7 High Protein Moong Dal Breakfast Recipes

The green gram is native to India and is locally known as the Moong dal. It is an edible seed or fruit that belongs to the pod-bearing plants of the Leguminosae family. This article lists 7 Indian moong dal breakfast recipes that are tasty, healthy and easy to make.

Moong dal is a protein-packed food with many beneficial nutritive values. It is high in its protein value and makes a good protein option for vegetarians. There is a variety of moong dal that is available in India including whole, split and dehusked moong dals. 

Moong dal is a versatile legume that can be used to make many pulse-based preparations such as salads, parathas, soups, dosas, idlis, khichdi, etc. 

Nutritive Value of Moong Dal (per 100g)

NUTRIENTS	MOONG DAL (WHOLE)	MOONG DAL (SPLIT)
Energy (Kcal)	294	326
Protein (g)	22.53	23.88
Carbohydrates (g)	46.13	52.59
Fat (g)	1.14	1.35
Calcium (mg)	92.43	43.13
Iron (mg)	4.89	3.93
Beta Carotene (μg)	137	122
Thiamine (mg)	0.47	0.47
Riboflavin (mg)	0.27	0.21
Niacin (mg)	2.10	2.40

Benefits of Moong Dal

Moong dal is packed with a lot of nutrients that can help in a variety of ways. Here are the 9 most important benefits of moong dal that you should not miss reading.

1. Moong dal is highly nutritious: Moong dal is packed with a lot of macro and micronutrients. It is the best source of protein for vegetarians and is rich in essential amino acids. 100g of moong dal provides about 22.53g and 23.88g of whole and split moong respectively. It is also packed with vitamins like folate, B vitamins. It consists of minerals like manganese, magnesium with decent amounts of phosphorus, zinc, iron, etc.
   
2. Reduces the risk of chronic diseases: Moong beans contain a lot of antioxidants that help in the prevention of cell damage by free radicals. Antioxidants present in moong dal include phenolic acids, flavonoids, etc. These antioxidants can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular ailments, cancers, diabetes, etc.

3. Moong beans keep your heart healthy: Moong dal keeps the heart healthy by preventing you from developing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. It is known to reduce the levels of bad cholesterol in our body i.e. LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein).
   
4. Helps in managing high blood pressure: People who find it difficult to manage high blood pressure should include moong dal in their diets. Moong dal is rich in nutrients like fibre and minerals like magnesium and potassium. These nutrients help in lowering blood pressure, thus preventing the risk of developing heart diseases. 

5. Healthy eyes and skin: Moong dal contains zinc in good amounts. Zinc acts as an antioxidant that builds cell immunity and is good for the skin. It also helps in treating night blindness increasing Vit A production in the body.

6. Moong beans keep the gut healthy: Moong dal contains two important nutrients – soluble fibre and resistant starch. The fibre present in moong helps in maintaining regularity in bowel movements and helps your food to pass through the gut easily. The resistant starch provides nourishment to the good bacteria present in the gut, thereby promoting digestive health.

7. Helps in lowering blood sugar levels: High blood sugar levels may lead to chronic diseases such as heart ailments, later in life. However, eating moong dal can prevent you from risk of heart diseases. It contains fibre and protein that takes time to release glucose in the blood and promotes the effective functioning of insulin in the body. This helps in lowering blood sugar levels. 

8. Helps in achieving weight loss: Moong dal is rich in fibre and protein. Fibre gives you that feeling of fullness. It curbs down your hunger pangs and keeps you satiated for a longer time. In addition to this, if you consume moong dal in the form of sprouts, it will not only enhance the nutritional content of your food but also make it low in calories, thereby reducing your calorie intake and helping you lose weight. 

9. Beneficial in pregnancy: Folate is an important vitamin that is extremely essential for the normal growth and development of the growing baby. Pregnant women need to eat folate in their diets, apart from folic acid supplements. Failing to eat the required amounts of folate may lead to defects and abnormalities in the child at birth. Moong beans in cooked form can provide good amounts of folate from the diet to pregnant women. Eating raw moong beans should be avoided. 

Moong dal not only has many health benefits but is also a very versatile food option that can be used to cook many different and tasty food recipes. As moong dal belongs to the pulse food group, it contains negligible amounts of an essential amino acid i.e methionine. However, this can be corrected by mutually supplementing moong dal with cereal options to get all essential amino acids from your diet. Cereal-pulse combinations include dosas, idlis, khichdi, parathas, poha, cheelas, upma, etc. Moong dal can also be used in the form of sprouts. Sprouting increases the nutritional content and digestibility of moong dal. 

Moong Dal Recipes

Here are 7 different moong dal breakfast options that are healthy, nutritious and tasty. 

1. Sprout Moong Dal Chaat

• Nutritional information:

Nutrients	Nutritive value per serving
Energy	52 Kcal
Protein	2.9 g
Carbohydrates	11 g
Fat	0.5 g
Fibre	2.3 g

• Other Information:

Serving	1
Portion size	1 bowl
Preparation time	15 mins
Cooking time	–

Ingredients:

• Sprouted moong dal (green gram dal) –  ½ cup
• Onion – 2 tbsp
• Tomatoes – 2 tbsp
• Sweet Corn – 2 tbsp
• Cucumber – 2 tbsp
• Lemon Juice – 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves – 1 sprig
• Chaat Masala – ½ tsp
• Black pepper – ¼ tsp
• Pomegranate – ¼ cup
• Salt – as per taste

Preparation for sprouted moong dal: Follow this procedure one day before

• Soak moong (whole) dal in water for 4-5 hours. 
• Drain the water and wrap the dal in a muslin cloth and keep it aside overnight for germination. 
• Next morning, the moong dal will produce sprouts and will be ready to use. 

Making Moong chaat:

• Add finely chopped onion, tomato and cucumber.
• In a bowl add germinated moong dal, sweet corn and chopped onion, tomato and cucumber.  
• Squeeze fresh lemon juice and sprinkle chat masala, salt, and black pepper. 
• Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves, pomegranate, give it a good mix and serve.

2. Moong Dal Poha

Nutritional information:

Nutrients	Nutritive value per serving
Energy	378 Kcal
Protein	11.3 g
Carbohydrates	63.5 g
Fat	9 g
Fibre	4.6 g

Other Information:

Serving	1
Portion size	1 quarter plate
Preparation time	10 mins
Cooking time	10 mins

Ingredients:

• Yellow split moong dal (boiled) – ½  cup
• Rice flakes – ½ cup
• Onion – 4 tbsp
• Potato – 4 tbsp
• Peanuts – 1 tbsp
• Lemon Juice – 1 tsp
• Sunflower oil/Ghee – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder – ½  tsp
• Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
• Salt – as per taste

Preparation:

• Boil moong dal in a pan and half-cook it. Do not overcook so that crunch of the dal is maintained and it does not make the poha very soggy. 
• Wash the rice flakes and drain out all excess water. Keep it aside and let it dry a little bit. 
• Roast the peanuts in a pan on low flame and keep it aside. 
• In a kadhai, heat the oil/ghee and add mustard seeds and curry leaves in it.
• Add onions and when they turn a little pink, add potatoes along with turmeric powder and cook on low flame for five minutes. 
• When potatoes become soft, add half cooked moong dal and rice flakes into it. 
• Add red chilli powder and salt as per taste. Cook for about 1 min.
• Add roasted peanuts and lemon juice, give it a good mix and serve.

3. Moong Dal Cheela

Nutritional information:

Nutrients	Nutritive value per serving
Energy	360 Kcal
Protein	16.3g
Carbohydrates	51.1 g
Fat	10.4 g
Fibre	7.5 g

Other Information:

Serving	1
Portion size	2 cheelas
Preparation time	10 mins
Cooking time	15 mins

Ingredients:

• Green split moong dal – ½ cup
• Semolina – 2 tbsp
• Spinach – 7-8 leaves
• Onion – 4 tbsp
• Ginger – ½ inch
• Garlic – 2 cloves
• Sunflower oil/Ghee – 2 tsp
• Carom seeds (Ajwain) – ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder – ½  tsp
• Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
• Salt – as per taste

Preparation:

• Soak the moong dal in water for 2-3 hours. 
• After 2-3 hours, drain out excess water. 
• Grind soaked moong dal, spinach, ginger and cloves in a mixer grinder and make a smooth paste. Add a little water if necessary.  
• In a bowl, pour the ground paste, add semolina, onion, carom seeds, turmeric, red chilli and salt as per taste. 
• Mix all the ingredients well to make a thick batter. 
• Heat the oil/ghee in a pan and pour 1 ladle of batter. 
• Spread the batter in a circular motion and cook evenly on both sides. 
• Similarly, make another cheela and serve with your favourite chutney or dahi. 

4. Moong Dal Idli

Nutritional information:

Nutrients	Nutritive value per serving
Energy	350 Kcal
Protein	11.1 g
Carbohydrates	62.1 g
Fat	6.4 g
Fibre	4.4 g

Other Information:

Serving	1
Portion size	4 idlis
Preparation time	10 mins
Cooking time	15 mins

Ingredients:

• Yellow split moong dal – ¼  cup
• Rice – ½    cup
• Curd – 2 tbsp
• Onion – 2 tbsp
• Carrot – 2 tbsp
• Capsicum – 2 tbsp
• Sunflower oil/Ghee – 1 tsp
• Eno powder – ½  tsp
• Salt – as per taste

Preparation:

• Soak the moong dal and rice in water for 4 hours. Drain out all excess water after 4 hours.
• Grind soaked moong dal, rice and curd in a mixer grinder and make a smooth paste. Add a little water if necessary to get the required consistency. 
• Finely chop onion, carrot and capsicum.  
• In a bowl, pour the ground paste, chopped onion, carrot and capsicum. 
• To this batter, add eno powder and salt as per taste. 
• Mix all the ingredients well to make a thick batter. 
• In an idli maker, add 1 cup water and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Till then grease the idli stand with little ghee/oil. 
• Pour the batter into the moulds and insert the stand into the idli maker. 
• Cover the lid of the idli maker and let it cook for 10 minutes on low to medium flame. 
• After 10 mins, insert the toothpick into the idli and check whether it is cooked or not. If the toothpick comes out clean, the idlis are cooked.
• Take the idlis out and serve them with your favourite chutneys or sambar.
  

5. Moong Dal Dosa

Nutritional information:

Nutrients	Nutritive value per serving
Energy	650 Kcal
Protein	25.8 g
Carbohydrates	85.7 g
Fat	0.35 g
Fibre	6.1 g

Other Information:

Serving	1
Portion size	2 dosa
Preparation time	20 mins
Cooking time	15 mins

Ingredients:

• Green split moong dal (soaked) – ¼  cup
• Rice (soaked) – ¾   cup
• Onion – 4 tbsp 
• Paneer – ¼  cup
• Peas- 4 tbsp
• Green chilli -1 piece
• Sunflower oil/Ghee – 2 tsp
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Fenugreek (Methi) seeds – ⅛ tsp
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Salt – as per taste
  

Preparation:

1. For moong dal rice paste: Follow this procedure one day before

• Soak the moong dal, rice and methi seeds in water for 6 hours. Drain out all excess water after 6 hours.
• Grind soaked moong dal, rice in a mixer grinder and make a smooth paste. Add a little water if necessary to get the required consistency. 
• Keep the paste for 8-10 hours or overnight for fermentation.
  

2. For stuffing:

• Finely chop onion and green chilli and also crumble paneer.
• Heat ghee/oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and curry leaves.
• After this, add chopped onions, green chillies and turmeric powder.
• After the onions turn slightly pale, add peas and saute. 
• Add paneer into the pan and sprinkle salt as per taste.
• Cook for 1-2 mins and your stuffing is ready.
  

3. For Dosa:

• In a bowl, pour the ground moong dal – rice paste and add salt as per taste. 
• Heat the oil/ghee in a pan and pour 1 ladle of batter. 
• Spread the batter in a circular motion and cook evenly on low flame till the edges of the dosa start leaving the pan. 
• Add the stuffing and fold the dosa. 
• Similarly, make another dosa and serve with your favourite chutney or sambar.

6. Moong Dal Khichdi

Nutritional information:

Nutrients	Nutritive value per serving
Energy	320 Kcal
Protein	9.9 g
Carbohydrates	56.9 g
Fat	5.1 g
Fibre	2.7 g

Other Information:

Serving	1
Portion size	1 full plate
Preparation time	5 mins
Cooking time	15 mins

Ingredients:

• Yellow split moong dal – ¼   cup
• Rice – ½  cup
• Onion – 2 tbsp
• Tomato – 2 tbsp
• Ginger – 1 inch
• Coriander leaves – 1 sprig
• Sunflower oil/Ghee – 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder – ½  tsp
• Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
• Salt – as per taste

Preparation:

• Wash the moong dal and rice thoroughly in running tap water. 
• Finely chop onion and tomato.
• Heat oil/ghee in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds.
• Add chopped onion, tomato and garlic.
• Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder and saute the vegetables well. 
• Add washed dal and rice into the cooker.
• Pour 3 cups of water and add salt as per taste.
• Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 10 mins on a low flame. 
• After ten mins, take the khichdi out, garnish it with coriander leaves and serve along with curd or raita. 

7. Moong Dal Paratha

Nutritional information:

Nutrients	Nutritive value per serving
Energy	400 Kcal
Protein	15.3 g
Carbohydrates	61.3 g
Fat	10.4 g
Fibre	9.1 g

Other Information:

Serving	1
Portion size	2 parathas
Preparation time	5 mins
Cooking time	15 mins

Ingredients:

• Yellow split moong dal (boiled) – ½  cup
• Whole wheat flour – ½  cup
• Ginger – 1 inch
• Green chilli – 1 chilli
• Coriander leaves – 1 sprig
• Sunflower oil/Ghee – 2 tsp
• Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing) – ¼  tsp
• Salt – as per taste

Preparation:

1. For dough:

• Take a vessel and add whole wheat flour and a little salt.
• Add water, knead a smooth dough and divide into two dough balls.
• Cover the dough with a little oil/ghee and let it rest for 5-10 mins.

2. For filling:

• Boil the moong dal in a pan with water.
• Strain out excess water and let it cool. 
• Mash the boiled dal and add ginger (grated), green chilli (thinly chopped), Cumin seeds, Asafoetida, coriander leaves (roughly chopped) and salt as per taste.
• Mix all the ingredients well and make a dough of the dal and divide it into two small balls.  

3. For Moong dal paratha:

• Roll out the dough ball a little, incorporate the dal ball into it and gently roll out the paratha.
• In a heated pan, add oil/ghee and pan toast the paratha. Cook evenly on both sides.
• Similarly, make another paratha and serve it with your favourite chutney, achaar, curd or any vegetable.