How to Prepare a Delicious Mung Dal Soup

I often return to mung dal after festive periods or times of richer food, when my digestion needs less stimulation and more care. A few bowls of this simple soup are usually enough to bring things back into balance — not just physically, but mentally too.

This is where mung dal soup truly shines — simple, balancing, and easy to digest.

In Ayurveda, yellow split mung dal is considered one of the most digestible, nourishing, and balancing foods. It is tridoshic — suitable for Vata, Pitta, and Kapha — and gentle enough to support digestion when it feels sluggish, sensitive, or overloaded.

Light, warming, and deeply satisfying without being heavy, mung dal is the kind of meal that restores rhythm. It can be adapted to any season, suits every constitution, and works equally well as a nourishing lunch or a light dinner — especially when the body is asking for simplicity.

In this post, I’ll share a step-by-step guide to preparing a simple, adaptable mung dal soup that has been a staple in my kitchen for many years.

What Is Mung Dal — and Why Is It So Good for Digestion?

Mung dal is made from mung beans — small green beans that, when split and de-husked, become the yellow dal used in this recipe.

In Ayurveda, mung beans are considered the easiest of all legumes to digest, which makes them suitable for:

• sensitive digestion

• recovery after illness

• times of seasonal transition

• post-festive “digestive rest”

All constitutions can eat mung beans — whole, split with husk, or yellow split — and in every season. This makes mung dal a true kitchen staple.

It is nourishing, strengthening, and cooks quickly — while remaining light enough not to overwhelm digestion.

I was introduced to mung dal over 20 years ago by Veenaji Tambe, wife of my late teacher Shriguruji Balaji Tambe, and it has been a steady presence in my kitchen ever since.

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Here is a super easy Preparation

(Because healing food doesn’t need to be complicated)

Many people assume Ayurvedic dishes are complex.
Mung dal is the opposite — simple, flexible, and forgiving.

Ingredients

 You need:

• 2 cups moong dal

• 8 cups water

• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

• Pinch of ground black pepper

• Lemon juice

• ½ tsp Salt

• Seasonal vegetables of your choice

• Fresh coriander, if available

For the Tempering:         

• 1 tbsp ghee or sunflower oil

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tsp coriander seeds (ground might be best)

• ½ tsp fennel seeds

• A pinch of hing (if available)

• 5-6 curry leaves

• ½ tsp turmeric powder

Preparation

Step 1: Soak the dal

Soak the mung dal for at least 2 hours.

Ayurveda recommends soaking all beans to balance their naturally drying quality and reduce bloating. Even though mung dal is very digestible, soaking makes it even gentler.

Use this time to prepare your vegetables.

Seasonal suggestions:

• Winter: pumpkin, carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, leafy greens

• Spring: fennel, asparagus, leafy greens

• Summer: zucchini, asparagus, leafy greens

Step 2: Cook the dal

Rinse the soaked dal 2–3 times until the water runs nearly clear.

Place the dal and water in a large pot and bring to the boil.

Skim off the white foam that forms — this helps reduce bloating.

Lower the heat and let the dal simmer gently without a lid.
Add the grated ginger.

Add vegetables once the dal is halfway cooked (or steam them separately and add at the end).

Step 3: Prepare the masala

Heat the ghee or oil in a small pan.

Add the spices in this order, allowing their aroma to release:

1. Cumin seeds

2. Coriander seeds

3. Fennel seeds

4. Hing (if using)

5. Turmeric

6. Curry leaves

Sauté gently for a few moments.

Pour the masala into the dal, stir well, and bring everything back to a gentle boil.

Season with salt, lemon juice, and black pepper.

Garnish with chopped fresh coriander.

The dal should be soupy — add boiling water if needed.

Serve with rice, chapatis, or even toasted sourdough with butter.

 Yummy.

Why Mung Dal is ideal when Digestion needs a Rest

Yellow split mung dal is:

• light but nourishing

• grounding without being heavy

• balancing for all doshas

Its tridoshic nature makes it ideal when digestion feels unsettled, and the body is ready for simplicity again.

Seasonal spice adaptations

• Summer: cumin, coriander, fennel (cooling, Pitta-balancing)

• Autumn/Winter: mustard seeds, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper (warming, Vata-balancing)

• Spring: mustard seeds, chilli, extra lemon (stimulates slow Kapha digestion)

Bringing it all together

Mung dal soup is humble, simple, and quietly powerful.

Whenever my digestion feels delicate or out of rhythm, a few bowls of mung dal bring me back to balance — not just physically, but mentally too. There’s a clarity and calm that comes from eating food that doesn’t demand too much from the system.

It’s unassuming — and has so much going for it.

A practical Tip for busy Weeks

Soak mung dal the night before.
Chop vegetables in advance and store them in airtight containers.

Simple preparation creates space — even on the busiest days.

Have you tried mung dal before?
If you make this soup, let me know how it feels in your body — and if you have questions, drop them in the comments.

Bon appetite!