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    Whisk Affair » Recipes » Indian Snacks

    Published: Aug 6, 2022 | Last Updated On: Nov 9, 2023 by Neha Mathur

    Moong Dal Pakoda (Moong Dal Bhajia)

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    Jump to Recipe

    Moong Dal Pakoda (Moong Dal Bhajia, Moong Dal Vada, Moongode) are Indian lentil fritters made using yellow moong dal and a few other simple ingredients. Serve them with green chutney for a tea-time snack (vegan, gluten-free).

    Moong dal pakoda served on a plate.
    Jump to:
    • About Moong Dal Pakoda
    • Ingredients
    • How To Make Moong Dal Pakoda
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storage Suggestions
    • You Might Also Like
    • Recipe Card

    About Moong Dal Pakoda

    Moong Dal Pakoda (Moong Dal Bhajia, Moong Dal Vada, Moongode) are spicy Indian fritters that are very popular in Indian households, especially during monsoon season. These are also very popular street food in North India.

    You will find many street vendors in North India, frying moong dal bhajia and plating them piping hot, along with fried green chilies, especially during the monsoon and winter months.

    These pakodas are made using ground yellow moong dal along with a few more simple ingredients added to it to spice them up.

    This moong dal pakoda recipe is vegan and gluten-free and can be easily doubled or tripled.

    Here are some more pakoda recipes that you may like

    • Corn Pakoda
    • Palak Pakoda
    • Aloo Pakora
    • Chawal Ke Pakode
    • Punjabi Bread Pakoda
    • Kuttu Ke Pakora
    • Chicken Pakora

    Ingredients

    Moong dal pakoda ingredients 1
    Moong dal pakoda ingredients 2

    Yellow Moong Dal – Yellow Moong Dal (Dhuli Moong Dal, Split & Skinned Green Gram) is the hero ingredient of this recipe.

    Onions – Add some onions to add that much-needed bite to the soft moong dal pakode.

    Spring Green Onions – My mom always adds chopped spring greens to moongode and they just perk up the flavor so much. Do try!

    Oil – You can use any neutral-flavored cooking oil to fry these yummy pakoras. Vegetable oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, etc works well.

    Others – You will also need fresh ginger, salt, chaat masala, cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), and green chilies.

    Adjust the green chillies as per your taste.

    You can also add some cumin seeds, crushed whole coriander seeds, black pepper powder, chopped curry leaves, asafetida (hing), etc to the batter.

    How To Make Moong Dal Pakoda

    Make The Batter

    Wash 1 cup of moong dal with water 2-3 times until the water runs clear. Soak it in 3-4 cups of water for 3-4 hours.

    Soaked moong dal.

    Drain the water very well and transfer the soaked moong dal to a blender or a food processor along with a tablespoon of water.

    Soaked moong dala nd little water aded to a blender.

    Blend to make a slightly coarse paste. Add a few more tablespoon of water if required to make the paste.

    Note – The paste must be thick otherwise the pakora will not turn out crispy.

    Coarse paste made.

    Transfer the paste to a large bowl and whisk with your fingers for 5 minutes to make it fluffy.

    Tip – You can also use a handheld mixer or a stand mixer to whisk the paste.

    Moong dal pasta transferred to a bowl.
    Whisked moong dal.

    Now add

    • 2 teaspoon grated ginger
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon chaat masala
    • 2 cups of chopped spring onions
    • 1 cup chopped onions
    • 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
    • 2 teaspoon chopped green chilies

    to the bowl and mix well.

    Check for salt and add more if needed.

    Remaining ingredients added to the bowl.
    Mixed well.

    Fry The Pakora

    Heat 4-5 cups of oil for frying the pakora in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.

    When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium-low.

    Drop small rounds of the moong dal batter in the hot oil using your fingers or a small spoon. Do not overload that pan. Fry the pakoda in batches.

    Moong dal bhajia frying in hot oil.

    Fry the moongode until they are nicely browned, stirring frequently while frying.

    Drain on a plate lined with kitchen tissue.

    Serve immediately with coriander chutney and chai.

    Ready moong dal pakora drained on a plate.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Does moong dal bhajiya need fermentation?

    No, the only time-consuming part of this is soaking the dal. Once you grind it, just add the paste with other ingredients and make the pakoras without any fermentation.

    Can I add vegetables to moong dal bhajia?

    You can add vegetables such as finely chopped green bell peppers, grated carrots, corn, etc to the batter to make vegetable moong dal pakora.

    Serving Suggestions

    These are a perfect tea-time snack, especially on rainy days.

    Moong dal bhajia are best served with chutney. Here are some options – Green Chutney, Lahsun Ki Chutney, Sweet Tamarind Chutney, or Dahi Chutney.

    You can also serve fried chilies sprinkled with salt along with the pakora.

    And do not forget to serve a hot cup of Masala Chai or Adrak Wali Chai.

    You can use leftover pakoda to make curry or kadhi. Just make any onion tomato based curry and add these pakoras to it. Similarly, make plain kadhi and add moong dal pakora to it.

    Storage Suggestions

    These bhajia taste the best when served piping hot and crispy, right out of the oil.

    However, you can store the batter for a day in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

    If you still have leftover pakora, then warm them up in an oven or air fryer until crispy before serving.

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    Recipe Card

    Loved this recipe?Click here to leave a review and give us a five star rating ★★★★★
    Moong Dal Pakoda (Moong Dal Bhajia, Moong Dal Vada, Moongode) are Indian lentil fritters made using yellow moong dal and a few other simple ingredients. Serve them with green chutney for tea time snack (vegan, gluten-free).

    Moong Dal Pakoda Recipe (Moong Dal Bhajia, Moong Dal Vada, Moongode)

    Moong Dal Pakoda (Moong Dal Bhajia, Moong Dal Vada, Moongode) are Indian lentil fritters made using yellow moong dal and a few other simple ingredients. Serve them with green chutney for tea time snack.
    4.72 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Snacks
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Soaking Time: 4 hours hours
    Total Time: 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 208kcal
    Author: Neha Mathur

    Ingredients 

    • 1 cup yellow moong dal (split and skinned green gram)
    • 2 teaspoons grated ginger
    • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
    • 1 teaspoon chaat masala
    • 2 cups chopped spring onion greens
    • 1 cup chopped onions
    • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
    • 2 teaspoons chopped green chilies
    • any neutral-flavored oil for frying
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    Instructions

    Make The Batter

    • Wash moong dal with water 2-3 times until the water runs clear. Soak it in 3-4 cups of water for 3-4 hours.
    • Drain the water very well and transfer the soaked moong dal to a blender or a food processor along with a tablespoon of water.
    • Blend to make a slightly coarse paste. Add a few more tablespoons of water if required to make the paste.
    • Note – The paste must be thick otherwise the pakora will not turn out crispy.
    • Transfer the paste to a large bowl and whisk with your fingers for 5 minutes to make it fluffy.
    • Tip – You can also use a handheld mixer or a stand mixer to whisk the paste.
    • Now add ginger, salt, chaat masala, spring onions, onions, cilantro, and green chilies to the bowl and mix well.
    • Check for salt and add more if needed.

    Fry The Pakora

    • Heat 4-5 cups of oil for frying the pakora in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
    • When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium-low.
    • Drop small rounds of the moong dal batter in the hot oil using your fingers or a small spoon. Do not overload tha pan. Fry the pakoda in batches.
    • Fry the moongode until they are nicely browned, stirring frequently while frying.
    • Drain on a plate lined with kitchen tissue.
    • Serve immediately with coriander chutney and chai.

    Video

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i39VWeiNoqY

    Notes

    This moong dal pakoda recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.
    Adjust the green chillies as per your taste.
    You can also add some cumin seeds, crushed whole coriander seeds, black pepper powder, chopped curry leaves, asafetida (hing), etc to the batter.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 722mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 605IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 5mg
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