Indian Bengali · beginner
Bengali Golden Moong Dal With Sweet Potato
A comforting, aromatic Bengali lentil stew made by dry-roasting yellow moong dal and simmering it with sweet potatoes and green peas, finished with a ghee and cumin tempering.
- PREP TIME
- 15 min
- COOK TIME
- 30 min
- SERVES
- 4
LET’S MAKE IT
Step by step
- 01
Dry-roast yellow moong dal in a medium pot over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly until fragrant and light golden.
- 02
Rinse the roasted dal under cool water, then return it to the pot with 800 ml of water, ground turmeric, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
- 03
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the lentils start softening.
- 04
Stir the diced sweet potato and green peas into the lentil pot, cover again, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender.
- 05
In a separate small pan, heat ghee over medium heat until melted; add cumin seeds, whole dried red chilies, and grated ginger, sizzling for 60 seconds until fragrant.
- 06
Pour the hot spiced ghee mixture directly into the cooked lentils, stir well to combine, simmer for 2 minutes, and serve warm.
A LITTLE KITCHEN KNOW-HOW
Bhuna Moong (Lentil Dry Toasting)
Toasting raw split yellow lentils in a dry pan unlocks complex, nutty aromatic compounds before boiling.
Notes from the kitchen
- Do not skip dry-roasting the moong dal; it develops the signature nutty aroma essential to traditional Bengali sona moong dal.
- If the dal gets too thick as it sits, loosen it with a splash of hot water before serving.
- 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.
