Gujarati Style Khatta Mag

Recipe: Gujarati Style Khatta Mag
Gujarati Style Khatta Mag are moong or green grams cooked in sour yogurt. Khatta means sour in Gujarati and mag is moong. Fresh spices like curry leaves, garlic, ginger and green chillis add the main flavour to this simple but very nutritious dish. Enjoy khatta mag with rice, parathas or phulkas.
What Are Green Grams | Moong | Mag?
Like other legumes, green lentils, green grams or moong are low in fat and high in protein and fiber. The advantage with Moong is that it cooks fast. Moong have a mild, often earthy flavor, and they’re best if cooked with assertive flavorings. Lentils cook more slowly if they’re combined with salt or acidic ingredients, so add these last.
How To Use Green Grams | Moong?
- make curry with them. There are so many different varieties on can make. Use tomato gravy, make them dry, cook them in yogurt or coconut milk, etc.
- Sprout the green grams and add them to salads. Lightly steam the sprouted moong or enjoy them raw.
- Sprouted moong taste so good in Chinese dishes and soups.
- Use them to make healthy and filling flatbreads/pancakes.
Check Out How I Use Green Grams In My Kitchen







Ingredients Required For Gujarati Style Khatta Mag
- Green Moong – Green Grams, Moong Beans, Mag, Sabut Moong. Best to soak them in warm water for at least 4 hours so that they get cooked faster. Use a pressure cooker or instant pot to cook them. Cooking them in a saucepan or pot will take longer and may require more water.
- Water – need some for soaking and washing the moong. Also need some for cooking them.
- Cumin Seeds – jeera, jiru. Need some to add to the moong when boiling them and for the tempering too.
- Turmeric Powder – haldi, hardar. Need some to add to the boiling moong and also to the yogurt water mixture.
- Sour Yogurt – try and use sour yogurt, dahi or curds. Sometimes to make the yogurt more sour I leave it at room temperature overnight. If the yogurt is not sour enough then add some lemon juice. Also make sure the yogurt is thick and not watery. It makes the curry more creamier.
- Chickpea Flour – besan, chane ka atta, chana no lot. This will help to thicken the dal or curry.
- Ghee – clarified butter and moong together taste so good. You can use oil instead.
- Mustard Seeds – rai, sarson dana. Need some for tempering or vaghar.
- Cloves – whole cloves or laving for tempering. Adds flavour to the curry.
- Cinnamon – cinnamon or taj stick for tempering.
- Peppercorns – for tempering.
- Dry Red Chilli – need 1-2 for tempering.
- Garlic – Moong and garlic taste really good. I like to use an extra amount of garlic for this recipe. Adjust the amount according to your aste.
- Green Chilli – minced or paste. Adjust the amount according to your taste.
- Ginger – peeled and minced.
- Salt – adjust according to your taste.
- Curry Leaves – kari patta, limbdi. Use fresh, frozen or dried.
Fresh Coriander – chopped. - Asafoetida – hing. Optional. Omit using it if you need a gluten free curry. Asafoetida has some traces of wheat flour, unless you get the pure form.




Watch How To Make Gujarati Style Khatta Mag | Khatta Moong

GUJARATI STYLE KHATTA MAG | KHATTA MOONG
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole moong
- 4 -5 cups water plus some more for soaking
- 1 cup sour yogurt
- 2 tbsp chickpea flour
- ¼ cup garlic sliced
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp green chilli paste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder divided
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 -1¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
FOR TEMPERING/VAGHAR
- 6 -8 peppercorn
- 4 -6 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp asafoetida
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1-2 dry red chillis
- 1 tbsp ghee or oil
Instructions
- Soak the green lentils in warm water for about 2-4 hours. Discard the soaking water and rinse the lentils under running water. This removes the phytic acid.
- Boil the moong in 2 cups of water over medium heat till done. Also add ½ tsp cumin seeds and ¼ tsp turmeric powder. I prefer to use the pressure cooker. I put the moong in the cooker, cover it with just enough water and cook it for 3 whistles.
- Whisk chickpea flour, 1 cup water and yogurt together. Add remaining turmeric powder and the salt. Add ginger and green chilli pastes.
- Heat the ghee or oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add cinnamon, peppercorns, red chillis and cloves. Add mustard and cumin seeds. Add the curry leaves and asafoetida.
- Add the sliced garlic. Saute for a minute or so or till the garlic turns light pink in colour.
- Add the yogurt chickpea flour mixture.
- Stir till the mixture becomes thick. Stir constantly so that the yogurt does not curdle.
- Add the cooked moong and remaining water.
- Let the moong simmer over medium heat for a further 5 -10 minutes.
- Garnish with coriander and serve hot with some plain rice, paratha or phulka.
Notes
- Soaked beans cook faster.
- Adding soda bicarbonate while cooking the beans destroys the nutrients. So best to allow them to soak well. I prefer soaking them overnight as it reduces cooking time.
- If the beans do not cook in the required time, it means they are old.
- I generally do not use too much of chilli as it tends to mask the flavours of the other ingredients. But you can add more if you like.
- Thickness of the curry can be adjusted to your liking. I prefer thick, wholesome curries as opposed to the watery variety.
- Phytic acid is said to cause flatulence. Soaking the beans in water for a while removes it.
- Add some more ghee on top for added flavour. It tastes really good.
- Make sure you use thick sour yogurt or curds. If the moong dal is not sour enough then add some lemon juice.
Pin For Later:
A Little Request:
If you do try this recipe then please either
add a comment below,
send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962
18 Comments
Fa's Kitchen
October 24, 2015 at 7:06 am
Simply amazing. Loving the dal
Shobha
October 24, 2015 at 8:01 am
We make this curry too but without besan… looks yummy.
Jessica Knott
October 24, 2015 at 3:11 pm
Sounds delish! I love curry and I'm sure this sour curry would be perfect for dinner!
Linsy Patel
October 24, 2015 at 4:00 pm
i make it without besan too, never like in mag or chana with besan, but def will try
Mayuri Patel
October 25, 2015 at 7:13 pm
Thank you Fareeha.
Mayuri Patel
October 25, 2015 at 7:14 pm
Shobha I use to make it without the besan too but found that it was becoming to watery. The chickpea flour helps to thicken the curry and the yogurt doesn't curdle up.
Mayuri Patel
October 25, 2015 at 7:15 pm
Thanks Jessica, it is a healthy curry, perfect with rice or naan or rotis.
Seema Sriram
May 5, 2023 at 5:39 am
The unique name prompted me to read your post. Following this, I am so amazed at how I never tried this very easy recipe. With the winter approaching this will be on the comfort list.
mayurisjikoni
May 5, 2023 at 4:17 pm
Thanks Seema it definitely is comfort food during the cold season, give it a try. Add extra ghee on top for that added flavour.
Mayuri Patel
October 25, 2015 at 7:16 pm
As I mentioned before, Linsy, chickpea flour just helps to thicken the curry.
Neha
May 1, 2023 at 9:06 pm
Gujarati style Khatta Mag bears close resemblance to Dahi ki Kadhi sans the moong, right? Wow, this must be so creamy. The sourness of curd must be complementing the moong. An awesome combination with rice. My favorite combo! Looking forward to trying this.
mayurisjikoni
May 1, 2023 at 9:48 pm
Thanks Neha and you’re right it is almost like the dahi kadhi.Am sure you will enjoy it.
Kalyani
May 2, 2023 at 12:41 am
a very unique dal with mag , chick pea flour and yogurt. must try for the summers here !
mayurisjikoni
May 2, 2023 at 6:19 pm
Thanks Kalyani, give it a try. Just simple daily spices, tanginess from the yogurt and the earthy flavour of moong.It is comfort food.
Chef Mireille
May 3, 2023 at 12:35 am
I love the look of this creamy. It looks so thick and creamy and comforting. Perfect to enjoy on rainy days – which we have been having a LOT of this week. I definitely want to try this one soon!
mayurisjikoni
May 3, 2023 at 2:14 pm
Thanks Mireille, it is comfort food. Am sure you’ll enjoy it with some plain rice and it will warm you up. We too have been having a lot of rain.
Priya Vj
May 5, 2023 at 9:17 am
Khatta mag is one delicious curry to enjoy with hot phulkas . I have soaked some moong for pesarettu but now will make this yumm curry tomorrow.
mayurisjikoni
May 5, 2023 at 4:16 pm
Thank you so much Priya, enjoy khatta mag.