Mooga Gashi | Mangalore Green Moong Dal Curry

Mooga Gashi or Whole Green Moong Dal Curry is a healthy and nutritious, protein-packed recipe prepared using mung bean (whole green moong dal), potatoes, grated coconut, and aromatic spices. This green lentil curry is vegan and gluten-free. 

Mooga Gashi is a traditional Konkani recipe from Mangalore, Udupi, Karkala region of Karnataka, prepared mainly at temples for lunch and dinner during special occasions. 

Ashadi Ekadashi hittu mooga gashi is a very popular saying in Konkani, where people fast the whole day during Ekadashi and then have a complete protein-packed vegetarian meal with kotto (idli steamed in jackfruit leaves), mooga gashi, and ekpani chutney (Brahmi leaves chutney).

How to prepare muga gashi or whole green moong dal curry?

First, you must soak the green moong dal in water for 6 hours to overnight. This is to ensure faster cooking. You can make curry at this stage, but if you want to make sprouted mooga gashi or moong dal curry, then you have to wait for one more day for it to sprout. 

Next, you will have to combine moong with one veggie from the list below like potato (aloo), yam (suvarna gadde, surnu), bamboo shoots (kirlu), Chinese potatoes (kooka), or even jackfruit (kadgi), breadfruit (jeev kadgi), etc. 

Pressure cook the moong dal with the vegetable of your choice (all of them taste good), but I prefer potatoes as it is easily available and easy to chop too 🙂

Prepare the basic coconut masala that includes coconut, dry red chilies, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds. 

Add the masala to pressure-cooked dal and temper. 

Isn't this simple. Konkani dishes are actually made using basic minimal ingredients, yet they taste delicious. That is why Mangalorean cuisine is loved by many 🙂

How to sprout green gram (moong or mung bean)?

If you want to make sprouted moong bean curry, you must plan a day in advance. After soaking it for 6 to 8 hours, drain the water. 

Transfer this to a wet kitchen towel and keep it in the dark place on your kitchen counter for a day for it to sprout. After it sprouts, you can use it to prepare any dish of your choice. You may store the sprouted beans in an airtight container inside the fridge for up to a week. 

The dish prepared using sprouted moong is called kirlayile mooga gashi in Konkani. 

How many whistles for green gram or green moong dal in a pressure cooker?

I prefer the pressure cooker method instead of the stove-top method as the former is the fastest and easiest way. I generally pressure cook the soaked moong dal for three whistles. Pressure cook for one whistle on a high flame and two on a medium flame. But again, this depends on the type of pressure cooker you use and the place you stay.  

Ingredients for Mooga Gashi | Green Moong Dal Curry Mangalore Style | Vegan Lentil Curry

1 ½ cups Whole green gram or Mung bean or Sabut Moong dal
1 Large potato, cubed (check tips for substitute)
6 to 8 Curry leaves
Salt to taste

For the coconut paste

1 cup Grated coconut (fresh or frozen or dry)
2 to 3 Dry red chilies
1 tablespoon Coriander seeds
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 tablespoon Cashews, chopped

For the tempering

1 tablespoon Oil
1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1 Dry red chilie
6 to 8 Curry leaves

How to make Mooga Gashi? | Green Gram Curry Mangalore Style | Green Moong Dal Curry

Pressure cook the green gram or moong dal.

In a bowl, add whole moong dal, wash, and soak it in water for 6 hours or overnight. 

Next morning, drain the water, add the soaked dal to the cooker, along with cubed potatoes and enough water to cover the potatoes and moong. 

Cover the pressure cooker lid, add the weight and cook for three whistles. One whistle on high flame and two on medium flame. Switch off the flame. Let the pressure release naturally. 

Meanwhile, you can prepare the coconut-based masala/paste and tempering and keep it ready. 

Making coconut curry paste

In a mixer or blender jar, add grated coconut, red chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and cashews with very little water (¼ to ½ cup) and blend it to a smooth paste. Keep this aside.  Check out the video here on making of mooga gashi.

Make the tempering

In a pan, heat oil. To this, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add dry red chile, and curry leaves, saute for a few seconds, and switch off the flame. 

Making of Mooga Gashi

Open the pressure cooker lid. Add curry leaves, coconut curry paste, salt to taste, and water only if required (if the gravy looks too thick) and bring it to a nice boil and simmer for 5 minutes. 

Add the tempering that was prepared earlier and switch off the flame. 

Serve steaming hot mooga gashi with ekpani chutney and steamed rice, and enjoy.

Tips

• Cashew is added to make the curry rich and thick. 
• A small ball of tamarind (optional) can be added to the paste. 
• Curry leaves are added to the gravy to give a nice aroma. 
• Mooga gashi is a mildly spicy gravy. If you want it spicy, add more red chilies or one or two slit green chilies to the curry. 
• If you want the brown temple-style curry color, then do not add too much of Kashmiri red chilies. Add one dry Kashmiri Red chile and add 1 or 2 Guntur chilies for spiciness. This combination of chilies will give you the good taste and color you want. 
• In the USA, I have always used dry grated coconut; in India, I have used fresh coconut, and the gravy tastes good both ways. 
• Instead of potatoes, yam (suvarna gadde, surnu), bamboo shoots (kirlu), Chinese potatoes (kooka), or even jackfruit (kadgi), breadfruit (jeev kadgi) can be used. 

Video Recipe

Video recipe for Mooga Gashi or Temple Style Green Gram Curry

Recipe Card

Detailed recipe for Temple-style mooga gashi or green gram curry OR vegan lentil curry

Recipe card

For more recent updates, follow me on Pinterest,Instagram,Twitter.

***Click below to save it on Pinterest***