Moong Dal dhokla is a healthy, tasty and nutritious dhokla variety made with whole mung beans, herbs and spices. They have a beany taste and flavor unlike Khaman. This snack is a savory steamed vegan cake that is protein-rich and guilt-free that you can enjoy any time.
I have been making this recipe after adapting it from a cookbook “Epicure’s Vegetarian Cuisines of India” by Asha Khatau. Here I have used whole green mung beans, but this dhokla can also me made with husked split yellow mung lentils.
Moreover what I liked about this recipe is that it is very easy to make and taste delicious. It also does not require curd (yogurt).
I liked this green gram dhokla recipe for its ease and of course health benefits. You can serve it as an evening snack.
This moong dal dhokla has the typical earthy moong bean taste and is savory and sour. It has a sour taste like that of idli. So if you like idli, you may also like this moong dal dhokla. I did not add sugar to the recipe. If you like a sweet taste, then you can add sugar to the dhokla mixture to get a sweet taste.
When I adapted this recipe for the first time, I was skeptical as I was not sure if the dhokla will break or will be perfectly round. I was amazed when it came out neatly in one piece from the pan.
I have been making this recipe for decades and it works like a charm every time. For a more nutritive boost to the dish, I have also added roasted sesame seeds to the tempering.
This is one healthy and nutritious snack that you can make for your family and loved ones.
Best accompaniment to moong dal dhokla is cilantro mint chutney or coconut chutney or any green chutney of your choice. Also, it can go well with raw papaya chutney or tamarind dates chutney.
If you love dhokla, then do check these following variations.
More Dhokla Varieties
Snacks Recipes
Gujarati Food Recipes
Snacks Recipes
How to make Moong Dal Dhokla
1. Rinse 1 cup whole moong beans with water a couple of times. Then drain all the water. The mung beans in the photo look yellow due to the yellow lighting in the kitchen.
2. In a bowl, soak the moong beans in enough water for 6 to 7 hours or overnight.
3. Later drain all the water from the soaked moong beans and again rinse them with fresh water. Then drain all the water.
Add the moong beans to a grinder or blender jar. Also add 1 tablespoon coriander leaves (chopped) and ½ cup of water.
4. Grind to a semi coarse or semi-fine paste but make sure it is not gritty or very coarse. Also don’t make the paste too fine.
5. The batter should not be too thick nor thin but like a dhokla batter. Remove the batter in a mixing bowl or vessel and set aside.
6. Meanwhile in a large pan or pot take about 2 to 2.5 cups of water. Keep a metal stand or a trivet in the pan. Now heat the pan till the water comes to a boil.
7. Meanwhile, grease a steaming pan with some oil. You can use any neutral flavored oil.
8. Add 1 tablespoon ginger-green chili paste to the ground moong dal batter. To make the ginger-green chilli paste, crush 1 to 2 green chillies and 1.5 inches ginger in a mortar-pestle.
9. Next add 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and salt as required. For a sweet-tangy dhokla, you can also 1 tablespoon sugar or according to taste at this step.
10. Mix very well.
11. Then add 1 teaspoon fruit salt or eno to the moong dal batter mixture. Eno is used as a leavening ingredient in this recipe.
12. Be quick and mix thoroughly but evenly.
Steaming moong dal dhokla
13. Immediately pour this dhokla mixture in the greased steaming pan.
14. Now carefully place the pan in the large pan where the water must have already started boiling by now. Ensure the water level is below the pan else water might enter the batter.
Note: Be careful as the water and the steam will be very hot. So you can use a pair of tongs to place the pan.
15. Cover the pan with a lid and steam for 12 to 15 minutes on medium heat till the batter is firm and cooked.
Check with toothpick or a wooden skewer and there should be no sticky batter on it.
16. Let the moong dal dhokla become warm. Then separate the edges with a butter knife and gently remove from the pan.
Making tempering
18. Measure and keep all the ingredients ready for making tempering.
19. In a small pan, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons oil. You can use any neutral flavored oil.
20. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them splutter.
21. Then add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them splutter.
22. Add 1 pinch asafoetida (hing), 1 sprig curry leaves and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Mix well.
Note: To make it gluten free skip adding asafoetida or use gluten free asafoetida
23. Add 2 tablespoons water to the tempering. Mix well and let the water come to a boil. Be careful when adding water. You can switch off the heat while adding water.
To give some sweet notes to the tempering, you can add 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar after you add the water. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved when the water boils.
24. When the water comes to a boil, then pour this tempering mixture evenly over the steamed moong dal dhokla. Garnish with ¼ cup coriander leaves (finely chopped) and ¼ cup grated coconut (optional).
25. Serve moong dal dhokla warm with coriander chutney or mint chutney or coconut chutney or tamarind chutney. You can have it any time of the day or as a tea time snack.
More Tasty Snacks recipes
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Moong Dal Dhokla
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup whole moong beans (whole green gram)
- 1 tablespoon ginger-green chilli paste – 1 to 2 green chillies and 1.5 inches ginger finely crushed in mortar-pestle
- ½ cup water or as required for grinding moong beans
- 1 tablespoon coriander leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt as required
- 1 teaspoon fruit salt or eno
For tempering
- 1 to 2 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2 tablespoon water
For garnish
- ¼ cup coriander leaves – finely chopped
- ¼ cup grated coconut – optional
Instructions
Making green gram batter
- Pick and rinse the whole moong beans with water for a couple of times.
- Soak the moong beans in enough water for 6 to 7 hours or overnight. Then drain the water.
- Grind the soaked moong with coriander leaves and very ½ cup water to a semi coarse paste.
- Don’t make the paste too fine.
- Also the batter should not be too thick nor thin but like a dhokla batter.
Making moong dal dhokla
- Take about 2 to 2.5 cups of water in a large pan. Place a small metal stand or trivet in the pan. Bring the water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, grease a round pan with some oil.
- Add ginger-green chili paste, oil, lemon juice and salt to the ground moong mixture and mix well.
- Finally add fruit salt or eno to the dhokla mixture and mix very well.
- Immediately pour the leavened batter in the greased steaming pan.
- Place the pan in the large pan where the water must have already started boiling by now. Be careful as the water and the steam will be very hot. Best to use tongs for keeping the steamer pan with the batter.
- Cover the pan and steam for 12 to 15 minutes or till the dhokla is done. let the dhokla become warm and then you can remove it from the pan.
Making tempering
- In a small pan, heat oil.
- Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- Then add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Add asafoetida (hing), curry leaves and roasted sesame seeds. Mix well.
- Then add 2 tablespoons water to the tempering. Mix well again and let this mixture come to a boil.
- Be careful when adding water. You can switch off the heat while adding water.
- Pour this tempering all over the steamed moong dal dhokla.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and coconut.
- Serve warm with mint coriander chutney or coconut chutney or cilantro chutney. You can also serve it with your evening tea.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This recipe post from the archives (June 2012) has been republished and updated on 13 September 2021.
