Moong Dal: Vegetarian Indian Yellow Lentil Dhal Recipe

Name: Moong Dal: Vegetarian Indian Yellow Lentil Dhal
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 cup mung dal; 2 cups water or vegetable broth; 1 teaspoon turmeric; Dash cayenne pepper, or more to taste; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 onion, diced; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 2 whole cloves; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Total: 30 mins

Servings: 4 servings

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Enjoy this flavorful vegetarian and vegan Indian food recipe of mung dal. Mung dal, sometimes spelled "moong dal," or Indian-flavored yellow lentils, are a traditional vegetarian Indian recipe. This easy version of mung dhal soup simmers the dal in vegetable broth, turmeric, and cayenne for a spicy and flavorful—yet simple—vegetarian Indian lentil dal dish.

Cooking With Moong Dal Lentils

Moong dal lentils are much quicker to cook from scratch than beans—and even regular lentils, due to their tiny size. As an added benefit, lentils are ridiculously cheap (you can usually buy them in the bulk foods section) and are a great source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. Yellow lentil dal isn't quite a full meal on its own, but it can be a light dinner when paired with steamed white rice (or another whole grain, if you prefer). You can store the leftovers in individual serving-sized containers to take into the office to heat up for lunch, paired with a small green salad instead of rice.

This recipe is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free (check your ingredients to be 100 percent sure, particularly the vegetable broth and spices). If you do not want to use olive oil, feel free to coat the pan with nonstick spray instead.

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1 cup mung dal
2 cups water or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon turmeric
Dash cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 whole cloves
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Gather the ingredients.

The Spruce / Preethi Venkatram
In a large soup or stock pan, combine mung dal or yellow lentils, vegetable broth, turmeric, cayenne, and salt. Bring to a slow simmer.

The Spruce / Preethi Venkatram
Cover partially with a lid and allow to cook for at least 20 minutes, and up to 30 to 40 minutes if you prefer a smoother dal. You can add a bit more liquid if needed.

The Spruce / Preethi Venkatram
In a separate skillet, saute onion, cumin seeds, and clove in olive oil for just a few minutes over medium heat, until onions are soft.

The Spruce / Preethi Venkatram
Add onions and spices to mung dal or lentils and allow to simmer for a few more minutes, stirring well to combine. Sprinkle with a dash of black pepper and add extra salt to taste, if needed. Serve plain, as soup, or over rice.

The Spruce / Preethi Venkatram

Dal tends to thicken up a bit as it cools, so you may want to add a bit more water if you are planning on having leftovers. However, personal preference also plays a role in how thin or how thick you prefer your dal to be. It's always easy to add more liquid.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
138	Calories
8g	Fat
13g	Carbs
4g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	138
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g	10%
Saturated Fat 1g	6%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 601mg	26%
Total Carbohydrate 13g	5%
Dietary Fiber 4g	14%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 5mg	24%
Calcium 29mg	2%
Iron 2mg	14%
Potassium 275mg	6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.