Typical Bengali Moong Dal Recipe (with Mustard Oil)
This tasty Bengali Moong Dal recipe will transport you to India and is incredibly nourishing.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup split moong dal also called split mung beans
- 3 tablespoon mustard oil or vegetable oil
- 1½ teaspoons cumin seeds divided
- 1 green chili slit
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or any red chili powder
- 2 pinches gluten-free hing or regular hing (also called asafoetida), divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cultured ghee or regular ghee
Instructions
Roast the moong dal
- Heat a large pan, preferably cast iron, on low to medium flame.
- Add the moong dal (no need to rinse first) to the pan and gently roast until it changes to a golden color, but not brown, and emits a nutty aroma. This takes about 5-6 minutes. Stir it every so often so that the dal roasts evenly. Set the roasted moong dal aside.
Boil the roasted moong dal
- In a medium saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add roasted moong dal, and cook over medium to low flame until it is al dente, meaning until it's cooked through but still a bit hard in the middle. Takes about 10 minutes.
Cook the spices
- Meanwhile, heat the mustard oil in a medium stock pot over medium flame.
- Once the oil is hot, add the 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and let it sizzle for about 30 seconds.
- Next, add the green chilies and grated ginger; stir only to mix. Then add the rest of the spices: turmeric powder, red chili powder, a pinch of hing, and salt.
- Once your dal is ready, pour it into the cooked spices and let simmer on medium flame for another 10 minutes.
- Taste your dal. Adjust the salt to your liking.
Tempering
- In a tempering pan (also known as tadka pan), or any small saucepan if you don't own one, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee over medium to low heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds along with a pinch of hing.
- Cook until the beautiful aroma of the cumin seeds and hing fills the room, about 30-45 seconds. Pour the tempered spices and ghee into the dal and mix well. Taste the dal again and adjust salt level accordingly.
Serve
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with steamed basmati rice.