Green moong dal is a nutritious, protein-rich simple dish made with green mung beans and aromatic Indian spices. It is hearty, comforting and one of the easy recipes perfect to make for a midweek meal. It is a gluten-free and vegan Indian curry goes well with rice or roti.
Green moong is a kind of dal used in Indian cuisine. Moong is one of the most common ingredients used on a regular basis in every Indian home.
Green moong lentils are called by various names – whole mung beans, sabut moong dal, whole green gram, green mung beans, whole green mung bean, whole moong dal and whole moong beans.
This whole green lentil curry is well known as pesala kura in Andhra cuisine, pachai payaru curry in Tamil Nadu and hesaru kaalu saaru in Karnataka.
Legumes and dry beans are soaked overnight or at least for 4-5 hours prior to cooking to reduce cooking time and make them digestible.
Whether or not pre-soaking, legumes and dry beans cook well in an instant pot, and take less time than in a stovetop pressure cooker. Instant pot does a great job cooking legumes evenly with a soft texture.
Ingredients
- Whole Spices: Bay leaf, cassia, cloves, green cardamom, cumin seeds and fennel seeds.
- Dry Spices, nuts and Condiments: Turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt, cashew nut powder and garam masala.
- Vegetables: Green chilies, onion, ginger garlic paste, tomato and fresh coriander leaves.
- Liquids: Water and oil. Any cooking oil works – olive oil, sunflower oil, vegetable, coconut or peanut oil.
Find the quantities and a short video in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step-by-step instructions
Soak moong dal in hot water for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, gather all the ingredients required to make the green moong dal recipe and chop vegetables.
Plugin Instant pot and press the sauté button.
Heat oil and add the whole spices – cassia, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom and a teaspoon cumin seeds and fennel seeds.
Add the green chillies, onion and cook for 8-10 minutes or until they turn soft and translucent.
Now add the ginger garlic paste and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the raw aroma vanishes.
Stir in the tomatoes and add dry spices – turmeric powder, red chili powder, cashew nut powder, salt and garam masala. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Press the cancel button to turn the saute function off.
Drain the soaked moong dal and add them to the pot.
Add water and coriander leaves.
Close the pot with a lid.
Press the “pressure cook/manual” button and set the timer to 15 minutes at high pressure.
Move the steam release valve to the “sealing” position.
After the set timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally (NPR = Natural Pressure Release) for 10 minutes. Then move the steam release valve from the sealing position to the “vent” position to release the pressure manually.
Press the cancel button and switch the power off of the instant pot.
Once the remaining pressure is released completely, the floating valve next to the steam release valve drops, take the lid off the pot.
Serve the delicious whole green moong dal curry with basmati rice or any Indian flatbreads.
Check out other sprouted moong dal recipes on the blog – sprouted moong bean salad and moong sprouts pulao.
Substitutions and Variations
Add leafy vegetables such as spinach or methi (fenugreek) for extra nutrients.
Vegetable stock could be used instead of water for added flavour.
Use freshly minced garlic and ginger if you don’t have a pre-made ginger garlic paste.
I’ve used fresh tomatoes, use tinned tomato puree or freshly pureed tomatoes.
Dash of lemon juice elevates the taste and adds a tang to green moong dal.
Ghee imparts a lovely flavour and elevates the taste of green moong dal. Either substitute oil with ghee or use both half quantity each. Remember, it will not be a vegan curry anymore.
Skip cashew nut powder for a nut-free option.
Serving Suggestions
This green moong curry paired with plain rice, poppadum’s/masala papad, a simple side dish of jeera aloo, pickle, onion salad and cucumber raita make a comforting meal.
Instant pot mung beans is a perfect curry to serve with Indian flatbreads such as chapati, naan and paratha.
Pairs this green mung bean curry with either plain rice or with flavoured rice dishes such as saffron rice, jeera rice or vegetable pulao.
Storage
Fridge: This green gram dal stays good for 3-4 days in the fridge if stored properly in a clean airtight container.
Freezer: This is the best freezer-friendly recipe, perfect to have in a meal prep plan. Make a big batch ahead of time. Once the curry cools down, divide it into the required portions into freezer-safe containers or ziplock bags and store them in the freezer.
Defrost: Thaw the green moong dal the night before you plan to consume it. Take a portion out of the freezer and pop it in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop until hot.
Tips and Tricks
I had to soak the whole green moong in hot water because of the short time. If you plan well in advance to cook green lentils, soak them overnight or for at least 3-4 hours. Set the timer to 10 minutes if you are using a moong dal that is soaked for a longer time.
Ensure to deglaze the pot before securing it with a lid to prevent a BURN message on display.
This is a medium-thick green moong dal recipe perfect to serve as a side dish with chapati, paratha or naan bread. Add 1 or 2 extra cups water to adjust the consistency of the dal if you like your dal to be a little thin to go with the rice.
Ensure to soak green mung beans in enough water.
To multiply the quantity, increase the ingredients but not the cooking time.
Green moong dal recipe can be cooked in double the quantity. Regardless of double or triple quantity, keep the pressure cook/manual cooking time the same. Instant pot just takes a little longer to come to pressure and then the timer countdown starts.
Fennel seeds add a lovely flavour. Skip it if you don’t have them on hand. Instead, you could add little extra cumin seeds or cumin powder.
FAQ
Yes, there are 3 types of moong dal – whole green moong dal(sabut moong), split green gram(chilka moong), yellow moong (dhuli moong/moong dal). All these varieties are used in Indian cooking and are available in Indian grocery stores.
Of course. Whether you are meal prepping for the week or stocking up the freezer for an emergency meal, this instant pot green mung bean curry is one of the perfect Indian freezer meal recipes to consider.
If the curry is too thin, press the saute button, cook stirring regularly until the curry thickens and reaches desired consistency.
Is curry too thick? add liquid – water or stock and boil until piping hot. Taste and add salt if required.
Absolutely. In most Indian homes, mung beans are soaked overnight and then cooked with sufficient water (for 1 cup beans, 2-3 cups of water) in a pressure cooker or in a regular pot over medium flame. Later, the onion tomato masala cooked separately in a small pan and combined with cooked moong dal.
KEEP IN TOUCH
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Green Moong Dal Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot duo 7 in 1 electric cooker
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
- 1 cup (or) 230 gms Green Moong (sabut moong)
- 2 Teaspoons Oil
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 3 Cloves
- 2 Green Cardamom
- ½ inch Cassia/dalchini
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- ½ Teaspoon Fennel Seeds
- 1 Cup (or) 136 gms (or) 2 medium Onion chopped
- 2 Green Chillies each cut into half lenghtwise
- 1 Teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- ¾ Cup (or) 133 gms (or) 1 large Tomato chopped
- 2 Teaspoons Cashewnut Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1.5 Teaspoon Chilli Powder adjust to taste
- 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder
- Salt as required
- 2.5 Cups Water
- handful Coriander Leaves
Instructions
- Soak moong dal in hot water for 20 minutes.1 cup (or) 230 gms Green Moong (sabut moong)
- Meanwhile, gather all the ingredients and chop vegetables.
- Plugin Instant pot and press the sauté button.
- Heat oil and add the whole spices – cassia, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom and a teaspoon cumin seeds and fennel seeds.2 Teaspoons Oil, 1 Bay Leaf, 3 Cloves, 2 Green Cardamom, 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds, ½ Teaspoon Fennel Seeds, ½ inch Cassia/dalchini
- Add the green chillies, onion and cook for 8-10 minutes or until they turn soft and translucent.2 Green Chillies, 1 Cup (or) 136 gms (or) 2 medium Onion
- Now add the ginger garlic paste and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the raw aroma vanishes.1 Teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- Stir in the tomatoes and add dry spices – turmeric powder, red chili powder, cashew nut powder, salt and garam masala. Cook for 2-3 minutes.¾ Cup (or) 133 gms (or) 1 large Tomato, 2 Teaspoons Cashewnut Powder, ½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder, 1.5 Teaspoon Chilli Powder, 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala, 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder, Salt
- Press the cancel button to turn the saute function off.
- Drain the soaked moong dal and add them to the pot.
- Add water and coriander leaves.2.5 Cups Water, handful Coriander Leaves
- Close the pot with a lid.
- Press the “pressure cook/manual” button and set the timer to 15 minutes at high pressure.
- Move the steam release valve to the “sealing” position.
- After the set timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally (NPR = Natural Pressure Release) for 10 minutes. Then move the steam release valve from the sealing position to the “vent” position to release the pressure manually.
- Press the cancel button and switch the power off of the instant pot.
This is one of the best recipes I’ve ever made. Love mung beans curry with rice.
Sarah, so glad you liked it!