Pressure Cooker Chilkewali Mung Dhal/Split Mung Bean Curry Recipe

Pressure Cooker Chilkewali mung dhal curry is a quick and easy way to make north Indian dhal curry with split mung beans, along with their skin/husk for extra nutrition.

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This aromatic mildly spiced curry goes well with steamed rice, any pulao/ biryani or even any Indian flat bread like puris, chapattis, rotis, parathas or naan.

Many Indians are mostly vegetarians.  There is a section of people who cannot do without their meat, chicken or fish daily. For their protein source, they will make do with even with some boiled eggs, but they have to have their animal protein.

For hard core vegetarians who do not take any meat, chicken, fish or eggs, they have to look out for other sources for their daily protein intake. Lentils and beans are the main source of protein along with any milk products and the now trending quinoa, amaranth etc .

We love our dhals and I often try to include some protein in our daily meals with dalithoy, alasande beeye saaru upkari (black-eyed peas curry), shahi lobia masala etc to be served with rice or chapattis.

Chilkewali mung dhal curry or split mung bean dhal (“chilkewali” is "with skin or husk" in Hindi) is one such dhal curry. Split mung bean dhal has more nutrition than regular split yellow mung beans because of the skins still on them. Although they give a greenish color to the dhal, we love to enjoy it once in a while.

WHAT IS CHILKEWALI MUNG BEAN DAL CURRY?

Basically, it is a mildly spiced lentil curry with warm exotic spices like turmeric, cumin, cloves and the quintessential garam masala powder. It is so versatile; you can use any type of lentil or dhal to make this curry. For added nutrition, you can add some chopped spinach at the end of the cooking process and you have spinach dhal curry!

Once the dhal is cooked and ready, all you have to do is make the spice masala; mix it into the dhal; one boil and mung dhal curry is ready in less than 30 minutes.

I love using a pressure cooker while making my meals (saves a ton of time!) and here I have made this curry both in the STOVE TOP PRESSURE COOKER and electric INSTANT POT.

Do try my version of chilkewali mung dhal curry which is an absolute comfort food!

How to make Chilkewali Mung Dhal Curry with Step-by-step Method:

TO MAKE IN A STOVE TOP PRESSURE COOKER:

• Wash and drain the split mung bean dhal. Place in a pressure cooker/pan, add about 1 to 1 ½ cups of water (up to 1 inch above the dhal). Close the pressure pan and cook on high.  After one whistle, lower the heat and cook for about 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can cook the dhal in a saucepan with lots of water till soft and tender.
• Let the pressure drop on its own and then open the pressure pan.

•  Mash the dhal.  You may choose to make it into a fine paste or leave it a little coarse.

• In a deep kadai or saucepan, heat oil/ghee (for a vegan version, use only oil).
• Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and cloves; saute for a few seconds.
• Add the finely chopped onions along with garlic and green chillies; fry for a few minutes till the onions are slightly soft and translucent.

• Stir in tomatoes, turmeric powder and garam masala powder.

• Saute on medium low for a few minutes till the tomatoes are slightly cooked and soft. You will start to see the oil separating from the mixture.

• At this stage, add the cooked dhal along with 1 to 1 ½ cups of water (depending upon how thick or thin you like your curry) and salt to taste. Give it a good mix and taste for seasoning. Adjust accordingly.

• Bring to a boil on high and once it comes to a boil, reduce to medium low and simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes till the flavors have blended well and you get the consistency you want.
• Remove from heat, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

TO MAKE IN AN INSTANT POT:

• Add 2 tbsp oil to the inner pot and turn the pot to saute. When hot, add 1 tsp cumin seeds and 3 cloves. Saute for a few seconds to aromatize the oil.
• Stir in 1/2 cup chopped onions, chopped 2 to 3 cloves of garlic and 1 green chili sliced. Stir fry on until the onions are soft and starting to brown.

• Add chopped tomatoes (1 medium), 1/2 tsp turmeric, dash of black pepper, 1 tsp garam masala powder and mix well.

• Fry, stirring continuously until the oil starts to ooze from the side.

• Mix in the washed and drained dal along with 2 cups of hot water and salt to taste.

• Stir to combine and pressure cook on 'HIGH" for 5 MINUTES. NPR (naturally pressure release) for the valve or seal to drop.
• When safe to open, remove the lid and mix well.

• Adjust consistency by adding more water if needed and add more salt if needed. Simmer a couple of minutes if not too hot and then serve hot with garnish of cilantro.
• Chilkewali Moong dal goes well with steamed rice, any pulao or biryani and any Indian flat bread like rotis, chapattis, naan, puris etc.
• Enjoy!!

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Pressure Cooker Chilkewali Mung Dhal/Split Mung Bean Curry Recipe

A quick and easy way to make north Indian dhal curry with split mung beans, along with their skin, for extra nutrition. This aromatic mildly spiced curry goes well with steamed rice, any pulao/ biryani or even any Indian flat bread like puris, chapattis, rotis, parathas or naan.

Course Brunch, Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, North Indian

Keyword curry, gluten free, Instant Pot, Mung bean dal, plant based, Pressure Cooker, Split mung beans, Vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings 4

Author curryandvanilla

Ingredients

• ½ cup split mung bean dal with skin
• 2 tablespoon oil/ghee
• 2 to 3 cloves
• 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
• 1 small onion finely chopped (about ½ cup)
• 2-3 cloves of garlic sliced or minced
• 2 green chillies
• 1 medium tomato chopped
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• Dash of black pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

Instructions

1. Wash and drain the split mung bean dhal. You can soak this in ½ cup water until the rest of the ingredients are ready.

TO MAKE IN A STOVE TOP PRESSURE COOKER:

1. Place washed dal in the pressure cooker/pan; add about 1 to 1 ½ cups of water (up to 1 inch above the dhal).
2. Close the pressure pan and cook on high. After one whistle, lower the heat and cook for about 10 minutes. You can cook the dhal in a saucepan with lots of water till soft and tender; just takes a longer time.
3. Let the pressure drop on its own. Open the pressure pan and mash the dhal. You may choose to make it into a fine paste or leave it a little coarse.
4. In a deep kadai or saucepan, heat oil/ghee.
5. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and cloves; sauté for a few seconds.
6. Add the finely chopped onions along with garlic and green chilies; fry for a few minutes till the onions are slightly soft and translucent.
7. Stir in tomatoes, turmeric powder, black pepper powder and garam masala powder.
8. Sauté on medium low for a few minutes till the tomatoes are slightly cooked and soft. You will start to see the oil separating from the mixture.
9. At this stage, add the cooked dhal along with 1 to 1 ½ cups of water and salt to taste. Give it a good mix and taste for seasoning. Adjust accordingly.
10. Bring to a boil on high and once it comes to a boil, reduce to medium low and simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes till the flavors have blended well and you get the consistency you want.
11. Remove from heat, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

TO MAKE IN AN INSTANT POT:

1. Add 2 tbsp oil to the inner pot and turn the pot to saute. When hot, add 1 tsp cumin seeds and 3 cloves. Saute for a few seconds to aromatize the oil.
2. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped onions, chopped 2 to 3 cloves of garlic and 1 green chili sliced. Stir fry on until the onions are soft and starting to brown.
3. Add chopped tomatoes (1 medium), 1/2 tsp turmeric, dash of black pepper, 1 tsp garam masala powder and mix well. Fry, stirring continuously until the oil starts to ooze from the side.
4. Mix in the washed and drained dal along with 2 cups of hot water and salt to taste. Stir to combine and pressure cook on 'HIGH" for 5 MINUTES. NPR (naturally pressure release) for the valve or seal to drop.
5. When safe to open, remove the lid and mix well.
6. Adjust consistency by adding more water if needed and add more salt if needed. Simmer a couple of minutes if not too hot and then serve hot with garnish of cilantro.
7. Chilkewali Moong dal goes well with steamed rice, any pulao or biryani and any Indian flat bread like rotis, chapattis, naan, puris etc.

Recipe Notes

• Adjust the amount of spices according to your taste.
• Instead of green chillies/jalapenos, you can add ½ teaspoon of red chilli powder along with the tomatoes.
• You can make this curry as thin or as thick as you want. Just adjust the amount of water added

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