Sindhi Maakhani Dal | Mung Dal Sindhi Style

Sindhi Maakhani Dal | Mung Dal Sindhi Style is a comfort dal, that is first boiled and then jazzed up with spices and tempered with either ghee or oil.

Maakhani Dal is many times confused with Makhani Dal. Let me clear this confusion . Maakhani is pronounced as Maa – khani and it is the split yellow moong dal. Cooked in Sindhi kitchens. This dal is boiled with salt and turmeric. It is as simple as that. Makhani Dal is the whole black urad that is globally popular as Kali Dal | Dal Makhani. This is from Punjabi cuisine.

So for today, it is the Sindhi Maakhani Dal. The Sindhi Dal is cooked just like Surja ki Dal, but with turmeric. The dal is thick and creamy, well blended with a wooden hand blender. We sprinkle spices over the dal and finish it with some hot ghee or oil.

The Maakhani Dal is served for breakfast with poori, though this traditional combo is fading out. This dal is also served for lunch with a Sindhi Fulko. A side dish like Bhindi Masala or Sindhi Aloo is a perfect combo with this dal. Some Sindhi serve it for dinner too, but generally, it is either breakfast or lunch.

Ingredients used to make Maakhani Dal | Sindhi Style Mung Dal

Mung Dal: Use a good quality, preferably organic mung dal. Don’t forget to soak the dal, as it will fluff up and cook easily, making it soft.

Spices: While cooking the dal, use salt and turmeric. While serving sprinkle Coriander Powder, Red Chilly Powder, Black Pepper and Dry Mango Powder. The spices can be adjusted or skipped if serving kids.

Ghee / Oil: Hot ghee or oil with cumin seeds enhances the flavour of the dal. If looking for a zero oil recipe, simply skip the fat or adjust the quantity as per your choice.

Asafoetida: It is optional, though I like using a pinch while tempering the dal.

How to make Maakhani Dal | Sindhi Style Mung Dal

Wash the dal very well and soak for 2 hours. After 2 hours, wash once again and put the dal in a pan with 2 cups of water, salt and turmeric powder.

Cook the dal on full flame for 3-4 minutes, till the first boil comes. Now reduce the flame, remove the froth and cook for another 15 minutes.

Once cooked, use a wooden hand blender, blend the dal to a smooth and creamy texture and the dal should be thick.

Transfer to a serving bowl, and sprinkle red chilly powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder and black pepper. Adjust the spices as per your taste.

Finally, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee, or oil add cumin seeds and as they splutter, add asafoetida ( if using ) and pour the ghee over the dal. Make sure all the masala is covered with ghee. Ghee enhances the flavour of the dal, but you can substitute with oil, or even completely skip it.

Serve hot dal with Fulko, paratha or enjoy it as it is.

Storage Suggestions

This dal is best enjoyed immediately after cooking, but you want to store it, then refrigerate it for a day or two.

The dal tends to become thick and appears like a lump. Heat on a slow flame and add very little water to get the right consistency.

I do not freeze this dal as it loses its texture.

Do’s and Don’ts while cooking the Maakhani Dal | Sindhi Style Mung Dal

• Soak the dal for a minimum hour, more if time permits.
• Remove the froth after the first boil.
• Do not cook the dal in a pressure cooker, the taste is completely different.
• Sprinkle the spices lavishly for a flavorful dal. However, adjust them as per your taste.
• Dry Mango Powder enhances the taste of the dal, do not skip this spice.
• The flavour of the dal is enhanced with ghee, but if vegan, use oil.
• Add finely chopped onions, tomatoes and coriander leaves for that extra oomph, just before tempering.

Other Sindhi Style Dals

• Tri Daali Dal
• Charanji dal Ras mei
• Chana Dal ( Dal Pakwan)
• Sindhi Moong Dal
• Dal ji Kadhi
• Tuar Dal Sindhi Style

Maakhani Dal | Sindhi Style Mung Dal is my Day 2 post under the theme One Ingredient Three Dishes. I have chosen Mung Dal as the star ingredient.

Print Pin

5 from 3 votes

Maakhani Dal | Sindhi Style Mung Dal

Sindhi Maakhani Dal | Mung Dal Sindhi Style is a comfort dal, that is first boiled and then jazzed up with spices and tempering.

Course Breakfast, Lunch

Cuisine Indian Cuisine, Sindhi Cuisine

Keyword Comfort Food, Easy Breakfast

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Vaishali Sabnani

Equipment

• Pan / Kadai / Wok
• Wooden Blender

Ingredients

• 1 cup Yellow Mung Dal
• ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
• 2 cups Water
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp Coriander Powder
• ½ tsp Red Chilly Powder
• ½ tsp Black Pepper Powder
• ½ tsp Dry Mango Powder
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• Pinch Asafoetida optional
• 2 tbsp Ghee or Oil

Instructions

• Wash the dal very well and soak for 2 hours. After 2 hours , wash once again and put the dal in a pan with 2 cups of water , salt and turmeric powder.
• Cook the dal on full flame for 3-4 minutes , till the first boil comes. Now reduce the flame , remove the froth and cook for another 15 minutes.
• Once cooked, use a wooden hand blender , blend the dal to a smooth and creamy texture and the dal should be thick.
• Transfer to a serving bowl, and sprinkle red chilly powder , coriander powder, dry mango powder and black pepper.
• Finally heat 2 tablespoons of ghee , add cuminseeds and asafoetida ( if using )as they splutter , pour the ghee over the dal. Make sure all the masala is covered with ghee.

Notes

• Soak the dal for a minimum hour, more if time permits.
• Remove the froth after the first boil.
• Do not cook the dal in a pressure cooker, the taste is completely different.
• Sprinkle the spices lavishly. Dry Mango Powder enhances the taste, do not skip it.
• The flavour of the dal is enhanced with ghee, but if vegan, use oil.