Toor Sabut Moong Dal

A simple lentil dish to go with Indian meals – toor dal (arhar dal/pigeon pea split) with a fistful of saboot moong (green gram or whole moong, with the green skin on) in it. The yellow and green of toor sabut moong dal makes for a bright-looking colorful dish.

In keeping with my no onion policy of recent times, this one too uses no onions in the tadka (the process of flavoring the dish with spices tempered in hot oil). It is a really quick tadka, done in seconds. If you have a pressure cooker, you could have your toor-sabut moong dal ready in a matter of minutes.

You Need:

• Toor dal/arhar dal (pigeon pea split) – 3/4 cup [buy here]
• Sabut moong dal (green gram) – 1/2 cup [buy here]
• Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
• Salt – to taste
• Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon, freshly squeezed

    For the tadka:

• Ghee – 1/2 tablespoon
• Curry leaves – a few, washed and patted dry
• Green chilies – 2, chopped fine
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Asafoetida (hing) – 1/2 teaspoon

How To Make Toor Sabut Moong Dal:

Wash toor dal and sabut moong dal.^[1] Soak them together for two hours.

After two hours, drain, wash again and transfer the dals to a pressure cooker.

Add 3 cups of water , turmeric to the dal. Lock the pressure cooker and place on high flame. After the first whistle, reduce the flame to low and let it cook for another two whistles.

Keep aside till the pressure is released. When cool enough to open, open lid and mix in salt.

Do the tadka: Heat ghee in a tadka ladle. Add to it mustard and cumin seeds. When they begin to splutter, add asafoetida, curry leaves and green chilies. Switch off as soon as the chilies turn brown.

Turn the tadka immediately into the pan containing the dal.

Mix in lemon juice. Serve toor sabut moong dal hot with chapatis or rice.

Meal idea: chapatis with toor sabut moong dal, zucchini tomato curry, fresh fruit/vegetable salad.

Notes:

1. Never made dal before, wondering how to wash it well? Take the dals together in a pot, add water, move the dal around with your fingers. You’ll see the water turn whitish. Drain it out carefully. Repeat till the water in the dal remains clear. Depending on the type of dal this could take 5-6 cycles.
2. Want another toor dal recipe? Try lasooni dal. Does sabut moong dal interest you? Go for green gram pancakes.