How to make Mug ni chutti dal | Mag ni Dal is a simple, delicious and homely Gujarati side dish that can be served daily as part of a Gujarati thali. This daal requires just a handful of ingredients that are easily available in Indian kitchens. Made without using any expensive ingredients and takes less than 15 minutes to make.
Table of contents
Chutti translates to “sukhi” in Hindi and “dry” in English therefore this dish is also known as Dry Yellow Moong Daal Sabji.
A similar such dish is this Pakistani Maash ki Dal.
Gujarati Mag ni Chutti Dal is a quick side dish made with yellow moong dal and a basic tadka of Indian spices. It tastes fairly mild as it is a side dish designed to increase the nutritional value of the meal it is paried with.
It is perfectly suitable for gluten-free and vegan diets too. Also it is made without onion and garlic and so can be prepared during fasting season when such ingredients, onion and garlic, are prohibited.
Mag ni Dal takes around 15 minutes to make with pre-soaked dal.
Gujaratis try to eat a well-balanced meal every day. When we prepare a thali, we ensure that all flavours and textures can be found in one meal. Whenever there is Gujarati kadhi on the menu, Mug Ni Chutti daal, automatically becomes a side dish in the thali.
Yellow moong dal can be used to make Moong Dal Chilla (Pudla). We also love Gujarati Mag nu Shaak or Moong Bean Curry made with green moong dal or whole mung bean (sabut moong). This Tuvar nu Shaak is another Gujarati staple made with pigeon peas. Often, the legumes are paired with potato, like in this Chana Bateta nu Shaak.
Mag ni Dal Ingredients
Full ingredients with measurements are available in the recipe card below at the end of this post
Yellow moong dal lentils (split yellow gram) In Gujarati also known as Mag Ni Mogar Dal or Moong Mogar dal.
Oil – use mild or flavourless oil.
Cumin seeds – you can optionally add in mustard seeds too
Hing aka asafoetida. For gluten-free diets make sure hing is
Dried red chilli
Red chilli powder
Turmeric powder
Crushed green chillies and ginger
Lemon juice
Finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
How to make Mag ni Chutti Dal
Clean, wash and soak the moong dal for 1-2 hours in cold water.
In a small pan or kadai, heat oil and temper cumin seeds, dried red chilies and hing.
Drain the water from the dal and add the soaked dal to the tempering.
Add the red chili powder and turmeric and green chilli-ginger. Stir using a spatula.
Add a small amount of water to allow the dal to cook without becoming mushy.
Season with salt and cook on low to medium heat. Note that cooking time will vary depending on the soak time of your dal.
Once the dal is cooked but not mushy, add lemon juice and garnish with freshly chopped coriander.
Note you can pressure cook this recipe but I find that the pressure cooker mashes the dal too much – therefore, I only ever use the stovetop to make it.
Serving Suggestion
Serve this mag ni dal as part of a Gujarati thali with a shaak or vegetable sabji, rice and gujarati roti
Kadhi, a gujarati recipe of yogurt soup, is a must alongside mag ni chutti dal.
- kobi bateta nu shaak (gujarati potato and cabbage curry)
- jeera rice – made with basmati rice
- salads such as kachumber
Storage
Store leftover Mag ni Dal in an airtight container and keep in the fridge. Consume within 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop.
This dal also freezes well – freeze in a freezer safe container for up tp 3 months. Defrost in the fridge or at room temperature then heat through before serving.
You can use leftovers to make Dal Paratha.
Other Dal Recipes
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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Mag ni Dal – Mag ni Chutti Dal
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow moong dal lentils dried
- 2 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- pinch hing
- 1 dried red chilli
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed green chillies and ginger
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon coriander leaves
Instructions
- Soak the moong dal for 1-2 hours in cold water.
- In a small pan, heat oil and temper cumin seeds, dried red chilli and hing.
- Drain the water from the dal and add dal to the tempering.
- Add in the spice powders and green chilli-ginger. Add a small amount of water to allow the dal to cook without becoming mushy.
- Add salt and cook on low to medium heat.
- Once the dal is cooked but not mushy, add lemon juice and garnish with freshly chopped coriander.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Share on Facebook Pin This RecipeNote:- This post was originally posted on 30th July 2018 but I have updated the post since with helpful content. The recipe remains the same.
I have had this dish at my friends home when I was in school and it tasted so soulful, love gujarati cuisine for its simplicity and recipes full of flavour loved your recipe will try this soon .
Thanks Soma, glad to know that you like Gujarati food 🙂
How delightful this dal dish looks..Am sure with some rice or rotis this dish will definitely please my tastebuds easily. I can even finish that bowl just like that..
Thanks Priya, sometimes I just have a bowl full of this daal on its own!
We have this in Sindhi cuisine too.. but we don't add coriander leaves.. only salt, black pepper and lemon juice.
Thanks Shobha!
A new dish to me. This protein packed dish looks very wholesome. Must try soon
Thanks Veena, let me know if you try this.
So tempting dal Jagruti and my family loves it this way exactly, we used to make it in a same way but using with urad dal. Bookmarked it, will try your style with moong dal.
Thanks Jolly, I have not made with urad daal yet, will try soon.
Yummmmy! My all time comfort food with hot hot kadhi and rice. So delicious. Love the clicks. I love to eat the leftover dal on its own.
Mung ki bhuni daal (as we call it here) makes a delicious weekday meal with raita, achaari and roti. Love your presentation with lots of herbs on top.
We make it often and have with kadhi and roti. Beautiful photographs.
Though my family is a moong dal eater family, yet It's been a long time since I made this. Your post has reminded me that I should make it again.
Love this with any meal, should make your version soon. A comfort food, thanks for your guest post Jagruti.
The dal looks stunning Jagruti! I can have dal everyday and always look for variations to try out. Thanks for this flavorful share !
So yumm, love chhuti dal . We make specially in Paryushan or Tithi days when we cant have green veg. Love with Kadhi..
Such a gorgeous recipe with our simple daal, such an interesting recipe…worth trying
this moong dal recipe looking mouthwatering, more like a chat. Will check the recipe, how you made it. We all love moong dal at home so I keep trying recipes using it.
Such simple yet inviting looking mung ni chutti dal. We normally make the gravy kind of dal with dhuli moong so this is totally new for me. Hoping to Jaya's to read the recipe.