Moong Dal Kattu - Green Gram Soup

Moong dal is also known as green gram or mung bean and is widely eaten in Asia.  It is used to make savory (soups and dosas) and sweet dishes (laddu, halwa, Lunar New Year cookies, and sweet soups). 

One of my favorite ways to eat this lentil is kattu or soup.  It is comforting and nutritious. Let's see how to make it...

Ingredients
- 1 cup whole moong dal (green gram)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 2 to 3 green chilies, finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 to 3 cherry tomatoes (optional)

For seasoning
- 1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp whole cumin
- a pinch of Hing
- 4 to 6 fresh/dry curry leaves, chopped (optional)


Cooking Instructions
1) Place the moong dal into a pressure cooker/ pan and add 2 cups of water, pressure for 6 to 8 minutes or until you get 5 to 6 whistles. (You can also cook the moong dal on low/medium heat with 2-½ cups of water in a small Dutch oven until the dal is cooked to a soft texture.)

2) After the pressure is released, open the cooker and lightly mash the dal. Add more water to the required consistency. Then add salt, turmeric powder, and the seasoning (see instructions for seasoning).

Instructions for Seasoning

• Heat oil in a small skillet on low heat. Hover your palm over the skillet to see if you can feel the heat. When you feel the heat, add mustard and cumin seeds. When the seeds splutter, add Hing and then the chopped onions and garlic. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes until onions are transparent and garlic gives out its flavor. Next, add the curry leaves, stir for another 20 seconds and then transfer the seasoning into the cooked dal to cook them together. 

3) Next, bring the mixture to a boil for 1 minute and turn off the heat. The kattu or soup is ready to be enjoyed.  

Quick Tips:

You can eat the moong dal kattu on its own like lentil soup or like I do with warm Basmati rice. I also munch on fryums while eating it. 

 

The fryums on the left are what they look like in the bag. The fryums on the right are what they look like puffing up in the microwave. We suggest 30 to 60 seconds depending on the number of fryums.