Here's everything worth knowing about moong dal and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 7 recipes to cook tonight.

What is moong dal?

Moong dal is the split, skinned mung bean: a small, flat, pale-yellow lentil that cooks fast and tastes gently sweet and nutty. You may also see it spelled mung dal or moong dhal.

In Indian cooking, dal refers both to the dried pulse and to the soupy dish made from it, so a recipe calling for moong dal might mean the lentil or the finished stew.

Skinning and splitting the green whole mung bean is what gives this version its yellow color and quick cooking. Because the tough outer skin is gone, moong dal needs no soaking and turns tender in twenty to thirty minutes.

It is one of the easiest pulses to digest, which is why it shows up in everything from baby food to convalescent meals.

How to Use It

Moong dal is the workhorse of a simple Indian dal. Simmer it with water and a little turmeric and salt until soft, then finish with a tarka: hot ghee bloomed with cumin, garlic, ginger, and dried chili, poured over the top.

It cooks down soft and creamy without going to mush.

It pairs naturally with greens and vegetables. Spinach with Moong Dal folds wilted spinach into the soft lentils for a one-pot meal, and the dal can stand in for the lentils in a comforting bowl like Masur Dal (Lentils).

The lentil also doubles as a base for snacks and one-pot rice dishes. Soaked and ground, it becomes the batter for fried dumplings in a recipe like Savory Balls in Yogurt, and simmered with rice and spices it makes khichdi, the soft, soothing porridge in Khichadi From Maja.

Toast the dry dal in a little ghee for a minute before adding water when you want a deeper, nuttier flavor; this dry roasting is a common first step in many Indian kitchens.

Pairing and Common Mistakes

Moong dal takes well to warm Indian aromatics: cumin, turmeric, mustard seed, asafoetida, ginger, garlic, and fresh cilantro. A squeeze of lemon or a spoon of yogurt at the end balances its mild sweetness, and a tarka of spices fried in ghee is what carries the whole dish.

The most common mistake is under-rinsing. Rinse the dal in a few changes of water until it runs clear, or the cooked dal can taste dusty and foam heavily as it simmers.

The second is walking away from the pot. Moong dal cooks quickly and can boil over or scorch on the bottom, so stir now and then and keep the heat at a steady simmer rather than a hard boil.

Substitutes

For a quick dal, red lentils (masoor dal) are the closest swap. They also cook fast without soaking and break down soft, though they turn a salmon-orange and taste slightly earthier. Use them one for one.

Toor dal (split pigeon peas) works too but cooks slower and tastes nuttier, so it suits a heartier dal more than a light one. Yellow split peas can stand in at a pinch, but they take longer and stay firmer.

For khichdi or a delicate dal where the gentle flavor matters, red lentils are the better choice.

Buying and Storing Moong Dal

Buy moong dal at an Indian grocer or the international aisle, where it is labeled moong dal, mung dal, or split yellow mung bean. Look for bright, evenly colored lentils with few broken bits or stones; dull or dusty dal is old.

Whole green mung beans are a different product and cook differently, so check the bag.

Stored in an airtight container away from heat and moisture, dried moong dal keeps for about a year, though it cooks best within the first six months; very old pulses can stay hard no matter how long you simmer them.

Cooked dal keeps three to four days in the fridge and freezes well for a couple of months.

Quick facts

In Chinese

moong DAL

British (UK) term

Moong dal

en français

moong dal

en español

moong dal

Recipes using moong dal

There are 7 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 7 recipes