Description
Boiled moong dal, as the name suggests, refers to yellow lentils that are boiled to cook them. Use two cups of water per cup of lentils and cook in a covered pot. This way, it will cook a little faster, use less energy, and perhaps retain more vitamins. Bring to a boil, and then turn down the flame to medium-low. If it gets too thick, add more water. The beans are cooked when they burst and the water turns syrupy. At this point, you may add spices, vegetables or even boiled rice as per your preference and recipe requirements.

How to select
• When buying lentils from the store, make sure it is without stones and debris. Also check the date of packaging to avoid an old stock.
• Wash the lentils to remove dust before cooking.

Culinary uses
• Chop two medium-sized onions and optionally a few cloves of garlic and several stalks of celery too. Stir-fry along with assorted veggies like spinach and gourds, add all this to the fully-cooked lentils, along with some salt and a dash of pepper, and you have a nutritious accompaniment for your main course.
• Boiled and mashed moong dal can be used as stuffing for karelas or capsicum.
• They can be stuffed in parathas or added to soups and stews with meats or vegetables.

How to store
• Store dry yellow gram in an airtight container.
• Boiled moong dal should be refrigerated and used within a day or two.

Health Benefits
• Boiled yellow gram like other lentils and pulses is a good source of protein and dietary fibre.
• It is low in fat and rich in B-complex vitamins, calcium and potassium.
• Unlike other pulses, it is rather light and does not cause much flatulence. So, it is very good for convalescents. Soup or khichdi made from it is an ideal diet when recovering from acute illness.
• Its regular use during childhood, pregnancy and lactation helps one to get the required nutrition and promote health.