Dal is a staple food in almost every Indian household. If you look around and explore, you will come across a wide range of dal. For instance, urad dal, moong dal, arhar dal, chana dal, and more. The list is long. In this article, we are going to tell you all about how to cook masoor dal. Masoor dal, sometimes referred to as red lentils, is loaded with minerals and has several advantages. It is quite simple to prepare and, because of its hint of sweetness, is said to be the most delectable of all lentils. Let’s discover its advantages in further depth. Look below. Today, I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT.
What is Masoor Dal (Red Lentils)
Red lentils are known as Masoor dal in Hindi. These lentils are versatile food that provides a good source of protein, fiber, B-complex vitamins, iron, and zinc. These red lentils are available in split and whole forms in the market. These are used to make traditional dal, soups, or curries. Check out the Whole Masoor Dal recipe.
Ingredients
Firstly let’s gather the ingredients to make the Masoor Dal recipe
Masoor dal (Red lentils): The main ingredient for this dal recipe, and they are great sources of protein, iron, and fiber. It’s easily available in local & Indian grocery stores in the USA. Ghee (or oil): for cooking. I used ghee for this recipe, you can use oil if you are a vegan. Onion: I used red onion, but white or yellow will also work if that’s what you have. Tomato: I used fresh Roma tomatoes. You may also use canned diced or crushed tomatoes if that’s what you have in hand. Ginger & Garlic: use freshly minced for the best flavors. Herbs: use fresh herbs like curry leaves & coriander leaves for great flavors. Lime juice: freshly squeezed lime juice adds a really great taste to the dish. Spices: Cumin seeds (jeera), turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder. Feel free to adjust the spices to suit your preferences.
How to Make Masoor Dal (Red Lentils) in Instant Pot
This recipe shows how to make Masoor Dal in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. The main difference with traditional dal preparation is that this is a one-pot recipe. We cook the dal separately and then add the tadka (tempering) in the traditional method. Firstly Wash and rinse the dal, keep it aside. Press Saute mode on Instant Pot. Add oil, and once it’s hot, add cumin seeds. Let them crackle. Add asafetida, minced ginger-garlic, green chilies, and curry leaves, and saute for 15 seconds. Then add chopped onion. Saute until onions turn light brown. Add tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, and cook till tomatoes turn soft, which takes 2-3 minutes. Then add rinsed lentils or dal, salt, water, and give a stir. Adjust spices at this stage—no need to soak the dal for this recipe. Once you add all ingredients for masoor dal in the instant pot, place the trivet and then the rice bowl with water. This way, they will both cook together. The big advantage of the Instant Pot is the option to do Pot-in-Pot Cooking or PIP. It means you can cook multiple things at the same time. See the pictures below for reference. Close the lid on the pot. Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and increase the timer to 5 minutes. Once the pot beeps, let it release the pressure naturally (NPR) for 10 minutes. Instant Pot Red Lentils (Masoor Dal) are ready. Add some lemon juice and cilantro, mix well, and serve hot with boiled rice, quinoa, or roti.
Note on the Consistency
If one wants soft mashed dal, 6 minutes manual/pressure cook (High Pressure) is probably the ideal setting in manual mode. But I like dals (lentils) to be a little firm, so I selected the 5-minute Manual/Pressure Cooker (high pressure) option. If you want a firmer dal, choose a 3-minute Manual/Pressure Cooker (high pressure).
Accessories needed for this Red Lentil Dal and Rice Pot-in-pot Recipe
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Instructions
Pressure cook the masoor dal adding 3 cups of water for 3-4 whistles. Heat oil or ghee in a Kadai and add the cumin, and let them splutter. Then add asafetida, minced ginger-garlic, chopped green chili, curry leaves, and saute for 15 seconds. Next, add the onions and saute till the onions turn light brown in color. Add tomatoes and all the spice powders – turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala powder and cook till tomatoes turn soft, which takes 2-3 minutes. Now add the cooked and mashed dal (lentils), and stir well. Add water to adjust consistency and salt to taste. Boil dal for 2-3 minutes on a medium-low flame. Finally, add chopped coriander leaves. The Red Lentil dal recipe is ready, add some lemon juice and cilantro, mix well and serve hot with boiled rice, quinoa, or roti.
How to Serve Red Lentil Curry
Serve Masoor Dal with roti, chapati, jeera rice, or steamed basmati rice. Pair it with a side of onion tomato raita, kachumber salad, pickle, and papad to make a comforting meal. However, you can also serve it with quinoa, brown rice, or be eaten as a lentil soup.
Storage Suggestions
Fridge: Leftover masoor dal keeps good for 2-3 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. Freezer: It freezes well. Cool down completely, and then store it in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Reheat: You can reheat it on the microwave or stovetop. If frozen, thaw it for a few hours on the kitchen top and then reheat.
Tips & Variations
More Lentil Recipes
Dal Tadka - Dal prepared with split pigeon peas lentils, and assorted spices. Green Lentil Soup - lentil soup made with green lentils, carrots, celery, red bell pepper, and Indian spices. Whole green moong dal– Dal cooked with whole mung beans. Spinach Dal / Palak Dal – Dhal cooked with spinach leaves. Panchmel dal – dal prepared with five varieties of lentils. Zucchini Dal - Dal prepared with zucchini and lentils.
More Instant Pot Curry Recipes
Lauki Ki Sabzi Black Eye Pea Curry (Lobia curry) Rajma Masala Chickpea Coconut Curry Potato Peas Curry Chana Masala Lauki Chana Dal
