Instant Pot Dal - Dal Fry Recipe
Dal Fry or Dal Tadka is an everyday Indian Lentil Curry. This wholesome comforting Yellow Dal recipe is easy, vegan, gluten free . This recipe makes best Instant Pot Dal in under 30 minutes.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 367kcal
Cost: $5
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup Toor dal and Moong dal -rinsed and water drained
- 2-½ cups water
Seasoning:
- 1 Tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 medium size tomatoes chopped
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon asafetida
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 8-10 curry leaves - optional
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons ginger finely shredded about an inch piece
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons cilantro finely chopped for garnish
To make pot in pot rice
- 1 cup Basmati Rice And 1.5 cup of water
For additional garnish of flavored oil as shown in the picture
- 1 Tablespoon oil
- 2 whole dry red chilis
- ⅛ teaspoon red chili powder
Instructions
How To Make Instant Pot Dal
- Wash , rinse and drain both the dals in water.
- Start the Instant Pot on Sauté Mode. Once heated, add oil in main pot . Add cumin and mustard seeds. Add asafetida, curry leaves, ginger and garlic. Stir few times to mix all the seasoning.
- Add chopped onions and tomatoes. Stir few times. Add rinsed dals. Add red chili powder, salt, turmeric powder, garam masala powder. Check the taste to adjust the seasoning. Add water and stir well.
- Put the tall trivet in the main pot. Add the water in rinsed rice container and put the rice container on the trivet. I try to use the instat pot space to the max.
- Cancel sauté function. Close the lid. Vent on Sealing position. Choose Rice mode.
- Let IP do the cooking and let it beep when done. Wait for 10 mins on the warm count and then do NPR.
- Carefully remove the rice container and trivet. Stir the cooked dal well. If you feel it’s too thick, add some water and check the seasoning. The dal should be like a thick soup consistency.
- Fluff the cooked rice gently with fork .
Additional Oil Tempering on top : Optional
- Heat the oil/ ghee in a saucepan. Once heated, add the red chilies and chili powder . Let it sizzle for few seconds. ( you can add chopped garlic or green chilies too for extra flavoring)
- Pour the seasoning over prepared dal. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.
How to Make Dal Fry - Dal Tadka on Stove top pressure cooker
- Put the pressure cooker on medium high heat. Add One cup of water in main pot.
- In a separate pan, heat oil on medium heat. Once heated, add oil in main pot . Once oil feels hot, add cumin and mustard seeds. Add asafetida, curry leaves, ginger and garlic. Stir few times to mix all the seasoning.
- Add chopped onions and tomatoes. Stir few times. Add rinsed dals. Add red chili powder, salt, turmeric powder, garam masala powder. Check the taste to adjust the seasoning. Move the ingredients in the pressure cooker pot . Put the pot in main pot. Add water and stir well. Close the lid and increase the heat to high.
- When the pressure cooker starts to steam, turn the heat down to medium and cook for five minutes or three whistles.
- Turn off the heat and wait until all the steam has escaped before opening the pressure cooker. Dal should be soft. If needed add more water, dal should be consistency of thick soup.
- Once cooked, Stir the cooked dal well. If you feel it's too thick, add some water and check the seasoning. The dal should be like a thick consistency. Fluff the cooked rice gently with fork . Enjoy warm.
Notes
- Rice and Dal is a classic dinner combination across Indian nation. Using Pot in Pot in pressure cooker, you can make this scrumptious meal in 30 mins. And as added bonus, most of these 30 mins are hands off as Instant Pot is doing it's job.
- Traditionally, this dish is made using the lentil or dal most commonly known as Toor dal (Arhar Dal). In English, these lentils are known as split pigeon peas. You can also make this recipe using Masoor Dal ( Red Lentils)
- I prefer to use ½ cup of each toor and moong dal to make Mixed Lentil Curry. These lentils cook easily so not much pre-soaking is required. Just rinse them well under cold water and drain excess water before cooking.
- For Pot In Pot Rice-Wash and rinse 1 cup Basmati Rice . Add 1.5 cup of water for fluffier rice and 2 cups of water for mushy rice.
- If you don't have curry leaves easily available, use 1 bay leaf.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g