Mung Dal – Indian Lentil Curry from Yellow Mung Beans

You cook mung dal, in India moong dal, from split, hulled mung beans. They are yellow and small and, without soaking, break down in 25 minutes into a creamy purée. Turmeric colors the dal golden yellow. The flavor comes from the tadka: ghee in which you let cumin and mustard seeds crackle, plus onion, garlic, ginger and tomato.

By Laura Chen · November 4, 2026

45 Mintotal

4servings

260kcal

IndianCuisine ›

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Wash the beans in several changes of water until the water stays clear, and the dal foams less while cooking. Skim off the foam anyway. You adjust the consistency with hot water, and the dal thickens as it stands. Pour the tadka over the dal only shortly before serving, so the spices keep their aroma in the hot fat. Whole green mung beans with the skin take longer and taste earthier, and for this recipe you use the yellow ones.

With yellow lentils and garlic ghee, you cook dal tadka. With chickpeas in tomato sauce it becomes chana masala, and palak paneer goes alongside as a vegetable dish.

Image: AI-generated.

Mung Dal – Indian Lentil Curry from Yellow Mung Beans

Name: Mung Dal – Indian Lentil Curry from Yellow Mung Beans
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 200 g yellow mung beans (moong dal, hulled and split); 900 ml water; 1/2 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp ghee; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds; 1 pinch asafoetida; 1 onion, finely diced; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 piece ginger (2 cm), finely grated; 1 green chili, finely chopped; 2 tomatoes, diced; 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (mild Indian chili powder); 1/2 tsp garam masala; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Laura Chen

Servings

Prep time

15 minutes

Cook time

30 minutes

Calories

260

Cuisine

Indian

Ingredients

For the dal:

200 g yellow mung beans (moong dal, hulled and split)
900 ml water
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt

For the tadka:

2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 pinch asafoetida
1 onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 piece ginger (2 cm), finely grated
1 green chili, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (mild Indian chili powder)
1/2 tsp garam masala

To serve:

1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Wash the mung beans in a bowl in several changes of water until the water stays almost clear. Let them drain in a sieve.
Bring the beans, water and turmeric to a boil in a pot and skim off the foam. Simmer partly covered over low heat for 25 minutes, until they break down.
Whisk the dal smooth, salt it and thin it with hot water until it runs from the spoon in a thick stream.
Heat the ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and wait 30 seconds, until the mustard seeds pop. Stir in the asafoetida.
Fry the onion in it for 5 minutes until golden brown. Add the garlic, ginger and chili and fry for 1 more minute.
Add the tomatoes, chili powder and garam masala and fry everything for 3 to 4 minutes, until the tomatoes break down and the ghee separates at the edge.
Pour the tadka over the hot dal, stir in the lemon juice and sprinkle with cilantro.

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Mung Dal – Indian Lentil Curry from Yellow Mung Beans

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Mung Dal – Indian Lentil Curry from Yellow Mung Beans

Ingredients

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For the tadka:

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