moong dal dhokla squares on a white plate

Moong Dal dhokla is a healthy, tasty and nutritious dhokla variety made with whole mung beans, herbs and spices. They have a beany taste and flavor unlike Khaman or Chana Dal Dhokla. This snack is a savory steamed vegan cake that is protein-rich and a guilt-free that you can enjoy any time.

moong dal dhokla squares on a white platemoong dal dhokla squares on a white plate

I have been making this recipe after adapting it from a cookbook “Epicure’s Vegetarian Cuisines of India” by Asha Khatau. Here I have used whole green mung beans, but this dhokla can also me made with husked split yellow mung lentils.

Moreover what I liked about this recipe is that it is very easy to make and taste delicious. It also does not require curd (yogurt).

I liked this green gram dhokla recipe for its ease and of course health benefits. You can serve it as an evening snack.

This moong dal dhokla has the typical earthy moong bean taste and is savory and sour. It has a sour taste like that of idli. So if you like idli, you may also like this moong dal dhokla. I did not add sugar to the recipe. If you like a sweet taste, then you can add sugar to the dhokla mixture to get a sweet taste.

When I adapted this recipe for the first time, I was skeptical as I was not sure if the dhokla will break or will be perfectly round. I was amazed when it came out neatly in one piece from the pan. 

I have been making this recipe for decades and it works like a charm every time. For a more nutritive boost to the dish, I have also added roasted sesame seeds to the tempering.

This is one healthy and nutritious snack that you can make for your family and loved ones.

Best accompaniment to moong dal dhokla is cilantro mint chutney or coconut chutney or any green chutney of your choice. Also, it can go well with raw papaya chutney or tamarind dates chutney.

If you love dhokla, then do check these following variations.

More Dhokla Varieties

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Moong Dal Dhokla

1. Rinse 1 cup whole moong beans with water a couple of times. Then drain all the water. The mung beans in the photo look yellow due to the yellow lighting in the kitchen.

rinsing green moong beansrinsing green moong beans

2. In a bowl, soak the moong beans in enough water for 6 to 7 hours or overnight.

soaked green gram in bowlsoaked green gram in bowl

3. Later drain all the water from the soaked moong beans and again rinse them with fresh water. Then drain all the water.

Add the moong beans to a grinder or blender jar. Also add 1 tablespoon coriander leaves (chopped) and ½ cup of water.

adding water to blender jar filled with soaked moong and cilantroadding water to blender jar filled with soaked moong and cilantro

4. Grind to a semi coarse or semi-fine paste but make sure it is not gritty or very coarse. Also don’t make the paste too fine.

ground moong dal dhokla batterground moong dal dhokla batter

5. The batter should not be too thick nor thin but like a dhokla batter. Remove the batter in a mixing bowl or vessel and set aside.

batter in a glass bowlbatter in a glass bowl

6. Meanwhile in a large pan or pot take about 2 to 2.5 cups of water. Keep a metal stand or a trivet in the pan. Now heat the pan till the water comes to a boil.

water simmering in a pan with trivet insidewater simmering in a pan with trivet inside

7. Meanwhile, grease a steaming pan with some oil. You can use any neutral flavored oil.

steamer pan greased with oilsteamer pan greased with oil

8. Add 1 tablespoon ginger-green chili paste to the ground moong dal batter. To make the ginger-green chilli paste, crush 1 to 2 green chillies and 1.5 inches ginger in a mortar-pestle.

crushed ginger chilli paste on top of batter in glass bowlcrushed ginger chilli paste on top of batter in glass bowl

9. Next add 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and salt as required. For a sweet-tangy dhokla, you can also 1 tablespoon sugar or according to taste at this step.

salt and oil added to battersalt and oil added to batter

10. Mix very well.

batter mixedbatter mixed

11. Then add 1 teaspoon fruit salt or eno to the moong dal batter mixture. Eno is used as a leavening ingredient in this recipe.

fruit salt on batterfruit salt on batter

12. Be quick and mix thoroughly but evenly.

fruit salt mixed with batterfruit salt mixed with batter

Steaming moong dal dhokla

13. Immediately pour this dhokla mixture in the greased steaming pan.

moong dal dhokla batter poured in oiled steaming panmoong dal dhokla batter poured in oiled steaming pan

14. Now carefully place the pan in the large pan where the water must have already started boiling by now. Ensure the water level is below the pan else water might enter the batter.

Note: Be careful as the water and the steam will be very hot. So you can use a pair of tongs to place the pan.

pan with the batter placed on trivetpan with the batter placed on trivet

15. Cover the pan with a lid and steam for 12 to 15 minutes on medium heat till the batter is firm and cooked.

Check with toothpick or a wooden skewer and there should be no sticky batter on it.

pan covered with lidpan covered with lid

16. Let the moong dal dhokla become warm. Then separate the edges with a butter knife and gently remove from the pan.

steamed and cooked dhokla removed on white platesteamed and cooked dhokla removed on white plate

Making tempering

18. Measure and keep all the ingredients ready for making tempering.

ingredients for tempering in white bowlsingredients for tempering in white bowls

19. In a small pan, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons oil. You can use any neutral flavored oil.

oil in a black panoil in a black pan

20. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them splutter.

mustard seeds crackling in oilmustard seeds crackling in oil

21. Then add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them splutter.

cumin seeds spluttering in oilcumin seeds spluttering in oil

22. Add 1 pinch asafoetida (hing), 1 sprig curry leaves and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Mix well.

Note: To make it gluten free skip adding asafoetida or use gluten free asafoetida

curry leaves, hing, white sesame seeds in oilcurry leaves, hing, white sesame seeds in oil

23. Add 2 tablespoons water to the tempering. Mix well and let the water come to a boil. Be careful when adding water. You can switch off the heat while adding water.

To give some sweet notes to the tempering, you can add 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar after you add the water. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved when the water boils.

water added to fried tempering ingredients in bowlwater added to fried tempering ingredients in bowl

24. When the water comes to a boil, then pour this tempering mixture evenly over the steamed moong dal dhokla. Garnish with ¼ cup coriander leaves (finely chopped) and ¼ cup grated coconut (optional).

mung dal dhokla recipe with tempering ingredients on topmung dal dhokla recipe with tempering ingredients on top

25.  Serve moong dal dhokla warm with coriander chutney or mint chutney or coconut chutney or tamarind chutney. You can have it any time of the day or as a tea time snack.

moong dal dhokla squares in a white platemoong dal dhokla squares in a white plate


More Tasty Snacks recipes

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Moong Dal dhokla is a tasty and nutritious dhokla variety made with whole mung beans, herbs and spices. This snack is a savory steamed vegan cake that is protein-rich and healthy.

Prep Time 6 hrs

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 6 hrs 25 mins



Servings 4

Units

Prevent your screen from going dark while making the recipe

Making green gram batter

  • Pick and rinse the whole moong beans with water for a couple of times. 

  • Soak the moong beans in enough water for 6 to 7 hours or overnight. Then drain the water.

  • Grind the soaked moong with coriander leaves and very ½ cup water to a semi coarse paste.

  • Don’t make the paste too fine.

  • Also the batter should not be too thick nor thin but like a dhokla batter.

Making moong dal dhokla

  • Take about 2 to 2.5 cups of water in a large pan. Place a small metal stand or trivet in the pan. Bring the water to a boil.

  • Meanwhile, grease a round pan with some oil.

  • Add ginger-green chili paste, oil, lemon juice and salt to the ground moong mixture and mix well.

  • Finally add fruit salt or eno to the dhokla mixture and mix very well.

  • Immediately pour the leavened batter in the greased steaming pan.

  • Place the pan in the large pan where the water must have already started boiling by now. Be careful as the water and the steam will be very hot. Best to use tongs for keeping the steamer pan with the batter.

  • Cover the pan and steam for 12 to 15 minutes or till the dhokla is done. let the dhokla become warm and then you can remove it from the pan. 

Making tempering

  • In a small pan, heat oil.

  • Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.

  • Then add cumin seeds and let them splutter.

  • Add asafoetida (hing), curry leaves and roasted sesame seeds. Mix well.

  • Then add 2 tablespoons water to the tempering. Mix well again and let this mixture come to a boil. 

  • Be careful when adding water. You can switch off the heat while adding water.

  • Pour this tempering all over the steamed moong dal dhokla.

  • Garnish with coriander leaves and coconut.

  • Serve warm with mint coriander chutney or coconut chutney or cilantro chutney. You can also serve it with your evening tea.

  • Instead of steaming you can also microwave them. Just keep an eye when microwaving so that the dal dhokla does not become too dry or dense.
  • It can also be steamed in a pressure cooker. Heat water in the pressure cooker till it begins to boil. Place the dhokla tin. Cover the pressure cooker with the lid and remove its whistle/vent weight. Steam for some 12-15 minutes till the dal dhokla is done.
  • To make it gluten free skip adding asafoetida or use gluten free asafoetida.
  • You can also make this recipe with hulled and split yellow mung lentils.

Nutrition Facts

Moong Dal Dhokla

Amount Per Serving

Calories 287 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Sodium 305mg13%

Potassium 693mg20%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 13g26%

Vitamin A 231IU5%

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 30mg150%

Vitamin B6 1mg50%

Vitamin C 54mg65%

Vitamin E 3mg20%

Vitamin K 9µg9%

Calcium 91mg9%

Vitamin B9 (Folate) 620µg155%

Iron 4mg22%

Magnesium 108mg27%

Phosphorus 210mg21%

Zinc 2mg13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This recipe post from the archives (June 2012) has been republished and updated on 13 September 2021.