Moong Dal Halwa

Cooked and mashed mung lentils are roasted in ghee, cardamom, saffron and sugar to make an irresistibly sweet moong dal halwa

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword halwa, instant pot desserts, moong dal halwa

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 5

Calories 4400kcal

Switch on the instant pot and press sauté. Adjust to 'more' on the panel. Add the moong dal and stir constantly in a to and fro motion with a wooden spoon until the dal is well roasted and turns dark yellow (10-12 minutes).
Cancel sauté and add water. Secure the lid, make sure the steam release handle is on 'sealing' and press the pressure cooking button (high). Set the timer to 15 minutes.
When the timer beeps, wait for 10 minutes, then release pressure. Open the pot and mash the cooked dal with the back of the wooden spoon until it is smooth.
Melt the ghee and add to the dal along with cardamom and saffron dissolved in milk. Press sauté again and adjust to the 'normal' setting'. Roast this mixture vigorously and continuously with a wooden spoon for 15 minutes. You will see that the mixture will appear shiny and smooth and leave the spoon after being well roasted.
Now, add sugar and roast for 2 minutes more. The sugar will melt in the hot halwa.
Sprinkle the halwa with nuts and some extra cardamom if you want and serve warm.

Mash the dal while it is still hot after getting cooked in the instant pot.
If the dal is too dry (15 minutes of pressure cooking can dry it out), add a quarter cup hot water or milk to loosen it a bit and mix it in.
After adding the ghee, roast the dal on a low to medium saute setting, never on high or it will stick to the bottom of the pot or burn.
Don’t stop stirring the halwa after adding the ghee or it will stick. This is the most important tip in the whole halwa making process if you want a smooth, well-roasted and lump-free halwa.