Tomato Moong dal is a simple, comforting and hearty dish to serve with either rice or roti. Recipe can be made in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker in under 30 minutes.
This is one of my favorite dishes that my mom makes. It is a very simple dish with no spices or special ingredients. It’s a comforting dish that reminds me of home because this was a staple that my mom used to make all the time. I make it now whenever I feel homesick or just plain sick. I am happy that my kids love it as much as I love it.
This is one of the recipe I posted in my first year of blogging, waaay back in 2006. I am redoing some of my old lentil posts for this week’s blogging marathon. My theme is ‘dazzling dals’ and this pesarapappu charu is definitely on top of my list of best mung recipes.
Ingredients:
Star of this recipe is split mung dal aka pesarapappu in Telugu. It is one of the easiest dals to cook because it gets soft and mushy in no time. Cooking in the pressure cooker/ instant pot makes it even more easier. I have included instructions for both pressure cooking as well as stove top version below.
Instructions:
As I mentioned before, this is a very simple, every day dal that takes about 30 minutes to make. Here’s how I make it:
- Combine dal, tomatoes, green chilies and 1½ cups of water in an Instant pot or pressure cooker. Cook on Manual under high pressure for 6 minutes or for 3~4 whistles.
- Let the pressure release naturally.
- If cooking in a saucepan, combine dal, tomatoes and green chilies in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add 2¼cups of water, bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook till the lentils are soft, about 25~30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a small saucepan, add mustard and cumin seeds. After the seeds splutter, add red chilies and hing.
- Add the seasoning, red chili powder, turmeric and salt to the cooked dal. If dal looks too thick, then add about ½~1 cup of water (depending on the desired consistency) to the dal and cook for about 5 minutes on saute mode in IP and on medium flame on the stove.
- Add lemon juice and chopped coriander after removing from the flame and mix well.
Tomato Moong Dal Recipe | Pesarapappu Tomato Dal
Ingredients
- ½ cup Split Moong dal (Pesara pappu)
- 2 Medium Ripe Tomatoes, chopped
- 2 Green chilies, slit
- 2 tsp Oil
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 Red chilies
- Pinch of Asafoetida (Hing)
- ¼ tsp Turmeric
- ½ tsp Red chili powder
- To taste Salt
- 2 tbsps Lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine dal, tomatoes, green chilies and 1½ cups of water in an Instant pot or pressure cooker. Cook on Manual under high pressure for 6 minutes or for 3~4 whistles.
- Let the pressure release naturally.
- If cooking in a saucepan, combine dal, tomatoes and green chilies in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add 2¼cups of water, bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook till the lentils are soft, about 25~30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a small sauce pan, add mustard and cumin seeds. After the seeds splutter, add red chilies and hing.
- Add the seasoning, red chili powder, turmeric and salt to the cooked dal. If dal looks too thick, then add about ½~1 cup of water (depending on the desired consistency) to the dal and cook for about 5 minutes on saute mode in IP and on medium flame on the stove.
- Add lemon juice and chopped coriander after removing from the flame and mix well.
Notes
- Add onion and cook along with dal and tomato. After the lentils are cooked through, add tamarind pulp instead of lemon juice and sambar powder. Simmer for about 5 minutes before serving.
- In the tempering, add chopped garlic along with the mustard and cumin seeds. Let the garlic turn golden and then add it to the cooked lentils. This is a delicious version called Lasoon moong dal that is enjoyed all over Northern India.
- Add chopped spinach or chard for a nutritious twist.
Top Tips:
Here are a few ways this simple, everyday tomato moong dal can be jazzed up to serve for company:
- Add onion and cook along with dal and tomato. After the lentils are cooked through, add tamarind pulp instead of lemon juice and sambar powder. Simmer for about 5 minutes before serving.
- In the tempering, add chopped garlic along with the mustard and cumin seeds. Let the garlic turn golden and then add it to the cooked lentils. This is a delicious version called Lasoon moong dal that is enjoyed all over Northern India.
- Add chopped spinach or chard for a nutritious twist.
How to Serve?
I usually serve this pesarapappu charu with hot steamed rice and a dry curry. That is my favorite way of enjoying this dish with a dollop of ghee on top. But this goes well even with roti or puri.
Here are a few more dishes using yellow mung dal that you might enjoy:
Linking to this month’s BM# 110 and don’t forget to check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked up today.
Menu Today
Hi Pavani,
I love any type of “Rasam”. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
mrkk08
Pavani, a different type of saru.. added to by Tudu.Thnx
Vaishali
That’s a classic, isn’t it, Pavani?
Foodie's Hope
Hi Pavani, I have tried this moong dal rasam before, it does taste so different from tuar dal!! But only thing is moong dal smells funny for a while and then it tastes so good!!Thanks!!
Meena Kandlakuti
Hi Pavani,
Right now I don;nt have moong dal in store..next when I get I will try this for sure.Thank you for sharing
Cook n cook
Hi Pavani
Good recipe .
Thnx
mrkk08
hi pavani..nice dal recipe. or is it rasam. thsi is close to the marathi way of making dal. have to try it. thanks
Dee
pavani, this was my mother’s quick fix for lunch or dinner. I was making it and wanted to check if anyone else has posted it and here i come to see that you have done it long back. This is comfort food for me.
Anonymous
I have a little different recipe from my mom..she cooks the moong dhal seperately first and keep it aside. Then to water add vertically sliced onions, 2 chilles (slit), one tomato, salt and little turmeric. cook untill tomatoes are cooked a little and add dhal to it..after tomatoes are cooked..season it..then let it cool and add lime juice in the end..she says if you add lime juice when its hot or while cooking it might taste bitter. Garnish it with cilantro.
It’s almost similar to what you had mentioned..
harsha vardhani
Hi Your site is very informative about the receipes try this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWVPgx3cXNs
Sandhya Nadkarni
Pavani,
This looks delicious! Dishes like these are so light and flavorful. I like the addition of methi in this rasam.
Vaishali Sabnani
I love rasams , be it moong dal or toor dal . This rasam looks little thick , I have been under the impression that these are always watery . All the same rasam is rasam ! 😜
Shailender Sharma
Soulful food much needed at the time of lockdown. Perfect texture and superbly looking. Too much yum
ARCHANA
Delicious must have especially when it uses so few ingredients! I want some and will eat it just plain like a soup.
Lata Lala
Simple recipes are most welcome at this lockdown period. We too love to eat this dal with tomatoes. Pair it up with any sukki sabzi and I am all sorted for a hearty lunch.
Mayuri Patel
I totally agree with you Pavani, moong dal is one of the easiest to prepare and there are so ways one can make it. Love the color of your preparation and since its a bit thick would love to pair with rotis.
Sandhya Nadkarni
Simple nutritious dals like these are real comfort food with rice. Lovely share Pavani!
Uma Srinivas
I love moong dal rasam with vada and rice. Looks flavorful and delicious. I need that bowl of rasam right now 🙂
Jayashree T.Rao
I love cooking this dal as it requires less time too. Simple dal rice is the best food anytime.
Sapana
Moong dal is one of our family favorites, but I have never Cooke dit this way. I will try your recipe next time, it looks so delicious.