Sukha Moong (dry whole green moong dal)
Updated: Nov 25, 2021
Packed with nutrition and antioxidants, whole moong or mung beans are a good source of plant based protein for those following a vegetarian / vegan diet.
While most recipes of mung beans are similar to a dal recipe, I like to cook mung beans this way; sukha moong - a dry-ish curry.
This recipe of sukha moong or dry whole green moong dal or dry mung beans could be served as a side with an Indian curry, Punjabi kadhi pakoda... For me, it makes for a great meal served on its own with ghee-laden chapatis or a veggie pulao. And I always add a raita of choice.
Unlike other beans, whole mung does not need to be soaked overnight. A couple of hours is fine or a little more maybe. I generally like to soak mung beans for 3-4 hours for my recipes. Any variety of beans is soaked only to soften the beans thereby, reducing the cooking time. So if you don't have the time to soak the mung beans (or any beans really), go ahead confidently and cook them for a little longer than your usual cooking time.
This recipe of sukha moong is naturally gluten free and vegetarian. If you're on a gluten free diet, this recipe of sukha moong (dry whole green moong dal) is for you. Serve it with thalipeeth or a besan ka puda for a complete gluten free Indian meal.
Replace the ghee in this recipe with your regular cooking oil to make it a vegan recipe of sukha moong.
If you like home-style Indian Curries, you may want to try these recipes from my Indian food recipe blog WhiskMixStir.
Chole Masala (chickpeas curry) or even this dry-ish recipe of Pindi Chole, with a twist
Looking for more dal recipes? Here you go!
And these Indian beverage recipes to accompany your Indian meal.
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Serves 4
Time taken:
Soaking whole green moong dal: 3-4 hours
Cooking: 30 minutes
Ingredients to make Sukha Moong
1½ cups whole green moong dal / mung beans
3 cups water
2 tbsp ghee
8-10 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds / jeera
½ tsp carom seeds / ajwain
A generous pinch of asafoetida powder / hing
2 dried Kashmiri red chillies
3 green chillies, finely chopped
5-6 cloves of garlic, bruised with the back of a knife
2 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
1 onion, medium sized, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, medium sized, finely chopped
2 tsp coriander powder / dhania powder
1 tsp turmeric powder / haldi
Salt, to taste
1 tsp lemon / lime juice
Method of making Sukha Moong
Soak the whole green moong dal / green mung beans in sufficient water for 3-4 hours. Soaking the mung beans helps reduce the cooking time. (more information in recipe notes)
Pressure cook the soaked whole green moong dal with 3 cups water and salt, for 1 whistle on high heat and then 3 whistles on low heat - approx. 10-12 minutes. The green mung beans are to be cooked till slightly underdone. We are leaving the whole green moong slightly undercooked as it will be further cooked with the tadka for 10 minutes or so to blend flavours. Keep the cooked mung beans aside to cool.
*If you do not have the time to soak the whole green moong dal, add an extra cup of water and pressure cook it on high heat for 1 whistle and then 6 whistles on low heat - approx. 18-20 minutes.
There should be about 1 cup of water remaining in the pressure cooker once the whole green moong dal is cooked. We will add this water when cooking the dal with the tadka. If the quantity of water seems less, please add as required.
Note: cooling the mung beans to ambient temperature is important, in order to avoid overcooking it and ending up with a mush of mung beans.
Once the whole green moong dal is at ambient temperature, heat ghee in a cooking pot / kadhai to prepare the tadka. Add curry leaves, mustard seeds, cumin seeds / jeera and carom seeds / ajwain. Once these crackle, add the dried Kashmiri red chillies, chopped green chillies, ginger, garlic and asafoetida powder / hing. I like to keep the garlic cloves whole, just bruised with the blade of a knife, you could finely chop it too. Sauté this mix for a minute or so and add chopped onions.
Cook the onions till they turn a light brown, add chopped tomatoes and mix well. Add coriander powder and turmeric powder once the tomatoes are mushy and cooked.
Give the tadka a good mix and stir in the partially cooked whole green moong dal / green mung beans along with the water. Mix well, taste and adjust flavours – go easy on the salt as this mix will cook and reduce.
Cover the kadhai and let the whole mung dal cook for 8-10 minutes on medium heat allowing flavours to blend – stir occasionally.
Once the whole green moong dal is cooked through and almost dry, taste and adjust seasoning and garnish with chopped fresh coriander. Mix in a teaspoon of lemon juice or lime juice just before serving this sukha moong... takes the dal to a whole new level!
Serve sukha moong (dry whole green mung dal) with thalipeeth, jowar roti, chapati… As seen below, I like to serve sukha moong with thalipeeth and thecha.
Do take a look at the other big plates / mains and other traditional Indian food recipes.
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