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Indian pea soup Munk Dal

Indian Moong Dal (Split Pea Soup)

Getting a taste of Indian Ayurvedic cooking is so easy! This wonderful, fragrant Indian moong dal with pumpkin and spices is sure to delight anyone who eats vegan. You can make it during a fast, and it suits most diets and dietary restrictions. And it's a joy to cook!

Maria

Recipe author

Watch the video

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Water

1.5

Split peas

200

Pumpkin

200

Butter (melted)

Carrots

Ginger (a 1-inch piece of fresh root)

Ground coriander

0.5

Turmeric

0.5

Paprika

0.5

Cumin

Salt

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 20 % 2 g

Fats 20 % 2 g

Carbohydrates 60 % 6 g

53 kcal

GI: 83 / 0 / 17

Cooking method

Step 1:

Gather the ingredients. For Indian moong dal you'll need: 1.7 liters of water; 200 g of dried split peas; 200 g of pumpkin; 1 carrot; 50 g of melted butter; 20 g of fresh ginger root; ground coriander; turmeric; paprika; 1 tsp of cumin; and salt.
Step 2:

Rinse the peas thoroughly until the water runs clear. Cover them with plenty of hot water and soak for 5 hours. Then drain and rinse the peas again.
Step 3:

Peel the ginger root and grate it fine, or chop it finely.
Step 4:

Put the peas in a pot and add the ginger, coriander, paprika, turmeric, and half of the melted butter.
Step 5:

Pour cold water into the pot.
Step 6:

Set the pot on the stove. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then lower the heat and cook at a gentle simmer for 1 hour, skimming the foam now and then.
Step 7:

Peel the pumpkin and cut it into small cubes.
Step 8:

Peel the carrot and cut it into cubes too.
Step 9:

Add the carrot and pumpkin to the pot. Cook about 30 minutes more, until the peas are done — they should break down well.
Step 10:

Heat the remaining butter in a skillet. Add the cumin. Fry over low heat for 1–2 minutes.
Step 11:

Salt the soup and stir. Add the toasted cumin and stir it in.
Step 12:

Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let it rest for 5 minutes. Enjoy!

One hallmark of Indian cuisine is its wealth of spices. Even the famous masala chai gets a whole array of aromatic spices. And cooking becomes a real ritual, where every ingredient has its own role and place. On one hand, Indian cuisine can seem complicated and bewildering, not quite intuitive for our way of thinking. But thanks to the Internet and the freedom to travel, many Indian recipes are now within our reach. And I think anyone willing can find a dish they'll love. I'd never made anything Indian before, since I lean more toward Russian and European cooking. But I really loved this pea dal — so I'm sharing the recipe with you.
Vegetables are the most important part of an Indian meal. Dhal, or dal, is India's most famous dish. In India, "dal" means any legume — lentils, chickpeas, mung beans, peas, beans. Essentially, dal is legumes simmered soft with any vegetables.