Green Moong Dal Recipe (Instant Pot)
Green Moong Dal curry has been around for years yet the popularity that it enjoys 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.
Servings: 4
Calories: 259kcal
Equipment
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)
Nutrition
Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 85mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 152IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg