Easy Moong Masoor Dal (Lentil Curry)

Name: Easy Moong Masoor Dal {Lentil Curry}
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: ½ cup masoor dal ((red lentils)); ½ cup moong dal ((yellow lentils)); ½ tsp turmeric powder; 1 ½ tsp salt; 1 ½ tsp red chili powder; water ((see notes)); 1/4 cup cooking oil; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 5 garlic cloves; 3 dry red chilies; 10 curry leaves ((optional))

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This Easy Moong Masoor Dal {Lentil Curry} is a staple in most Pakistani and Indian households. Healthy, delicious, and nutritious, this lentil curry is ready in 30 minutes. This Moong Masoor Dal is the perfect recipe to have on hand for a busy day.

white bowl filled with moong masoor dal topped with a tempering of herbs and spices along with a chili pickle and limes.

For most South Asians, lentils are the ultimate comfort food! There’s nothing more soothing than a bowl of dal (or daal) with some Basmati Rice and Kachumber! I also love eating this Moong Masoor Daal as a side with some easy oven-baked seekh kabab or some Bhindi Masala as a main.

Jump to:

Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients
Substitutions & variations
Step-by-step instructions
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQS
Other recipes you may like
Easy Moong Masoor Dal {Lentil Curry}

Why you'll love this recipe

Healthy - This Moong Masoor Daal, referred to as “The Secret Superfood” by Tasteofhome.com, is easy to digest and low in fat, protein, and fiber.
Easy - The Lentil Curry is one of the easiest Pakistani recipes to cook. It's the perfect weeknight dinner option with a 5-minute recipe prep and 30-minute cook time in an Instant Pot.
Simple Ingredients - This Moong Masoor Dal's ingredients are easy to source at a local supermarket.
Recipe Variations - There are so many ways to change the flavor of this Lentil Curry. Add some tomatoes or spinach, change the spices and tempering, or garnish with cilantro or micro greens.
Suits many special diets - Not only is this Lentil Curry vegan and vegetarian, but when eaten with rice, it becomes a gluten-free meal.
Budget-friendly - 1 pound of lentils costs only $4-$5 and serves about 14 people. That's approximately 30 cents per person for a delicious and healthy meal.

Ingredients

There are three main varieties of lentils; whole, split, and split & skinned. The Easy Moong Masoor Dal (Lentil Curry) is made with split and skinned yellow and red lentils, which are the quickest to cook.

White marble countertop with a silver bowl filled with moong and masoor dal, along with a white bowl filled with spice powders.

Ingredients for the lentils

Moong dal - The yellow moong dal is a split and skinned mung bean. The mung bean, also known as green gram, is green in its whole form.
Masoor dal - The red masoor dal is split and skinned brown lentils.
Spice powders - red chili powder, salt, and turmeric powder are all that I use in this moong masoor dal recipe. Some people add spices, such as garam masala and coriander powder, to their lentil recipes, but I find that this simple blend is more than sufficient for these mild-tasting lentils.

White marble countertop with 3 white bowls filled with with garlic, cumin and dry red chilies.

Ingredients for the tempering

Cooking oil - I use avocado oil for all my recipes, but if that's not your jam, use canola, peanut, or sunflower oil for this recipe. The oil may seem like a lot when you pour it onto the Lentil Curry, but this is the only fat in the recipe, and when mixed in, it's completely invisible.
Garlic cloves - Sliced garlic cloves are sauteed in some oil and added to the lentils with the flavored oil. Roasting the garlic like this makes it taste less pungent.
Cumin seeds - The cumin seeds are also cooked in a little bit of oil to help bring out their earthy and warm flavor and added to the moong masoor dal along with the oil.
Whole dry red chilies - Dry red chilies add a smoky flavor without making the Lentil Curry too spicy.

Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.

Substitutions & variations

Use ghee for the tempering - When ghee is heated, it releases the most delicious nutty aroma, adding another layer of taste and aroma to the lentil curry.
Change the tempering - Onions, black mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilies, and julienned ginger are all popular ingredients for tempering. Create different combinations every time to switch up the taste of your moong masoor dal.
Use a mix of different lentils - Another popular variation to the moong masoor dal is mixed dal. Made of 5 different lentils; moong, masoor, chana, toor, and urad, it takes a little longer to cook and is dense compared to this recipe.
Cook the lentils on a stove - Lentils are often cooked in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. However, you can cook them just as easily on a stovetop if you don't have either. Add 4 cups of water and 1 cup of lentils with all the dry spice powders to a cooking pot. Cook the mixture on high heat until it comes to a boil, then reduce it to medium heat. After 20 minutes, turn the flame up and uncover the dal. Stir it intermittently as the excess water dries to achieve a smooth consistency. Turn the stove off, prepare the tempering, add it to the Lentil Curry, and enjoy.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1 - I cook 1 cup of dal (½ cup yellow lentils and ½ cup red lentils) with 3 cups of water for the Instant Pot. Add the 1 ½ teaspoon of salt, red chili powder, and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and stir to mix. Set the IP at high pressure for 15 minutes, followed by a 5-minute release.

Step 2 - Once the moong masoor dal is ready, uncover the IP and use a wooden spoon to stir and blend the lentils to a smooth consistency.

Step 3 - Prepare the tempering, or tadka, by sauteeing the five garlic cloves, one teaspoon cumin seeds, and three whole dry red chilies in hot oil. Add everything, along with the seasoned oil, to the lentils.

Expert Tips

Soak your lentils - this helps speed up the cooking process and is especially helpful when using the Stove Top method.
Wash your lentils - If you decide not to soak your Moong Masoor Dal, rinse them until the water runs clear. This helps remove any unwanted residue.
Use an immersion blender - To save some time when using the Stove Top method, instead of stirring and mashing the dal by hand. You can use an immersion blender at the end. One or two quick pulses are enough, as you want the lentils to have some texture.
Adjust the consistency - Completely cook your dal and add a cup of warm water if it seems too thick. If the Dal seems too thin, cook uncovered on high heat to help evaporate the excess liquid.
Adjust the spices - It's always better to err on the cautious side and add fewer spices initially. Once the water dries out, you will have a better idea of whether or not you need to add more.
Add some garnish - Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves on top and squeeze some lemon juice into the lentil curry for added flavor.

Recipe FAQS

What is the benefit of mixing moong with masoor dal?

Moong dal has the highest fiber of all lentils and is the easiest to digest. Mixing it with the masoor dal creates a better texture and adds health benefits to the lentil curry.

Can I cook my lentils without soaking them?

Soaking the lentils helps improve digestion by reducing flatulence and also speeds up the cooking process. If these two things don't concern you, by all means, skip the soaking.

Where can I buy moong and masoor dal?

Many Walmart stores carry a good variety of lentils. If your location doesn't have red and yellow lentils, you can go to the closest South Asian grocery store, or if all else fails, order them from Amazon.