Moong Dal Fry Recipe
This mildly spicy dal is rich of flavor and makes a great side dish for rice or roti! You can make this recipe with any lentils you choose.
Servings - 5
Difficulty Level - Medium
Preparation Time - 1.5 Hrs
Cook Time - 45 mins
Ingredients
- 100 gm Moong Dal
- 75 gm Onion, finely chopped (about 1 large onion)
- 75 gm Tomato, finely chopped (about 1 large tomato)
- 10-12 gm Garlic, finely chopped (about 7-8 cloves)
- 5 gm Ginger, finely chopped (3/4 inch piece)
- 4 gm Green chilli, finely chopped (about 2)
- 1 dry red chilli
- 1 tsp Mastercook cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp ajwain (carom)
- 1/2 tbsp Mastercook whole Dhania, roasted and powdered
- 1/4 tbsp Mastercook whole Jeera, roasted and powdered
- ¼-1/2 tbsp Red chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- ½ gram Asafoetida powder
- 1-2 tbsp Ghee
- Chopped Coriander, for garnish
Procedure
- Wash and soak the dal for 1-2 hours. Boil the dal for around 10-15 minutes, adding just enough water to cover the daal. The dal should be just cooked and not mushy.
- In a kadai, heat oil and add the cumin seeds and ajwain. After a few seconds, add the red chilli, broken roughly into a few pieces and immediately after, add the onion and after sautéing for a few minutes, add the ginger and green chilli.
- Keep sautéing the onion until it is golden brown. After this add the tomato and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the powdered spices and stir constantly.
- Cook the masala until the oil separates out of it adding splashes of water incase it begins to catch on the bottom.
- Once the masala is thoroughly cooked, add the boiled dal and some water. Season with salt to taste and continue boiling till it thickens. Do not add too much salt as once it thickens, it will concentrate slightly.
- Heat ghee in a small frying pan or tadka pan and add the garlic. Saute until golden and fragrant. Dip the entire pan into the dal to give the tadka or chhonk. This provides additional flavor and aroma to the dish.
- Stir well to combine the tadka into the dal. Check the seasoning and add salt if required. Finish with coriander.
Tips for Cooking
- You can use other dals like Toor, Channa or Masoor. A combination works well too!
- For the powdered spices, it helps to combine them separately in a bowl with some hot water and then add it to the pan, this ensures that it doesn't catch and burn immediately as this tends to happen with powdered spices.
- This makes a mildly spicy dal, you can make it spicier if you prefer.
- You can choose to add more or less ghee as you prefer.
