Moong Dal Halwa recipe is a super rich and indulgent Indian dessert made with split moong dal, ghee and aromatic cardamom. With my recipe you don’t have to soak and grind the dal and is easier to make than the traditional version. Learn how to make moong dal ka halwa in 2 ways by following my few easy steps.
Diwali just few days to go and how can I not make one of our favourite and most loved dessert “MOONG DAL HALWA“.
What is moong dal?
Moong dal is the skinless split and washed green gram. It looks like a small, plump, yellow split pea basically used in every Indian household to make delicious creamy dal.
What is Moong dal ka halwa?
It is a traditional Indian dessert, is wonderfully fragrant & rich dessert. It makes a perfect ending to any Indian meal. Moong lentils, sugar, ghee (lots of ghee) and cardamom powder all combined together can turn into something so magical and taste absolutely divine. Don’t be a miser when adding ghee to this wonderful dessert, its tastes best when it is laden with ghee.
Ingredients used to make the halwa.
- Moong Dal / split moong beans
- Sugar / Jaggery
- Ghee
- Cardamom powder
- Cashews, almonds, pistachios and raisins
Such simple pantry loving ingredients are used to make this decadent Indian sweet. Follow the step by step recipe to make the perfect moong dal halwa my easy way.
How to make Moong dal halwa?
Traditional halwa is pretty time consuming and needs a lot of arm work. But I am sharing a 2 simple ways which doesn’t include soaking the dal for hours neither grinding.
Dry roast the the moong beans in a thick bottomed pan or a pressure cooker or an instant pot. Then add water to the dal and cover and cook the dal on medium-low heat until it is soft but not mushy. Open the lid and using a spatula, stir a few times to mash the cooked dal into a coarse paste. If it looks dry, add ½ cup of hot water and stir it in.
If using a Pressure cooker or instant pot: Add water Close the pressure cooker and cook for 10 minutes on high. Quickly release the pressure and open the lid. If the dal looks dry, add ½ cup of hot water and stir it in. sing a spatula, stir a few times to mash the cooked dal into a coarse paste.
Next add ghee, sugar, cardamom powder and give a good mix until combined. Keep stirring at intermittently to prevent the halwa from sticking to the pan. Sauté until it turns light golden brown in colour and reaches a thick pudding-like consistency. And ghee starts separating on the sides of the pot. Garnish with some nuts and serve moong halwa it warm.
Here are few Indian dessert that you can try at home.
Peanut Chikki (Mungfali Chikki)
Ukadiche Modak Traditional Recipe
Nolen Gurer Sandesh (Sondesh) Bengali Recipe
Moong dal halwa recipe
Moong dal Halwa | Moong Dal ka Halwa
Equipment
- pressure cooker
- large thick bottomed pan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Moong Dal
- 1 – 1 1/4 cups Sugar / Jaggery (Adjust the quantity of sugar to suit your taste)
- 3/4 – 1 cup Ghee (Adjust the quantity of ghee to suit your preference)
- 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder
- Chopped Cashews, almonds, pistachios and raisins
Instructions
- Dry roast the moong dal for 10-12 minutes. stir regularly. Roast until it turns from pale yellow to slightly golden brown in colour and leaves a nutty aroma.
Cook straight in the large thick bottomed pan:
- Now add 4 cups of water and stir it well. Cover and cook the dal on medium-low heat until it is soft but not mushy. Open the lid and using a spatula, stir a few times to mash the cooked dal into a coarse paste. If the dal looks dry, add ½ cup of hot water and stir it in.
- Now add the ghee and mix it well with the dal.
- Next add the sugar and stir everything together till combined well.
- Keep stirring at intermittently to prevent the halwa from sticking to the pan.
- Sauté until it turns light golden brown in colour and reaches a thick pudding-like consistency. And ghee starts separating on the sides of the pot.
- Stir in the ground cardamom and some chopped nuts and raisins if you desire.
- Serve the moong dal halwa warm.
Cook in a pressure cooker:
- Add the roasted and washed dal in the pressure cooker along with water. Close the pressure cooker and cook for 10 minutes on high. Quickly release the pressure and open the lid. If the dal looks dry, add ½ cup of hot water and stir it in. sing a spatula, stir a few times to mash the cooked dal into a coarse paste.
- Next add the ghee, sugar and give it a good mix until combined. Sauté until it turns light golden brown in colour and reaches a thick pudding-like consistency. And ghee starts separating on the sides of the pot
- Stir in the ground cardamom and some chopped nuts and raisins if you desire. Serve warm.
I hope you enjoy this moong dal halwa as much as we do!
You know what guys I would love to see your creations. If you have tried this recipe, just click a pic and tag me @gastronomicbong or #gastronomicbong on Instagram or on Facebook.
Bon Appetit!!!
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