Indian cooking
Indian cooking / Dishes / Mung Dal ka Halwa
Mung Dal ka Halwa (Moong Bean Dessert)

Mung Dal ka Halwa

Moong Bean Dessert
VegetarianOrigin Punjab/Delhi/AwadhPrep 30 minutes, plus soaking timeCook 1 hour

A rich, slow-cooked dessert made from pureed lentils simmered in sweetened milk and toasted with ghee. It is fragrant with saffron and cardamom, offering a dense, velvety texture and a nutty sweetness.

Milk spices

0.7 gAdded to the milk and sugar pan (step 3)
01
Saffron · Kesar
0.7 g1 teaspoon
spice
Keep whole to steep in the warm milk.

Garnish spices

1.8 gScattered over the halwa just before serving (step 5)
01
Green cardamom pod · Elaichiseeds of, crushed
1.8 g10 pods
spice
Crush the seeds finely.

Everything else

01
Split mung beans · Moong Dalrinsed and drained
200 g
legume
02
Milk · Doodh
517 g500 ml
dairy
03
Granulated sugar · Cheeni
200 g
sweetener
04
Ghee
125 g
oil/fat
05
Almond · Badamslivered
12 g10 almonds
nut/seed
06
Cashew nut · Kajuslivered
15 g10 cashews
nut/seed

Method

  1. Place 200 g moong dal into a bowl of water and leave to soak overnight.
  2. Drain the moong dal thoroughly and transfer to a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth, trickling in a tiny splash of water only if necessary to loosen the mixture.
  3. In a wide saucepan, combine 517 g milk, 200 g granulated sugar and the milk spices. Bring to a rolling boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
  4. Warm 125 g ghee in a deep, heavy-based pan or kadhai set over very low heat. Stir in the pureed dal and fry for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Pour in the hot milk mixture, stirring constantly to stop any dal catching on the bottom. Keep stirring continuously over gentle heat for approximately 30 minutes, until the liquid is fully absorbed and the ghee separates from the sides.
  5. Spoon the hot halwa onto a serving dish. Decorate with 10 g slivered almonds, 10 g slivered cashew nuts and the garnish spices, then serve immediately.

Don't have something?

Moong dal
  • Red lentils

    Use equal weight. It cooks in about the same time and breaks down to a similar soft, creamy consistency, though the colour will be slightly pinkish-orange.

  • Pigeon peas

    Use equal weight. Requires longer soaking and cooking time, and produces a slightly earthier, denser dal.

Milk
  • Whole milk

    Use equal weight; provides the standard rich dairy fat and body expected in creamy Indian bases.

  • Single cream

    Dilute 3 parts cream with 1 part water to match the weight; yields a richer, glossier gravy that resists curdling.

  • Plain yogurt

    Whisk thoroughly and use equal weight; adds extra body and a mild pleasant acidity, best added off the heat.

Granulated sugar
  • Jaggery

    Use equal weight; grate or shave finely so it dissolves rapidly, giving a warm, caramel-like sweetness and slightly darker sauce.

Saffron
  • Ground turmeric

    Use 15% of the saffron's weight. Replicates the bright yellow colour well, but lacks the floral, earthy depth; use sparingly to avoid bitterness.

  • Screwpine water or rosewater

    Use a few drops combined with a tiny pinch of ground turmeric to mimic both the regal floral aroma and the golden hue.

Ghee
  • Unsalted butter

    Use 120% of the weight; melt gently over low heat to avoid burning the milk solids, which will yield a softer, creamier richness rather than a nutty aroma.

  • Vegetable oil

    Use 85% of the weight; holds high cooking temperatures without smoking, but the final dish will lack traditional dairy depth.

  • Mustard oil

    Use equal weight; heat to smoking point and cool slightly before cooking, bearing in mind it introduces an assertive, pungent edge.

Almond
  • Cashew nut

    Use equal weight. Soak in warm water and grind to a paste or fry identically; yields a slightly creamier and sweeter sauce.

  • Shelled peanut

    Use equal weight. Lightly roast, skin, and grind; introduces a heavier body and a pronounced roasted-nut aroma.

Cashew nut
  • Almond

    Use 100% of the weight. Soak in boiling water and slip off skins before frying or grinding; gives a lighter, slightly less sweet richness to curries.

  • Poppy seed

    Use 60% of the weight for gravies. Soak in warm water and grind into a fine paste to thicken royal kormas without adding heavy oiliness.

  • Shelled peanut

    Use 100% of the weight. Roast, skin, and grind; creates a thicker, earthier texture typical of Maharashtrian and western Indian curries.

Green cardamom pod
  • Green cardamom seed

    Use 35 to 40% of the total pod weight; lightly bruise the seeds before frying in oil to release their essential oils.

  • Ground green cardamom

    Use 20 to 25% of the pod weight (about 1 generous pinch per pod); stir in toward the end of cooking so the delicate floral notes do not dissipate.

  • White cardamom pod

    Use 1:1 by pod count or weight; crack gently before using, though it is slightly less intensely floral.

Similar dishes

Doodh ka Sherbet
Milk-based Sherbet
Doodh ka Sherbet tastes lighter and predominantly of sweet, floral spiced milk, lacking the heavy, nutty, and roasted notes imparted by the lentils and ghee in this dish.
  • Same: Doodh ka Sherbet shares with this dish a base of milk sweetened with sugar and scented with green cardamom and saffron.
  • Different: Unlike this slow-cooked halwa, Doodh ka Sherbet is served as a chilled beverage and omits the moong dal and ghee entirely.
Baadam ka Doodh
Almond Milkshake
It tastes much lighter and less intensely sweet, lacking the rich, buttery, and nutty depth of this dense dessert.
  • Same: Baadam ka Doodh shares the same aromatic profile of milk sweetened with sugar and flavored with saffron and green cardamom.
  • Different: It is a liquid beverage rather than a slow-cooked pudding, omitting both the moong dal and the ghee used in this dish.
Kheer
Rice Pudding
Kheer tastes creamy, milky and floral from kewra, while this dish tastes dense, nutty and ghee-rich.
  • Same: Kheer shares milk, sugar, saffron, green cardamom and almonds with this dish.
  • Different: Kheer uses rice instead of moong dal, adds kewra water and edible silver leaf, and has no ghee or cashew.
Masala Milkshake
Spicy Milkshake
It tastes much lighter, less sweet, and floral, in contrast to the rich, buttery, and dense sweetness of this dish.
  • Same: Masala Milkshake shares the base of milk sweetened with sugar and flavored with saffron and green cardamom.
  • Different: It is a chilled beverage with rosewater, omitting the moong dal, ghee, and slow stovetop cooking of this dish.