Recipe for sukhi moong dal by Sapna Punjabi

We begin the journey into the world of dal with my mom's recipe for sukhi (dry) moong dal. This was my dad's favourite moong dal dish and mom cooked it almost every single week, serving it with warm rotis; and leftovers would end up in our school lunch boxes, rolled inside the roti along with a smear of chutney or achaar (pickle). It can also be served with tortillas, smeared on toasted sourdough bread, or nestled atop a bed of greens for a fun twist on a salad.
Sukhi means 'dry', and this recipe uses the yellow split moong dal, which is the split and peeled form of whole moong beans. This variety is one of the easiest dals to cook and also to digest. It is also a zero-waste recipe — even the water in which the dal is cooked is put to good use
Ingredients
1 cup (200 g) dhuli moong dal/yellow split moong dal
5 cups (1.2 L) water
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons (30 g) ghee or oil
⅛ teaspoon hing/asafoetida powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
For the garnish
Ingredients
½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
½ teaspoon toasted ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon amchur/dried mango powder
½ cup (30 g) finely chopped cilantro (leaves and tender stems)
1.Rinse the yellow split moong dal in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water until the water runs clear, about a minute. Transfer to a medium bowl, add water to cover by 2 inches (5 cm), and soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain.
1.In a 3-quart (3 L) pot, combine the soaked dal, water, salt, and turmeric. Bring to a boil for 10 to 12 minutes, skimming off any foam. Reduce the heat to medium, partially cover, and cook until the dal softens when pressed between the fingers but still holds its shape and is not mushy
1.Drain off the cooking liquid and save (see Tips). Transfer the dal to a serving bowl. In a medium skillet, heat the ghee, add the asafoetida followed by cumin seeds, and let sizzle. for a few seconds. Pour this hot mixture over the bowl of cooked yellow moong dal. Garnish with Kashmiri chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, mango powder, and cilantro leaves.
1. Tips
1.The drained dal cooking liquid makes a lovely broth. Garnish with chopped cilantro and a dash of lime juice, making this a zerowaste dish.
1.If you overcook the dal (unintentionally or intentionally), you can retain the liquid in the dal and cook to soup consistency and proceed with the tempering as directed.
1. Ayurvedic notes
1.Yellow moong dal is sweet and astringent in taste and cooling in potency. It is tridoshic in nature but mainly calms vata and pitta dosha. It can be enjoyed all year long and should be a staple in our pantries.
1.VATA: Add extra ground coriander. Favour ghee or peanut oil.
1.PITTA: Add extra cilantro; avoid Kashmiri powder. Favour ghee or olive oil.
1.KAPHA: Replace Kashmiri chili powder with ground black pepper. Favour sunflower oil or ghee.
1.Excerpted with permission from Dal Chawal by Sapna Punjabi, Hardie Grant Books

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