Methi Moongdal Soup is an earthy, spicy and comforting dal (soup) made with moong beans and methi (fenugreek) leaves. Healthy side dish to any Indian meal.
It’s officially flu season in our household and I was the worst affected this time. Thankfully the ordeal is over and I am feeling better now. I have started cooking some nutritious and hearty dishes to make sure we feel healthy. So I made this simple dal/ brothy soup with lentils to liven up our taste buds and make us feel better.
Methi Moongdal Soup:
Fresh Methi (fenugreek leaves aka menthikura in Telugu) can be easily found in Indian grocery stores. They have a slightly bitter aftertaste like any other hearty greens like mustard or collard. But once cooked the bitterness is not that pronounced and is really delicious.
Methi leaves and moong dal is a good combination to make pappu or dal. But today’s recipe is more like a soup, the consistency is more brothy instead of thick like a dal.
Fresh Rasam powder | Spice powder:
This lentil soup is flavored with freshly made rasam powder. There are only 3 ingredients in this spice powder:
- Coriander seeds
- Fenugreek seeds
- Peppercorns.
The spices are dry roasted and ground to a powder either in a mortar and pestle or in a grinder. This adds tons of flavor to the soup and makes it taste very earthy and slightly spicy. Finally adding lemon juice to the rasam/ soup gives it the required tang or zing that makes this dish super delicious.
Making Soup in Instant Pot:
This methi moongdal soup recipe can be easily be made in the instant pot/ pressure cooker or in a soup pan. I have transitioned over to cooking lentils 100% in Instant pot, so I have included step-by-step pics of that. But I have also included instructions on how to make it in a soup pan.
How to make Moongdal Soup:
Make the Spice powder – Pics 1~4: Dry roast the spices until aromatic and golden. Cool for a bit and grind into a coarse powder using mortar & pestle or in a spice grinder.
Double or triple the spice powder ingredients and store the leftover rasam powder in an airtight container. It can be stored for up to 1 month.
- Set Instant pot to Saute and heat oil. Add mustard, cumin seeds, dry red chili, green chili.
- Add curry leaves and minced garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 1~2 minutes.
- Add the methi leaves and cook till wilted, about 2~3 minutes.
- Add moong dal, turmeric and 3 cups of water. Cook on manual for 6 minutes and naturally release the pressure.
- Add the freshly ground spice powder and salt. Mix well. If the soup looks too thick, add more water to get to desired consistency.
- Finally add the lemon juice, mix well and serve warm over steamed rice.
Methi Moongdal Soup (Menthikura-Pesarapappu Rasam)
Ingredients
For the Spice Powder:
- 1 tsp Coriander Seeds
- ¼ tsp Fenugreek Seeds
- 1 tsp Peppercorns
For the Dal:
- 1 cup Methi (fenugreek) leaves*, chopped
- ½ cup Moong dal (Pesarapappu)
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 2 Green Chilies
- 8~10 Curry leaves
- 2~3 Garlic cloves, finely minced
- ½ tsp Turmeric
- To taste Salt
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
Instructions
Make the Spice powder:
- Dry roast the ingredients under 'Spice powder' until fragrant, about 3~4 minutes. Cool and grind to a powder. Double or triple the ingredients, make this spice powder and store in an airtight container for future use.
Make Dal Traditional Way:
- Cook moong dal till tender and keep ready. I pressured cook dal for 4~5 whistles. You can cook in a soup pot with enough water until mushy, will take about 30~35 minutes.
- Heat 2tsp oil in a saucepan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chili and green chilies. Once the seeds start to splutter, add curry leaves and garlic. Cook till garlic turns golden.
- Next add the chopped methi leaves and cook till the leaves are wilted and cooked through, about 3~4 minutes.
- Add the cooked dal, turmeric, salt and 2 cups of water. Mix well and bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 2~3 minutes.
- Add the ground spice powder, mix well and turn off the heat. Finally add the fresh lemon juice and stir well. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Make Dal in Instant Pot:
- Set Instant pot to Saute and heat oil. Add mustard, cumin seeds, dry red chili, green chili.Add curry leaves and minced garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 1~2 minutes.
- Add the methi leaves and cook till wilted, about 2~3 minutes.
- Add moong dal, turmeric and 3 cups of water. Cook on manual for 6 minutes and naturally release the pressure.
- Add the freshly ground spice powder and salt. Mix well.
- If the soup looks too thick, add more water to get to desired consistency. Finally add the lemon juice, mix well and serve warm over steamed rice.
Notes
- Make a double or triple batch the spice powder/ rasam powder recipe. It is great to have on hand to make this soup in no time. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
- Fresh Methi Leaves are a must for this recipe. Dried Kasoori methi doesn’t give the same taste in this dish.
- Soup can be served as is or over steamed rice.
A few more dishes with Methi leaves to try:
Global Tastes & Travels Inc.
what a simple and delicious soup and your photos as always render me speechless with how well they are styled
Global Tastes & Travels Inc.
what a simple and delicious soup and your photos as always render me speechless with how well they are styled
PJ
Beautifully styled pic Pavani and a healthy soup too….
Srivalli
How beautifully you have decked up that simple dal Pavani..I must say it’s so stunning!
Madhavi
Tried this rasam recipe today for dinner pavani. Simply delicious!!! The entire family loved it.
Lata Lala
That soul satisfying methi moong dal soup is so comforting for cold winter nights. I loved how the soup is flavored with freshly made rasam powder.
Shailender Sharma
Such a delicious and mouthwatering recipe. It looks superb and simple to the extreme. Beautifully captured.
Ruchi
Such a healthy and satisfying soup. Instant pot made it so easy too. Beautiful recipe. Loved the flavours you have added in it. Lovely post
Vandana
This sounds so delicious and comforting. Though I add methi to moong dal during winters, I never tried making it like a soup and with South India tadka. Loved this recipe, will try it for sure.
Jolly
This is such a simple, healthy and wholesome soup. I usually make simple dal tadka with moong dal & added methi into the tadka, but never make it into this soup style. This simple dish make me feel warm and cozy. Lovely share!!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
I love the flavor of methi with moong dal and this is a great choice to serve as a soup. The freshly ground spice would make it so flavorful. I like your step by step pictures Pavani!
Anshu
The methi moongdal soup sounds such a delicious and healthy recipe which I would love to try soon….and what do I say about the pics, absolutely wonderful!!
Mayuri Patel
Lovely new look of the blog Pavani. What a wonderful soup, methi and moong. Have not tried adding methi for soups as yet. Perfect to feel warm and nutritious too.
Lathiya
This is such a flavorful and healthy dish to try. I loved you showed how to make in Instantpot too.
Uma Srinivas
Rasam looks so good with spices and methi leaves. Never had this before, if I get fresh methi leaves i will make this Pavani.
Jayashree T.Rao
Love this new flavour of rasam, moong and methi leaves. We often make rasam, shall try this sometime.
Priya Srinivasan
What a delicious and healthy soup pavani! The freshly ground spice powder it must add a nice punch to it!!! Can imagine the flavors the bliss feeling when slurpping it hot!!!
Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey
We love methi and daal, both in one dish they create delightful dish, a perfectly hearty and nutritious soup is here to warm your soul.