Green Moong Dal Recipe has been around for years, yet its popularity is not close to what it deserves.
With a full serving of rich, high-quality protein in every bite, green moong dal is one of the most inexpensive superfoods on the market today.
So, today I want to share a recipe to bring the best Instant Pot green moong dal to your kitchen table.
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About this recipe
This Green Moong Dal Recipe is a lip-smacking dal recipe made with whole green moong dal. It tastes excellent when served with phulkas for a simple meal.
Just with a side of salad, raita, and an Indian pickle make it a sumptuous meal. What a great option for lunch or dinner.
You will love this because
- It is a full protein-packed curry that will deliver the taste on a budget.
- It’s packed with flavors!
- It's made with readily available ingredients.
- It’s a great way to add plant-based protein in your diet.
- It’s freezer-friendly.
- It’s vegan and gluten-free.
My dal tadka Instant pot inspired this recipe, which goes well with instant pot jeera rice and wheat naan.
Ingredients notes
- Green whole moong dal: This is also known as green gram or mung bean. Soaking is a must for this recipe to get the right texture and flavor. If you are not soaking, make sure to adjust the cooking time and cook them longer.
- Tomatoes: Try to use fresh, ripe tomatoes. If you can’t find fresh and ripe ones, use ½ cup canned tomatoes or 1 tablespoon tomato paste.
- Ginger: Fresh or powder is fine. This is a key ingredient you can’t miss because it aids digestion and avoids bloating.
- Spices: All the spices give and enhance the authentic flavor of the dal. If you do not have any of these, add a little extra garam masala powder.
- Cooking oil: I used organic coconut oil. Feel free to use vegetable oil, canola, or olive oil.
How to make this recipe
Press saute button and keep it in the medium setting and add oil. When the oil heats up, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Saute until spices start sizzling.
Add grated ginger and chopped chilies and saute for 15-30 seconds. Add chopped onions and saute until they turn translucent.
Add chopped tomatoes and saute them until they soften.
Now add all the spices like red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder or grated turmeric root, and salt. Continue to sauté and mix well.
Add soaked and drained whole moong dal and one ¾ cup of water. Stir well. Press cancel to stop sauteing and close the instant pot lid.
Press the pressure cooker setting and set the timer for 6 mins on high pressure. When the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
It is safe to open the lid only after the pin drops down.
Open the lid and add fresh lemon juice and cilantro mix well. Green gram curry is ready to serve.
Recipe FAQs
Serve this with plain rice, or jeera rice or paratha, or roti. You could also serve it like soup with a side of dry toast.
Yes, you can transfer it to a freezer-safe container, and it will stay good for upto two months in the freezer.
Serving suggestions
My family likes this instant moong dal with gluten-free chapathi and sona masoori rice.
But you have a lot of options like pair with besan roti, spinach paratha, and even with phulka roti.
Top tips
- Note that you must soak the dal to ensure it cooks fast.
- You can also sprout the dal; it gives the same great taste. Not only that, sprouted dal comes with tons of health benefits.
- In the end, you can add tadka or tempering with spices and Kasuri methi. But that’s optional.
- Rinse and soak the green mung beans for at least 4 hours if you have the time. You could always use unsoaked beans if you don’t have time to soak. But make sure to adjust the time (you need to cook for 20- 25minutes)
- For cooking unsoaked mung beans in a stovetop pressure cooker, cook for up to four whistles. For soaked mung beans, pressure cook for just one whistle.
- If you don't have cumin and coriander powder, then substitute with 1 teaspoon garam masala powder.
- Adding Kashmiri red chili powder to give a nice color to the dal(but this is optional, you could add this instead of red chili powder)
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📖 Recipe
Green Moong Dal Recipe (Instant Pot)
Equipment
Process Shot
Check above for step-by-step pictures (most of my recipes include pictures)
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry whole green Moong Dal/ Green Gram
- 1 onion
- 2 small tomatoes - or use 1 tablespoon tomato paste and 4 tablespoon water
- 2 green chilies
- 2 teaspoon grated ginger
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds/ jeera
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon grated turmeric root - or use ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1-2 teaspoon red chili powder - adjust to your spice level
- 3 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon coriander leaves/ cilantro
- ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder - if you desired
Instructions
Stovetop procedure
- Wash and Soak Green Moong Dal for 4 hours. Drain the water and cook the dal with 1 ½ cups water in a non-electrical pressure cooker, allowing 1 whistle.
- Place a pan over medium heat and add coconut oil.
- When the oil heats up, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds. Add red chilies and curry leaves and stir for a few seconds.
- Add ginger, green chilies, and grated turmeric roots or turmeric powder and continue to stir well for a minute.
- Add onions and saute until they turn translucent.
- Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they are soft. Add coriander powder, cumin powder, and red chili powder. Cook for about 30 seconds. Add ¼ cup water and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add salt, cooked green Moong Dal, and stir well. Simmer for 2-3 minutes with a lid on. As the curry starts to boil, switch off the heat. Drizzle some freshly squeezed lemon juice and add chopped cilantro.
- Green Moong Dal is ready! Serve hot with rice or rotis!
Instant Pot Method
- Press saute button and keep it in the medium setting and add oil. When the oil heats up, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Saute until spices start sizzling.1 tablespoon coconut oil, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds/ jeera
- Add grated ginger and chopped chilies and saute for 15-30 seconds. Add chopped onions and saute until they turn translucent. Add chopped tomatoes and saute them until they soften.1 onion, 2 green chilies, 2 teaspoon grated ginger, 2 small tomatoes
- Now add all the spices like red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder or grated turmeric root, and salt. Continue to sauté and mix well.Salt to taste, 1 teaspoon grated turmeric root, 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, 1-2 teaspoon red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- Add soaked and drained whole moong dal and 1 ¾ cup water. Stir well. Press cancel to stop sauteing and close the instant pot lid.1 cup dry whole green Moong Dal/ Green Gram
- Press pressure cooker setting and set the timer for 6 mins on high pressure. When instant pot beeps let the pressure release naturally. It is safe to open the lid only after the pin drops down.
- Open the lid and add fresh lemon juice and cilantro mix well.3 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoon coriander leaves/ cilantro
- Green gram curry is ready to serve.
Notes
- Note that you must soak the dal to ensure it cooks fast.
- You can also sprout the dal; it gives the same great taste. Not only that, sprouted dal comes with tons of health benefits.
- In the end, you can add tadka or tempering with spices and Kasuri methi. But that’s optional.
- Rinse and soak the green mung beans for at least 4 hours if you have the time. If you don’t have time to soak, you could always use unsoaked beans. But make sure to adjust the time (you need to cook for 20- 25minutes)
- For cooking unsoaked mung beans in a stovetop pressure cooker, cook for up to four whistles. For soaked mung beans, pressure cook for just one whistle.
- If you don't have cumin and coriander powder, substitute with 1 teaspoon garam masala powder.
- Adding Kashmiri red chili powder to give a nice color to the dal(but this is optional, you could add this instead of red chili powder)
YOUR OWN NOTES
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
UPDATE NOTE: This recipe was originally published in March 2018. It was updated in February 2021 with new photos and text.
sonal
i love mung dal. Your pictures are very tempting and recipe is perfect for anyday meal and good nutrition. love it Uma.
Uma Raghupathi
Thank you Sonal!
sujitha
Nutritious rich gravy for roti's.. Pictures are awesome.. I usually use ghee for tempering, coconut oil in this recipe is quite interesting..
Uma Raghupathi
I don’t use ghee. Coconut oil gives nice aroma to the dal. Thank you Sujitha.
sapana
Green moong dal is a must at our house once in a week. Love the use of coconut oil.
Uma Raghupathi
Or really! that’s good. Thanks Sapana.
firsttimercook
Love this protien packed dal, so delicious 😋😋
Avin
One of my favorite daal to eat. Love the simple vedio😛
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth
We love moong dal with our rice or even more with puttu. This curry sounds super delicious, the gravy is nice and thick...
Nivedita Thadani
Healthy bowl of daal. Goes well with chapati, rice and even just like that. I too make the same way sometimes replace ginger with garlic and tomato with tamarind pulp.
Uma Raghupathi
Thank you! I like to eat with rice 🙂
themadscientiststskitchen
Wow! Drooling here. You reminded me of Amma! She used to make moong just like you, Yummy.
Uma Raghupathi
Thank you:) That’s really good to hear:)
priya satheesh
Dal looks delicious and absolutely nutritious.
Drashti Dholakia
Such a nutritious and yummy recipe..Can enjoy it with steamed rice
Uma Raghupathi
Yes right:)
Jagruti
Almost every Wednesday I prepare Moong Curry, Now I have another version of it:) Healthy and packed with all the goodness!
Sharmila - The Happie Friends Potpourri Corner
Loaded with healthy stuffs.. Im not a great fan of Moong Dal but this looks yumm.. Will try..
Uma Raghupathi
Do try let me how you like it. Thank you Sharmila!
Freda @ Aromatic essence
An inexpensive superfood as you say! This definitely needs to be included more in our diets, the dal looks warm and comforting, I could have that plain 🙂
Uma Raghupathi
True. I always buy a big bag of Moong Dal. Thank you Freda!
Sujata Roy
A healthy and delicious dish. Dal looks so inviting. Superb share.
Uma Raghupathi
Thank you Sujata!
Pavani
That is such a healthy and nutritious curry with moong dal. That sounds delicious to serve with rice or roti. Thank you for sharing.
Uma Raghupathi
Thank you Pavani. Yes very true!