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close up of daal

Moong and Masoor Daal Recipe

This recipe for masoor moong daal is packed with flavor thanks to the generous addition of kadi pata and tadka of cumin seeds and whole red chilies.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker Cooking Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian, Pakistani Cuisine
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

Daal

  • ¾ cup red masoor daal (red lentils)
  • ¼ cup yellow moong daal (yellow lentils) preferably soaked for 4 hours or more
  • 1 ½ teaspoon crushed ginger
  • 1 ½ teaspoon crushed garlic
  • 8 kadi patta (curry leaves) optional
  • 1 small red onion thinly sliced in half rings
  • 1 roma tomato roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder preferably Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1 bird's eye chili diced

Tadka

  • 2 tablespoon neutral oil (canola, sunflower or vegetable oil)
  • 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 6 dried red chilies

Instructions
 

Stove Top

  • Wash the masoor and moong daal (red and yellow lentils) until the water runs clear.
  • Add rinsed masoor and moong daal to a stockpot and add 5 cups of water. Bring to a simmer.
  • Add crushed ginger and garlic, kadi patta, onion, tomato, turmeric, and red chili powder, and bird's eye chili.
  • Bring heat to low and cover with tight fitting lid. Let daal cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check for doneness, and salt. If it needs to cook more, add ½ cup hot water, and let it simmer until it's soft.

Instant Pot

  • Wash the masoor and moong daal until the water runs clear.
  • Add masoor and moong daal, crushed ginger and garlic, kadi patta, onion, tomato, salt, turmeric, and red chili powder, and bird's eye chili, and 3 cups water to the Instant Pot. Turn Instant Pot on.
  • Close the lid and move the steam valve to sealing. On manual setting, set the cooking time to 10 minutes at high pressure.
  • Once the timer is up, move the steam valve to venting position to immediately release steam. After the pressure has released, carefully remove the lid, making sure you are not touching the metallic part. Turn Instant Pot off.

Tadka

  • Once the daal is ready and placed in serving bowl, begin to get the tadka ready. Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a saucepan and add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds begin to pop, add cumin seeds. Once the oil becomes aromatic, add whole red chilies.
  • After they have changed color slightly, pour the tempered oil on top of the daal. Serve.
Keyword gluten free, Vegan