8 Green Moong Dal Recipes You Can Have For Breakfast

Green Moong Dal is also known as Mung bean or the green gram, sabut moong daal, or hesaru kaalu (Kannada). This legume is quite popular in Indian cuisine and is often consumed in most households. Green Moong Dal isn’t just a powerhouse of vegan protein, it also contains antioxidants, flavinoids, and folate. 

Most of us eat cooked daals or a typical Indian lentil soup at home. It’s quite understandable that you want all the nutrition but don’t want to eat the same recipe over and over again. Therefore, we bring you a list of healthy dishes you can make with the green moong dal and enjoy!

8 Green Moong Dal Dishes You Can Try Out For Breakfast

Green Mung bean is great for our health. It helps build & maintain muscle, improves heart function, and is good for our immunity and skin.

Although excess eating can cause some people with gallbladder or kidney issues some discomfort, it is quite safe for consumption on a twice-a-week basis. 

How can you use your leftover green moong sprouts? Or any ways to consume green moong and get all the health benefits without cooking a dal? Here are some ideas you can try!

1. Shahjahani Khichdi

This dish was named after the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan in whose era and for whose preference this khichdi was made.

It’s a simple dish that can be cooked at home with rice, green grams, Indian whole spices, and a bit of grated coconut & cashews to add richness to the dish.

You may also use substitutes for rice such as brown rice, broken wheat, millet, etc at home. You can put together this one-pot dish easily in a pressure cooker and have it be ready in minutes!

Shahjahani Khichdi Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Basmati rice
• 1/2 cup split yellow moong dal (lentils)
• 1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1-inch cinnamon stick
• 3-4 cloves
• 2-3 green cardamom pods
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1/4 cup green peas
• 1/4 cup diced carrots
• 1/4 cup diced potatoes
• 1/4 cup diced beans
• 4 cups water
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions:

1. Preparation:
   • Rinse the rice and moong dal separately in water until the water runs clear. Soak them in water for about 20 minutes, then drain.
2. Cooking:
   • Heat ghee in a large, heavy-bottomed pan or pressure cooker.
   • Add the sliced onions and sauté until they turn golden brown. Remove half of the fried onions and set aside for garnish.
   • To the remaining onions in the pan, add cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom pods, bay leaf, and cumin seeds. Sauté for a minute until fragrant.
3. Adding Spices and Vegetables:
   • Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and garam masala powder. Stir well.
   • Add the diced carrots, potatoes, beans, and green peas. Sauté the vegetables for about 3-4 minutes.
4. Combining Rice and Lentils:
   • Add the drained rice and moong dal to the pan. Mix well with the vegetables and spices.
5. Cooking the Khichdi:
   • Pour in 4 cups of water and add salt to taste. Stir everything well.
   • If using a pressure cooker, close the lid and cook on medium heat for about 2 whistles. If using a regular pot, cover with a lid and cook on low heat until the rice and dal are fully cooked and have a soft, creamy consistency. This may take about 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally and add more water if needed.
6. Finishing Touches:
   • Once cooked, turn off the heat and let it rest for a few minutes.
   • Fluff the khichdi gently with a fork. Garnish with the reserved fried onions and fresh coriander leaves.
7. Serving:
   • Serve the Shahjahani Khichdi hot with yogurt, pickle, or any side dish of your choice.

2. Sprouts Salad or Sprouts Chaat

Green Moong Dal makes for great sprouts.

Indians use them widely in simple house salads topped with finely chopped onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, and cilantro/coriander leaves.

You may top it with a sprinkle of feta cheese and use a dressing made of lemon juice, simple syrup or honey, salt, black salt, and the Indian Chaat Masala spice mix.

Sprouts Salad or Sprouts Chaat Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mixed sprouts (moong bean, chickpeas, lentils, etc.)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small tomato, finely chopped
• 1 small cucumber, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, grated
• 1 green chili, finely chopped (optional)
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon chaat masala
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (optional)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon sev (crunchy chickpea flour noodles) for garnish (optional)
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preparation:
   • Rinse the mixed sprouts thoroughly and drain them.
   • Finely chop the onion, tomato, cucumber, green chili (if using), coriander, and mint leaves.
   • Grate the carrot.
2. Mixing the Salad:
   • In a large mixing bowl, combine the sprouts, chopped onion, tomato, cucumber, grated carrot, green chili, coriander, and mint leaves.
3. Adding Spices and Flavors:
   • Sprinkle chaat masala, roasted cumin powder, red chili powder (if using), and salt over the mixed ingredients.
   • Drizzle lemon juice over the mixture and toss everything well to combine.
4. Final Touch:
   • Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
   • Garnish with sev and pomegranate seeds for an extra crunch and burst of flavor, if desired.
5. Serving:
   • Serve the sprout salad immediately as a refreshing and nutritious snack or side dish.

3. Sprouts Sabzi

Got some leftover sprouts but in no mood for chaat or a salad? Well, here’s a tangy & snacky dish that you can make instead!

Sear up some oil in a pan, and saute garlic & ginger paste along with whole cumin seeds.

Now, fry up some onion & green chilies masala with your favorite spices and let chopped potatoes cook in it. When more than 70% done, add the sprouts, toss, and let it cook!

Garnish the dish as you like & enjoy it with your choice of bread!

Sprout Sabzi Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups mixed sprouts (moong bean, chickpeas, lentils, etc.)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 large tomato, finely chopped
• 1 small potato, peeled and diced (optional)
• 1 green chili, finely chopped (optional)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder (optional)
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Preparation:
   • Rinse the mixed sprouts thoroughly and drain them.
   • Finely chop the onion, tomato, and green chili (if using).
   • Peel and dice the potato if you’re including it in the recipe.
2. Cooking the Sabzi:
   • Heat oil in a large pan or kadai over medium heat.
   • Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Let them splutter for a few seconds.
3. Sautéing Onions and Spices:
   • Add the chopped onion and sauté until it turns golden brown.
   • Add the green chili (if using) and sauté for another minute.
   • Add turmeric powder, red chili powder (if using), and coriander powder. Stir well.
4. Adding Tomatoes and Potatoes:
   • Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they become soft and mushy.
   • If using potatoes, add the diced potatoes at this stage and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Cooking the Sprouts:
   • Add the mixed sprouts to the pan and mix well with the onion-tomato mixture.
   • Add salt to taste and 1/4 cup of water. Stir well.
6. Simmering:
   • Cover the pan with a lid and let the sabzi cook on low to medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until the sprouts and potatoes (if using) are tender. Stir occasionally and add more water if needed.
7. Finishing Touch:
   • Once the sprouts are cooked, add garam masala powder and stir well.
   • Turn off the heat and sprinkle lemon juice over the sabzi.
   • Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
8. Serving:
   • Serve the sprout sabzi hot with roti, chapati, or rice.

4. Moong Dal Dhokla

Dhoklas are a loved snack all across India, even though they originated in the state of Gujarat. It’s light, fluffy, sweet & spicy, moist, and also comes with a great sauce.

However, you can make the dhokla with green moong beans as well!

Instead of regular besan in a dhokla recipe, just use ground green moong dal paste.

Just remember that you have to soak the green moong dal overnight and then blend it after 6-7 hours of being soaked. Let’s look at the detailed recipe below:

Moong Dal Dhokla Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow moong dal
• 1/2 cup yogurt (curd)
• 1 teaspoon ginger-green chili paste
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon fruit salt (Eno)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon oil

For Tempering:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 2-3 green chilies, slit lengthwise
• A few curry leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons grated coconut (optional)

Instructions:

1. Soaking and Grinding:
   • Rinse the moong dal thoroughly and soak it in enough water for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
   • Drain the soaked moong dal and grind it to a smooth batter using yogurt. Add a little water if necessary to achieve a batter-like consistency.
2. Preparing the Batter:
   • Transfer the ground batter to a mixing bowl.
   • Add ginger-green chili paste, lemon juice, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well.
   • Just before steaming, add fruit salt (Eno) to the batter and mix gently. The batter will become frothy.
3. Steaming the Dhokla:
   • Grease a dhokla plate or a shallow steaming dish with a little oil.
   • Pour the batter into the greased dish and spread it evenly.
   • Steam the batter in a steamer or pressure cooker (without the whistle) for about 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the dhokla comes out clean.
   • Once done, remove the dish from the steamer and let it cool for a few minutes. Cut the dhokla into squares or diamond shapes.
4. Tempering:
   • Heat oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
   • Add cumin seeds, sesame seeds, and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.
   • Add slit green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for another minute.
   • Pour the tempering over the steamed dhokla evenly.
5. Garnishing and Serving:
   • Garnish the dhokla with fresh coriander leaves and grated coconut (if using).
   • Serve the moong dal dhokla warm with green chutney or sweet tamarind chutney.

5. Green Moong Dal Cheela

A Cheela or a Chilla is primarily a flat pancake, usually savory, eaten in India. While we mostly make besan (gram flour) cheelas, we can also use sabut mung bean paste to make this yummy and protein-rich alternative instead.

It’s tasty, different, nutritious, and easy to make at home!

Green Moong Dal Cheela Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup green moong dal (whole green gram)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small tomato, finely chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1-inch piece ginger, grated
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Water as needed
• Oil or ghee for cooking

Instructions:

1. Soaking and Grinding:
   • Rinse the green moong dal thoroughly and soak it in enough water for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
   • Drain the soaked dal and grind it to a smooth batter with a little water. The batter should be of pouring consistency, similar to pancake batter.
2. Preparing the Batter:
   • Transfer the ground batter to a mixing bowl.
   • Add finely chopped onion, tomato, green chilies, grated ginger, and coriander leaves to the batter.
   • Add cumin seeds, turmeric powder, and salt to taste. Mix everything well.
3. Making the Cheela:
   • Heat a non-stick tawa or griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease it with oil or ghee.
   • Pour a ladleful of batter onto the tawa and spread it in a circular motion to make a thin cheela.
   • Drizzle a few drops of oil or ghee around the edges of the cheela.
   • Cook the cheela on medium heat until the edges start to lift and the bottom turns golden brown.
   • Flip the cheela and cook the other side until golden brown and crispy.
4. Serving:
   • Remove the cheela from the tawa and transfer it to a plate.
   • Repeat the process with the remaining batter.
   • Serve the green moong dal cheela hot with green chutney, tomato ketchup, or yogurt.

6. Sprouts Pakoda

Got some sprouts on your hands but no mood for a salad or a sabzi? Well, here’s a junkier alternative to cooking something great out of your green mung bean!

Make sprouts pakodas! They’re yummy, crunchy, and somewhat nutritious too!

Sprouts Pakoda Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mixed sprouts (moong bean, chickpeas, lentils, etc.)
• 1 cup gram flour (besan)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Water as needed
• Oil for deep frying
• Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped

Instructions:

1. Preparation:
   • Rinse the mixed sprouts thoroughly and drain them.
2. Mixing the Batter:
   • In a mixing bowl, combine the gram flour, finely chopped onion, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin seeds, asafoetida, and salt.
   • Add the mixed sprouts to the bowl.
   • Gradually add water to the mixture, stirring continuously to make a thick batter. The batter should coat the sprouts well.
   • If using, add baking soda to the batter and mix gently.
   • Add fresh coriander leaves and mix well.
3. Frying the Pakodas:
   • Heat oil in a deep frying pan or kadai over medium heat.
   • Once the oil is hot, drop small portions of the batter into the oil using a spoon or your fingers. Fry the pakodas in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
   • Fry the pakodas until they turn golden brown and crispy, turning them occasionally to ensure even frying.
   • Use a slotted spoon to remove the pakodas from the oil and place them on paper towels to drain excess oil.
4. Serving:
   • Serve the sprouts pakodas hot with green chutney, tamarind chutney, or tomato ketchup.

7. Pesarattu Dosa

This healthy breakfast dosa recipe is quite popular in Andhra Pradesh, a state in Southern India. In this Dosa recipe, you must use green gram or mung bean in place of urad dal.

It is highly nutritious, protein-rich, and satisfying. Definitely, a dosa variation that is worth trying!

Pesarattu Dosa Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup green moong dal (whole green gram)
• 1/4 cup rice (optional, for crispiness)
• 1-inch piece ginger
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• Salt to taste
• Water as needed
• Oil or ghee for cooking
• Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped (optional)
• Grated coconut (optional, for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Soaking and Grinding:
   • Rinse the green moong dal and rice (if using) thoroughly and soak them in enough water for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
   • Drain the soaked dal and rice, and grind them to a smooth batter with ginger, green chilies, and a little water. The batter should be of pouring consistency, similar to regular dosa batter.
   • Add salt to taste and mix well.
2. Preparing the Batter:
   • Optionally, you can mix finely chopped onions and cumin seeds into the batter or keep them separately to sprinkle on the dosa while cooking.
3. Making the Pesarattu Dosa:
   • Heat a non-stick tawa or griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease it with oil or ghee.
   • Pour a ladleful of batter onto the tawa and spread it in a circular motion to make a thin dosa.
   • Sprinkle finely chopped onions and fresh coriander leaves (if using) over the dosa.
   • Drizzle a few drops of oil or ghee around the edges of the dosa.
   • Cook the dosa on medium heat until the edges start to lift and the bottom turns golden brown.
   • Flip the dosa and cook the other side for a minute or until it is cooked through.
4. Serving:
   • Remove the pesarattu dosa from the tawa and transfer it to a plate.
   • Repeat the process with the remaining batter.
   • Serve the pesarattu dosa hot with coconut chutney, ginger chutney, or sambar.

8. Green Moong Dal Vada

Green Moong Dal Vada is a delicious and protein-packed snack that is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Made from soaked and ground green moong dal, these vadas are flavored with a mix of spices and herbs, making them a perfect tea-time treat or an appetizer for any meal. Here’s how you can make this tasty and nutritious dish at home.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup green moong dal (whole green gram)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2-3 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1-inch piece ginger, grated
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• Salt to taste
• A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• Oil for deep frying

Instructions:

1. Soaking and Grinding:
   • Rinse the green moong dal thoroughly and soak it in enough water for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
   • Drain the soaked dal and grind it to a coarse paste without adding too much water. The paste should be thick enough to hold shape.
2. Preparing the Batter:
   • Transfer the ground dal paste to a mixing bowl.
   • Add finely chopped onion, green chilies, grated ginger, and fresh coriander leaves to the paste.
   • Add cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, salt, and asafoetida. Mix everything well to form a uniform batter.
3. Shaping the Vadas:
   • Heat oil in a deep frying pan or kadai over medium heat.
   • Wet your hands and take a small portion of the batter. Shape it into a small ball and then flatten it slightly to form a vada.
   • Repeat the process with the remaining batter.
4. Frying the Vadas:
   • Carefully drop the shaped vadas into the hot oil. Fry them in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
   • Fry the vadas until they turn golden brown and crispy, turning them occasionally to ensure even frying.
   • Use a slotted spoon to remove the vadas from the oil and place them on paper towels to drain excess oil.
5. Serving:
   • Serve the green moong dal vadas hot with green chutney, tamarind chutney, or tomato ketchup.

Create Flavorful Green Moong Dal Recipes with Milkbasket

Discover the goodness of green moong dal with Milkbasket! Whether you’re looking to make savory cheelas, crispy pakodas, nutritious khichdi, or delicious pesarattu dosas, we have everything you need to create these protein-packed breakfast delights. Our green moong dal is fresh, high-quality, and perfect for all your culinary needs.

Each recipe mentioned in this blog not only offers a unique flavor but also provides a substantial amount of protein, fiber, and essential nutrients to start your day on a healthy note. Experiment with these 8 green moong dal recipes to add variety to your breakfast and enjoy the numerous health benefits they bring.

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Supercharge your breakfast game and start your day with healthy, delicious meals made from green moong dal. With Milkbasket, making nutritious choices has never been easier!

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Also Read:

• 3 Easy & Healthy Breakfast Ideas (Indian Style)
• 3 Healthiest Breakfast Recipes (Indian Style Edition)
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