For some reason, I have always associated Yellow Moong Dal with comfort. Maybe it is because my mother always made it for me when I was sick. And somehow that feeling has always stayed with me. I have always instinctively found myself reaching out for the jar of Moong Dal when I am under the weather and need some comfort.
But I guess as I have grown older and my taste buds have evolved I have learned to appreciate this unadorned jewel in my pantry in different ways. And when we talk about making Dals in the Indian way, we cannot imagine Dal without Ghee. Because we all know that Ghee makes everything look beautiful. Even a sickly plain Dal like Moong.
This recipe is super simple and all you need is a simple Tadka/Tempering to jazz it up. Serve it on plain rice with a poppadom and pickle and you will really find it comforting.
Recipe:
1 1/2 cup Yellow Moong dal
Salt to taste
1 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 cloves of Garlic finely sliced (optional)
10 curry leaves
1 tbsp Ghee
1 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
Method:
Soak the moong dal in water for 15 minutes, rinse in fresh water, and then add 3 cups of water, salt, and turmeric powder and boil till the dal is almost done. You don't want to overcook the dal.
In a small pan heat Ghee. Add cumin seeds and garlic and allow the garlic to lightly brown. Then add the curry leaves and red chili powder and quickly pour it on the dal.
If you find that the dal is too spicy, you can squeeze lemon juice just before serving.
Another option is to sprinkle some finely chopped onion and coriander in a bowl when serving the dal.