Green Moong Dal (Mung Bean Curry)

What is Green Mung Dal

Dal is usually a term used for a curry-like dish made using either whole beans, split beans with skin on, or split beans that are husked where the skin is removed. Dal is also a generic term used to refer to a variety of raw split lentils and beans used in Indian cooking.

This Green Mung Dal recipe uses whole mung or moong beans also known as green gram.

The mung beans have a nice earthy and nutty flavor that adds warmth to the vibrant spices of the curry. When cooked down, the mung beans become tender but still keep their shape. They absorb the sauce nicely and create a filling vegan Indian recipe. Plus mung beans have important health benefits since they are high in antioxidants, thus giving anti-inflammatory effects to help reduce chances of diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.

If you are curious to try cooking with mung beans in other ways, I also love my mung bean salad and mung dal chilla (pancakes).

Ingredients for Green Moong Dal

• Mustard seeds – add a nice earthiness but also a hint of sweetness to the curry.
• Cumin seeds – bring a bright almost hint of citrus flavor to the curry as well as a warming sweetness.
• Hing – also called asafetida, is a resin-like ingredient that comes from the root of ferula. Ferula is related to celery, parsley, and carrots and resembles a giant fennel plant. It has a pungent smell when raw, but when cooked, it can often smell like leeks.
• Curry leaves – provide a base warming flavor to the curry with the oil and the mustard seeds.
• Yellow onion and tomato – vegetable aromatics used to make the base of the curry sauce for the mung beans.
• Ginger and garlic paste – Ginger paste and garlic paste add the foundational flavors of Indian cooking to add spice and zest.
• Turmeric – adds an earthiness to the mung bean curry with great anti-inflammatory properties.
• Kashmiri red chili powder – an essential chili powder in Indian cooking that adds the signature bright red color as well as a bit of heat. If you don’t have, you can substitute smoked or sweet paprika with a pinch of cayenne.
• Ground coriander – adds a hint of citrus flavor as well as a warmth similar to cinnamon.
• Garam masala – this is the essential warm spice mix that gives an Indian curry that signature rich flavor. You can buy it at the store or make it easily at home with five ingredients.
• Whole moong beans – also known as mung beans, you can pre-soak the mung beans overnight, but it also isn’t necessary when using the Instant Pot.
• Jaggery – this is an optional ingredient that is a coarse dark brown sugar made from the sap of palm trees and used in Indian cooking. It adds a hint of sweetness to balance the rich spices of the curry.
• Lemon juice – adding a bit of acid at the end of a recipe brightens the flavors to be even more flavorful.
• Cilantro – adds a herby brightness with a bit of spice and citrus flavor to the curry recipe as a garnish.

How to Make Mung Bean Curry

• Set the Instant Pot to Saute Mode and heat oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add mustard seeds and once they start to splutter, add cumin seeds, hing, and curry leaves.
• Add onions, ginger, and garlic paste and saute for two minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for another minute, mixing well. 

• Add turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, salt, and garam masala. Add moong beans, and water and mix well. 
• Close the Instant Pot lid with the pressure release valve to sealing and pressure cook for 15 minutes followed by 10 minute natural pressure release.

• Open the Instant Pot and mix the dal
• Add jaggery, and lemon juice and mix well. Garnish with cilantro

Serving

Serve with basmati rice and pickled onions for a hearty, gluten-free, vegan Indian meal. You can also serve the mung bean curry with roti or paratha on the side, it’s perfect for scooping up the delicious curry.

Additionally, for a creamy and cooling component, my cucumber raita is delicious. It’s light and creamy and makes the ideal garnish to balance the rich flavors of the curry.

Tips

• Cut down on cook time – you can reduce the cook time by soaking the mung beans overnight or for 3 to 4 hours in warm water. Drain the soaking liquid and discard, then just cook on high pressure in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes.
• Make it spicy – if you prefer a curry with more heat, add 1 to 2 chopped green chilies along with the ginger and garlic in the recipe.
• If you don’t have Kashmiri red chili powder, use smoked or sweet paprika with a pinch of cayenne pepper.
• If you need a substitute for jaggery, you can add some dark brown sugar or turbinado sugar instead.

How to Store

Store the mung bean curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. You can also freeze the curry for up to two months. Thaw on the counter for a couple of hours or in the fridge overnight. Reheat in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat until completely warmed through.

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