You can now make moong dal halwa, a rich and sweet Indian dessert, easily in an instant pot! I’m sharing my super quick shortcut method to making this decadent dessert!
Yes, I’m talking about the same dal halwa that traditionally takes ages to make on the stovetop. That same perfectly sweet, ghee-soaked halwa that always makes an appearance during festivals, weddings, special occasions.
Moong dal halwa is known for its labor-intensive process. Traditionally, you have to soak dal overnight and grind it and then stir, stir, stir the raw lentils until cooked. Nope. Not anymore. Thank you, next.
In true millennial fashion, I’ve found a lazier (smarter?) way to make this sweet dish. There’s NO grinding. NO stirring raw dal until cooked (but I mean, there is still some stirring involved because c’mon despite what I’ve said in the past, I’m not actually a wizard… maybe just a magician). 🧙🏾♀️
What is Moong Dal Halwa?
If you’re not familiar with this dessert, it’s made with these petite yellow lentils, called moong dal:
This dal, when combined with a bit of cardamom, some sugar and a lot of ghee, turns into… the most amazing halwa.
We’re going to pressure cook this dal! Like the little lentils – forget grinding them – you’ll still get that silky smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture. I was about to write the “same mouthfeel” but I had promised myself years ago that I’d never use that word. Sharing that with you just now doesn’t count…
How To Make Halwa Moong Dal?
dry roast the halwa, add water, and pressure cook!
Add sugar and ghee and stir! That’s it!
Indian Parent Approved
I’ve been working on this recipe with my parents for months now and it’s because of them that I’m sharing it here on the blog. My mom is a genius in the kitchen (have you tried her Meethe Chawal yet?!) and they’ve tasted and tested this for me – with my dad offering his usual helpful feedback like “too much cardamom, not enough ghee, needs more cook time” lol – so really, you have them to thank for this perfectly easy and delicious halwa. Also, my dad is definitely the reason there is so much ghee in this recipe – according to him, “if you’re going to make halwa, it should be made right.” 😂 If you haven’t tried the Carrot Halwa that he helped me with, you must.
I know I talk about family a lot on the blog but honestly, it’s because of them (parents, in-laws, family friends) that this little blog of mine exists. After all, without them, I’d have no idea how to cook or what awesome food is supposed to taste like.
And I can say with absolute certainty that this dal halwa is awesome.
How long does Moong Dal Halwa last for?
I suggest eating this halwa within a week of making it – I’m not sure it’ll last you that long though!
Halwa Recipe Tips:
- No need to rinse the dal. I dry roast the dal for 8 to 10 minutes until it changes from pale yellow to slightly golden.
- Be patient – after presure cooking the dal, you’ll need to stir continuously for 10 minutes which will be a bit of an arm workout. This recipe still requires some work, but far less than the traditional route.
- When the halwa is done, you’ll notice some ghee on the sides of the serving bowl – that means it separated a bit from the halwa and is perfect!
- I highly suggest garnishing the halwa with some crushed nuts and serving it warm. Perfection!
Okay, now I’m really excited for you to make this dal halwa. Tell me what you think – I’ll just be here waiting!
Instant Pot Moong Dal Halwa Recipe
Instant Pot Moong Dal Halwa Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup moong dal
- 2 cups water
- ¾ cup ghee
- 1 cup sugar adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- Crushed nuts pistachios, almonds or cashews, garnish
Instructions
- Press sauté and add the (dry) moong dal to the pot. Dry roast (stir) the dal for 8-10 minutes until you see it darken a bit. It will change from pale yellow to slightly golden.
- Add water and stir, then secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 20 minutes at high pressure.
- Quick release pressure and immediately add ghee, sugar, cardamom to the pot and mix well. Don’t panic if when you see the dal, it looks a bit dry – it will quickly absorb the ghee.
- Once the dal absorbs the ghee, press the sauté button and stir continuously for 10 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot regularly. This will be a bit of an arm workout.
- Remove the steel liner from the instant pot (so the halwa doesn’t burn) and immediately scoop the halwa out into a serving bowl. When you pour it out, you’ll notice some ghee on the sides of the serving bowl – that means it separated a bit from the halwa and is perfect!
- Garnish with crushed nuts and serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Update 10/22/19: I have heard from a few people who have said that they’ve felt a few bits of dal in their halwa. I’ve tried this recipe with a natural pressure release which may help those who have had this issue. I am adding this as a note rather than changing the original recipe as I’d hate to make waiting an extra 25 minutes for a NPR mandatory when the recipe has already worked well for so many of you.
BW says
Hi My halwa overall turned out great but was more dense…was it because maybe I cooked less in saute mode…I didn’t see much ghee on the sides either. Any tips to make it more smooth? Thank you so much
Dhaval Mody says
Hello Ashley.
I tried your besan ka halwa and it turned out amazing. Thanks for such a quixk and great recipe. Had a question on moong dal halwa. Instead of dal can we use the moong dal flour and make it the same way as besan ka halwa?
Thanks
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Dhaval, I’m so glad to hear that! I would think that you can use moong dal flour in the besan halwa recipe, but I would not use it in this one. Please let me know how it goes!
Dhaval Mody says
Thanks so much Ashley. Tried out the moong dal halwa as per your receipe and it turned out great. Your 2 ingredient cheese cake is all time favorite. Thanks again
Harish Chinai says
I just made this for the first time and wanted to offer it our deities so could not taste before offering. The Touch and feel were just right and I really excited to taste and enjoy the Prasad. The final 10 minutes of stirring was like you said quite a workout. But it was well worth the experience of making it. It looks fantastic.
Thank you for the recipe, your instructions were perfect.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Harish, I’m so glad to hear this! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Shobha Lathia says
It is so much easier to make it. I added Deep brand milk mawa powder about 3/4 cup.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Shobha, that’s great to hear! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Kanthi Nihalani says
I just now made this. It is SO delicious. I couldn’t stop at one scoop!!!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Kanthi, that’s so great to hear! Thank you for letting me know how much you liked it 🙂
Tanvi says
Can you share moong dal laddu recipe pls ?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Tanvi, it’s on my list – hopefully one day!
rupali says
Super awesome and a v quick recipe . I added 1 cup milk and 1 cup water, for pressure cooking, and almost 1.25 cups of ghee, and lastly sprinkled some milk (3-4tbps),- (This, gave a coarse texture to the halwa) before finally switching off the heat.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Glad you liked it, Rupali!
Deepa Agrawal says
Rupali, do you sprinkled some milk powder? If yes, would love to try that since I felt halwa lacked the grainy texture.