Masoor Dal | Instant Pot & Stovetop Red Lentils

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5 from 3 votes

Masoor Dal | Instant Pot & Stovetop Red Lentils

A quick-cooking dal that has a rich, luscious texture and makes for a flavorful dal, made with masoor lentils.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: dal, masoor dal, red lentils

Servings:

Calories: 334kcal

Author: Puja

Ingredients

2 Tbsp oil or ghee
1 ½ cups masoor dal split red lentils, rinsed
4 ½ cups water
1 medium onion finely chopped
¾ cup chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
4 cloves garlic sliced
1 ” piece of ginger cut into 2
1-2 green chillies sliced
2 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp garam masala or dal masala
1 tsp salt or to taste
Cilantro for garnish

Instructions

Set the Instant Pot to saute mode. Heat the oil or ghee.
Add cumin seeds. Let sizzle for a few seconds. Add onions and let cook until onions soften (about 2 minutes).
Add ginger and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes. Add turmeric, black pepper, and tomatoes.
Let tomatoes and green chilies cook until jammy, about 2 minutes.
Add the dal, water, and salt. Mix well.
Cook on High Pressure for 7 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release of at least 10 minutes.
Set the Instant Pot to saute mode. With the dal still in the Instant Pot, mash it with the back of a spoon about 15 times. Adjust consistency by adding water for a thinner, soupier dal. Add garam masala and simmer for 2 minutes.
Garnish with cilantro.

Video

Notes

To cook on the stovetop in place of Instant Pot, add 1 cup of water. Instead of pressure cooking, boil covered for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Add water if needed. In place of natural pressure release, add the garam masala, then allow it to sit covered for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to come together.

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