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    Home » daal

    Sabut Moong Dal – Creamy Green Mung Beans

    Published: Sep 27, 2022 by Richa 37 Comments

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe

    Sabut Moong Dal – a delicious creamy North Indian dal made with green mung beans in the Instant Pot with green mung beans simmered in a fragrant tomato coconut milk sauce flavored with aromatic Indian spices. Serve with rice or flatbread for a comforting meal. Gluten-free Soyfree Nutfree

    a serving of sabut moong bean dal served with rice sprinkled with chopped cilantro

    Here’s a wholesome mung bean curry just in time for the first cooler days of the year! Indian Sabut Moong Dal – this North Indian Green Mung Bean Dal is delicious, creamy, super flavorful and so easy and quick to make in an Instant Pot. Sabut means whole. Moong/mung is a green colored small bean. It comes in whole form, that’s the green mung beans, and split form. The split can have the green skin or can have the skin removed. The No skin version is yellow and is called moong dal.

    This sabut moong is paired with creamy coconut milk, chili, garlic, onions, tomatoes and warming Indian spices, this green mung bean curry is such a comforting meal ideal for those colder early fall days.  Serve it with rice or naan bread for the perfect plant-based meal.

    overhead shot of a serving of green mung bean curry served with rice

    I love cooking with mung beans as they are very versatile. I use them for soup,  kitchari , fritters and I even use them to make a delicious Vegan Omelet. They make a great addition to your pantry!

    They can be easily found at Indian grocery stores but also at mainstream stores such as Whole Foods and Costco.

    Other than the mung beans, we are mostly using very basic pantry ingredients such as garlic, onions, coconut milk, tomatoes, garlic and some spices like garam masala.

    freshly chopped herbs being sprinkled into an Instant pot with creamy mung bean stew

    why you will love this Mung Bean dal

    • it uses a few ingredients
    • it needs just 1 pot
    • it is gluten-free Soyfree Nutfree
    • it has no onion garlic option in recipe notes
    • this is a versatile recipe. Use it with other lentils or beans!

    Indian mung bean curry with basmati rice served in a white bowl served with a spoon on the side

    More lentil recipes:

    Lentil Orzo Salad

    Vegan Lentil Sambusa Pie

    Vegan Lentil Sausage Rolls

    Vietnamese Inspired Caramelized Pork Bowls with Lentils

    Mung Bean Sprouts, Seared Carrots, Kale Salad with Chili Lime Sesame Dressing

    Black Eyed Pea and Mung Bean Stew. Mixed Dal.

    Print Recipe
    5 from 14 votes

    Sabut Moong Dal (Creamy Green Mung beans)

    Sabut Moong Dal - a delicious creamy North Indian dal made with green mung beans in the Instant Pot with green mung beans simmered in a fragrant tomato coconut milk sauce flavored with aromatic Indian spices. Serve with rice or flatbread for a comforting meal. Gluten-free Soyfree Nutfree 
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time40 mins
    Total Time50 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian
    Keyword: indian dal curry
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 182kcal
    Author: Vegan Richa

    Ingredients

    • 3/4 cup (155.25 g) green mung beans (sabut moong) soaked for at least two hours
    • 1 teaspoon oil or use a few tablespoons water to sauté
    • 1/2 cup (80 g) chopped onion
    • 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
    • 1 hot green chili finely chopped
    • 1-2 teaspoons garam masala or berbere or Madras curry powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or Indian red chili powder. You can use more if you'd like more heat
    • 1/4 cup (60.5 g) canned tomato puree or you can use 2 fresh tomatoes pureed.
    • 14 oz (396.89 ml) can full-fat coconut milk or use cashew milk or water
    • 1 cup (240 ml) water (use 1 1/2 cup if your instant pot is prone to burn error)
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • cilantro , lemon juice/ lime juice and pepper flakes for garnish

    Instructions

    • Wash and soak your moong beans if you haven't already then drain and set aside.
    • Turn the Instant Pot on Saute mode at high and add the oil. Once the oil is hot add the onion, garlic, green chili, and a good pinch of salt and cook until the onion is golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Also deglaze occasionally if needed by adding a 1-2 teaspoons of water.
    • Once golden, add in the spices and mix well. Cook for another 15 seconds. Then add in the tomato puree, drained moong beans, water, coconut milk, and salt, and stir to mix in.
    • (If using fresh tomato puree, add just the tomato puree after adding the spices and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it comes to a good boil then add in the moong beans, coconut milk, and water and mix in.)
    • Mix really well to pick up any stuck bits, and switch off Saute mode. Close the lid and pressure cook for 35 minutes or bean mode for 35 minutes. I like to use the bean mode because sometimes the beans are pretty old and they take a much longer time to cook on regular pressure cook mode. (For less soft beans, pressure cook 20 mins.)
    • Let the pressure release naturally then open the lid, stir and mash some of the moong beans using a spatula, mashing them on the sides of the inner pot. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. If the dal is too thick, you can add in some more water and mix in while the dal is still hot. Remove the dal from the instant pot and garnish with cilantro and lemon juice and serve with rice, quinoa, naan, or flat bread.

    Notes

    • Stove top: Follow the first 4 steps with a large saucepan over medium heat. Add another 1.5 cups water, then partially cover and cook for 45-50 mins. Stir occasionally and mash some of the beans when they are done to preference.
    • To make it coconut free you can use a mix of any other non-dairy milk and two tablespoons of non-dairy yogurt for additional thickening.
    • You can also make this without any additional added non-dairy milk. Just use water instead of coconut milk. So you'll use two cups of water in total.
    • You can make this oil-free. Use water to sauté and also add 1/4-1/2 cup more water 
    • Dals are usually overcooked so that they are soft and mushy, and that can sometimes cause the dal at the bottom to scorch and give a burn signal depending on your Instant Pot (some can be very sensitive or heat unevenly ). Add 1/2 cup more water if yours is generally more sensitive 
    • No onion garlic: Use zucchini instead of onion and add 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek leaves or 1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seed powder instead of garlic 
    • Other lentils: You can use other Dals here as well. Brown lentils will take 16-18 mins pressure cook time. Green lentils 20 mins. Whole Urad(black matpe beans) 40 mins. Chana Dal 35-40 mins. Chickpeas(soaked overnight) 45-50 mins

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Sabut Moong Dal (Creamy Green Mung beans)
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 182 Calories from Fat 153
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 17g26%
    Saturated Fat 6g38%
    Sodium 341mg15%
    Potassium 553mg16%
    Carbohydrates 31g10%
    Fiber 8g33%
    Sugar 6g7%
    Protein 10g20%
    Vitamin A 165IU3%
    Vitamin C 6mg7%
    Calcium 95mg10%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

     

    Indian Sabut Moong Dal served sprinkled with chopped herbs with a side of rice

    Ingredients:

    • green mung beans, soaked for at least two hours
    •  sauteed onion, garlic, and green chili are the base
    • aromatic spices: garam masala or berbere or Madras curry powder, black pepper and cayenne or Indian red chili powder
    • canned tomato puree adds body to this dal – I used canned but you can use 2 fresh tomatoes pureed
    • full-fat coconut milk makes the dal creamy. You could use water if you are not into creamy dals or want to keep this very low-fat

    Tips

    • To make it coconut free you can use a mix of any other non-dairy milk and two tablespoons of non-dairy yogurt for additional thickening or just use water
    • You can also make this without any additional added non-dairy milk. Just use water instead of coconut milk. So you’ll use two cups of water in total.
    • Once you open the lid, you can mash more of the dal to make it more creamy.
    • You can make this oil-free. I add the oil so that it reduces the chances of getting a burn signal as we are cooking the dal for a longer time.
    • Dals are usually overcooked so that they are soft, and that can sometimes cause the dal at the bottom to scorch and give a burn signal depending on your Instant Pot (some can be very sensitive or heat unevenly ). Add 1/2 cup more water if your instant pot is generally sensitive.
    • Dals as I mentioned are cooked until a melt in your mouth texture. This is the expected texture and result. This means they will be mushy. If you don’t like it too soft, pressure cook for 18-20 mins instead.

    ingredients needed for making sabut moong dal on a marble countertop

    How to make Sabut Moong Dal

    onion and green chili frying on sautee mode in an Instant pot

    Wash and soak your moong beans if you haven’t already then drain and set aside.


    Turn the Instant Pot on Saute mode at high and add the oil. Once the oil is hot add the onion, garlic, green chili, and a good pinch of salt and cook until the onion is golden, 3 to 5 minutes.

    chopped red onions, chili and garlic in an Instant Pot

    Stir occasionally. Also deglaze occasionally if needed by adding a 1-2 teaspoons of water.

    sauteed garlic and onions in an Instant pot

    Once golden, add in the spices and mix well. Cook for another 15 seconds.

    Indian spices being added to sauteed onions and garlic

    Then add in the tomato puree, drained moong beans, water, coconut milk, and salt, and stir to mix in.
    (If using fresh tomato puree, add just the tomato puree after adding the spices and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it comes to a good boil then add in the moong beans, coconut milk, and water and mix in.)

    tomatoes and mung beans being added to sauteed onions to make dal

    Mix really well to pick up any stuck bits, and switch off Saute mode. Close the lid and pressure cook for 35 minutes or bean mode for 35 minutes. I like to use the bean mode because sometimes the beans are pretty old and they take a much longer time to cook on regular pressure cook mode.

    coconut milk being added to green mung beans, tomatoes and spices to make Instant pot dal

    Let the pressure release naturally then open the lid, stir and mash some of the moong beans using a spatula, mashing them on the sides of the inner pot. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. If the dal is too thick, you can add in some more water and mix in while the mixture is still hot. Remove the dal from the instant pot and garnish with cilantro and lemon juice and serve with rice, quinoa, naan, or flat bread.

    moong dal cooked in an Instant Pot

     

    creamy green mung beans dal in an Instant pot sprinkled with cilantro

    How to serve?

    This Green Moong Dal pair perfectly with  basmati rice or roti or flatbread. You can also pair it with quinoa or cauliflower rice.

    Storage

    Refrigerate for upto 4 days. Freeze for upto a month

    a serving of green mung bean dal served with rice

     

     

     

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    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you Love the Recipe, Please consider rating it using stars in comments! It helps readers and helps more people find the recipe online! I love hearing from you all! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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    1. Peggy

      January 08, 2023 at 7:19 pm

      5 stars
      I forgot the rating for my previous post. Absolutely delicious!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 09, 2023 at 6:31 pm

        Thank you, Peggy! 🙂

        Reply
    2. sagan

      January 02, 2023 at 12:16 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for this delicious recipe! I doubled the recipe and wish I had quadrupled!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 04, 2023 at 2:40 pm

        Haha I’m so glad you enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Morgan L

      December 12, 2022 at 12:13 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely superb! I used split moong dal since that is what I had on hand, and cooked those first then added my spices. My family loved it. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        December 14, 2022 at 10:25 pm

        I’m so happy to hear!

        Reply
    4. Vince

      December 12, 2022 at 6:34 am

      I don’t have an instapot……what would be the best way to cook and make this delicious recipe?

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        December 14, 2022 at 10:20 pm

        Follow the first 4 steps with a large saucepan over medium heat. Add another 1.5 cups water, then partially cover and cook for 45-50 mins. Stir occasionally and mash some of the beans when they are done to preference.

        Reply
    5. Karolina Lambert

      December 07, 2022 at 3:35 am

      5 stars
      An incredible recipe! Such a lovely meal- I quadrupled the ingredients and I’m so glad I did! It’s so flavoursome, even without the lemon and coriander- I had bought them but forgot to add them. I always eat my curries with coriander; so, it’s something I forgot all about it eating this one:)Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        December 12, 2022 at 3:28 pm

        Wonderful!

        Reply
    6. Michelle

      November 21, 2022 at 7:33 am

      5 stars
      This was so good!! I have never made moong dal before and this was a big success. Thanks for your simple and delicious recipes!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 21, 2022 at 9:09 pm

        So glad to hear!

        Reply
    7. CK

      October 13, 2022 at 5:39 pm

      5 stars
      Wow this was incredible! Cooked as described but squeezed lime juice on top instead of lemon and the lime took it to the next level! Will be doubling or tripling this recipe next time we make it!!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        October 15, 2022 at 6:04 pm

        leveling up with lime – works every time.

        Reply
    8. Anna

      October 01, 2022 at 5:16 pm

      5 stars
      Another winner! So glad I made a double batch. I’ve never made a Vegan Richa recipe that wasn’t amazing!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        October 02, 2022 at 5:36 pm

        You’re so kind Anna.

        Reply
    9. Lisa

      September 29, 2022 at 6:15 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve had some dried mung beans in my pantry for a while now and usually use them to make uttapam but when I got this recipe in my email the other day, I knew I had to try it. I got the process started late because of work but it’s 9pm here and I just ate half of it out of the pressure cooker without any rice or naan. It was so good. I love rajma so any recipes that use mashing of the beans as a thickening agent are winners in my book. I made a few edits like using tinned tomato sauce instead of puree, adding fenugreek, and using 2 scoops of tofu sour cream instead of plant milk (altered the liquids accordingly, of course) but I can only imagine the recipe as written is even better. I’ve been an avid vegan home cook for just over 5 years now and your recipes never disappoint. Also, love your dedication to animal liberation. You are wonderful! <3

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        October 02, 2022 at 5:26 pm

        Wow~thank you so much. perfect without the naan sometimes you just can’t wait.

        Reply
    10. Debra

      September 29, 2022 at 2:40 am

      5 stars
      I cooked this yesterday for over dinner!!! Not only is it a beautiful dishes and smells amazing, the taste was absolutely amazing!!!! My husband came into the kitchen several times saying what are you cooking! When we want to be fancy I usually pull out one of my favorite Indian dishes and Began Richa never disappoints! Especially with this one! Thank you!!!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        October 02, 2022 at 5:20 pm

        Oh, I’m flattered.

        Reply
    11. Caresse

      September 28, 2022 at 3:50 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! Made a double batch using 1 can coconut milk, 1 can diced tomatoes, used sprouted Mung beans and have delicious leftovers to look forward too!! Also, quick released after 10 minutes.

      Reply
      • Richa

        September 28, 2022 at 4:47 pm

        Yay

        Reply
    12. Maneesha

      September 27, 2022 at 6:53 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious recipe, Richa! I only soaked the daal for about 15-20 mins, and it turned out great! It was my first time using the bean/chili mode on the instant pot, and I’m quite pleased with how the daal turned out! Thanks Richa! I have made moong daal in the past and had always added ginger and mustard seeds with asofoteida, so this was a cool new way to make the daal without the tempering or ginger! I love your Indian recipes because I learn so many new cooking techniques and methods from them! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        September 29, 2022 at 12:16 pm

        No tempering necessary; yay!

        Reply
        • Maneesha

          November 08, 2022 at 5:12 am

          5 stars
          I just made this again with just water and without any coconut milk or cashew cream, and it turned out superb! Your recipe is my new fav way to cook with moong daal!

          Reply
          • Richa

            November 08, 2022 at 9:27 am

            Yay!

            Reply
    13. Eve-Marie

      September 27, 2022 at 1:26 pm

      Is it possible to use yellow moong dal in this recipe?

      Reply
      • Richa

        September 27, 2022 at 2:59 pm

        Yes pressure cook 6 mins

        Reply
        • Eve-Marie

          September 27, 2022 at 3:01 pm

          Thanks, I will give it a try!

          Reply
    14. Trina

      September 27, 2022 at 10:30 am

      5 stars
      I saw this in my mail this morning, decided to make for breakfast. I did need to soak the beans for one hour in hot water, while the were soaking Prepped the ingredients. This is a satisfying and delicious meal for us.
      Thank you,
      Trina

      Reply
      • Richa

        September 27, 2022 at 2:59 pm

        Yay! So awesome

        Reply
    15. Sue

      September 27, 2022 at 7:35 am

      Hi Richa, I’m out of mong beans. Would urads be a good substitute if I don’t want to run to the store? This recipe looks great! Thanks.

      Reply
      • Richa

        September 27, 2022 at 7:50 am

        Yea you can use wholenurad. Pressure cook 5-10 mins longer.

        Reply
    16. Tina Luebke

      September 27, 2022 at 5:58 am

      I imagine I can make this on the stove; it will just take longer? I do not have an instant pot. I cook lentils on the stove all the time. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Richa

        September 27, 2022 at 7:50 am

        Added them in notes now. Cook 45-60 mins

        Reply
    17. Katherine D Emerson

      September 27, 2022 at 5:45 am

      Could this be made on the stovetop for those of us who don’t own an Instant Pot? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Richa

        September 27, 2022 at 7:49 am

        Yes I forgot to add stovetop instructions. They are in notes now. 45-50 mins

        Reply

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