Savory dishes

Main courses

Plain moong dal: A simple, nourishing, and easily digestible lentil soup. It is made by cooking the dal until soft, then tempering it with spices like cumin, ginger, and asafoetida in ghee.
Moong dal khichdi: A one-pot meal combining yellow moong dal and rice, seasoned with cumin and turmeric. It is often served with a dollop of ghee and is considered a staple comfort food, especially when feeling unwell.
Pesara pappu charu: A South Indian-style moong dal rasam with a tangy twist from tamarind.
Pesara pappu kura: A simple Andhra-style moong dal curry that pairs well with poori.

Snacks and appetizers

Moong dal papad is a thin, crispy Indian flatbread made from moong lentil flour and spices, often combined with urad (black gram) flour. It's a popular appetizer and side dish that can be prepared by roasting, frying, or microwaving, and served with meals or enjoyed on its own.
Moong dal chilla: A healthy, protein-rich Savory pancake made from a batter of soaked and ground yellow moong dal. It can be served plain or stuffed with paneer or vegetables.
Moong dal kachori: A popular fried pastry stuffed with a spicy, Savory filling of seasoned ground moong dal.
Moong dal dhokla: A soft, fluffy, steamed Savory cake made from a fermented moong dal batter. The texture is porous and spongy.
Moong dal vada: Savory fritters made by grinding soaked moong dal into a batter, flavouring it with spices, and deep-frying.
Ram ladoo: A street food snack from Delhi consisting of fried moong dal fritters topped with a tangy chutney and grated radish.

Sweet dish

Moong dal halwa: A rich, traditional North Indian dessert. Soaked moong dal is ground into a paste, then slow-roasted in ghee until golden and fragrant before being cooked with sugar and milk. It is often garnished with cardamom, saffron, and nuts.