Moong Dal Idli is a delicious gluten free Idli recipe made using only yellow moong dal (“Peeled-Split-Green Gram Lentil”). It is an instant recipe made without rice and does not require any fermentation time. It is a healthy, high protein, low fat breakfast recipe and very easy to make.
I discovered this recipe accidentally when I was grinding Mung Dal for making Lentil Dosa. Instead of making Dosa, I thought of making idlis with it just the way we make Instant Rava Idli. I kept the batter little bit on thicker side and added Eno(Fruit Salt) to it. I steamed it in regular Idli stand & voila!! The Moong Dal Idlis came out soft & fluffy. In fact if one does not look too carefully while eating it, he/she may confuse it with Rava Idli.
Moong Dal Idli recipe shared here is 100% Gluten free, protein packed and does not even use rice. It does not require any fermentation also. It is a perfect healthy breakfast recipe which is quick to make & does not require long preparation time. The best part of it is “Zero oil recipe” and if you are looking for low fat filling recipes, this is an ideal one. You can have it with coconut chutney or any other chutney/dip of your choice.
Recently I have switched to Tata Sampann Lentils & am quite impressed by their quality. I have tried this recipe using Moong dal sold in general retail store and then with Tata Sampann brand Moong Dal. You can definitely sense the difference in the aroma & taste between the two. As per the claims on their packets, the lentils are unpolished and have high protein content. These Tata Sampann lentils are easily available on Amazon pantry these days.
One of the main things to take care while preparing the batter is to look for its consistency. It should neither be too thin or thick, otherwise Idlis will not be fluffy. Ginger paste, green chillies and fresh coriander leaves have been used for flavouring and adding a zing to the recipe. If you are making it for kids feel free to skip green chillies. These Idlis are also a good option for giving in kids tiffin as this will make them eat lentils and they wont even get to know. Earlier I had shared recipe of Navratan Rava Idli which was also appreciated by many readers.
Few other Moong Dal recipes you might like :
Hope you will like this soft and delicious Moong Dal Idli recipe. I would be glad to hear your feedback or you can even share the pics after trying out this recipe. For regular updates, check out or facebook page @KuchPakRahaHai.
I have also shared a video for this recipe on our Youtube Channel. You can view it to get an idea about the consistency of the batter.
Watch the Video:
List of Ingredients: (Makes 10-12 pieces)
- Yellow Moong Dal (Peeled & Split Green Gram) – 1 cup
- Water – 1/4 cup
- Green Chillies – 2
- Ginger Paste – 1 tsp
- Eno (Fruit salt) – 1 tsp
- Ghee/Cooking Oil – 1btsp
- Salt – To taste
- Coriander Leaves – 1/4 cup
Steps To Prepare:
Step1:
Soak Moong Dal for 2-3 hours. I generally soak it a night before for making idlis in morning.
Step2:
Add soaked moong dal in a grinder or food processor. Add water little by little to form smooth batter. The batter should not be too watery nor too thick.
I have used here Wonderchef Nutri-Blend Mixer Grinder for grinding dal.
Step3:
Transfer the batter in a mixing bowl and add salt, chopped green chillies, coriander leaves and ginger paste.You can save some coriander leaves for garnishing which is totally optional.
Mix once again for 2-3 minutes more using hand whisker . We are whisking again at this step as we want to aerate the batter as much as possible. Keep it aside.
Step4:
Keep the water in steamer to boil (in which you are going to steam Idli). In the meantime, let us proceed to next step. Brush some oil/Ghee on curves of idli plate. This is necessary so that Idlis don’t stick to the plate.
I have put some coriander leaves too on the idli plate too but this step is totally optional & instead you can add all the coriander leaves in the batter.
Step5:
Add eno to the Idli batter which we kept aside in step3. Please note that we will add eno only when we are about to make Idlis.
It is not to be added well in advance. After adding Eno the batter will become really light & fluffy.
Step6:
Pour Idli batter on Idli Plate curves using a ladle or large spoon. You can place some coriander leaves on top of it too (optional).
Step7:
The water must have boiled by now. Place the Idli stand inside the steamer, close the lid and steam for 8-10 minutes.
Step8:
After 8 minutes, check the centre of Idlis with a knife or fork. If it comes out clean the idlis are ready else steam for another 2 minutes.
Step9:
Keep the Idlis to cool down for 2-3 minutes.After that with the help of a knife, free the edges of idli and lift it from the stand. It will come out easily.
Enjoy these soft, fluffy & flavourful Idlis with Coconut chutney or Fresh Coriander chutney.
Bon Appetit!!
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Can i make this 2 days ahead of time
I tried making this today and mine didn't come out soft at all. Can you please tell me what makes the idli soft? Thank you.
Hi, The batter should not be very thick. After adding Eno it should become very light & fluffy. If the batter is thick, the Idli will come out dense.
Can you use baking soda instead of Eno?
In the absence of eno, can we add baking soda?
Can we use discarded sourdough starter instead of eno? As that’s homemade love yeast? TIA!