Bhaja Muger Daal recipe or Roasted Mung Dal with vegetables

2012-12-03
  • Servings : 4-5
  • Prep Time : 5m
  • Cook Time : 10m
  • Ready In : 25m

Dals or lentils are an important part of an Indian diet, mainly because most Indians are primarily vegetarian. Dal makes its appearance in a traditional meal everyday, sometimes even twice a day. Indians consume different kinds of dal- mung, tur, urad, chana, the dals keep changing. Did you ever wonder why?

According to Ayurveda, consuming toordal everyday  increases acidity, urad dal though iron rich goes slimy, if reheated  and chana dal can be difficult to digest. So, basically, no dal should be repeated day after day. That leaves us with mung dal and masoor dal, both of which are easy to cook and  are generally fed to the convalescing and ailing because they are easier to to digest. Apart from its obvious protein content, the most important reason for consuming mung dal, specially in the warm summers, is because of its cooling nature.

Normally, I must admit I do not like mung dal. Even after being told all my life that it is good for me, I absolutely, unequivocally hate mung dal.  However, I love this version. I devour this dalevery time my Mum-in-Law makes it. It is absolutely fabulous.

In this Eastern Bengal style of cooking, the dal is roasted before washing. And that roasting gets rid of the slimy slushy texture of mung when it has when cooked without roasting.

Ingredients

  • Mung Dal- 1 cup ( skinless yellow mung Dal)
  • Dry red chillies- 2
  • Jeera- 1 tsp
  • Cinnamon- 2 inch sticks
  • Bay leaf- 2
  • Cloves- 2
  • Ginger, grated- 1 inch
  • Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
  • Salt- to taste
  • Sugar- a pinch
  • Vegetables- diced- 1 cup

Method

1. Dice the vegetables and grate the ginger.

2. Take 1 cup Mung Dal . DO not wash it yet.

3. Heat a tawa or a wok and dry roast the mung dal till brown.

4. Wash and cook the mung dal  in a pressure cooker.

 

5.In a pan,heat oil, put jeera, cinnamon, bay leaves and cloves and dry  red chillies.

In about 1 minute, add the grated ginger, fry for 1 minute.

 

6. Now add the vegetables. Fry for 1 minute. Add turmeric and salt. Cover and cook for 5-7  minutes or till cooked.

7. Now add the cooked dal. Mix well

 

8. Adjust seasoning . Let boil for 5 minutes .

This dal can be made by itself, or with a combination of vegetables, cauliflower and potatoes , or cauliflower and prawns, or just a medley, like I have used here. Usually served in a Bengali household with rice, it can also be had like a soup if you want to avoid the carbohydrate.

 

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