This traditional Indian dish is made with aromatic spices, lentils, tomatoes, and cilantro. It is usually served with basmati rice or naan, or both.
That’s why we’re loving the Instant Pot. It’s a super easy and quick way to prep your meals and let them cook while you’re off doing other things. Just set it and forget it. James and I are both really bad with routines and goal setting so I’m hoping that this guy, along with some solid willpower, will help us stay on track. You can of course make this recipe on the stove without an Instant Pot as well. Today’s recipe (in case you’ve forgotten by now thanks to my diatribe) is an easy, vegan Indian Dal. This lentil dal recipe is one of my favourites. I am obsessed with Indian food, but it’s just so darn expensive to order in every 2 nights (yup you read that correctly). Dal is a term in the Indian subcontinent for dried, lentils, peas, and beans. The term is also used for various soups prepared from these. This yummy Indian dal curry is a nutritious and flavourful vegetarian (and vegan) dish that’s quick to whip up and makes amazing leftovers. There are MANY variations for preparing dal, but this one is my quick go-to. Serve this easy dal recipe with toasted garlic naan or rice and warm yourself from the inside out.
Okay, let’s start cooking!! On your instant pot, press the ‘Sauté’ button, add heat the coconut oil. Add one chopped onion and cook it until it’s translucent. Then stir in garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, curry powder, garam masala, cayenne, and mustard seeds, and cook for another minute until fragrant. This dish is going to make your home smell AMAZING! Hit the ‘Cancel’ button and add the lentils, water, salt, chopped tomatoes and mix to combine. Then, cover the Instant Pot with the lid, and close the pressure valve. Press the ‘Pressure Cook’ button and set the cooking time to 10 minutes. Never put your face or hands near this valve. After the timer sounds, wait 10 mins before opening the pressure valve. Then, open the valve and stand back!!!! Remove the lid and mix the lentil mixture, add the chopped cilantro and stir to combine. Serve this on its own, over basmati rice, or with naan (regular or garlic), and top it with fresh cilantro. Bon appetit!
Instant Pot Dal Recipe
This super easy Indian Dal is an obvious choice for a quick vegan dinner. This recipe makes the best homemade Dal ever, so authentic without crazy ingredients. It is made in an instant pot, so you only dirty one pot! Bonus! Vegan Indian food at home has never been easier.
Author: The Edgy Veg
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ¼ tsp cayenne add more if you like your indian food spicy!
- ¼ tsp mustard seeds
- 1½ cups of dried brown or red lentils
- 3 cups water
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped + extra for garnish
Instructions
- On your instant pot, press the 'Sauté' button, add heat the oil.
- Add onion and cook until translucent.
- Stir in garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, curry powder, garam masala, cayenne, and mustard seeds and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Hit the 'Cancel' button and add lentils, water, salt, chopped tomatoes and mix to combine.
- Cover the Instant Pot with the lid, and close the pressure valve. Press the 'Pressure Cookl' button and set the cooking time to 10 minutes.
- After the timer sounds, wait 10 mins before opening the pressure valve.
- After 10 minutes, open the valve and stand back!!!!
- Mix the lentil mixture and add the chopped cilantro.
- Stir to combine, and serve over basmati rice or with naan (regular or garlic), and top it with fresh cilantro.
Nutrition Information
Serving size:1 serving Calories:192 Fat:7.75g Carbohydrates:17.3g Sugar:3.65g Sodium:301mg Fiber:6.75g Protein:8.4g Cholesterol:0mg
Hi! I’m Candice akaThe Edgy Veg! I veganize popular food recipes for vegans, plant-based diets, eco-conscious eaters & people who are trying to eat more plants over… y’know animals or their by-products. I hope you enjoy this tasty vegan recipe!
Looking For More Vegan Meat Recipes?
- Best Vegan Chicken
- Carrot Bacon
Made this recipe? Let me know what you think by leaving a ★★★★★ star rating & comment below. It truly helps me & I really appreciate any support! Feel free to share your food photos on social and tag me @edgyveg so I don’t miss it!
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FAQs
Well there is no fix ratio of cup of dal to take for number of people because of the different diet of different people. But it is said that 1 cup of dal is enough for 3 people to prepare. Hence 3–4 cups are enough for 10 people depending on their diet capacity.
Is Instant Pot useful for Indian cooking? ›
Is instant pot good for Indian cooking? Yes. The taste and texture of the Indian dishes turn out much better in the instant pot than in the stovetop pressure cooker, especially dals, curries, rice, and meat dishes.
Is 1 cup of water enough for Instant Pot? ›
Your Instant Pot needs liquid to work. If there's not enough, your pot won't be able to create enough steam to build pressure. About 1 cup is the minimum amount of liquid, so if you're cooking a recipe that will absorb water, like rice or beans, you'll need even more.
How much water for 1 cup of dal? ›
The amount of water added to the dal depends on how thick or watery you want the dal to be. On average, add 3 cups of water while cooking 1 cup of dal.
How to know when dal is cooked? ›
To cook in pressure cooker or instant pot, you don't need to soak as it cooks very well under pressure. How do you know when dal is cooked? Dal when perfectly cooked becomes mushy and won't hold shape. Mash a few lentils in between your thumb and forefinger to know if they are really well done and mushy.
What are the side effects of a pressure cooker? ›
Disadvantages of cooking food in a pressure cooker
However, starchy foods may form acrylamide, a harmful chemical, when pressure cooked. Consumption of this chemical on a regular basis may lead to health issues like cancer, infertility, and neurological disorders.
What happens if there is too much pressure in a pressure cooker? ›
The pressure inside the cooker builds up rapidly, exceeding the safety limit. The sudden release of this excessive pressure can result in an explosion, sending hot steam and food flying in all directions. Not only can this cause severe burns and injuries, but it can also damage your kitchen.
How much dal is required for 2 people? ›
Dal: Estimate about 100 to 150 grams of dal per person.
Which dal cooks fastest? ›
Moong dal, the pale, butter-yellow split dal made from hulled green mung beans, is the one my children consider our household standard. It's one of the quickest-cooking dals, which is probably why I choose it so often.
Which dal has the highest protein? ›
In case you are wondering which dal has the highest protein, masoor dal is a great option. Masoor dal is a valuable plant-based protein source that offers not only protein but also a range of essential nutrients. Including it in your diet can contribute to meeting your protein needs and promoting overall health.
Not good for cooking everything: Just like no one method is great for cooking everything, the Instant Pot isn't build to do it all. If you are not a fan of like stews and saucy things then pressure cooking might not be for you.
What not to use in Instant Pot? ›
6 Things You Should Never Cook in an Instant Pot
- Creamy Sauces. If there's one food group you should avoid in the Instant Pot, it's dairy. ...
- Fried Chicken. The best fried chicken is crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside and perfectly golden brown. ...
- Cookies. ...
- Burgers. ...
- Pie. ...
- Steak.
MOC Recommended - My favorite and most used model that I recommend is the 6 QT Instant Pot DUO with yogurt option. This is also a perfect Instant Pot option for Indian cooking. This is available in 3, 6, or 8-quart sizes.
What is the liquid ratio for Instant Pot? ›
Follow this tip: Unless otherwise specified in the recipe, use just enough liquid (usually water or broth) to bring the cooker to pressure. Amounts will vary between recipes, but in general, 1/2 to 1 cup of liquid is needed to get cooking.
What is the ratio of dried beans to water in Instant Pot? ›
All you need to do to cook beans in the instant pot is add them into your pot, followed by 2 – 3x that amount of water. So if you're using 1 cup of dried beans (unsoaked), you'd follow that with about 2 – 3 cups of water.
What if I put too much water in my dal? ›
Solution: Boil the dal at a high heat for a longer time with the lid off. This will help the excess liquid boil off and help finish cooking the dal if it is undercooked so that it can become creamy.
How much water do you put in a rice cooker for dal? ›
Step 2: Add 2.5 cups water to rice and 3/4 cup water. to dal , cover and place it inside a rice cooker and. switch on the cook mode.
This traditional Indian dish is made with aromatic spices, lentils, tomatoes, and cilantro. It is usually served with basmati rice or naan, or both.
Okay, let’s start cooking!! On your instant pot, press the ‘Sauté’ button, add heat the coconut oil. Add one chopped onion and cook it until it’s translucent. Then stir in garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, curry powder, garam masala, cayenne, and mustard seeds, and cook for another minute until fragrant. This dish is going to make your home smell AMAZING! Hit the ‘Cancel’ button and add the lentils, water, salt, chopped tomatoes and mix to combine. Then, cover the Instant Pot with the lid, and close the pressure valve. Press the ‘Pressure Cook’ button and set the cooking time to 10 minutes. Never put your face or hands near this valve. After the timer sounds, wait 10 mins before opening the pressure valve. Then, open the valve and stand back!!!! Remove the lid and mix the lentil mixture, add the chopped cilantro and stir to combine. Serve this on its own, over basmati rice, or with naan (regular or garlic), and top it with fresh cilantro. Bon appetit!
