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Daal & beans

Moong Daal Recipe

دال مونگ بنانے کا طریقہ

Light yellow moong daal, cooked silky with turmeric and tomato and finished with a garlic, cumin and red chilli tarka. Gentle on the stomach.
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Illustration of Moong Daal

Prep

10 min

Cook

30 min

Marinate / soak

30 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Spice

Mild

Yellow moong is the lightest of the daals and the one Pakistani mothers cook for anyone who is unwell, but done properly it is far from bland. It cooks quickly to a smooth, golden daal that carries a garlicky tarka beautifully. Keep it a little thinner than masoor; it is often eaten almost like a soup with rice.

Ingredients

4 servings

For 4 servings

Measures

For the tarka (baghaar)

Method

  1. Wash the moong daal 3 or 4 times and soak it in fresh water.

    ⏱ 30 min

  2. Drain and add to a pot with 4 cups of water, turmeric, salt, red chilli powder and ginger. Bring to the boil on high heat and skim off the froth.

    ⏱ 5 min

  3. Add the tomato and green chillies, lower the heat, partly cover and simmer until the daal is completely soft.

    ⏱ 20 min

  4. Whisk the daal until smooth and add hot water to get a pouring consistency. Simmer for another few minutes so it comes together.

    ⏱ 3 min

  5. Heat the ghee in a small pan on medium heat. Add the cumin and let it crackle, then add the garlic and dried red chillies and fry until the garlic is golden.

    ⏱ 2 min

  6. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the pinch of red chilli powder so it colours the ghee without burning, and pour the tarka over the daal at once. Top with coriander.

Tips for the best result

  • Moong froths more than other daals. Skim well at the boil and keep the lid slightly open or it will boil over.
  • For a sick person or a small child, skip the chillies and keep just ghee and cumin in the tarka.

Common mistakes

  • Overcooking the garlic in the tarka. Once it is golden it goes bitter within seconds, so have the daal ready before you start.
  • Letting it sit until thick and cold before serving. Moong sets quickly; serve it hot and loose.

How to serve

Serve with plain boiled rice or khichdi-style with rice mixed in, with achar and a dollop of yogurt.

Storing and reheating

Keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge. It thickens a lot, so add hot water and bring to a simmer when reheating.

Nutrition and cost

Worked out from the ingredients, not measured in a lab. Treat both as a rough guide.

Per serving Estimate

Calories
285kcal
Protein
13g
Fat
11g
Carbs
36g
Fibre
9.3g
Sodium
590mg

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (April 2018), public domain values for the raw ingredients (100% of the recipe by weight had data). Deep-frying oil is counted at 20%; bones and water lost in cooking are not subtracted, so bone-in and fried dishes can read high. Not medical advice. Method

Cost per servingEstimate

≈ Rs 25

Whole dish ≈ Rs 99 · 85% of ingredients by weight priced

From the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics weekly SPI, week ended 29 Oct 2026. Spices, herbs and some vegetables are not in the SPI and are left out unless you add your price, so the real cost is a little higher. How this works

Moong Daal: questions people ask

Is moong daal good when you are sick?

It is the lightest daal to digest, which is why it is the usual choice for upset stomachs and recovery. Cook it thin with little chilli.

What is the difference between moong and masoor daal?

Washed moong is yellow, milder and lighter; masoor is orange-red, slightly earthier and thickens more. Both cook in about 20 minutes after a short soak.

Serve it with, and similar recipes

All daal recipes

Read this recipe in Urdu: دال مونگ بنانے کا طریقہ

https://handi.danixsoft.com/recipes/moong-daal · Handi, DanixSoft