Moong dal, also called the yellow split green gram, is a very popular lentil in India. It is cooked in most Indian households and is served with some boiled rice. The dal is loaded with both protein and fibre and is just what one needs to kick start their day. It also helps in giving the body the needed energy without having to spend a lot of time cooking.
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Many people in India are already aware of the famous moong dal tadka recipe. It is made by boiling some yellow lentils and then seasoning them with a lot of spices and freshly chopped onions and tomatoes. Moong dal tadka with some white rice is indeed a comfort food, but eating it every day can be boring. Here are some delicious dishes with moong dal that you can make at home that are high in protein and also very delicious.
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* Moong Halwa
If one wants to have a soulful halwa at home that can be made from whatever is available in the kitchen then moong dal halwa is the perfect recipe. It is a soothing dessert that is made by soaking some moong dal in water for 5 to 6 hours. After this, the moong dal is ground in the food processor and dissolved in half a cup of sugar, with half a cup of water and half a cup of milk.
Keep cooking it on low flame and add half a cup of desi ghee into the mixture. Slowly, the oil will start separating itself and the milk will get absorbed in the mixture of ground dal. In this mixture, one can add some cardamom powder and chopped almonds.
* Moong Dal Soup
Moong dal soup is a very simple and soulful recipe that is creamy and very delicious. It is made by boiling 1 cup of properly washed moong dal with garlic cloves, 1 cup of medium chopped onions, and some chopped pieces of carrot. In the mixture, one can add a little bit of vegetable oil and some bay leaves.
For spices, one can add salt, red chilli powder, black pepper, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds. Put everything inside a pressure cooker and cook till two whistles. When the lentils are properly cooked, take them out of the pressure cooker and serve them in a bowl. One can have it as it is or choose to grind it in a blender to make a smoother soup. Serve it with some freshly garnished coriander leaves.
* Moong Dal Barfi
Moong dal barfi is a classic and royal dessert that is delectable because of the generous use of khoya, dry fruits, and desi ghee. Some people might think that it is better to buy this dessert from the market as it is very hard to make at home. But the truth is that the dessert is very simple to make at home, and one can also use authentic ingredients to make it as healthy and delicious as possible.
To make this Barfi, one has to take a pan and place it on low heat. In the pan, add some Desi ghee and ground dal. The mixture must be heated until the fat starts separating itself. Now add some khoya dry fruits and a little bit of water to the mixture. After cooking it for some time, one would see that the colour of the mixture starts becoming dark brown. Now add some sugar powder and cardamom powder and take the mixture off the flame. Spread the mixture on a tabletop and cut it into the shape of square pieces.
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* Moong Dal Pakode
What is better than having some moong dal pakode with a cup of tea on a summer evening? Moong dal pakode are hot, crispy, and so easy to make. To make this pakode, one has to simply soak moong dal and then grind it in a food processor. After grinding the moong dal, mix some water, and spices in the daal and fry some crunchy pakodas in smouldering oil with this batter. One may also add some vegetables like onions or spinach if they would like to.
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* Moonglet
Moonglet is a great replacement for unhealthy parathas in the morning. Also called the moong dal cheela, it is made by soaking moong dal in water for half an hour and then grinding it with some water to make a fine paste. In this paste, one can add some fresh vegetables and then pour the batter into a pan with some butter. As soon as bubbles start appearing on the surface, flip over the pan and cook it from the other side before serving it with some green chutney.