Mung Bean Curry (Green Moong Dal Recipe)

This mung bean curry makes for such an amazing plant-based comfort food dinner recipe. It includes mung beans (or green gram), coconut milk, spices and tomatoes. This recipe is wholesome and easy to make, plus completely dairy-free and gluten-free.

Here is an amazing vegan comfort food recipe you need to try next time you crave a cozy bowl of warm curry: Green mung bean curry. 

You might know this dish by one of its other names, "Green gram curry" or "Sabut moong dal", which is simply a creamy curry stew made with whole mung beans.

Mung beans are easy to get online and they are similar in shape to lentils. They have a mild flavor, which makes them a valuable nutrient-dense addition to various dishes, such as salads, stews, soups and our favorite, vegan curries.

This mung bean coconut curry recipe actually reminds me of my lentil coconut curry or my vegan sweet potato dhal recipe in terms of texture: it is ultra-creamy, rich and earthy. Serve over rice or with a side of crusty bread to dip in the flavorful curry stew, this recipe makes for such an amazing weeknight dinner your whole family will love.

Let me know if you gave it a try! ❤️

✅ What are green mung beans?

Mung beans, also called "green gram" or "Moong beans" are a type of pulse omnipresent in Indian cooking, but they are also widely used in various Southeast Asian countries (Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, etc). They are used to make stir-fried meals, curries, salads and even sweet dishes.

➡️ What do green mung beans look like?

They are tiny round beans with green skin about the size of brown lentils. They come in different shapes, such as whole (sabut moong), split with the skin on (moong dal chilka) or split without the skin (moong dhuli, those look yellow since they don't have the green husk anymore). Compared to whole mung beans, split beans cook faster and contain a little less fiber.

Piping Pot Curry has an amazing guide on Indian pulses you can read if you are looking to find more information on mung beans.

➡️ How do green mung beans taste?

Mung beans do not carry much flavor and they have an earthy texture which, once more, might remind you of brown or green lentils. They actually are a little sweet! Whole mung beans tend to hold on to their shape while simmering in a broth, similar to French lentils. 

➡️ Mung bean nutrition

Mung beans are known for their high nutritive value and all the health benefits they have to offer, making them such an amazing ingredient to enhance the nutritional profile of your meals.

They are especially high in plant-based protein, which is a valuable asset for the mostly vegetarian or vegan populations in India. They are also high in fiber, complex carbohydrates, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

🍽 How to make an easy mung bean curry

If you want to serve it with rice, then you might want to get started by cooking it as it can take up to 40 minutes (especially if using brown rice). 

Step 1: Warm up a large pan with a little oil and add the cumin seeds. Toast the seeds on medium-high heat for about 1-2 minutes while stirring constantly (watch so they don't burn!). Then, add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes stirring often. Add the ginger, garlic and ground spices (ground coriander, ground cumin, garam masala and turmeric powder) and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes stirring often.

Step 2: Meanwhile, rinse the dry mung beans using a fine mesh colander and fresh cold water. To the pan with the onion, add the tomatoes, rinsed mung beans and vegetable broth. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer.

Step 3: Once it is simmering, turn it down to medium heat and cover. Let the beans simmer until almost completely cooked (tender but still al dente), about 30 minutes. Uncover and stir once in a while so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

Step 4: Add the coconut milk and lime juice and stir to combine. Keep uncovered and bring back to a simmer. Keep cooking on low heat (or on a gentle simmer) until the curry reaches the desired consistency. Once done, taste and adjust seasonings and stir in the cilantro, if using. Serve over rice or/and with a side of bread. Enjoy!

⭐️ Detailed recipe down below in the recipe card!

💡 Helpful tips

• You have to stay right beside the pan while toasting the cumin seeds. If they burn, start over!
• You can keep about 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk aside for serving. Adding a drizzle of the bright white milk makes the dish so pretty!
• I highly recommend prepping all the ingredients before starting, such as chopping the onion and tomatoes, grating/crushing the ginger and garlic and even measuring the spices and adding them to a bowl. This can help make the cooking process super smooth and prevent burning the ingredients.

🍴 Serving suggestions

❗️Storage tips

This green mung bean curry stores well! Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

Before serving, give the leftovers a good stir and reheat using the microwave or the stove. If it thickens too much during storage, then simply add a splash of water.

You can also freeze the leftovers! Let them thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating using the microwave or the stove.

❓ FAQs