Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup green mung beans (dried)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger (minced)
- ½ cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ scotch bonnet (chopped)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp pink salt
- 3½ cups water (plus more if needed)
Tempering (Chunkay)
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves (chopped)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
Instructions
- Rinse the mung beans: Place the mung beans in a fine mesh sieve and rinse thoroughly several times with cold water to remove any impurities.
- Soak the mung beans: Transfer the rinsed mung beans to a medium bowl, cover completely with fresh water, wrap with cling film, and soak for several hours or overnight to soften.
- Drain soaked beans: After soaking, drain off the water and set the mung beans aside for cooking.
- Heat oil and cumin: In a medium non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the cumin seeds and cook until aromatic, about one minute, taking care not to burn them.
- Sauté aromatics and tomatoes: Reduce heat to medium, then add chopped onion, minced garlic, minced ginger, and chopped tomatoes. Cook until onions are soft and translucent and tomatoes begin to soften.
- Add spices: Stir in ground coriander, turmeric, chopped scotch bonnet, black pepper, and pink salt, combining well with the sautéed mixture.
- Add mung beans and water: Add the drained mung beans and 3½ cups water to the saucepan. Stir to combine.
- Boil and simmer: Increase heat to bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 30-40 minutes until the mung beans are tender. Check halfway through cooking and add additional water (about ¼ cup at a time) if necessary to maintain consistency.
- Blend to desired texture: Remove from heat and use a stick blender or similar tool to mash the cooked mung beans until the dhal reaches your preferred thickness.
- Season to taste: Taste the dhal and adjust seasoning with additional black pepper and pink salt if needed.
- Prepare the tempering (chunkay): Heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add chopped garlic and cumin seeds, cooking until golden and aromatic but not burnt.
- Combine tempering with dhal: Carefully pour the hot garlic-cumin oil over the prepared mung bean dhal and stir thoroughly to distribute the flavors evenly.
- Final seasoning and serve: Conduct a final taste test and adjust seasoning if necessary, then serve the dhal warm as a comforting main or side dish.
Notes
- Soaking mung beans overnight reduces cooking time and improves digestibility.
- Adjust the amount of scotch bonnet pepper based on your heat preference.
- Use a non-stick pan to prevent sticking during sautéing and simmering.
- The tempering oil (chunkay) adds a traditional depth of flavor, but can be skipped if desired.
- Add water gradually during simmering to avoid making the dhal too watery.
- Serve dhal with rice, flatbread, or as a soup.
- For a vegan version, this recipe is naturally suitable as it contains no animal products.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus soaking time, 6-8 hours or overnight)
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
- Diet: Vegan
