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Instant Pot Whole Masoor Dal garnished with fresh cilantro

Instant Pot Whole Masoor Dal

Make Instant Pot whole masoor dal with brown lentils, tomatoes, and Indian spices. This easy, protein-rich dal is perfect with rice or roti.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: Instant Pot Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 272kcal
Author: Aayushi Patel

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Whole Brown Masoor Dal rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons Oil or Ghee I am using Avocado Oil
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
  • 2 Dried Red Chilies
  • 5-6 Curry Leaves
  • 1 Medium Onion finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Minced ginger and garlic
  • 1 green chili finely chopped
  • 1 Medium Tomato chopped
  • ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
  • ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
  • ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 cups Water
  • 1 teaspoon Kasuri Methi crushed (optional)
  • Fresh cilantro chopped
  • Lemon juice to taste

Instructions

  • Rinse the whole masoor dal thoroughly and drain.
  • Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Heat the oil or ghee and add cumin seeds, dried red chilies and curry leaves.
  • Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3–4 minutes.
  • Stir in the ginger, garlic, and green chili. Sauté for 30–60 seconds.
  • Add the tomatoes, turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, Kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala and salt. Cook until the tomatoes soften.
  • Add the rinsed lentils and water. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any stuck bits.
  • Close the lid and pressure-cook on High for 15 minutes.
  • Allow a 10-minute natural pressure release, then release any remaining pressure according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  • Stir the dal and adjust the consistency with hot water if needed.
  • Add crushed kasuri methi. Simmer briefly, then garnish with cilantro and lemon juice.
  • Serve hot with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice, or roti.

Notes

  • Soaking is optional.
  • If the lentils are still firm, pressure-cook for another 2–3 minutes.
  • Add hot water after cooking to adjust the consistency.
  • Use oil instead of ghee for a vegan recipe.
  • Refrigerate leftovers for 3–4 days or freeze for up to 3 months for best quality.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 61mg | Potassium: 770mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3140IU | Vitamin C: 87mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 5mg