Moong Dal Recipe is a simple, healthy and protein-rich dish made with split and hulled yellow moong dal, also called dhuli moong dal. This post shows you how to make classic Moong Dal Tadka, where cooked lentils are finished with a flavorful tempering of spices in ghee or oil. I am also sharing an easy Moong Dal Fry variation made with an onion-tomato masala base. Both versions use yellow moong lentils and are easy to prepare with step-by-step photos.

About Yellow Moong Dal Recipe

This moong dal recipe uses split and skinned yellow mung beans, not whole green moong (sabut moong).

Once the green husk is removed, the lentils become yellow in color and cook faster. They turn soft and creamy, making them perfect for everyday cooking.

Moong Dal Tadka is made by first pressure cooking or simmering the yellow moong dal with onions, tomatoes, spices and water until soft and mashable.

A tempering (tadka) of cumin, garlic, garam masala, red chilli powder and green chilies is then prepared separately in hot oil or ghee and poured over the cooked dal. This final tempering adds aroma and depth to the dish.

The consistency of moong dal tadka is slightly thin and pourable, somewhere between a curry and a soup, but still with body.

It pairs well with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice, roti or paratha. Add a side of papad and lemon or Mango Pickle or yogurt, for a complete meal.

You can also pair a side vegetable dish or raita with the yellow moong dal and rice or roti meal. I like to pair it with Aloo Methi.

If you are looking for a simple yellow moong dal recipe for everyday meals, this tadka version is the one I make most often at home.

Photo of hulled and split mung lentils below.

If you enjoy moong lentils, you can also try this recipe made with whole green moong (green gram) – Green Moong Dal

With moong lentils, I also make Moong Dal Khichdi, Moong Chilla, Moong Dal Halwa and Pesarattu made with whole green moong.

How to make Moong Dal Tadka (Stepwise)

Recipe 1

Preparation

1. First, rinse ½ a cup of moong dal (split husked mung lentils) in water a couple of times. Drain all the water and set aside.

2. You will need to cook the moong lentils. In a 3 litre stove-top pressure cooker or in the inner pot of a 6 quart Instant Pot add the following ingredients together with the rinsed moong lentils:

• 1 medium sized finely chopped onion or ⅓ cup finely chopped onions
• 1 medium sized chopped tomato or ½ cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 inch of peeled and finely chopped ginger
• ⅓ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon of red chili powder or cayenne pepper

3. Add 1.5 cups of water, and stir well.

Pressure Cook Lentils

4. Pressure cook the lentils, aromatics, spices and herbs for 5 to 6 whistles on medium heat, until the lentils are cooked perfectly and softened.

Let the pressure fall naturally in the stove-top cooker and then only open the lid. Remove the lid and stir the dal.

For the Instant Pot, this will take approximately 8 to 10 minutes on manual pressure. Once you hear the beep sound when the cooking is complete, do a quick pressure release after 10 minutes.

5. The dal should be loose with a medium flowing consistency. If the moong dal looks thick, then add some water. Start with half a cup and stir, and add more water as needed.

6. Simmer (or use the sauté function on the IP) the moong dal for 1 to 2 minutes or more until you get just the right consistency. It should have a consistency some where like that of a curry.

7. Add salt to taste and mix well. Set the dal aside.

Make Tadka

8. Gather and measure all of your ingredients needed to temper the cooked moong dal. In a small pan on low-medium heat, melt 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil, ghee or butter.

9. Fry 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds in the hot oil. They should change color and crackle, but not burn. Turn the heat down to low if needed.

10. Next add 4 to 5 lightly crushed garlic cloves and 1 to 2 slit green chilies to the pot. Fry for a few seconds, but don’t brown the garlic. Turn off the stovetop heat immediately.

11. Once the heat is off, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of garam masala powder, ¼ teaspoon of red chili powder and 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing).

Switching off the heat ensures that the spice powders don’t get burned.

12. Quickly mix the spice powders well with a spoon. This is your tempering mixture to add flavor to the moong dal.

13. After stirring, immediately pour the tempering mixture into the pot with the cooked lentils. Stir the moong dal tadka well to combine.

14. Serve Moong Dal Tadka hot with steamed rice or Roti. The moong dal tastes delicious as-is with no need to garnish.

But feel free to sprinkle with some chopped coriander leaves to add a pop of fresh flavor.

For a slight tang of bright acidity, you can also squeeze some lemon juice onto the dish before serving.

How To Make Moong Dal Fry (Stepwise)

Recipe 2

Moong Dal Fry uses the same yellow moong dal but follows a slightly different method. The lentils are cooked first, then added to a sautéed onion-tomato masala with ginger, garlic and spices, and simmered briefly.

Nothing is deep-fried here. The term “fry” refers to sautéing the aromatics before mixing them with the dal.

Compared to tadka dal, this version is slightly thicker and has a stronger onion-tomato flavor. Serve it with roti, paratha or steamed rice.

Ingredients

• ½ cup moong dal (split & hulled yellow mung lentils)
• 1½ cups water – for pressure cooking
• 1 pinch turmeric powder
• 1 cup water – to be added later when the dal is simmering or add as required
• 2 tablespoons oil
• ½ tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ⅓ cup onions – finely chopped
• 1 inch ginger – finely chopped
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves – small to medium, finely chopped
• 1 green chili –  slit or chopped or ½ teaspoon chopped
• 1 dry red chili – stem and seeds removed
• ½ cup tomatoes – finely chopped
• ¼ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon garam masala
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing), optional
• ½ teaspoon  dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed
• 1 tablespoon coriander leaves – chopped
• salt as required
• 4 to 5 drops lemon juice or as needed, optional
• 1 to 2 tablespoons coriander leaves – chopped, for garnish

Cook The Dal

1. Firstly pick and rinse ½ cup moong dal (split and hulled mung lentils) for a few times with water. You can also rinse the yellow moong dal in a colander.

2. Then add the yellow mung lentils to a 3 litre stove-top pressure cooker together with 2.5 cups of water and a pinch of turmeric powder. Stir and mix very well.

3. Pressure cook the yellow moong dal for 5 to 6 whistles or till they are soft and mushy.

4. Mash the lentils with a spoon.

5. Add 1 cup water or as required, to get the desired consistency.

6. Add salt as required and mix again.

7. On a low heat, keep the cooked yellow moong dal to simmer. Remember to stir often so that the lentils does not get browned or burnt or stick to the bottom of the cooker.

Prepare Onion Tomato Masala

8. Meanwhile, measure and keep all the ingredients ready. In a kadai or pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil together with ½ tablespoon butter.

9. Crackle 1 teaspoon cumin seeds first.

10. Then add 1 medium sized chopped onion (about ⅓ cup chopped onions). Sauté the onions till light brown. Stir often when sautéing onions.

11. Then add 1 inch chopped ginger, 3 to 4 chopped small to medium garlic cloves, 1 green chili and 1 dry red chili (seeds removed). Sauté for half a minute.

12. Add 1 medium sized tomato which has been chopped (about ½ cup chopped tomatoes). Sauté stirring often until the tomatoes soften.

13. Then add the following spices and stir to combine:

• ¼ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing)

14. Next add ½ teaspoon crushed dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) and 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves.

15. Stir and continue to sauté till oil starts to leave the sides of the masala. And later continue to sauté further for 1 to 2 minutes more after oil has started to leave the sides.

Combine & Simmer

16. Add this mixture to the simmering dal.

17. Stir and simmer the dal for 2 to 3 minutes or more. You have to simmer till the flavors have blended well in the moong dal and you get the desired consistency.

18. If you prefer you can add a few drops of lemon juice.

19. Mix well. Taste the dal and add salt if required. Turn off the heat. Garnish with coriander leaves.

20. Serve Moong Dal Fry with steamed rice, Cumin rice or with Indian flatbreads like roti, paratha or Naan.

Tadka Vs Fry: What’s The Difference

Both recipes use split yellow moong dal, but the cooking method is different.

In moong dal tadka, the cooked lentils are finished with a separate tempering of spices poured on top. The flavor comes mainly from the bloomed spices in ghee or oil.

In moong dal fry, a sautéed onion-tomato masala is prepared first and then mixed with the cooked lentils. The dal is simmered together with the masala, giving a slightly richer and thicker result.

If you prefer a lighter dal, go with tadka. If you like a more robust and masala-forward taste, try the fry version.

Dassana’s Recipe Tips

1. Use fresh, unpolished yellow moong dal for best flavor and texture.
2. You can soak the lentils for 20 to 30 minutes to reduce cooking time, though it is optional.
3. Cook the dal until soft and mashable. It should mash easily when pressed between your fingers. Avoid overcooking, as yellow moong dal can turn pasty and lumpy if cooked too much.
4. Adjust the consistency by adding water as needed. For rice, keep it slightly thin. For roti, you can keep it a bit thicker.
5. Adjust the spices like red chilli powder, ginger, garlic and green chilies to suit your taste.
6. For a gluten-free moong dal recipe, skip the asafoetida or use a gluten-free version.
7. To deepen the tadka flavor, add the tempering to the hot dal and immediately cover the pan for a few minutes. This helps the aroma infuse well.

Cooking Queries

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Moong Dal recipe from the archives was first published in May 2013.