Servings
Font
Back
Sabut Moong Dal (Creamy Green Mung beans)
5 from 69 votes

Sabut Moong Dal (Creamy Green Mung beans)

Sabut Moong Dal is a creamy green mung bean dish cooked with aromatics including onion, garlic, green chili, and a blend of warming spices. Coconut milk adds richness to the lentils, which are pressure-cooked until tender, creating a smooth and comforting texture. The recipe includes options for stove-top cooking, alternative non-dairy milks, and variations for oil-free or onion-garlic-free versions, making it adaptable to different preferences while maintaining its mildly spiced character.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 182 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup green mung beans soaked for at least two hours, aka sabut moong
  • 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil or use a few tablespoons water to sauté, generic cooking oil
  • 1/2 cup onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 green chili finely chopped, hot
  • 1-2 teaspoons garam masala or berbere or Madras curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne chili powder You can use more if you'd like more heat, or Indian red chili powder
  • 1/4 cup tomato puree or 2 fresh tomatoes pureed
  • 14 oz coconut milk or use cashew milk or water, can, full-fat
  • 1 cup water (use 1 1/2 cup if your instant pot is prone to burn error)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • cilantro for garnish
  • lemon juice
  • lime juice
  • red pepper flakes

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Wash and soak your moong beans if you haven't already then drain and set aside.
  2. Turn the Instant Pot on Saute mode at high and add the oil. Once the oil is hot add the onion, garlic, green chili, and a good pinch of salt and cook until the onion is golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Also deglaze occasionally if needed by adding a 1-2 teaspoons of water.
  3. Once golden, add in the spices and mix well. Cook for another 15 seconds. Then add in the tomato puree, drained moong beans, water, coconut milk, and salt, and stir to mix in.
  4. (If using fresh tomato puree, add just the tomato puree after adding the spices and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it comes to a good boil then add in the moong beans, coconut milk, and water and mix in.)
  5. Mix really well to pick up any stuck bits, and switch off Saute mode. Close the lid and pressure cook for 35 minutes or bean mode for 35 minutes. I like to use the bean mode because sometimes the beans are pretty old and they take a much longer time to cook on regular pressure cook mode. (For less soft beans, pressure cook 20 mins.)
  6. Let the pressure release naturally then open the lid, stir and mash some of the moong beans using a spatula, mashing them on the sides of the inner pot. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. If the dal is too thick, you can add in some more water and mix in while the dal is still hot. Remove the dal from the instant pot and garnish with cilantro and lemon juice and serve with rice, quinoa, naan, or flat bread.

Notes

  • On stove top, cook soaked dal with additional water, partially covered, stirring occasionally and mashing some beans to desired consistency.
  • Substitute coconut milk with other non-dairy milks and add non-dairy yogurt for creaminess if desired.
  • To make oil-free, sauté with water and add extra water to prevent sticking and burning.
  • Replace onion and garlic with zucchini and fenugreek leaves or seeds for an alternative aromatic base.
  • Adjust cooking times when using other lentils as substitutions, noting each type’s pressure cooking duration.
  • Add extra water if your pressure cooker tends to burn the dal to avoid error.

Nutrition Information

Calories 182kcal (9%) Carbohydrates 31g (10%) Protein 10g (20%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Sodium 341mg (14%) Potassium 553mg (12%) Fiber 8g (32%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 165IU (3%) Vitamin C 6mg (7%) Calcium 95mg (10%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 182

% Daily Value*

Calories 182kcal 9%
Carbohydrates 31g 10%
Protein 10g 20%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Sodium 341mg 14%
Potassium 553mg 12%
Fiber 8g 32%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 165IU 3%
Vitamin C 6mg 7%
Calcium 95mg 10%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.