Soaking whole pulses: green moong, kala chana and urad

Give whole pulses time

Whole pulses keep their skin and take longer to soften than many split dals. Plan the soak before you plan the meal, and treat the cooking ranges below as general stovetop guidance rather than pressure-cooker instructions.

Green moong: tender but intact

Soak whole green moong for 6–8 hours, then drain and rinse. Start with 3–4 cups of water per cup of dry moong and simmer for roughly 45–60 minutes, checking tenderness.

For mag nu shaak or a curry, cook to the texture your recipe needs. For a cooked moong salad, stop when the grains are tender but still intact. If you use sprouts, cook them thoroughly before eating.

Kala chana: check the centre

Soak kala chana for 8–12 hours. Drain the soaking water and cook in fresh water, starting with around 4 cups per cup of dry chickpeas. A general simmering range is 60–90 minutes.

Check that the centre is fully tender. Add acidic ingredients after softening. Use cooked kala chana for masala, sukha chana or chaat; toss cooked chana with spices and lemon when ready to serve.

Whole urad: allow a longer simmer

Whole black gram needs an 8–12 hour soak and may take around 90–150 minutes of stovetop simmering. Start with about 4 cups of water per cup of dry pulse and top up with hot water as needed.

For a creamy dal makhani, cook until the beans mash easily, then simmer longer according to your recipe. Whole urad may need more time to soften, so judge the beans rather than the timer.