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Mag nu Saak – Easy Mung Bean Gujarati Curry

Mag nu Saak/Shaak is a traditional Gujarati recipe made with moong beans, tomato and garlic. It is a warming recipe that is best prepared on colder days and pairs so well Jaggery Rice (Gur Wale Chawal) or round and soft gujarati rotlis. This traditional curry is also known as Lasanwala Mag. Included is a recipe for Instant Pot Mag nu Saak that does not require pre-cooking the moong beans.

Mug nu saak or easy mung bean curry in a bowl with a spoon

Mag Nu Saak | Easy Mung Bean Gujarati Curry | Green Moong Curry

Traditionally, Gujarati curries may have garlic but rarely use onion in the base of the curry. The base of these moong bean curry is a finger-licking mix of curry leaves, tomato and garlic. The saak or curry is runny, more like a dal consistency and so can also be called mag nu rasavalu saak.

My Mum likes making mag with gor rice or jaggery rice. The deep-spicy garlic moong bean goes so well with the sweet rice.

Cooking Mag/Mung/Moong on Wednesdays

In Gujarat, as a custom, mug or mug ni dal is prepared on Wednesdays. We love to cook Khatta Mung too.

Chana Dal is cooked on Thursdays.

Black (kala) chana is cooked on Fridays. Have you tried our Rasadar Kala Chana Nu Saak?

Saturdays, whole Urad.

Mug nu saak served in three bowls with rice, roti and salad

This Mung bean daal is:

Vegan

High in plant-based protein

Naturally gluten-free

Does not require pre-soaking of lentils

Uses a few pantry ingredients

Uses inexpensive and easy to find ingredients

Easy to make-ahead

Freezer-friendly

Can be enjoyed with rice or gujarati chapati.

Ingredients for Gujarati Moong Bean Curry/Mag nu Saak:


Moong beans – also called Mag or Mug. They can be found dried in supermarkets or Asian grocery stores.

Garlic – fresh cloves are best. This recipe also works by completely omitting the garlic if you want.

Tomatoes – tinned or fresh. Tinned gives a thicker gravy. The tinned tomatoes should be blended so that they are smooth. Use pasatta to save time.

Ginger and Chilli paste – use fresh green chillies and ginger where possible

Spice Mix – 4 basic masala – red chilli powder, turmeric, ground cumin and coriander and garam masala

Curry leaves – fresh, frozen or dried

Mustard Seeds – for tempering

Hing – also known as asafoetida, used in very small amounts, it aids digestion. Hing should not be eaten raw!

How to make Mag nu Shaak

I hae included different methods, stove top Indian pressure cooker, stovetop in a pan and Instant Pot.

Pressure Cooker Indian style

If you have a pressure cooker, you don’t need to pre-soak the moong and this consumes less time and energy during cooking.

A pressure cooker is a must-have appliance in every household in India and every Indian around the world.

The pressure cooker is used to cook the moong beans and the remaining cooking is done on the stove in a pan or kadai.

1. Clean, wash and soak beans in clean water for at least 1 hour.

2. They will plump up a little.

3. Place it in the pressure cooker with water and cook for 6-7 whistle.

4. Let the cooker cool down naturally.

5. Heat oil in a heavy-based pan or kadai.

6. Add mustard seeds.

7. When they crackle, add hing and curry leaves.

8. Add tomatoes with crushed ginger, garlic and chillies.

9. Now add all the spices powders.

10. Mix well and cook until oil separates from the gravy.

11. Now add boiled moong beans, if very thick add some water to thin it out.

12. Season it with the salt.

13. Bring it to boil on medium heat.

14. Simmer the curry about 10-12 minutes.

Instant Pot Mag nu Saak

You can also make Gujarati Mag nu Saak in the Instant Pot without pre-cooking the mung beans.

To do this, you need an Instant Pot, electric pressure cooker or stovetop pressure cooker.

Soak the mung beans for 3-4 hours in warm water.

Select saute on normal heat and add oil to the inner pot. Add mustard seeds and hing and wait until they splutter.

Next, add the tomatoes, garlic, green chilli and ginger paste and saute until the mixture reduces and oil appears on the surface.

Add the masala and salt. Mix well. Add the soaked mung beans and water, the water should be approx. 1-2 inchs above the mung beans.

Close the lid and ensure valve is on seal. Pressure cook on high for 12 minutes. If you have soaked overnight, then 8 minutes should be sufficient. (Note that these times depend on how fresh and the quality of the mung beans)

Allow NPR (natural pressure release). Add some water if required to achieve the right consistency of the gravy.

Serve this mug nu shaak with Tindora Nu Shaak or Cabbage Curry in a Gujarati thali.

Goes well with Sev Tameta Nu Shaak too.

Storage

If you have leftovers, you can store the daal in a sealed tupperware container and place in the fridge for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze mag and it defrosts really well. When reheating, you can even do another quick temper or vaghar to really spruce up the mag.

You can use leftover mag nu saak in making Daal Paratha.

Mug nu saak or green moong bean curry in a bowl with a spoon

More beans recipes

Rajma Masala (red kidney beans curry)

Mash Ki Daal 

Low-fat Black Beans and Sweet Potato Quesadilla 

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

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Mug nu saak served with rice and salad in a bowl with a spoon

Mag nu Saak – Easy Mung Bean Gujarati Curry

Hayley Dhanecha
Mag nu Saak/Shaak or Mung Bean Curry is a traditional Gujarati recipe made with moong beans, tomato and garlic. This easy and quick recipe can be made in Instant pot and stove top. Serve this plant based and naturally gluten-free curry with rice, roti, salad and papad.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
soaking time 4 hours
Course Dinner, everyday curry, lunch, Mains, Side Dish
Cuisine Gujarati, Indian
Servings 6
Calories 228 kcal

Equipment

  • Stovetop pressure cooker/Instant pot
  • Bowl
  • Blender
  • Pan/kadai
  • Big spoon

Ingredients
 
 

  • 250 gram Moong beans dried
  • 150 gram Tomatoes tinned – you can use fresh
  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 4 Green chillies
  • 1 inch Ginger
  • Salt to taste
  • 7-8 Curry leaves
  • 1 teaspoon Chilli powder red
  • ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon Cumin powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Garam masala
  • 3 tablespoon oil
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 2 tablespoon Coriander/Cilantro fresh

Instructions
 

  • Rinse moong 2-3 times. If soaking, keep it covered and leave it aside for 4-5 hours.
  • Pressure cook with adding 2-3 cups of water.
  • I cook mine on a medium heat with 6-7 whistles or till soft. (roughly takes 12-15 minutes)
  • Grind chillies, garlic and ginger in a grinder with tomatoes.
  • Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, add mustard seeds, when crackle add curry leaves.
  • Fry for few seconds and add tomato mixture.
  • Lower the heat, add red chilli , tumeric, garam masala, cumin, and coriander powder and salt.
  • Cook masala till oil is visible on the side of the pan.
  • Now add boiled moong, mix very well.
  • Add 1/2 – 1 cup of water. Cook it for 10-12 minutes,stir in between.
  • Add little water if moong dal is too thick. then cook further 1-2 minutes.
  • Turn off heat.
  • Ready to serve, garnish with fresh chopped coriander and serve with hot steamy rice, roti and papad.

Notes

If you have time on your hands, soak the moong beans for at least 4-6 hours.
Skip garlic totally if you don’t like the taste, allergic to it or making it for a religious event.
Don’t have tomatoes, use lemon juice or tamarind pulp for sourness. Add lemon juice and pulp in the last stage of cooking.  
For extra nutrition you may add spinach, kale or any other greens to it. 
For more Gujarati recipes, browse these Gujarati Dinner Recipe Ideas

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Mag nu Saak – Easy Mung Bean Gujarati Curry
Serving Size
 
1
Amount per Serving
Calories
228
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
8
g
12
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
 
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
5
g
Sodium
 
114
mg
5
%
Potassium
 
612
mg
17
%
Carbohydrates
 
31
g
10
%
Fiber
 
9
g
38
%
Sugar
 
4
g
4
%
Protein
 
11
g
22
%
Vitamin A
 
410
IU
8
%
Vitamin C
 
33
mg
40
%
Calcium
 
72
mg
7
%
Iron
 
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The nutritional information provided is an approximation calculated by an online calculator/plugin. Please consult a professional dietitian for nutritional advice.

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Recipe Rating




K Dixit

Tuesday 30th of January 2024

This recipe is incredibly delicious and is in constant rotation in our house!

Hayley

Tuesday 30th of January 2024

That's so wonderful to hear. If you make it again please send through picture of the finished dish :)

Anonymous

Thursday 25th of June 2015

My mom told me that it is to save your self from Rahu.

jcookingodyssey

Monday 25th of February 2019

Thank you :)

Sayantani Mahapatra Mudi

Friday 23rd of March 2012

often make green masur and this one is another tempting recipe to try. looks wonderful.

Mina Joshi

Friday 23rd of March 2012

No clue about the Wednesday for mug. Love mug and poratha. And yes, adding the garlic makes it really tasty. Lately, I have been using passata instead of tomatoes and it's helped make the gravy really thick.