15-20}.

> Stand back when adding curry leaves, as they splatter.

== Finish ==

Lift the dal lid and pour the contents of the tarka pan into the dal. Put the lid back on immediately to retain the aromas.

> Tarkas can also be poured on top of the dal when it has just been put in a serving dish and then mixed at the table.