Simple Bhaja Muger Dal / Simple Bengali Style Dry Roasted Moong Dal

The more I am seeing the versatility of moong dal the more I am being sursprized on its adaptability of taste. Earlier I used to be obsessed about the Masoor dal and it used to be the only lentils that passed my clearance of being the only edible lentil. Now I thank my days when the Masoor dal was unavailable and I really got tired of them...and out of curiosity resorted towards the yellow split moong dal as my rescuer.

Then I got my hand over a beautiful cookbook full of authentic Bengali recipes...which has over 20 recipes only on the lentils section!! I am literally in heaven. It has a recipe of Mug Dal Poro, where the lentils are boiled first and then poured into a hot kadai of tempered oil. Then a good amount of milk is added to that cooking dal and simmered till medium thick consistency. Have any of you heard about this preparation!! I haven’t... and I am really curious about its taste!!

Simple Bhaja Muger Dal

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup of moong / mug dal

A handful of peas

A handful of baby carrots / 1 medium carrot – chopped

A few coriander leaves – chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 bay leaf

1 dry red chilli

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 and ½ inch ginger stick – minced / 2 tsp ginger paste

1 tbsp oil

A little ghee / butter

Salt

Method:

Wash the mug dal well and drain the water.

Heat kadai / pan and dry roast the mug dal on low flame for 2-3 minutes or until you start to get its nutty smell. The moong / mug dal will start to change its colour to a rather brownish state. Do not over fry them and make them brown.

Once done take them out of the pan / kadai and put them into a pressure cooker.

Add in 2 aand ½ cups – 3 cups of water, salt and turmeric powder.

Mix them well and cook them on pressure until the cooker blows 4-5 whistles.

Put off the flame and let the stem vent on its own. After that open the lid and keep the cooked moong / mug dal aside.

In a kadai heat the oil and add in the cumin seeds, bay leaf and dry red chilli.

Sauté for some seconds and throw in the green peas and baby carrots. You can make this dal without any veggies also. I have used frozen green peas and frozen baby carrots. They do not require a long time to cook so I fry them in this oil before adding the dal. If you are using fresh vegetables then either cook them with the moong dal or boil them with some salt separately and then add them to the oil.

Cook the veggies for 2-3 minutes or until they are half cooked.

Now add the ginger paste and give a good stir.

Next pour in the prepared moong dal and mix well.

Add more water if you want the dal to be runnier.

Simmer on medium flame till the dal reaches your desired consistency.

When the dal is done add in the ghee / butter. Stir them in and put off the flame.