Muga Dali Tarkari

Name: Muga Dali Tarkari
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: odia
Ingredients: 0.75 cup moong dal (dry roasted until lightly fragrant); 2 pcs potato (small, peeled and cubed); 150 g pumpkin (peeled and cubed); 1 pcs raw banana (small, peeled and cubed); 1 pcs eggplant (small, cubed); 1 pcs tomato (small, chopped); 1 inch ginger (crushed); 0.5 tsp cumin seeds; 1 pcs bay leaf; 1 pcs dry red chili (broken); 0.5 tsp turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp cumin powder; 1 pinch garam masala; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp sugar; 1 tbsp ghee; 3 cup water; 2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)

RATING

4.4/5(65)

TASTE SCORE

7/10

A light Odia-style vegetable curry made with roasted moong dal, gentle spices, and everyday vegetables. It cooks into a comforting semi-thick dish that pairs beautifully with plain rice or phulka as part of a simple home meal.

PREP

15m

COOK

30m

SERVES

1 KATORI

292 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 9 STEPS

roast · ~4 min
Roast the moong dal.
Heat a dry pan over low heat and roast the moong dal until lightly golden and nutty. Do not let it darken too much.
TIPKeep the heat low and stir often so the dal roasts evenly without turning bitter.
prep · ~7 min
Prepare the vegetables.
1.Peel and cube the potato.
2.Peel and cube the pumpkin.
3.Peel the raw banana and cube it.
4.Cube the eggplant and chop the tomato.
5.Crush the ginger and chop the coriander leaves.
temper · ~1 min
Make the tempering.
1.Heat ghee in a pot over medium heat.
2.Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, and dry red chili.
3.Let the spices sizzle until fragrant.
saute · ~3 min
Cook the ginger and tomato.
Add the crushed ginger and chopped tomato. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the tomato softens.
boil · ~7 min
Add the dal and vegetables.
1.Add the roasted moong dal to the pot.
2.Add potato, pumpkin, raw banana, and eggplant.
3.Add turmeric powder, salt, and sugar.
4.Pour in the water and mix well.
5.Bring everything to a boil.
simmer · ~15 min
Cook until soft and lightly thick.
Lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the dal is tender and the vegetables are cooked through. Stir once or twice and lightly mash a few pieces to thicken the tarkari.
TIPIf the pot looks dry before the dal softens, add a small splash of water and continue cooking.
simmer · ~2 min
Finish with cumin powder and garam masala.
Sprinkle in the cumin powder and garam masala. Simmer uncovered for 2 minutes so the flavors settle together.
garnish
Garnish with coriander leaves.
serve
Serve hot.
Serve the Muga Dali Tarkari hot with plain rice or phulka as part of a simple meal.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Roast the moong dal only until lightly golden and nutty; deeper browning can make the tarkari taste bitter.
2
Cut the potato, pumpkin, raw banana, and eggplant into similar small cubes so they finish cooking together.
3
Add the eggplant soon after cutting, or keep it in water briefly, so it does not discolor before cooking.
4
Stir just once or twice while simmering; too much stirring can break the pumpkin and make the curry mushy too early.
5
Lightly mash a few potato and pumpkin pieces near the end to get the classic semi-thick Odia home-style texture.
6
If making ahead, keep it a little looser in the pot; the roasted moong dal thickens more as it rests.
7
A short 5-minute rest after finishing helps the cumin powder and garam masala bloom gently into the dal.