30-minute Instant Pot Dal

2 bowls of dal served with naan with spoons and more naan in the background.

5 from 14 votes

This cozy Instant Pot dal is hearty, rich, and brimming with flavors. Made with simple pantry staples and ready in 30 minutes, it’s the perfect weeknight dinner that tastes like restaurant-quality Indian food.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: servings

Calories: 204kcal

Author: Meesha

Ingredients

1 cup moong dal split yellow lentils*
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon mustard seeds optional
1 medium red onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 medium tomato diced
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or regular (see notes)**
½ teaspoon ginger powder
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon coriander powder
3 cups water
¾-1 teaspoon salt or to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Turn the pot to the "saute" mode, and heat ½ tablespoon of oil. Add in cumin and mustard seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until onion is translucent.
Now, stir in the garlic, chopped tomatoes, and the remaining spices. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tomatoes have softened.
Add water and scrape the bottom of the pot to release any food residues.
Add rinsed lentils and salt into the pot, including the rinse lentils. Place the lid on and set the pot to cook at high pressure for 8 minutes.
Allow pressure to release naturally. Stir it, adjusting the taste by adding more salt or consistency with hot water.
Serve and enjoy your dal with a side of naan or roti.

Notes

*Lentils – Moong dal (split mung beans) is used in this recipe, but you can substitute it with other lentils, such as masoor dal or toor dal, or a mix of different dals.

**Chili powder – I am using Kashmiri chili powder, which is milder in spice. If using regular chili powder, you might need to reduce the amount to keep it mild.

Helpful tips

Adjust consistency of dal – If dal is too thick for liking, add hot water until it reaches the desired consistency.
Deglaze after sautéing – To prevent triggering the ‘BURN’ notice, add water and scrape the bottom of the pot to release any food residue that is stuck to the bottom.
Pressure cooking time – If you prefer a chunkier dal, cook for around 8 minutes. For a smoother texture, increase the cooking time to around 10-12 minutes.
Cook rice alongside dal – Place rinsed rice in a stainless-steel bowl with water (1:1.25 ratio) and set it on a trivet inside the Instant Pot. Then, cook both rice and dal together.

Storing - Leftover dal can be refrigerated for 4 days or frozen for 3 months. Portion dal using Souper cubes or containers before freezing.

Reheating - Allow frozen dal to thaw overnight in the fridge, then heat it in the microwave or on the stove. Add a splash of water to thin if your dal thickens too much.

Nutrition