Mung Bean Dal

Growing up my mum would make lentils and mung beans often. It was a staple in the house, and I ended up avoiding them for a large part of my childhood.  A few years ago I decided to try them again, and obviously realised that they were delicious.  

I started making them when I moved to London because they're super cheap, they last a very long time in the pantry, they're healthy, versatile and super easy to make. It was my go to meal when I didn't have groceries and wanted to eat something hearty and comforting. 

This dish was inspired by Dishoom’s black dal. I was craving it on a cold grey summers day and decided to have a go at it. After a while of not having it, I didn’t actually fully remember what it tasted like but, the consistency and mild flavour was what I was going off on. The ingredients I use are all easy to find in supermarkets, and you can definitely cut the cooking time by half if you find tinned cooked mung beans.

Since making this dal, I’ve gone back to Dishoom to try theirs and I can confidently say that I personally like mine better… to the point where I won’t be getting it at the restaurant anymore. This dish may seem like there’s a bunch of ingredients, and takes a long time to make, but it really is a ‘set it and forget it’ type of dish. With only 2 ingredients to chop, the active cooking prep time is around 5 minutes, everything else is just a waiting game.

Tip: This makes quite a lot, so you can either half the recipe or freeze the leftovers for up to 6 months. I wouldn’t recommend leaving it in the fridge for more than 2-3 days.

Prep time: 5-10 minutes + soaking overnight

Cooking time: 1 hour

Serves: 6-8 people

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups mung beans, soaked overnight (or minimum of 4 hours) 

2 heaped tsp curry powder (your favourite kind)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 heaped tsp cumin powder

2 bay leaves 

8 cloves of garlic, minced

3 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped (if you’re not a fan add only 1 tbsp, you won’t taste it)

250ml coconut milk

1 mild chilli, sliced optional

1 cup (225ml) passata

2 tsp tamarind purée (you can substitute for lime or apple cider vinegar)

2 cups (410ml) water 

Parsley or coriander, for garnish

oil, salt

Method

1. Soak mung beans overnight, strain soaking water, rinse mung beans.

2.  In a large pot, heat some oil on medium-low heat, add all the dried spices, bay leaves and garlic. Cook until the spices release their aroma, and the garlic softens- this should take around 30-40 seconds, make sure to not burn anything or the dish will be bitter.

3. Add the coriander and coconut milk into the pot.  Bring the heat up to medium high, let the liquid reduce by half.  The coconut milk consistency should be thick like heavy cream.

4. Add all the remaining ingredients into the pot, stir and bring to a boil.  When the mixture has reached a boil, turn the heat down to medium low, and cover. Cook for 1 hour , occasionally stirring so nothing catches the bottom. 

5. After 1 hour of simmering, the beans should be fully cooked, and the liquid should have thickened. Remove bay leaves, season with salt, garnish with parsley/coriander.

Optional

If you want the dal to be creamier, blend 2 cups of the mix. Return the blended mix to the pot and stir. You can always add more water to thin it out.