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Recipe

Moong Dal Halwa Recipe: Rich Ghee-Roasted Dessert

By Ashutosh Nagare·Updated August 2026·6 min read

Moong dal halwa is made by soaking and grinding yellow moong dal, then slow-roasting it in generous pure ghee until golden and aromatic, and finishing with warm sweetened milk and nuts. Patient roasting in ghee is the secret. It takes about an hour and serves six.

A bowl of rich moong dal halwa roasted in pure ghee
The secret: roast the dal in pure ghee low and slow for 20+ minutes. Rushing this step is the number-one reason moong dal halwa turns out raw-tasting or pasty.

At a glance

  • Prep 20 min · Cook 40 min · Serves 6.
  • Ground moong dal slow-roasted in pure ghee, finished with sweet milk and nuts.
  • A rich, festive Rajasthani-style dessert — patience is everything.

Moong dal halwa is a labour of love — and the reward is a deeply nutty, ghee-rich dessert that no shortcut can match.

Ingredients (serves 6)

  • 1 cup yellow moong dal (soaked 3–4 hrs)
  • 3/4 cup buffalo ghee
  • 3/4 cup sugar · 1.5 cups water · 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom, saffron, chopped nuts

Method

  1. Grind the soaked dal to a coarse paste.
  2. Roast in ghee on low-medium 20–25 min until golden and grainy.
  3. Make a light sugar syrup; warm the saffron milk.
  4. Add hot syrup + milk to the dal, stirring; cook until thick.
  5. Add cardamom and nuts; cook until ghee separates. Serve warm.

Tips

  • Roast patiently — low heat, constant stirring, 20+ minutes.
  • Add hot liquid to avoid lumps.
  • Use pure ghee generously — it's the heart of this halwa.

More ghee sweets: gajar halwa, sooji halwa and besan ladoo.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make moong dal halwa?

Soak and grind yellow moong dal, then roast it in generous pure ghee on low-medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and aromatic. Add hot sugar syrup and saffron milk while stirring, cook until thick, finish with cardamom and nuts, and serve warm.

Why is my moong dal halwa raw or pasty?

Almost always because the dal was not roasted in ghee long enough. Roast it low and slow, stirring constantly, for at least 20 minutes until it is golden, grainy and smells nutty before adding any liquid.

How much ghee does moong dal halwa need?

Moong dal halwa is a rich dessert and traditionally uses a generous amount, around 3/4 cup of ghee per cup of dal. Pure ghee gives it the right aroma and lets the halwa come together properly.

This halwa runs on ghee

A2 Farmer Buffalo Bilona Ghee — pure, rich and aromatic for festive sweets.

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