Moong Dal Tadka Recipe – Yellow Lentils Curry
There is something comforting about a simple bowl of dal, especially when it is made with yellow moong dal and finished with a tadka. This moong dal tadka recipe is light, flavorful, and easy enough to make for an everyday meal. Cook the dal until soft and creamy, then top with a sizzling tempering of spices and other aromatics.
About moong dal tadka
Moong dal is a healthy split yellow lentil husked from mung beans (sabut moong or green moong). When we remove the outer green skin and split the beans into equal halves, we get this yellow dal.
If you love yellow lentils, you can try my other recipes, such as moong dal halwa, moong dal cheela, and moong dal khichdi.
This Indian moong dal is also a nutritious, plant-based protein dish that is eaten for lunch or dinner. It consists of yellow moong dal cooked or simmered with onion, tomatoes, and basic spices until it gets soft and creamy.
After the dal texture softens, it is finished with a tempering (tadka) of ghee, garlic, asafoetida, and dried red chilies. Then, pour the tadka over the cooked dal; this adds flavor and depth.
The dal consistency is creamy and pourable, which pairs beautifully with rice, roti, or any vegetable dish. In my home, it is mostly made for dinner and eaten with simple phulka. You also add this to your meals to get extra nutrition.
Along with this yellow lentil curry, you can also try my other lentil recipes: Masoor Dal, Dal Tadka, Sabut Masoor, Sabut Urad, and Dal Makhani.
Ingredients
- Moong Dal- I used a cup of split yellow lentils; if you want, you can substitute with 1/4 cup masoor dal (red lentil) for extra protein.
- Onion- Red chopped onion gives a slight sweetness.
- Tomato- Fresh tomato gives a mild tanginess to the dal; use ripe tomatoes for best texture.
- Green chilies- They add a mild heat and freshness; adjust accordingly to your spice level.
- Turmeric powder- It adds a beautiful color and gives an earthy flavor to the dal.
- Salt- I have used regular white salt.
- Oil/Ghee- I used oil in cooking the dal and ghee for end tempering.
- Cumin seeds- It is used for the tadka for an earthy aroma; instead, you can use mustard seeds.
- Garlic- A small amount of chopped garlic adds depth at the end.
- Red chili powder- It is used for red colour in the dal. If you eat less spicy, use Kashmiri lal mirch.
- Asafoetida (hing)- Adding a pinch of hing to the tadka enhances the overall flavor.
How to make moong dal tadka recipe
1. Rinse one cup of yellow lentils in clean water until the white starch is removed properly, and keep it aside.
2. Heat one tbsp of oil with 1 tsp cumin seeds in a pressure cooker over medium heat.
3. When the cumin seeds start sizzling, add a chopped onion and sauté it until it turns light golden.
4. After turning onion’s golden, add the chopped tomato to it. You can use tomato puree if you want.
5. After a minute, add 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric, and chopped green chilies. Sauté all together until the tomatoes are soft.
6. When the tomatoes are soft and start releasing oil, it means the masala is ready.
7. Now add the washed moong dal.
8. Next, add 2 cups of water, mix all ingredients well, and close the lid. Cook it on high heat for 3 to 4 whistles, then turn off the flame.
9. When the pressure drops, open the lid and check that the dal is soft and creamy with a pourable consistency.
If your dal is thicker, adjust the consistency by adding water and simmer it for a few minutes.
10. Now, in a small pan, heat 2 tbsp of ghee on low heat.
11. Then add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 dried red chilies, 1/8 tsp of asafoetida, and 1/2 tsp of red chili powder. Sauté all together until the seeds turn brown or the red chilies start to splutter.
12. Now pour the tadka (tempering) over the cooked dal, and the moong dal tadka is ready.
Serving Idea
» Serve moong dal tadka hot with jeera rice or ghee rice for a restaurant-style flavor.
» Enjoy with roti or phulka for an easy everyday lunch or dinner.
» A side of plain curd, cucumber raita, or lauki raita works beautifully with spiced dal.
» Add a spoonful of ghee on top of yellow lentil curry just before serving for extra richness or flavor.
» Finish moong dal tadka with a sprinkle of fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice for a fresh bite.
Pro Tips
- Rinse the moong dal well in water to remove excess starch and keep the dal cleaner.
- Don’t overcook the dal; cook it just soft or creamy without turning it completely mushy.
- Dal naturally thickens as it sits, so add a little hot water before serving to adjust consistency.
- Keep the heat moderate while preparing tadka; make sure the tempering does not burn.
Moong Dal Tadka Recipe – Yellow Lentils Curry
Ingredients
For Cooking Dal
- ½ cup moong dal (yellow lentils)
- 2 cups water
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 chopped medium tomatoes
- 1 chopped green chili
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 tbsp oil
For Tadka
- 2 tbsp ghee
- ½ tsp cumin/mustard seeds
- â…› tsp asafoetida (hing)
- ½ tsp red chili powder/kashmiri lal mirch
- 2 dried red chilies
Instructions
- Take the yellow lentils in a bowl and rinse 3 to 4 times in clean water.
- Now heat oil with cumin seeds in a pressure cooker over medium heat.
- When the seeds start sizzling, add chopped onion and saute until it turns golden.
- Then add chopped tomatoes and saute until soft.
- After a minute, add turmeric powder, green chili, and salt. Saute all of them until the tomatoes are fully soft and the raw smell is gone.
- When the tomato masala releases oil, add the yellow lentils with water.
- Mix well, cover the cooker lid, or pressure cook on high heat for 3 to 4 whistles, then turn off the flame.
- When the pressure drops, open the lid, and the lentils are fully soft.
- Now heat ghee in a small pan with all the ingredients mentioned in the tadka section.
- Saute all of them until the chilies crackle.
- When it's done, pour it over hot cooked dal.
- Serve it hot with roti or rice.
Notes
- Rinse the moong dal well to remove excess starch and keep the dal cleaner.
- Don’t overcook the dal; cook it just soft or creamy without turning it completely mushy.
- Dal naturally thickens as it sits, so add a little hot water before serving to adjust consistency.
- Keep the heat moderate while preparing tadka; make sure the tempering does not burn.
