Being vegetarian (Amrith) and mostly vegetarian (me), lentils are an integral part of our meals and bringing in some variety always helps. This uses the same base (moong dal cooked to a mashed pulp) as the sweet and sour moong dal recipe but the taste is significantly different by altering a few of the ingredients.
Jeera (Cumin) Moong Dal | Basic Dal Recipes
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves 2-3
Adapted from: 660 Curries
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of moong dal / split green gram
A pinch of turmeric powder
2″ piece of of ginger, chopped
3-4 dry red chillies, torn into halves
1 tbsp of ghee or oil
1 tsp of jeera / cumin seeds
1/4 tsp of asafoetida / hing
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves, chopped, for garnish (optional)
How to Make Jeera Dal:
1. Pressure cook the moong dal with turmeric powder and enough water to cover it for 3-4 whistles. Mash the cooked dal until creamy and set aside. I use my immersion blender to puree dal for dal recipes. Makes the job super easy!
2. Heat the ghee or oil in a pan and add the cumin and red chillies. Fry until the cumin turns golden and the chillies turn almost black (take care not to burn them). Remove from fire and add the asafoetida and ginger. Saute until the ginger wilts in the heat and dunk the entire mixture into the dal. Add salt and chopped coriander leaves.
Goes really well with rotis or a mild vegetable pulao.
Lulukumar says
April 14, 2016 at 5:19 amThanks cookin gandme for this wonderful dal recipe.
vjperera says
October 15, 2012 at 5:19 pmLoved this recipe. Is this a jain dish?
Nagalakshmi V says
October 16, 2012 at 5:34 amno it's a Gujarati dal recipe, actually 🙂
Anonymous says
September 24, 2012 at 6:05 amHi ! This is my daughters fav dal ,only one suggestion instead of mashing dal too much ….pls boil it for less time that is one whistle ,it will make a huge difference in look [very imp for me ,i think also for u as i can make it out from your food pictures 🙂 ]as well as taste.
Anonymous says
September 23, 2012 at 10:30 amalways love your recipes with their little tips and specially like your comments too!! keep it up…!!
your classmate rosa's aunt,
rosie.
Nagalakshmi V says
September 24, 2012 at 6:30 amThank you Rosie aunty, it's a delight hearing from you 🙂
Anamika | madcookingfusions says
September 23, 2012 at 5:19 amI love this dal with plain boiled rice too soothing at all times 🙂
divya says
September 22, 2012 at 11:24 pmWow yummy yum!! Loved the preparation 🙂
Reshmi Mahesh says
September 22, 2012 at 5:25 pmHave prepared toor dal flavored with jeera..never tried this preparation with moong dal..Looks yum..
Shabitha Karthikeyan says
September 22, 2012 at 5:22 pmSuch a comfort food. Looks so homey !!
Happy Cook / Finla says
September 22, 2012 at 4:41 pmI love the book too. I think it is the first time I see you write your husbands name in the blog, ( atleast in the post i have read) normally i think you say the TH 🙂
Delicious looking curry