1. Dry roast the moong dal.Pressure cook the moong dal with 2 cups water and salt. After 3 whistles open the pressure cooker and mash the cooked dal. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.

2. Heat ghee in a pan, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let splutter, then add minced ginger, red chili, turmeric, garlic, green chili and curry leaves and saute for 1-2 minutes until the raw flavor of garlic and ginger goes.

3. Add this tempering to the boiling dal and mix and let simmer for 2 minutes.Turn off the stove.Add cilantro and lemon juice and serve.If using tamarind paste, add in step 1. This is served with rice or barley and is known to cool the body during the summer months. The same can be made with toor dal and is called as kandi kattu, toor dal is warming as opposed to moong dal.