Masoor Dal Instant Pot
Masoor Dal Instant Pot is an easy weeknight dinner with red lentils, tomatoes, garlic, fresh spinach, and green chilies. It's creamy, delicious, and nutritious.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
To Cook Masoor Dal
- 1 cups cup masoor dal/red lentils
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
- 1 inch ginger, chopped or 1 tbsp
- 1 green chili slit
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt
For Tempering (Tadka)
- 2 tbsp oil high-heat oil
- 1/8 tsp asafoetida/hing for gluten-free, use gf hing
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 5 cloves garlic, sliced or 2 1/2 tbsp
- 3 dry red chilies broken
- 2 green chilies, chopped
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
Add to Cooked Dal
- 35 grams fresh spinach, chopped
- pour tempering/tadka
- 1/2 a lemon freshly squeezed
- 1/4 tsp garam masala add after tadka
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Cook Masoor Dal in Instant Pot. Wash the red lentils well a few times until the water runs clear. Drain water and set aside. Add the drained red lentils, water, chopped ginger, one slit green chili, tomatoes, turmeric powder, Kashmiri chili powder, and salt. Stir. Cover and seal the Instant Pot. Cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Whisk Dal. Once the masoor dal is cooked, you can remove the white foam, also known as saponins, which may cause digestive issues. Using a whisk, whisk the dal until smooth and creamy.
- Prepare Tempering (Tadka). Heat a small pot (for tempering) on medium heat and add oil. Once the oil is at a smoking point, add cumin seeds and asafoetida (hing). Saute for 1 minute. Next, add dry red chilies and saute for another minute. Add the chopped green chilies and sliced garlic. Cook until the garlic is slightly golden brown for another 2 minutes, ensuring you don't burn it. Finally, add Kashmiri red chili powder and cook for about 30 seconds. Turn off the stove.
- Add Spinach & Tempering to Masoor Dal. Add freshly chopped spinach to the masoor dal. Stir, and the spinach will wilt in a minute. Pour the tadka you just prepared. Add chopped cilantro and garam masala. Stir. Finally, add a squeeze of lemon juice. Enjoy with hot basmati rice.
Notes
- Red Lentils - Wash & rinse your red lentils thoroughly. No soaking is required for these lentils.
- Fresh Spinach - Turn off the instant pot and add fresh spinach. The spinach will wilt as the dal heats.
- Tempering (Tadka) - Use a high-heat oil such as avocado oil. Also, ensure the oil is at a smoking point before adding the remaining ingredients. The tempering adds a ton of flavor, so preparing it correctly is key.
- Gluten-free - For a gluten-free option, use gf asafoetida (hing) or skip it.
- To thin out Dal - Masoor Dal tends to thicken as it sits longer. Feel free to add water as needed to thin out the consistency of the dal. If you add additional water, heat up the dal.
Nutrition
Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 768mg | Potassium: 692mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1350IU | Vitamin C: 61mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 5mg