Mung Daal (Nepalese style)

Credit: My dear friend Nancy, via her Nepali friend/colleague. For a visual, check out this youtube video (totally unrelated to how we collected this banger).

Back story: During the COVID-19 lockdown, Nancy made this based on a recipe her Nepali friend/colleague once made for her. It was love at first bite. When I need hearty with a bang of flavor, this is my go-to.

Tidbit: lentils and rice combined make a complete protein (all 9 essential amino acids)

It seems like many steps, but it's more simple than it appears. Don't be scared!

• Vegan

• Gluten Free

Equipment:

• Cutting board

• Knife

• Large pot

Ingredients

Main:

• 2 tbsp of avocado oil

• ½ yellow onion, finely chopped

• 1 inch ginger, finely chopped

• 1 green chili – slit in half (more for an extra kick)

• 1 tomato, finely chopped

• ¼ tsp turmeric

• ½ tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 3 cups of water

• ¾ cup of green mung daal, soaked and rinsed (Can find at many grocery stores, but a guaranteed find at an Indian or Asian grocery store)

Tempering:

• 1 tbsp ghee (you could sub butter but it’s not as healthy or as delicious, so if you can, use ghee)

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 inch ginger, julienned/matchsticks

• 1 dried chili

• ¼ tsp chili powder

• ¼ tsp garam masala

• ¼ tsp of hing (or a dash of onion powder, if you don't have hing)

• Handful of curry leaves (this is the game changer ingredient - curry leaves are BOMB)

  
  

Top off the final product:

• 2 tbsp of cilantro leaves

• Lemon juice

  
  

Steps - Main:

1. Warm the oil in a large pot and add the onion and saute well (approximately 5 minutes).

2. Add the ginger and green chili and saute well for a few minutes.

3. Add tomato and let it cook enough to get pasty.

4. Add the spices (turmeric, chili powder, and salt) and cook on low flame. The oil will begin to separate.

5. Add the soaked and rinsed daal and 3 cups of water. Mix well and let cook for approximately 30-45 minutes (it largely depends on how cooked you like your dal and also how long you soaked them for – keep an eye on them, stir regularly and taste).

6. Once daal is cooked, stir to get all the goodness together, but don’t mash it.

Steps - Tempering:

1. In a small pot, add the ghee and let warm up and melt. Next add the cumin seeds and bring to a low boil.

2. As it boils lowly, add all the remaining spices (garlic, ginger, chili, chili powder, garam masala, hing and curry leaves) and mix

3. Enjoy the most amazing smell EVER!

4. Pour the tempered mixture over the daal

Final product:

1. Once the tempered mixture is over the daal, add cilantro leaves and a squeeze of lemon.

2. Serve over rice

3. Add lemon to each bowl as you wish. I tend to like mine lemony so always serve with lemon slices on the table. I find that with the lemon, no salt is needed!