In India, lentils (dal) are an important part of daily food. Rich in protein, lentils are one of the main sources of protein for vegetarians, as it serves as a good alternative to meat. There are hundreds of recipe options available for lentils – from main course to side dish, snacks or even sweets.
The term dal refers to the ingredient – lentils – but also to the final dish – cooked lentils.
In Indian households, dal is served with roti (Indian bread), rice, or dosa (an Indian sort of crepe made usually from rice flour batter and lentils).
Lentils come in different colors from green, to red, yellow, white, black, brown or orange, and different sizes as well. I still didn’t try all of them, but my preference as of now, goes to yellow and green lentils. They are simple to cook, don’t require too much of soaking and they just have a pleasant flavor that goes well in a variety of dishes.
The recipe I’m sharing today – Moong dal khilma – is a Rajasthani dal dish, a dry lentil preparation tempered with mixed spices.
As I wanted to serve it with boiled rice, I thought adding a little bit of water and transforming it into a spicy lentil curry. If you look for the authentic Rajasthani moong dal khilma recipe, then do not add water.
The recipe is adapted from Prashad-Cooking with Indian Masters
Moong dal khilma step by step recipe
Wash the lentil/dal and put it in a deep pan together with ginger and water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until cooked. Once the moong dal is cooked, drain the water and keep aside.
Heat ghee in a deep frying pan/kadhai, on medium heat, add cumin seeds and allow to crackle. Add asafetida, stir, add red chilli, turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir, then add the cooked dal and 1/2 cup water (or less if you prefer it more dry), cook for 5-7 mins.
Add garam masala and lime juice, stir carefully. Adjust the salt if needed.
Garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves and serve with boiled rice or bread.
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- 1 cup green moong dal/green gram/mung bean;
- 1 tsp chopped ginger;
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro/coriander, chopped;
- 2 tbsp ghee/clarified butter;
- 1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera;
- pinch asafetida/hing;
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder;
- pinch turmeric powder;
- 1 tsp garam masala;
- 1 tbsp lime/lemon juice;
- 2 cups water;
- 1/2 tsp salt.
- Wash the lentil/dal and put it in a deep pan together with ginger and water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until cooked.Once the moong dal is cooked, drain the water and keep aside.
- Heat ghee in a deep frying pan/kadhai, on medium heat, add cumin seeds and allow to crackle. Add asafetida, stir, add red chilli, turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir, then add the cooked dal and 1/2 cup water (or less if you prefer it more dry), cook for 5-7 mins.
- Add garam masala and lime juice, stir carefully. Adjust the salt if needed.
- Garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves and serve with boiled rice or bread.
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