Instant Pot Tomato Dal | Andhra Style Tomato Pappu Recipe is prepared with lentils, tomato, and a delicious tadka with curry leaves, mustard seeds, garlic, and dry red chilies. This South Indian dal is healthy, light, and delicious. A quick and easy weeknight meal.
★★★★★
"Amazing instant pot version of tomato Dal! 10/10 so easy but doesn't skimp on flavor! Nisha does it again 🔥."
- Kati T.
My best friend, Anu, is originally from Andhra Pradesh, and after meeting her in college I've been able to experience delicious Andhra cuisine. Prior to meeting my bestie, I assumed South Indian food was just idli, dosa, sambar... that's so not the case.
South Indian curries and dals are beyond delicious. The combination of mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, and curry pata in practically every dish adds depts of flavors to the curries. In all the years I've known Anu, I have never left her home hungry.
Over the years, I managed to snag some delicious Andhra recipes from my bestie's mom, including this Andhra Tomato Dal which is light, delicious, and so comforting.
Jump to:
What is Tomato Dal or Andhra Style Tomato Pappu Recipe
Pappu is a Telugu word that means dal, thus Tomato Pappu is essentially Andhra Tomato Dal. This is one of the easiest dals to make as it only requires chopping tomatoes, garlic, and cilantro.
Tomato Pappu is comfort food and is prepared with simple ingredients such as lentils, tomatoes, and a delicious South Indian tadka which includes curry leaves, mustard seeds, dry red chilies, and tons of garlic. The combo of spices is an explosion of flavors in your mouth.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Warm & Comforting
- Soothes the Soul
- Easy Weeknight Meal
- Delicious Andhra Meal
- Garlicky Goodness
- Healthy
- Vegan
Ingredients
Toor Dal: Toor Dal is also known as yellow split pigeon peas. Wash and soak the lentils for at least 30 minutes.
Green Chilies: I used Indian green chilies (or Thai green chillies) for this recipe. You may also use serrano peppers.
Tomatoes: I used plum tomatoes, you may also use Roma tomatoes.
Spices: Turmeric Powder. Salt. Mustard Seeds. Cumin Seeds. Asafoetida (hing).
Dry Red Chilies: You'll need 2-3 of dried red chilies, broken.
Curry Leaves: Sprig Curry Leaves or Curry Pata is an essential ingredient in this Andhra Tomato Pappu, you can't omit this. You can easily find curry leaves at your local Indian grocery store.
Kashmiri Red Chili Powder: This chili powder adds color, not spice. If you don't have Kashmiri Red Chili Powder, use paprika.
Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves are an essential ingredient when making Garlicky Tomato Dal.
Oil: Use a flavorless high-heat oil, such as avocado oil.
Lemon: You will need the juice of half a lemon, and a little more if needed.
Fresh Cilantro: Finish off this dal with chopped fresh coriander leaves.
How to make Tomato Dal Recipe - Step by Step Instructions
Step 1 - Soak & Cook Dal in Instant Pot
1. Soak toor dal for 30 minutes at least. Once done, wash and rinse until the water runs clear.
2. Add washed and drained dal to the Instant Pot. Add 3 ¾ cups of water.
3. Add tomatoes, green chilies, turmeric powder, and salt.
4. Close the Instant Pot and High Pressure for 8 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release.
5. Once the dal is cooked, this is what you should have.
6. Whisk the cooked dal well and it'll become creamy.
Step 2 - Prepare Tadka & Add to Dal
1. Heat up a tadka pot on medium flame. Once hot, add oil followed by mustard seeds and cumin seeds. They will splutter.
2. Next add asafoetida (hing) and dry red chilies.
TIP: For spicier Tomato Dal, add more dry red chilies. You can also add more green chilies when cooking the dal. Additionally, you can use red chilli powder instead of Kashmiri Lal Mirch when making the tadka.
3. Then add garlic and curry leaves.
4. Finally, add Kashmiri Red Chili Powder. Saute for 30-60 seconds until the garlic is fragrant and lightly browned.
5. Here is your tadka
6. Add tadka to the dal.
7. Then add fresh cilantro leaves.
8. Finally, add freshly squeezed lemon juice. Enjoy with hot basmati rice.
TIP: For a thinner dal consistency, add another ½ cup of water. Taste as you go so the dal isn't diluted.
Tips on Making the Best Tomato Pappu
- Soak the dal. Rinse and drain.
- Cook the dal in the Instant Pot. Let the pressure naturally release.
- Whisk the dal which helps create a creamy texture.
- Make sure the oil is hot when preparing the tadka. Cook the garlic until fragrant.
- Add the tadka. Garnish with lemon juice and cilantro.
Serving Suggestions
✔️ Tomato Pappu is best served piping hot and goes best with plain basmati hot rice or Instant Pot Jeera Rice. A dollop of ghee on top would be delicious.
✔️ Serve with a side of achaar such as mango pickle, lime pickle, or my favorite - gongura pickle.
✔️ Pair pappu with a dry South Indian curry such as Capsicum Kura or any potato fry such as, Jeera Aloo. A side of kachumber salad or Indian Salad is delicious too.
Storage
→ Refrigerator: Store dal in an airtight container and place it in the fridge. It'll keep well for up to 4 days.
→ Freezer: You can also freeze dal for up to 1 month. Once cooled, I transferred the dal to a Ziploc bag and froze it. You can also use a freezer-safe container. 24 hours before serving, remove the dal from the freezer and transfer it to the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. This recipe is vegan.
No. This recipe uses asafoetida (hing) which is not gluten-free. To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free hing or omit it.
No. You need to use fresh tomatoes for the best results.
Yes, you can. I haven't made this dal in the pressure cooker so I'm not sure how many whistles you will need.
More Dal Recipes!
Tried this recipe? If so, please leave a comment & rate this recipe. That would mean so much to me. If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I'm happy to share and mention you. Thank you!
This recipe was first published on March 11, 2022, and has been modified and updated since.
📖 Recipe Card
Tomato Dal | Andhra Style Tomato Pappu Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
for the tomato dal
- 1 ¼ cup toor dal yellow split pigeon peas
- 2 green chili
- 2 plum tomatoes chopped
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt more if needed
- 3 ¾ cups water
for the tadka
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida hing
- 2-3 dry red chilies broken
- 12 curry leaves curry pata
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or paprika
for garnish
- juice of ½ lemon
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
Step 1 - Soak & Cook Dal in Instant Pot
- Soak toor dal for 30 minutes at least. Once done, wash and rinse until the water runs clear.
- Add washed and drained dal to the Instant Pot. Add 3 ¾ cups of water.
- Add tomatoes, green chilies, turmeric powder, and salt.
- Close the Instant Pot and High Pressure for 8 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release.
- Once the dal is cooked, this is what you should have.
- Whisk the dal well and it'll become creamy.
Step 2 - Prepare Tadka & Add to Dal
- Heat up a tadka pot on low-medium heat. Once hot, add oil followed by mustard seeds and cumin seeds. They will splutter.
- Next add asafoetida (hing) and dry red chilies.
- Then add garlic and curry leaves.
- Finally, add Kashmiri Red Chili Powder. Saute for 30-60 seconds until you can smell the garlic.
- Here is your tadka
- Add tadka to the dal.
- Then add fresh cilantro leaves.
- Finally, add freshly squeezed lemon juice. Enjoy with hot basmati rice.
Video
Notes
- For Gluten-free option: Asafoetida (hing) has gluten. For a gf version, use gluten-free asafoetida (hing) or omit it.
- For Spicier Tomato Dal: Use more dry red chilies and green chilies. You can also use red chili powder instead of Kashmiri lal mirch.
- For Creamy Dal: Once the dal is cooked in the Instant Pot, whisk it well.
Ritu says
I made Tomato Dal using ur recipe . Being from south India, my mom made this quite often and was craving for some today . Ur recipe tasted exactly like my mom’s . Thank You Nisha
Shilpa says
Unfortunately the recipe did not work for me, The dal was extremely watery and I had to finish it on the stove to cook off all the extra water. I also noticed the kashmiri red chili powder is listed in the ingredients but not in the instructions, so I did not add it.
honeywhatscooking says
HI Shilpa,
I'm sorry to hear this recipe didn't work out for you. I added the kashmiri red chili powder to the instructions - thanks for letting me know.
Nisha
Ritu Chhangani says
This was so good! Glad I finally made it and everyone enjoyed the flavors! Super easy too
Suhani says
It’s actually good
Its a one pot easy to make meal
Definitely worth the try
honeywhatscooking says
Suhani. So glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for your comment. 🙂
Annu says
Just made this dal, it's D E L I C I O U S. For real. It's perfect in its simplicity. I ate 2 bowls of it, no rice needed. Yum Yum..
Genev M says
Loved this recipe. So simple & so easy to make. Thanks for this simple yet delish recipe Nisha.
Priya says
Loved the easy recipe and the dal came out so yummy!! I really liked that you added lemon / lime juice at the end instead of tamarind…. It gave a better flavor to the dal. Will be making this on repeat!!
Aarthi ramachandran says
Loved this recipe!! Sooo easy to make and soo delicious and healthy!! Highly recommend trying this out
Jaya says
Made this tonight! So yummy and amazing
Kati T says
Amazing instant pot version of tomato Dal! 10/10 so easy but doesn't skimp on flavor! Nisha does it again🔥
Sandy says
Superb in taste and ease of making! This recipe turned out absolutely AMAZING... Thanks Nisha! You're a rockstar!