Typically, Indian lentils bring to mind something a little heavy, creamy and hearty. This dish is the absolute opposite of that – light, tangy and refreshing. Growing up dal was not my favorite (sacrilege considering I grew up in an Indian vegetarian home) but whenever my mother made moong dal chaat I would willingly gobble it up. Another bonus - this dish can come together in 30 minutes if you use a pressure cooker. You can also do it on the stove top in a dutch oven and it still comes together in under an hour. <br /> <br />Moong dal chaat was inspired by a dish served on the streets in Rajinder Nagar in Old Delhi and my mother learned to make it from her paternal uncle. Small, oval shaped, yellow lentils called moong are used here. The dal and rice are comforting and soft, the chaat masala (Indian spice blend that is sour and tangy) and lemon juice add bright acidity, the veggies give you much needed crunch and freshness and lastly the roasted cumin powder gives a slight smoky flavor. One taste and you will realize that this is one of those dishes you will be making again and again.

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