Instant Pot Moong Dal is a quick and comforting dish made with yellow lentils, tomatoes, and basic Indian spices. Make this yellow lentils dish in just 4 minutes of pressure cooking, and serve it with fluffy basmati rice or Indian bread chapati.
Why I love Yellow Lentil Dal
This moong dal recipe is one I make often when time is short, but I still want a homemade, hearty meal. Using the Instant Pot helps me finish cooking in under 30 minutes, including prep. The tempering of spices and aromatics enhances the flavor, while adding veggies makes it a complete meal.
If you want to try Indian dal with different lentils, check out my Instant Pot dal recipe, which includes cooking times for all types of dals. And if you are new to Instant Pot or Indian cooking, check out my detailed guide on using Instant Pot for Indian cooking, where I share tips and tricks to cook flavorful Indian food easily in an Instant Pot.
Happy Cooking!
-Sravanthi
Detailed Steps
Step 1: Press ' Saute' on the Instant Pot and heat oil. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds, and let them splutter. Add garlic, ginger, and curry leaves.
Step 2: Saute for a minute until aromatic, then add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala, and salt. Cook till soft.
Step 3: Add chopped vegetables (if using) and rinsed moong dal. Mix well.
Step 4: Pour in water and cancel 'Saute' mode.
Step 5: Secure the lid and set Instant Pot to 'Pressure Cook' mode for 4 minutes. Once cooking is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
Step 6: Open the lid and adjust salt if needed. Mash slightly with the back of a ladle for a creamier texture if desired. Serve hot!
I'd love to hear how this Instant Pot Moong Dal turned out for you! Did you make any tweaks or pair it with something different? Drop a comment below and let me know; I read every one. If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like my Instant Pot Toor Dal or Instant Pot Masoor Dal; both are just as simple and flavorful for everyday meals.
Recipe
Instant Pot Moong Dal - Simple Yellow Lentil Dal
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Ingredients
- 1 cup moong dal yellow lentils
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup veggies chopped, optional
- ½ cup tomato chopped
- 1 inch ginger chopped or grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
- 1 curry leaf sprig optional
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prep: Rinse moong dal thoroughly under running water until the water runs clear. Keep it aside. Chop the Veggies and keep them aside.
- Saute Aromatics: Press Saute on the Instant Pot and heat oil. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add garlic, ginger, and curry leaves. Saute a minute until they turn aromatic.
- Add Tomatoes and Spices: Add chopped tomatoes, along with spice powders such as turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, and salt. Cook till tomatoes turn soft.
- Add Veggies and Lentils: Now add chopped vegetables (if using), moong dal, and mix well. Pour in water and cancel saute mode.
- Cook on High Pressure: Secure the lid and set Instant Pot to 'Pressure Cook' mode for 4 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes after cooking.
- Serve and Enjoy: Open the lid, gently mash the dal to achieve a creamier texture, and adjust the salt and spices as needed. Serve this piping hot Instant Pot Moong dal with steamed basmati rice or Indian flatbread roti.
Notes
Tested Tips from My Kitchen
- If you're adding spinach or other quick-cooking greens, stir them in after the pressure cooking is complete.
- For thicker dal, reduce water to 2.5 cups or mash the cooked dal slightly.",
- I sometimes skip garam masala for a lighter flavor. You can add more for a richer taste.
- Adding vegetables to the dal is optional, but I try to incorporate them as much as possible. In this recipe, I used bottle gourd, other veggies like carrots, green beans, squash, pumpkin, and ridge gourd go well in this yellow lentil dal.
- Moong dal, or yellow lentils, cook easily, so I skipped the soaking step. If needed, you can soak the lentils and use them to make this yellow dal.
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