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मूंग-मसूर दाल | Moong-Masoor Dal

Name: मूंग-मसूर दाल | Moong-Masoor Dal
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: North Indian
Ingredients: ½ cup moong dal (soaked 1-2 hours) — मूंग दाल; ½ cup masoor dal (soaked 1-2 hours) — मसूर दाल; 3 cups water (triple the dal volume) — पानी; 1 medium tomato, halved — टमाटर; 1 small sprig kadi patta (curry leaves) — कड़ी पत्ता; ½ tsp turmeric powder — हल्दी; 1 tsp red chilli flakes — लाल मिर्च के गुच्छे; ½ tsp cumin seeds (whole) — साबुत जीरा; a pinch of asafoetida (heeng) dissolved in 2 tbsp water — हींग; salt to taste — नमक; 1 full ladle (kadhchi) desi ghee — देसी घी

One slow whistle, one ladle of ghee — bina tadke wali Maa's golden dal

⏱️ Prep Time: 5 min 🔥 Cook Time: 15 min ⏰ Total Time: 20 min 🍽️ Servings: 2 ⭐ Easy 📊 200 cal/serving

North Indian Main Course

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Oil Usage

🟢 No Oil! Low-Oil

Ingredients

2 srv

Main

½ cup moong dal (soaked 1-2 hours) — मूंग दाल
½ cup masoor dal (soaked 1-2 hours) — मसूर दाल
3 cups water (triple the dal volume) — पानी
1 medium tomato, halved — टमाटर
1 small sprig kadi patta (curry leaves) — कड़ी पत्ता
½ tsp turmeric powder — हल्दी
1 tsp red chilli flakes — लाल मिर्च के गुच्छे
½ tsp cumin seeds (whole) — साबुत जीरा
a pinch of asafoetida (heeng) dissolved in 2 tbsp water — हींग
salt to taste — नमक
1 full ladle (kadhchi) desi ghee — देसी घी

Instructions

Soak the moong dal and masoor dal together in water for 1–2 hours. Drain and add directly to the pressure cooker.

💡 Tip: Soaking shortens the cooking time significantly and makes both dals easier to digest. Even 30 minutes helps if you're short on time.

Add 3 cups of water. Place the tomato halves into the cooker (whole — do not chop). Add the kadi patta sprig, turmeric, red chilli flakes, whole cumin seeds, heeng water, and salt. No oil — everything goes in raw.

💡 Tip: This is the "bina tadke" (no-tempering) magic — all spices go in raw with the dal. The pressure cooking blooms them without any frying step.

Close the cooker lid. Put it on medium-high heat until steam builds, then turn the flame to the lowest setting. Let exactly 1 whistle come on the slow flame, then turn off the gas. Allow the pressure to release naturally — do not rush it.

💡 Tip: The slow-flame whistle is the whole technique — it gives the dal a gentler, creamier texture than a high-heat whistle. If you forget and let it go on high, the dal still cooks but may turn drier.

Open the cooker. The tomato skin will have floated up — peel and discard it. Add one full ladle of desi ghee directly into the hot dal. Stir gently once and serve hot.

💡 Tip: The ghee goes in after cooking, not before — it's a finishing touch, not a tadka. One full ladle is not optional; it's what makes this dal Maa's dal.

📊 Nutrition Facts

Per serving (servings 2)

200

Calories

12g

Protein

Fat

24g

Carbs

Fiber

About This Recipe

A soul-warming, no-tadka dal — soaked moong and masoor cooked together in the pressure cooker with tomato, kadi patta, heeng, jeera, and spices all in one go. One slow whistle. Finished with a generous ladle of desi ghee stirred right in. Simple, healing, and deeply satisfying.