Moradabadi Dal is a delicious moong dal chaat recipe from the brass city of Northern India – Moradabad. It is a wholesome appetizer.
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Origin of Moradabadi Dal
As the recipe name suggests, this dal originates in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. The city is well known for its brass handicraft industry. Apart from the royal cuisine of Nawabs and Nizams, it is famous for its Dal Moradabadi.
It is a lost recipe that you will never spot on a restaurant menu. If you can visit the region, you can taste Dal Muradabadi in local households or serve it on the wedding buffet.
In the evening, you can see loads of street carts selling the dal across the city. And on each cart, a bunch of dal-loving food lovers snacking on it.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Yellow Moong is the key ingredients for this chaat recipe. No other variety of moong will give you the desired result. The same moong dal you can use to make cheela, salad, or halwa.
- Ginger: The earthy, spicy flavour of ginger takes Moradabadi dal up a notch.
- Butter makes moong dal rich, creamy, and delicious. In an authentic Dal Moradabadi, you will always find butter swimming on top.
- Dry Red Chilli spiciness and smokiness combined with butter make a finger-licking good tempering for the dal. Best to use kutti lal mirch (coarse textured).
- Spices: Asafoetida (hing), Roasted Cumin Powder, Salt,
- Lemon, Green Chilli, and Fresh Coriander.
Watch Moradabadi Dal Video
Serving Suggestion
There is always a debate about how and when to serve Dal Moradabadi. Usually, in the origin city, the dal is served as a hearty, healthy, wholesome Indian breakfast for brass industry workers with toasted bread slices.
The moong dal chaat is an evening snack, like soup, especially during winter.
You can add a variety of toppings to your moong dal chaat to make it more delicious. Here are a few popular add-ons:
- green mint chutney
- toasted bread croutons
- chopped onion and tomato
- diced paneer (cottage cheese)
- crisp, fried munchies or Indian namkeen
Hina’s Tried and True Tips
- Boil the moong dal till it is mashed nicely. We need an over-cooked dal with each grain of mashed lentil to get a smooth, soup-like consistency. Use a butter churner, ladle, or masher for the purpose.
- Avoid using too many spices for seasoning the moong dal. This dal recipe requires a few herbs and spices. It is more about minimal ingredients and maximum flavour.
- Ensure the dal is piping hot while adding the tempering and other toppings, as it is not heated/simmered after glazing with tadka.
- Moong Dal Chaat is best consumed fresh and hot. It does not taste great the next day or after reheating.
Looking for more delicious Indian dal recipes? Try the popular Dal Makhani, Mughlai Style Brown Masoor Dal, or the classic and comforting everyday arhar dal tadka.
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Moradabadi Dal Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients For Pressure Cooking:
- 1 Cup yellow moong dal (dhuli moong)
- 1 green chilli, chopped
- 1 inch ginger, chopped
- ½ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- Salt to taste
- 3 Cup water
Other Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder (jeera powder)
- 2 dry red chilli, chopped and discard seeds
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
Ingredients For Serving:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ inch ginger, sliced
- Juice of one lemon
- handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Wash & soak the dal in water for 15 – 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, transfer dal to a pressure cooker. Add green chilli, ginger, asafoetida, salt, and 3 cups of water. Stir, and close the lid of the pressure cooker.
- Cook dal over low heat for 2 – 3 whistles in stovetop pressure cooker or till it is mushy.
- Let the steam release naturally from the pressure cooker. Open the lid, add cumin powder, butter, and mash the dal using the ladle.
- For preparing tadka, heat butter in a pan. Add dry red chilies, and chilli powder, Infuse butter with chilli for 10 – 20 seconds. Turn off the heat else chilli will burn.
- Transfer mashed moong dal to a serving bowl. Pour the butter and chilli over the dal. Sprinkle a pinch of cumin powder, red chili powder, chaat masala along with sliced ginger, lemon juice, and fresh coriander.
- To finish of garnish, add a small cube of butter on top.
- Serve Moradabadi Moong Dal warm.
Recipe Notes:
- Boil the moong dal till it is mashed nicely. We need an over-cooked, mushy dal.
- Avoid using too many spices to season the moong dal.
- Do not skip ginger, asafoetida, roasted cumin powder, and butter for an authentic tasting Moradabadi Dal.
- Make sure the dal is piping hot while adding the tempering and other toppings as it is not heated/simmered after glazing with tadka.
- You can boil dal in an instant pot or electric pressure cooker as well. It takes 6 – 8 minutes in IP to get cooked.
Alok Vats says
Wow, it really sounds so good. I will definitely try to prepare it once…
Tara Nair says
My oh my! Hina… no comments in the comments setion 😉 Wonderful!
Pooja Gaur says
Hello hina ur doing such a nyc job i must sae…. u knw 2dae only i had tried 1 of ur recipe moradabadi moong dal n i cnt tell u hw much ma inlaws n specialy ma hubby likd it ….. it was soo tempting…..evry1 praised me but i jst wanna sae creditz goez 2 u dear…..thanhuu so much u mke my dae….
rahul says
bhai respi kohindi me post kar dijiye
Priyam says
The dal looks perfect! Balanced with right amount of spices, I have never heard about this type of dal recipe but would like to make an attempt for this.
Hema Bhakuni says
You brought back lot of childhood memories.
Hina Gujral says
Awww….so sweet of you to say that!
vandana Thakur says
Very nicely explained.
Hina Gujral says
Thank you so much for your encouragement. You are very kind!
Diwakar says
Great Chaat ever! nice recipe with all well explained steps and images of Muradabadi Dal Chaat