Indian (Bengali) · beginner
Bengali Dry-Roasted Moong Dal With Bottle Gourd
Fragrant roasted yellow moong lentils cooked with tender bottle gourd and tempered with nigella seeds and green chilies.
- PREP TIME
- 10 min
- COOK TIME
- 30 min
- SERVES
- 4
LET’S MAKE IT
Step by step
- 01
Add yellow moong dal to a dry pan over medium heat and dry-toast for 4 minutes, stirring constantly until golden and nutty in aroma; rinse warm dal in cold water and drain.
- 02
Transfer rinsed dal to a saucepan with 3 cups water, turmeric, and diced bottle gourd; bring to a boil.
- 03
Cover saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat for 18 minutes until both dal and bottle gourd are completely soft.
- 04
Heat ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Add bay leaf and nigella seeds; let them pop for 20 seconds.
- 05
Stir ginger paste and slit green chilies into the ghee for 30 seconds until aromatic.
- 06
Pour the tempered ghee mixture directly into the simmering dal, stir in salt, boil for 2 minutes to meld flavors, and serve hot.
A LITTLE KITCHEN KNOW-HOW
Bhaja Moong Tempered Simmering
Dry-toasting uncooked lentils to develop roasted aromatic compounds prior to soft-boiling and finishing with hot spiced ghee.
Notes from the kitchen
- Dry-roasting the moong dal before boiling gives the dish its signature nutty aroma characteristic of Bengali Bhaja Moong Dal.
- Dice the bottle gourd small so it tenderizes in the same timeframe as the lentils.
- Original home-cooking adaptation inspired by Indian (Bengali); regional versions vary.
- Use halal-certified meat, poultry, stock, sauces, cheese and other processed ingredients. Check labels and avoid cross-contamination. Recipe screening is not halal certification.
