Yellow Mung Dal: The Quick-Cooking Split Bean Explained
Learn what yellow mung dal is, how quickly it cooks and how to use it in dals and other dishes.
Yellow mung dal is mung bean that has been split and had its green skin removed. Also called yellow moong dal, it cooks into a soft, mild base for dal, khichdi and soups. Its color can resemble several other split pulses, so the name on the packet is more useful than color alone.
Like many food words, dal can refer either to a split pulse or to a dish made with pulses. Here we're talking about the dry yellow ingredient.
How is it different from whole mung?
Whole mung beans are intact and usually green. Yellow mung dal is the same kind of bean in a different form: split and skinned. Without the skin and with a smaller piece for water to penetrate, it generally softens faster and breaks down more readily.
There is also split mung with the green skin on, often called chilka moong dal. It has a green-and-yellow appearance and gives a dish a different texture. All three are useful, but a recipe's cooking time will not necessarily transfer between them.
Is yellow mung dal the same as yellow lentils?
Not always. “Yellow dal” is a broad shopping and recipe description. It can refer to mung, pigeon peas, chana dal or another yellow split pulse, depending on the context. For a reliable match, look for mung, moong or green gram on the ingredient list and check whether the pulse is whole, split or skinned.
How to use it
Rinse and cook it in water until soft, following a recipe or the package for the amount of liquid and time. For a loose dal, add more hot water; for a thicker result, let it simmer until the texture suits you. A tempering of spices in oil or ghee can be added for flavor.
Yellow moong is used in dal served with rice or flatbread, and in khichdi. It can also be soaked and ground for batters in recipes designed for it. Don't simply replace it with whole mung in a short recipe: the whole beans need a different cooking schedule.
What can you substitute?
Split red lentils are a practical option for a soft soup or dal, but the color and flavor will change. Chana dal or split pigeon peas may need different preparation and a longer cooking time. Follow a recipe for the substitute rather than assuming all yellow pulses behave alike.