Masoor Dal Instant Pot

Dal or dahl is a very common dish in Indian cuisine. There are a variety of dals and masoor dal or red lentil dahl in English is one of them. It is obtained by removing the skin from the whole masoor dal or brown lentils.

It is very easy and convenient to make this vegan and gluten-free masoor dal in the Instant Pot. It is perfect for weekday meals with basmati rice and Indian bread like roti. Any leftovers are great for the next day. Masoor dal also works well for meal planning and is great for freezing.

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• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Serving suggestions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top tip
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Ingredients

This simple yet nutritious and delicious red lentil dahl is made with a few basic pantry ingredients and Indian spices.

The main ingredient is masoor dal also known as red lentils in English. They come in two varieties, the split red lentils, and the whole red lentils. You can use either of them or a combination of both and the recipe will remain the same.

Indian spices like mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, and garam masala are required for flavor. Spiciness comes from red chili powder and you can adapt it to taste.

You will also need some tomato, onions, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, and cilantro to make this delicious red lentil dal at home in the Instant Pot.

Instructions

It is very easy to make masoor dal in an Instant Pot to make this Indian-style lentil curry. There is no need to soak the red lentils to make it, just rinsing it well with water is enough.

Once you prep and gather all the ingredients, it just really takes only a few minutes of your time and then you will be completely hands-off while the dal gets cooked.

Turn the Instant Pot on the saute mode and once the liner is hot, add some ghee (or oil for making it vegan). After the oil gets hot, add the cumin and mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.

Add ginger garlic paste followed by chopped onions and continue to saute until the onions are translucent. Add the tomatoes, salt, and other spices. Continue to saute with a spatula until the tomatoes are a little mushy.

At this point add some water and deglaze the pot by scraping the bottom of the pot with the spatula. This will help avoid the burn message. Now add the rinsed red masoor dal and the remaining water.

To cook masoor dal in the Instant Pot the ratio of 1:3 of dal to water works well for a thick consistency. You can add more water once it is cooked and then saute it for a minute or two.

Mix everything well and then close the lid and set the pressure release knob to the sealing position. It takes only 6 minutes of time to pressure cook masoor dal in the Instant Pot.

Once the dal is cooked, allow the pressure to release naturally, and then add water if you want to adjust the consistency. Add some garam masala and lime juice for flavor. Garnish it with some chopped cilantro while serving.

Serving suggestions

Red lentils dahl, just like other Indian dal, is best served hot with basmati rice. It is also served in a thali, the Indian platter, which consists of a variety of dishes served on one big round plate. You can serve this masoor dal along with curries, Indian bread, pickles, dessert, sides, and appetizers in the Indian thali.

Variations

This masoor dal recipe is vegan and gluten-free. It is also suitable for kids. And the best thing is you can easily adapt this recipe to your taste.

• Spicy - add a little more red chili powder, serrano pepper, and garam masala to make it spicier.
• Spinach - after cooking, stir in some spinach leaves to make spinach masoor dal.
• No onion garlic - to make masoor dal without onion and garlic, skip adding them and continue with the same process.

Equipment

This Indian-style masoor dal is cooked in an electric pressure cooker like an Instant Pot easily without soaking. I have used the 6 qt. Instant Pot to make this it. However, a 3 qt. Instant Pot will work well too.

Storage

Just like other dahls, this red lentil dahl can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. It is also perfect for meal planning and can be prepared in advance and stored in the freezer for about 2 months.

To store masoor dal in the freezer, you can also pressure cook only red lentils and water in a ratio of 1:3 and then allow it to cool down completely and portion it, and freeze it in a freezer-safe airtight container. You can add the tempering, tomato, onions, and spices when you are ready to eat.

When you are ready to use the frozen dal, simply place the container in the fridge overnight or thaw it in the microwave. Reheat it and add some water to adjust the consistency as the dal will thicken after freezing.

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