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    You are here: Home / Gluten-Free / Instant Pot Chana Dal Without Soaking

    Instant Pot Chana Dal Without Soaking

    Modified: Oct 3, 2022 · Published by Alpa Jain · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    Chana dal fry is an Indian lentil curry made with split chickpeas and cooked with tomato onion gravy and spices. Check out how to make this easy chana dal recipe in instant pot without soaking.
    chana dal in instant pot pin
    instant pot chana dal pin
    chana dal instant pot pin
    chana dal instant pot pin
    chana dal in instant pot pin
    chana dal instant pot pin
    instant pot chana dal served in a bowl

    Dal (Lentil) is a popular dish in Indian cuisine and a good source of protein for the vegetarian diet. Chana dal fry or dal tadka is a lentil curry and goes well with rice or Indian bread like roti, poori, or naan alike. Chana dal can be easily cooked in the instant pot without soaking.

    Jump to:
    • What is chana dal?
    • Ingredients to make chana dal tadka
    • Are split peas and split chickpeas the same?
    • How to cook chana dal without soaking?
    • How to cook chana dal in instant pot?
    • What is chana dal served with?
    • How to store cooked chana dal?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    What is chana dal?

    Chana dal is called split chickpeas in English. It is a type of lentil and is used in making chana dal curry or dal fry.

    Ingredients to make chana dal tadka

    Chana dal masala or chana dal fry requires only a few basic ingredients and requires very little prep time. Here is a list of ingredients

    • Chana dal
    • Tomato
    • Onion
    • Ginger garlic paste (Check out how to make ginger garlic paste at home)
    • Water
    • Serrano pepper (adjust as per spiciness)
    • Oil
    • Spices - Turmeric powder, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala
    • Garnishing - Cilantro Lime juice

    Are split peas and split chickpeas the same?

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    No. Split peas and split chickpeas are not the same. Split peas or matar dal are dried, peeled and split seeds of peas (pisum sativum). Split chickpeas or chana dal are obtained from the kernel of dried and peeled brown chickpeas or kala chana.

    chana dal masala in a bowl

    How to cook chana dal without soaking?

    Chana dal can be cooked perfectly without soaking in the instant pot or in the pressure cooker. It can also be cooked by boiling on cooktop but takes much longer.

    How to cook chana dal in instant pot?

    Chana dal can be pressure cooked in the instant pot and the best part is you do not need to monitor.

    First turn the saute mode on and, add some oil once the instant pot is hot. Add some mustard seeds and cumin seeds to the hot oil and let them crackle.

    Add ginger garlic paste followed by onions and saute them until they are translucent. Add tomatoes, serrano pepper and the spices - turmeric powder, cumin powder and coriander powder. Continue to saute until tomatoes are soft.

    Finally add the rinsed chana dal, water, and salt. Deglaze the pot with the help of a stainless steel spatula. Lock the lid and allow to pressure cook on high followed by a natural pressure release (allowing the silver pin to drop by itself). After opening add some garam masala, lime juice, and cilantro for garnishing.

    A ratio of 1:2.5 cups of chana dal and water works well for chana dal masala. You can also adjust the consistency after opening the instant pot by adding water as needed and allow it to cook in soup mode for a few minutes until it starts boiling.

    How long to cook chana dal?

    Unsoaked chana dal can be cooked in an instant pot for 15 minutes. Soaking dal for 30 minutes can help reduce the cooking time by a few minutes. Soaked chana dal can be cooked in an instant pot in 12 minutes on high-pressure mode.

    Chana dal in a blue bowl

    How do you know when chana dal is cooked?

    Chana dal isn't mushy after it is pressure cooked. You can clearly see whole lentils but is soft when pressed between your fingers. This means it is cooked well.

    What to do if dal is not cooked properly?

    If chana dal feels hard on pressing after cooking, then it is not cooked properly. You can add more water if needed and pressure cook it again for 5-10 minutes in the instant pot and then do a quick release.

    Why chana dal doesn't cook?

    Chana dal takes much longer to cook compared to other lentils. If it doesn't cook properly, it may be an old batch of dal. However, soaking dal for 30 minutes before cooking or pressure cook for longer time might help in such a situation.

    instant pot chana dal served in a bowl

    What is chana dal served with?

    Chana dal fry is served with plain basmati rice and other rice dishes like jeera or cumin rice or pulao. It is also served with Indian bread like roti and poori.

    How to store cooked chana dal?

    Chana dal, like other lentils and dals, store well. It works well for meal planning. Chana dal tadka can be refrigerated for 4-5 days. When you are ready to eat, simply reheat in the microwave or on the cooktop.

    Dals in general tend to thicken in consistency once refrigerated. Adding little water while reheating can help get the desired consistency.

    Can you freeze cooked chana dal?

    Cooked chana dal can be frozen for upto a month and stored in freezer bags. In fact, you can just pressure cook the chana dal with water and freeze it. Other ingredients and spices can be added later while reheating.

    When you are ready to use the frozen chana dal, simple defrost it in the microwave or keep it in the refrigerator for few hours to thaw before reheating it.

    Don't forget to check out these Indian lentil recipes made in instant pot

    • Panchmel dal (mixed dal)
    • Moong dal paratha
    • Moong dal halwa
    • Toor dal (split pigeon peas)
    • Green moong dal
    • Spinach dal
    • Dal makhani

    Don't forget to rate the recipe by clicking the stars. Also, pin the recipe by clicking the "Pin" button, for your future reference.

    📖 Recipe

    chana dal in a bowl garnished with cilantro

    Instant Pot Chana Dal Without Soaking

    Chana dal fry is an Indian lentil curry made with split chickpeas and cooked with tomato onion gravy and spices. Check out how to make this easy chana dal recipe in instant pot without soaking.
    4.84 from 12 votes
    Rate Recipe Print Pin Save Saved!
    Course: Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 45 minutes mins
    Total Time: 1 hour hr
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 139kcal
    Author: Alpa Jain
    Follow on Facebook@culinaryshades

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot 3 qt

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup Chana dal
    • 1 Tomato (chopped)
    • ½ cup Onion (chopped)
    • 1 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
    • 2 ½ cup Water
    • 1 teaspoon Serrano pepper
    • 1 tablespoon Oil
    • 1 teaspoon Salt (to taste)

    Spices

    • ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
    • ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
    • 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
    • 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
    • 1 tsp Garam Masala

    For garnishing

    • Cilantro (chopped)
    • 2 teaspoon Lime juice (optional, to taste)
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    Instructions

    • Rinse chana dal with water until water runs clear.
    • Turn the instant pot on "saute" mode on normal setting
    • Once the instant pot is hot, add oil and allow oil to become hot.
    • Once oil is hot, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and allow them to crackle
    • Add ginger and garlic paste and saute for a few seconds
    • Add chopped onions and continue to saute until they are translucent
    • Add chopped tomatoes, serrano pepper, and spices - turmeric powder, coriander powder and cumin powder.
    • Saute until tomatoes are mushy.
    • Add rinsed chana dal, water, and salt and deglaze the pot with a spatula.
    • Lock the lid with release valve in sealing position.
    • Press cancel to come out of saute mode.
    • Select manual or pressure mode on high setting for 15 minutes.
    • Once done, allow the pressure to release normally until the silver pin drops
    • Open the lid, stir in the garam masala.
    • Optionally add some lime juice and cilantro for garnishing.

    Watch Video

    Notes

    In case chana dal is not cooked, pressure cook it for another 5-10 minutes followed by a quick release.
    Nutrition Facts
    Instant Pot Chana Dal Without Soaking
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    139
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    4
    g
    6
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    1
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Sodium
     
    9
    mg
    0
    %
    Potassium
     
    103
    mg
    3
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    22
    g
    7
    %
    Fiber
     
    8
    g
    33
    %
    Sugar
     
    2
    g
    2
    %
    Protein
     
    5
    g
    10
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    188
    IU
    4
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    5
    mg
    6
    %
    Calcium
     
    75
    mg
    8
    %
    Iron
     
    2
    mg
    11
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @culinaryshades23 or tag #culinaryshades
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      Recipe Rating




    1. VJ says

      May 14, 2022 at 5:31 pm

      Trying this today, how much water if I’m using 3 cups Chana Dal? I have the larger IP and a big family that loves the leftovers!

      Reply
      • Alpa Jain says

        May 14, 2022 at 5:57 pm

        Hi VJ

        You can 3x the recipe, you will need 7.5 cup of water.

        Regards
        Alpa

        Reply
    2. Maggie says

      May 03, 2021 at 8:45 pm

      5 stars
      I found this recipe through an Instant Pot Facebook group. I'm new to cooking Indian food but I found this to be easy to make and delicious! So glad I found your blog.

      Reply
      • Alpa Jain says

        May 04, 2021 at 7:33 pm

        Hi Maggie

        Thankyou for your feedback. Glad you liked it 🙂

        Regards
        Alpa

        Reply

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    Alpa Jain - Author of Culinaryshades

    Hi! I am Alpa. I am passionate about cooking and love to share my tried and tested vegan and vegetarian recipes for your family and friends to enjoy!

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