78 minutes•Easy•Serves 4
Instant Pot Masoor Dal (Red Lentil Dal)
By @chef1
A simple and flavorful North Indian style red lentil dal made in the Instant Pot. This recipe is not spicy and features a flavorful tadka (tempering of spices) for added depth.
Recipe Rating
Not yet rated by chefs
Ingredients
- ●2 tablespoons Ghee or Oil
- ●1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- ●0.5g Ground cumin
- ●1 cup Red Lentils (Masoor Dal)
- ●1 cup Diced Tomatoes
- ●1 teaspoon, grated Ginger
- ●2 cloves, minced Garlic
- ●1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
- ●4 cups Water
- ●1 tablespoon Ghee or Oil (for tadka)
- ●1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds (for tadka)
- ●1 Dried Red Chili (optional)
- ●2 tablespoons, chopped Fresh Cilantro
- ●632g Cooked white rice
Instructions
- 1Rinse the red lentils thoroughly under cold water.
- 2Turn on the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add ghee or oil. Once hot, add cumin seeds and the extra measured ground cumin. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 3Add the rinsed red lentils, diced tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and turmeric to the Instant Pot. Stir well.
- 4Pour in water or broth. Ensure the lentils are submerged.
- 5Close the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on manual/pressure cook mode for 10 minutes.
- 6Once the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
- 7Open the Instant Pot and gently mash some of the lentils with the back of a spoon to create a creamy texture.
- 8Prepare the tadka: In a small pan, heat ghee or oil over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and dried red chili (if using). Sauté until the cumin seeds splutter.
- 9Pour the tadka over the dal in the Instant Pot. Stir well.
- 10Stir in fresh cilantro. Divide the dal and all 632g cooked rice into four servings; no unquantified roti is required.
Recipe details
- Cuisine
- Indian
- Category
- Main course
- Preparation
- 25 minutes
- Cooking
- 40 minutes
Estimated total: 78 minutes. Planning estimate: stated duration ranges use their midpoint; standard preparation, heating and handling allowances are included. Overlapping tasks are counted once. Resting/chilling is included in total time.
How these estimates were calculated
- Prepare measured ingredients: 10 min planning allowance (vegetable_prep)
- simple prep: 5 min planning allowance (simple_prep)
- pan preheat: 3 min planning allowance (pan_preheat)
- transfer: 2 min planning allowance (transfer)
- transfer: 2 min planning allowance (transfer)
- pressure heat: 15 min planning allowance (pressure_heat)
- quick release: 3 min planning allowance (quick_release)
- transfer: 2 min planning allowance (transfer)
- pan preheat: 3 min planning allowance (pan_preheat)
- saute: 8 min planning allowance (saute)
- transfer: 2 min planning allowance (transfer)
- transfer: 2 min planning allowance (transfer)
- Chosen 10-minute initial preparation allowance includes implicit chopping and measuring; written preparation is not counted here again.
- Ghee or Oil: USDA anhydrous butter-oil tablespoon weight used for clarified butter/ghee (https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/173412/nutrients)
- First alternative ghee; USDA clarified-butter nutrients and anhydrous butter-oil volume weight.
- Cumin Seeds: USDA tsp, whole portion weight
- Replace asafoetida with a measured familiar spice, an authored seasoning variation.
- Red Lentils (Masoor Dal): USDA cup portion weight
- Diced Tomatoes: USDA cup portion weight
- Using 'Tomatoes, crushed, canned' as an approximation for diced tomatoes.
- Ginger: USDA tsp portion weight
- Garlic: USDA clove portion weight
- Turmeric: USDA tsp portion weight
- Water: USDA liter portion weight
- USDA plain tap drinking water; unknown amount includes only documented zeros and omits nonzero sodium.
- Ghee or Oil (for tadka): USDA anhydrous butter-oil tablespoon weight used for clarified butter/ghee (https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/173412/nutrients)
- First alternative ghee; USDA clarified-butter nutrients and anhydrous butter-oil volume weight.
- Cumin Seeds (for tadka): USDA tsp, whole portion weight
- Excludes optional Dried Red Chili (optional)
- Fresh Cilantro: USDA cup portion weight
- Chosen measured cooked accompaniment, included in the complete meal estimate.
- Ground cumin: Replace asafoetida with a measured familiar spice, an authored seasoning variation. Original: {"item":"Asafoetida (Hing)","amount":"1/4 teaspoon"}. Authored: {"item":"Ground cumin","amount":"0.5g"}.
- Cooked white rice: Chosen measured cooked accompaniment, included in the complete meal estimate. Original: not separately listed. Authored: {"item":"Cooked white rice","amount":"632g"}.
- Water: Owner-authorized explicit recipe amount or suitable ingredient substitution. Original: {"item":"Water or Broth","amount":"4 cups"}. Authored: {"item":"Water","amount":"4 cups"}.
- Ground cumin: Replace asafoetida with a measured familiar spice, an authored seasoning variation. Original: {"item":"Asafoetida (Hing)","amount":"1/4 teaspoon"}. Authored: {"item":"Ground cumin","amount":"0.5g"}.
- Cooked white rice: Chosen measured cooked accompaniment, included in the complete meal estimate. Original: not separately listed. Authored: {"item":"Cooked white rice","amount":"632g"}.
- Water: Owner-authorized explicit recipe amount or suitable ingredient substitution. Original: {"item":"Water or Broth","amount":"4 cups"}. Authored: {"item":"Water","amount":"4 cups"}.
- Ghee or Oil: 25.6 g · USDA reference 171314 · Portion reference
- Cumin Seeds: 2.1 g · USDA reference 170923
- Ground cumin: 0.5 g · USDA reference 170923
- Red Lentils (Masoor Dal): 192 g · USDA reference 174284
- Diced Tomatoes: 242 g · USDA reference 170501
- Ginger: 2 g · USDA reference 169231
- Garlic: 6 g · USDA reference 169230
- Turmeric: 1.5 g · USDA reference 172231
- Water: 946.35 g · USDA reference 173647
- Ghee or Oil (for tadka): 12.8 g · USDA reference 171314 · Portion reference
- Cumin Seeds (for tadka): 1.05 g · USDA reference 170923
- Dried Red Chili (optional): optional ingredient excluded
- Fresh Cilantro: 2 g · USDA reference 169997
- Cooked white rice: 632 g · USDA reference 168878
masoor dal · red lentils · tadka · Instant Pot
Estimated nutrition per serving
490 calories · 17 g protein · 80.5 g carbohydrate · 11.5 g fat · 7.2 g fiber · 129 mg sodium
Source and basis: USDA FoodData Central and reviewed product references; ingredient-based calculation per serving. Documented USDA or manufacturer portion weights; all listed ingredient mass included before cooking losses. Excludes optional Dried Red Chili (optional) Full ingredient matches and assumptions below.
Recipe Context
This recipe was created with the following context in mind:
Tuesday
afternoon snack
winter
Requested: 8 min
1 person