A delicious whole green moong daal recipe I’m sharing today made with little pink radish and a bunch of swiss chard. This daal is flavorful, healthy and goodness in a bowl. Give it a try!

The inspiration

My latest farm box had a beautiful bunch of little pink radishes and a bright green bunch of swiss chard. I love cooking out of the farm box because it forces me to cook with combinations of veggies that I normally don’t do. Here was radish and chard presenting me with an opportunity to combine the two. I decided to use them in a hearty daal.

About the recipe

I make daals in various fashions depending on my mood. In this recipe I tried something different. I cooked the radish with the daal in the instapot together. This cooked the radish to perfection. In another pot I tempered in warm oil mustard seeds, asafetida, curry leaves, and sauted onions, green chili, ginger, tomatoes plus spices such as cumin and coriander to create my flavor base. Next went in fresh chopped chard. Cooked the chard for a couple minutes and then added in cooked moong daal and radish. Stir together and garnish with fresh cilantro and lemon juice. Easy to make and delicious a bowl of moong daal over quinoa or rice is comfort food in a bowl.

Radish and Swiss Chard Moong Daal

Ingredients:

1 cup dried whole green moong lentils
1 bunch of pink radish cut into quarters – 8 radish
1 bunch of swiss chard stalk removed and leaves finely cut – 4 cups
1 medium onion chopped
2 green chilies finely cut (remove seeds to keep in mild)
5-6 curry leaves (if you have)
1-2 tomatoes finely cut
1 inch piece of ginger peeled and grated
Fresh cilantro for garnish
Juice of 1 small lemon
Oil
Salt
Spices:
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp asafetida powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chili powder or paprika

Directions:

In the instapot pressure cook moong lentils and radish with 1/2 tsp turmeric plus 3 cups water. I cooked mine for 10 minutes. Wait until the pressure releases on its own, then open the cooker and stir. Now get ready to make the daal.

On the stove top warm 2 tbsp oil. Add the mustard seeds and let them pop. Then add in the green chilies, onions and ginger and shallow fry in the oil until onions are tender. Add the asafetida, and stir in. Next all the other spices – coriander powder, cumin powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, and chili powder. Now add in the chard and cook the chard for a couple minutes until tender.

To the chard add the moong daal and radish including all the water that it is cooked in. Add salt as needed. Stir everything together and bring to a low boil. Cook together for about 2-4 minutes. Add more water if the daal is too thick. After 2-3 minutes turn the stove off. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Finish off with fresh cilantro and squeeze of lemon juice.