Green Moong Dal | Whole Green Gram Curry

202

Green Moong dal or green gram curry is an Indian vegetarian high-protein meal, made with whole green gram that is cooked with herbs and spices. Make this easy and delicious green mung dal recipe, perfect as a side dish with rice, chapati, or paratha.

Whole green moong dal is a good source of plant-based protein making it a very healthy recipe. There are lots of variations of this dal recipe, in the south it is prepared in a coconut gravy, and in the north, it is made either with simple spices or with curd, cream, and butter to make dal makhani.

Enjoy this sabut moong dal recipe as a side to either any rice preparation or with roti, paratha, and puri. 

About This Whole Moong Dal Recipe

This moong dal recipe is made with whole green mung lentils aka sabut moong dal. The recipe mainly explains how to cook green moong dal without a pressure cooker in an open pot. However, this mung bean curry can also be prepared easily in a pressure cooker or an instant pot. The recipe explains all the different methods to prepare green gram curry.

The whole gram is made by soaking for at least 3-4 hours and then it is cooked in an open pot. This helps to remove the scum from the top of the cooked mung bean.

The cooked green gram is then cooked with onions, ginger garlic paste, tomatoes, and spices for a few minutes. Then optionally a tadka or tempering of red chillies is done at the end. This adds extra flavor and depth to this green lentil curry.

Whole Moong dal is known by different names throughout India, Khada moong dal, Sabut moong dal, green gram, whole green gram, cherupayar curry and so.

Recipe Highlights

• Prep Time: 10 mins (3-4 hours of soaking)
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Cuisine: Indian Cuisine
• Course: Side Dish
• Difficulty level: Easy
• Serves: 5-6 people

Why You’ll Enjoy This Recipe

Ease of Preparation: This recipe requires very basic prep like soaking and chopping of onion, tomatoes, green chillies, and coriander leaves aka cilantro.

Healthy and Nutritious: Green gram dal is a very good source of plant-based protein. It is considered one of the healthiest, gut-friendly, and easy-to-digest dal. 

Versatility: This green moong dal recipe can be used to prepare any other variety of lentil or dal. This recipe can also be used to prepare a combination of different lentils, making it a versatile recipe.

Delicious: The mung dal recipe is packed with flavors from the different herbs and spices used and the earthy flavors of the whole green gram lentils.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Whole green mung beans: Whole mung beans are the key ingredient of this recipe. But you can substitute it with any other lentil or a combination of different lentils. Split green beans can also be used. You can find these green whole moong beans or mung dal in Indian grocery stores, or Middle Eastern grocery stores. 

Onion: Two medium-sized onions are used for this recipe. Red or yellow onions can be used. They are roughly chopped and are shallow fried in ghee.

Ginger and Garlic: One tablespoon of freshly pounded ginger-garlic paste is the best for this recipe. But readymade or frozen ginger and garlic paste can also be used.

Green Chili: It added flavor and heat to the dish. Green chilies can be skipped if you prefer making it less spicy.

Tomato: 2 Medium-sized ripe red tomatoes are finely chopped and cooked with the onions and ginger garlic in ghee.

Whole Spices: The whole spices needed for this recipe are, cumin seeds, cloves, and dry whole red chili for tempering.

Spice Powders: Basic Indian dry spice powders are used like turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, asafoetida, or hing. Cumin powder and dry mango powder can also be added.

Ghee: I prefer using ghee or clarified butter for cooking dal and tadka but any other oil can also be used as per preference. A combination of ghee and vegetable oil can also be used.

Herbs: Fresh coriander leaves or cilantro are used for garnish. I sometimes also enjoy adding crushed dry fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi) and curry leaves to this recipe.

Lemon Juice (optional): A squeeze of lemon or lime juice at the end just before serving adds extra freshness and tanginess to the dish.

Salt and Water

Step-by-Step Instructions

​Preparation:

• Soak 1 cup green sabut moong in a bowl with 4 cups of water for 3-4 hours.
• Roughly chop the onions, green chilies, and tomatoes.
• Pound ginger and garlic into a smooth paste.

Cooking in an Open Pot

Step 1. Cook the soaked green gram in a pot with 3 cups of water. Cook till the dal is completely cooked and is soft and mushy when pressed.

Step 2. In another pan, heat 1 tbsp ghee or oil. When the ghee is hot add 1 tsp cumin seeds or jeera and a few cloves.

Step 3. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a few seconds.

Step 4. Add the finely chopped onions and green chillies. Fry for a minute or till the onions are translucent.

Step 5. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for another minute or two.

Step 6. Now add the dry spice powders, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and coriander powder. Fry this for a minute.

Step 7. Add the cooked whole green moong dal. Mix everything well. Add approximately 1 cup water or as per preference of the thickness of the curry.

Step 8. Bring it to a boil and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Step 9. Add 1/2 tsp garam masala and a few chopped coriander leaves, mix, and set aside.

Tempering (Optional)

1. In a small pan heat ghee. To the hot ghee ass 1/2 tsp cumin seeds aka jeera, asafoetida, or heeng, and 2 dry red chillies. Fry for 5-10 seconds.
2. Add 1 tbsp sliced or chopped fresh garlic cloves. Fry for around 30 seconds or lightly brown.
3. Add a dash of red chilli powder or paprika for extra heat and color.
4. Pour the hot sizzling temper on top of the cooked whole green moong dal curry.

​In a Pressure Cooker

1. Heat a pressure cooker pot and add ghee.
2. Add cumin seeds, cloves, asafoetida aka hing, and ginger garlic paste. Fry for a minute.
3. Add chopped onions and green chili and fry till the onions are lightly brown.
4. Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook them for 1-2 minutes. Add the dry spice powders, turmeric, red chili, and coriander powder, and fry for a few seconds.
5. Add 3 cups of water and the soaked green mung dal. Add salt and mix well.
6. Close the pressure cooker lid and cook till 3-4 whistles on medium-high heat.
7. Remove from heat and let the pressure release completely before opening.
8. Open the lid, add garam masala, and stir well. Add more water if needed.
9. Garnish with chopped coriander and lemon juice. Mix and serve hot.
10. Add the optional tempering mentioned above to add extra flavor.

Video Tutorial

Tips to Make the Perfect Green Gram Dal Every Time

1. Soak the green gram for not more than 3-4 hours. Soaking longer can cause the skin to separate from the lentil while cooking creating an unpleasant texture.
2. Cook the green gram until it is soft and mushy to make a thick, creamy curry.
3. Use fresh ingredients for the best flavors.
4. Using ghee to prepare the daal adds a lot of depth and flavor.

Serving Suggestions

Serve and enjoy this tasty and healthy green gram curry with:

• Rice: You can have it with plain white rice, cumin rice (jeera rice), or brown rice.
• Chapati: The curry goes well with plain roti or chapati.
• Plain Paratha: It’s also great with a plain paratha.
• Puri: Puri is a fried Indian bread made from whole wheat flour or regular flour.

​Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to store leftover green mung bean curry?

Store leftover mung dal curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a pan or microwave, add extra water if the dal has thickened with time.

How to make whole mung gram curry less spicy?

Add cream or coconut milk at the end to make the curry more creamy and less spicy.

Green moong dal protein per 100g

Green moong dal is a great source of plant-based protein, offering about 24 grams of protein for every 100 grams. This makes it perfect for vegetarians and vegans, helping to build and repair muscles.

Green moong dal benefits

Green moong dal has many health benefits:

1. High in Protein: Green moong dal is a great source of plant-based protein, with about 24 grams of protein in every 100 grams. This helps build and repair muscles, making it perfect for vegetarians and vegans.
2. Helps Control Blood Sugar: The complex carbs and fiber in green moong dal help keep blood sugar levels steady after meals, which is good for people with diabetes.
3. Supports Heart Health: It has antioxidants that improve blood flow, lower blood pressure, and keep arteries healthy.
4. Aids Digestion: Green moong dal is high in fiber, which helps with digestion and keeps you regular.
5. Boosts Immunity: It provides important vitamins like Vitamin C and E that strengthen the immune system.
6. Promotes Weight Loss: The high fiber content makes you feel full longer while being low in calories, which is great for weight management.
7. Good for Skin and Hair: The zinc and antioxidants help keep skin healthy, and the protein supports hair growth and strength.
8. Improves Brain Function: Green moong dal is rich in manganese, which is good for brain health.
9. Provides Energy: Its Vitamin B1 content helps turn food into energy effectively.
10. Supports Bone Health: It contains calcium and phosphorus, important for strong bones.

Adding green moong dal to your meals can give you these health benefits while adding variety to your diet!

Recipe Card

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you gave it 5 stars!

Thank you! Tag me on Instagram @kitchensavouries