Easy Instant pot dal

Make this easy Instant pot dal recipe with staple pantry ingredients and enjoy a comfort meal at home in no time. This vegan and gluten-free Indian dal recipe is a keeper as you can make any dal using this.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword indian dal recipe, instant pot dal, instant pot dal tadka

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Servings

Calories 171kcal

Author Sravanthi Chanda

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

1 cup split pigeon peas Toor dal (you can use any lentils)
3 cups water
½ cup tomato finely chopped
½ cup onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1 green chili optional, use it for spicier dal
1 teaspoon ginger grated
1 teaspoon garlic grated or smashed
½ teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon red chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon mustard
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
6 curry leaves optional
Hing pinch (optional)
1 teaspoon Salt adjust according to taste
Cilantro for garnish

Instructions

Rinse the lentils and keep them aside.
Start the Instant pot in saute mode and add oil, cumin, mustard, curry leaves, crushed garlic, and asafoetida (if using). Add green chili now if you are using it.
Once cumin seeds splutter, add finely chopped onions and cook them for a couple of minutes.
Now add finely chopped tomatoes and let them also cook for 2 minutes.
Then goes the spice powders - ground cumin, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt.
Add the rinsed lentils to the Instant pot inner pot and mix it well.
Add water and deglaze the pot if required.
Stop the Instant pot saute mode and close it with its lid.
Seal the vent and start the Instant pot in manual or pressure cook mode and cook it for 6 minutes on high pressure. Please check the cooking times section as time varies for different lentils.
Once the Instant pot finishes cooking, wait for a natural pressure release or manually release the pressure after 10 minutes.
Stir the dal and add more water to adjust the consistency of the dal.
If using any leafy veggies, add them now and cook the dal for a couple of minutes in saute mode. Or close the Instant pot and keep it aside for 10 minutes. The residual heat will cook the leafy greens.
The delicious Instant pot dal is ready to serve.

Notes

Nutrition values are my rough estimates. Please feel free to use your calculator if you rely on them for your diet.

Nutrition